Method and system for adaptive detection and application of horn for an autonomous vehicle

• US 9,840,254 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Manish, Peswani, Khushwant, Ramachandra Sastry, Ramesha Chelur, Chintalapoodi, Pramod, Tanaka, Sho
• Primary Examiner(s): RINK, RYAN J
• Application Number:
  US14/986,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0062 Adapting control system settings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 : Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 : External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 : Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 : Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 : Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 : Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 : Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/001 : Planning or execution of driving tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 : Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

Various aspects of a system and method for an autonomous vehicle, based on detection and/or application of horn, are disclosed herein. The system comprises one or more circuits in an electronic control unit (ECU) used in a first vehicle. The one or more circuits in the ECU are configured to detect a horn sound emanated from a second vehicle. First sensor data associated with the first vehicle is captured based on the detected horn sound. The captured first sensor data indicates a first traffic scenario in a vicinity of the first vehicle. Second sensor data associated with the first vehicle is captured for an elapsed time interval prior to the detection of the horn sound. One or more control systems in the first vehicle are recalibrated to perform one or more functions associated with the first vehicle. The recalibration is based on the captured first sensor data and the extracted second sensor data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more circuits in an electronic control unit (ECU) used in a first vehicle, said one or more circuits configured to;

detect a horn sound from a second vehicle;

capture first sensor data associated with said first vehicle based on said detected horn sound, wherein said captured first sensor data indicates a first traffic scenario in a vicinity of said first vehicle;

extract second sensor data associated with said first vehicle for an elapsed time interval prior to said detection of said horn sound; and

recalibrate at least one control system in said first vehicle based on said captured first sensor data and said extracted second sensor data, wherein said recalibrated at least one control system is configured to execute at least one function associated with said first vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to determine a position and/or a direction of said second vehicle with respect to said first vehicle based on said captured first sensor data.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first vehicle is configured to operate in one of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, or a manual mode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second vehicle operates in one of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, or a manual mode.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one function corresponds to one of a change of lane, a change of speed, provision of lane change indication, maintenance of a safe distance from one or more other vehicles, application of horn, application of brakes, a change in driving path of said first vehicle, or generation of a safety alert, wherein said at least one function is executed to avoid a violation of a traffic regulation.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor data corresponds to at least one of a video stream of said first traffic scenario, vehicle data received from at least one connected vehicle in said vicinity of said first vehicle, or sensor data received from one of a radio wave-based object detection device or laser-based object detection device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor data corresponds to at least one of a steering angle, a yaw rate, a speed value, lane information, a vehicle positional accuracy data, a brake system status, a status of a vehicle stability system, or a rate-of-change of speed of said first vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to tag said captured first sensor data and said extracted second sensor data with metadata corresponding to said detection of said horn sound.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to utilize said tagged first sensor data and said tagged second sensor data for said recalibration of said at least one control system of said first vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to:

identify said first traffic scenario; and

apply a horn at said first vehicle based on said identified first traffic scenario and based on operation of said first vehicle in an autonomous mode.

11. A system comprising:

one or more circuits in an electronic control unit (ECU) used in a first vehicle, said one or more circuits configured to;

detect an application of a horn at said first vehicle;

capture first sensor data associated with said first vehicle based on said detected application of said horn, wherein said captured first sensor data indicates a first traffic scenario in a vicinity of said first vehicle;

extract second sensor data associated with said first vehicle for an elapsed time interval prior to said application of said horn at said first vehicle; and

recalibrate at least one control system in said first vehicle based on said captured first sensor data and said extracted second sensor data, wherein said recalibrated at least one control system is configured to execute at least one function associated with said first vehicle.

12. A method for controlling a first vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting, by an electronic control unit (ECU) used in said first vehicle, a horn sound from a second vehicle;

capturing, by said ECU, first sensor data associated with said first vehicle based on said detected horn sound, wherein said captured first sensor data indicates a first traffic scenario in a vicinity of said first vehicle;

extracting, by said ECU, second sensor data associated with said first vehicle for an elapsed time interval prior to said detection of said horn sound; and

recalibrating, by said ECU, at least one control system in said first vehicle based on said captured first sensor data and said extracted second sensor data, wherein said recalibrated at least one control system is configured to execute at least one function associated with said first vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising determining at least one of a position or a direction of said second vehicle with respect to said first vehicle based on said captured first sensor data.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said at least one function corresponds to one of a change of lane, a change of speed, provision of lane change indication, maintenance of a safe distance from one or more other vehicles, application of horn, application of brakes, a change in driving path of said first vehicle, or generation of a safety alert, wherein said at least one function is executed to avoid a violation of a traffic regulation.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said first sensor data corresponds to at least one of a video stream of said first traffic scenario, vehicle data received from at least one connected vehicle in said vicinity of said first vehicle, or sensor data received from one of a radio wave-based object detection device or laser-based object detection device.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor data corresponds to at least one of a steering angle, a yaw rate, a speed value, lane information, a vehicle positional accuracy data, a brake system status, a status of a vehicle stability system, or a rate-of-change of speed of said first vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising tagging said captured first sensor data and said extracted second sensor data with metadata corresponding to said detection of said horn sound.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising utilizing said tagged first sensor data and said tagged second sensor data for said recalibration of said at least one control system of said first vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

identifying said first traffic scenario; and

applying a horn at said first vehicle based on said identified first traffic scenario and based on operation of said first vehicle in an autonomous mode.

20. A first vehicle, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to;

detect a horn sound from a second vehicle; and

capture first sensor data and second sensor data associated with said first vehicle; and

one or more circuits used in an electronic control unit configured to;

receive said captured first sensor data associated with said first vehicle based on said detected horn sound, wherein said received first sensor data indicates a first traffic situation in a vicinity of said first vehicle;

receive said captured second sensor data associated with said first vehicle for an elapsed time interval prior to said detection of said horn sound; and

recalibrate at least one control system in said first vehicle based on said received first sensor data and said received second sensor data, wherein said recalibrated at least one control system is configured to execute at least one function associated with said first vehicle.