Methods and systems for automatically detecting and responding to dangerous road conditions

• US 9,975,547 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Myers, Scott Vincent, Kadetotad, Sneha, Micks, Ashley Elizabeth, Banvait, Harpreetsingh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/227,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20180037221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• 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 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 : where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 : where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A method for automatically detecting and safely traversing an accumulation of ice on an impending bridge. The method automatically identifies, by the vehicle, impending approach of the vehicle to a bridge and senses an accumulation of ice on the bridge. The method then calculates a speed of the vehicle needed to prevent longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge, and automatically slows the vehicle at a rate sufficient to enable the vehicle to reach the calculated speed by the time it reaches the bridge. A corresponding system is also disclosed and claimed herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically identifying, by a vehicle, an impending traversal of the vehicle over a bridge;

sensing, at the vehicle, at least one condition indicating an accumulation of ice on the bridge;

calculating a speed of the vehicle needed to prevent longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge; and

automatically slowing the vehicle at a rate sufficient to enable the vehicle to reach the calculated speed by the time it reaches the bridge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises using a global positioning system to determine a traveled route of the vehicle and a location of the vehicle on the traveled route.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises determining, using map data, a location of the bridge on the traveled route.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises determining a distance to the bridge by comparing the location of the vehicle to the location of the bridge along the traveled route.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising automatically obtaining, by the vehicle, at least one of a current and historical weather report for a geographical area in which the bridge is located.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing comprises sensing using at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, a radar sensor, a Lidar sensor, and a navigational system sensor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sensing at least one condition indicating an accumulation of ice on the bridge further comprises calculating, using data from the at least one sensor, a confidence score indicating a likelihood that ice has accumulated on the bridge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises calculating a current longitudinal slip of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises preventing, as much as possible, the current longitudinal slip from going negative.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises taking into account slope of a road surface between the vehicle and the bridge.

11. A system for traversing an accumulation of ice on an impending bridge, the system comprising:

at least one processor hosted by a vehicle; and

at least one memory device operably coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution on the at least one processor, the instructions causing the at least one processor to;

automatically identify impending traversal of the vehicle over a bridge;

sense at least one condition indicating an accumulation of ice on the bridge;

calculate a speed of the vehicle needed to prevent longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge; and

automatically slow the vehicle at a rate sufficient to enable the vehicle to reach the calculated speed by the time it reaches the bridge.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises using a global positioning system to determine a traveled route of the vehicle and a location of the vehicle on the traveled route.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises determining, using map data, a location of the bridge on the traveled route.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein identifying the impending traversal further comprises determining a distance to the bridge by comparing the location of the vehicle to the location of the bridge along the traveled route.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to automatically obtain at least one of a current and historical weather report for a geographical area in which the bridge is located.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein sensing comprises sensing using at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, a radar sensor, a Lidar sensor, and a navigational system sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein sensing at least one condition indicating an accumulation of ice on the bridge further comprises calculating, using data from the at least one sensor, a confidence score indicating a likelihood that ice has accumulated on the bridge.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises calculating a current longitudinal slip of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises preventing, as much as possible, the current longitudinal slip from going negative.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein preventing longitudinal slip between the vehicle and the bridge comprises taking into account slope of a road surface between the vehicle and the bridge.