Methods and systems for automated driving

• US 10,046,793 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Green, Charles A., Rosol, Kenneth L., Turski, Michael P., Salinger, Jeremy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US14/191,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20150239500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/10 Transducer, e.g. piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/202 Steering torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/10 characterised by means for sensing or determining torque

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling a driving feature for an automated driving system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a first sensor signal from a first sensor; receiving a second sensor signal from a second sensor; selectively determining a driver intent based on at least one of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal; and controlling the driving feature based on the driver intent.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a driving feature for an automated driving system, comprising:

receiving a first sensor signal from a first sensor that senses observable conditions, wherein the first sensor is one of a torque sensor associated with a steering wheel, and a hold sensor associated with the steering wheel;

receiving a second sensor signal from a second sensor that senses observable conditions, wherein the second sensor is one of a brake pedal position sensor, and an acceleration pedal position sensor;

selectively determining a driver intent to be one of starting an override procedure, completing an override procedure, responding to a request from the automated driving system to take control, and allowing the automated driving system to control the feature by evaluating both the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal based on a state machine stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the state machine includes a disabled state, an enabled state, an engaged state, and a driver control state, wherein the engaged state includes an active normal sub-state, an active degraded sub-state, a degraded no return sub-state, an override sub-state, an ending sub-state, and rules for transitioning between each of the states and sub-states; and

controlling the driving feature based on the driver intent.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least one of an operating state and an operating sub-state based on the driver intent; and

wherein the controlling the driving feature is based on the at least one of the operating state and the operating sub-state.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating driver notification data based on the at least one of the operating state and the operating sub-state.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first sensor signal is from a torque sensor associated with a steering system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first sensor signal is from steering wheel hold sensors associated with the steering system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the driver intent comprises determining the driver intent to be starting an override procedure.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the drive intent comprises determining the driver intent to be completing an override procedure.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the driver intent comprises determining the driver intent to be responding to a request of the automated driving system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the driver intent comprises determining the driver intent to be allowing the automated driving system to control the feature.

10. An automated driving system for controlling a driving feature, comprising:

a first module that receives a first sensor signal from a first sensor that senses observable conditions, that receives a second sensor signal from a second sensor that senses observable conditions, wherein the first sensor is one of a torque sensor associated with a steering wheel, and a hold sensor associated with the steering wheel, wherein the second sensor is one of a brake pedal position sensor, and an acceleration pedal position sensor, and that selectively determines a driver intent to be one of starting an override procedure, completing an override procedure, responding to a request from the automated driving system to take control, and allowing the automated driving system to control the feature by evaluating both the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal based on a state machine stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the state machine includes a disabled state, an enabled state, an engaged state, and a driver control state, wherein the engaged state includes an active normal sub-state, an active degraded sub-state, a degraded no return sub-state, an override sub-state, an ending sub-state, and rules for transitioning between each of the states and sub-states; and

a second module that controls the driving feature based on the driver intent.

11. The automated driving system of claim 10 further comprising:

a third module that determines at least one of an operating state and an operating sub-state based on the driver intent; and

wherein the second module controls the driving feature based on the at least one of the operating state and the operating sub-state.

12. The automated driving system of claim 11 wherein the third module generates driver notification data based on the at least one of the operating state and the operating sub-state.

13. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module receives the first sensor signal from a torque sensor associated with a steering system.

14. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module receives the first sensor signal from steering wheel hold sensors associated with the steering system.

15. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module determines the driver intent to be starting an override procedure.

16. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module determines the driver intent to be completing an override procedure.

17. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module determines the driver intent to be responding to a request of the automated driving system.

18. The automated driving system of claim 10 wherein the first module determines the driver intent to be allowing the automated driving system to control the feature.