Method and device for emergency assistance

• US 10,274,955 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Eigel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gordon, Mathew Franklin
• Application Number:
  US14/895,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• 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 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/009 Priority selection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/223 Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 : Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 : related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 : Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/007 : Emergency override Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227
• 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: G08B 21/06 : indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A method and a device for transitioning a vehicle traveling with transverse guidance assistance into a driving state with a reduced collision risk in the event of a driver emergency, wherein the speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold speed. The method includes detecting a hands-off situation of the driver in a hands-off phase, outputting a hands-off warning, performing a warning escalation in an escalation phase if there is no response to the hands-off warning, and reducing the vehicle speed in an intervention phase to a speed which is less than or equal to a threshold speed, the vehicle being kept in the current travel lane if there is no response to the warning escalation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an automated transfer of a transportation vehicle traveling with lateral guidance support into a driving state with a reduced risk of consequences of a collision in the event of a driver experiencing an emergency, wherein a current speed of the transportation vehicle is higher than a predefined speed limit, the method comprising:

detecting a hands-off situation of the driver and outputting a hands-off warning in a hands-off phase;

carrying out a warning escalation in an escalation phase in response to there being no reaction to the hands-off warning output during the hands-off phase, wherein the warning escalation includes delaying a time of reaction for intervening in lateral guidance of the transportation vehicle so as to be at a later time of reaction compared to lateral guidance support provided in the transportation vehicle prior to the escalation phase for swinging the vehicle within a current lane of travel; and

controlling operation of intervention of the lateral guidance support in response to continued driver inactivity, in an intervention phase, whereby the intervention by the lateral guidance support guides the transportation vehicle by steering to generate a jerky lateral profile, wherein steering to generate the jerky lateral profile has a greater intensity than swinging performed for lateral guidance support during the escalation phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the later time is selected as a function of the current speed in such a way that the transportation vehicle is prevented from exiting the current lane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the intervention phase, the warning escalation is intensified by modifying the lateral guidance of the transportation vehicle to have a jerky lateral profile.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein braking jolts for escalating the warning are used in the intervention phase.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein acoustic and visual signals are intensified in the intervention phase.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein a flashing indicator warning system is activated in the intervention phase.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein all the longitudinal and lateral guidance as well as all the warnings are deactivated when a speed limit, which in the case of a multilane road is a function of the lane, is reached.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the current speed to a value which is lower than or equal to a speed limit, wherein the transportation vehicle is kept on the current lane, in response to there being no reaction to the escalation phase.

9. A device for transferring a transportation vehicle traveling with lateral guidance support into a driving state with a reduced risk of the consequences of a collision in the event of a driver experiencing an emergency, the device comprising:

a longitudinal guidance apparatus;

a lateral guidance apparatus; and

a hands-off detection apparatus; and

an emergency assistant for carrying out warning escalations and interventions into the driving functions of the transportation vehicle as a function of the results of the hands-off detection apparatus,

wherein after a positive hands-off detection, the emergency assistant carries out the warning escalations in at least two successive driving phases, including an escalation phase and a subsequent intervention phase, wherein in the escalation phase the emergency assistant communicates with the lateral guidance apparatus system to swing the vehicle within a current lane of travel by delaying reaction time of the lateral guidance apparatus to have later timing of reaction then prior to the escalation phase, and wherein in the intervention phase, in response to continued driver inactivity, the emergency assistant communicates with the lateral guidance system to intensify the swing of the transportation vehicle to generate a jerky lateral profile.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein, after the intervention phase has run without success and when a speed limit is reached, the emergency assistant deactivates at least the longitudinal guidance apparatus and the lateral guidance apparatus.

11. A transportation vehicle system for transferring a vehicle traveling with lateral guidance support into a reduced risk driving state, the system comprising:

a vehicle guidance system for providing guidance support;

a hands-off detection apparatus for determining sufficient contact with a steering input; and

an emergency assistant arranged in communication with the hands-off detection apparatus, wherein, responsive to insufficient contact with the steering input indicating continued driver inactivity, the emergency assistant carries out an escalation phase including providing an impression that guidance support is deactivated.

12. The transportation vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the impression that guidance support is deactivated includes delaying lateral guidance of the transportation vehicle such that the vehicle travels out of the center of a current lane of operation.

13. The transportation vehicle system of claim 12, wherein, responsive to insufficient driver activity, the emergency assistant carries out an intervention phase including guiding the transportation vehicle to generate a jerky lateral profile having greater intensity than the delayed lateral guidance of the escalation phase.

14. The transportation vehicle system of claim 13, wherein the intervention phase includes braking jolts.

15. The transportation vehicle system of claim 13, wherein the intervention phase includes reducing a current transportation vehicle speed to a value which is lower than or equal to a speed limit.

16. A transportation vehicle system for transferring a transportation vehicle traveling with lateral guidance support into a reduced risk driving state, the device comprising:

a vehicle guidance system for providing guidance support;

a hands-off detection apparatus for determining sufficient contact with a steering input; and

an emergency assistant arranged in communication with the hands-off detection apparatus, wherein, responsive to insufficient contact with the steering input indicating continued driver inactivity, the emergency assistant carries out an escalation phase including providing an indication that guidance support is deactivated including delaying lateral guidance of the transportation vehicle such that the vehicle travels out of the center of a current lane of operation.