Method and apparatus for dynamic remote control reconfiguration based on proximity to a vehicle

• US 10,571,907 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Buttolo, Pietro, Salter, Stuart C., Huebner, Annette Lynn, Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Rankin, II, James Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancho, Ronnie M
• Application Number:
  US15/496,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20180307227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• 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 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to provide a remote vehicle controller a varied level of vehicle driving control, to drive a vehicle via the controller, responsive to a determination of the remote vehicle controller location relative to the vehicle. The controller interface may be visually adaptable based on a particular designated style of control, including, for example, in-vehicle control, near-vehicle control and far-from-vehicle control.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

provide a remote vehicle-control device, usable to instruct vehicle control, to provide a varied level of vehicle driving control, to drive a vehicle via the vehicle-control device, responsive to a determination of a location of the vehicle-control device relative to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes determining that the vehicle-control device is inside a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to provide direct vehicle driving control, responsive to determining that the vehicle-control device is inside the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to provide vehicle acceleration and deceleration control to the vehicle-control device, as part of the direct vehicle driving control.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination includes determining that the vehicle-control device is outside the vehicle, but within a predetermined proximity to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to provide vehicle-assisted direct vehicle driving control, responsive to determining that the vehicle-control device is outside of, but within a predetermined proximity to, the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle-assisted direct vehicle driving control includes sending one or more vehicle camera feeds to the vehicle-control device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle-assisted direct vehicle driving control includes automatically braking or steering the vehicle, while otherwise under user control, to avoid detected obstacles.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to provide supervised vehicle driving control, responsive to determining that the vehicle-control device is outside the vehicle and outside a predetermined proximity from the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to provide the vehicle-control device with a map including the vehicle and a surrounding area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive touch selection of a destination on the map, displayed on the vehicle-control device, the selection transmitted to the processor, and wherein the supervised vehicle driving control includes autonomously navigating the vehicle from a present location to the selected destination.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transition between the varied level of driving control based on detected location state changes of the vehicle-control device relative to the vehicle.

13. A system comprising:

a remote control processor, in wireless communication with a vehicle, configured to;

provide an interface corresponding to a varied level of vehicle driving control, responsive to permissions granted by the vehicle based on detected location of a remote control-device, usable to instruct vehicle control, including the processor, relative to the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote control processor is configured to provide a display including vehicle driving system controls, responsive to permission from the processor for the remote control to act in a direct control manner.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote control processor is configured to provide a display including live feeds from one or more vehicle cameras, responsive to permission from the processor for the remote control to act in a vehicle-assisted direct control manner.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote control processor is configured to provide a map, showing a vehicle location and a surrounding area, responsive to permission from the processor for the remote control to act in a supervised vehicle control manner.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

dynamically selecting and displaying a control interface from a varied set of vehicle control interfaces and associated functionality, providing differing types of vehicle control, the selecting responsive to whether a vehicle-control device, usable to instruct vehicle control, on which the interface is displayed, is detected as being within a vehicle, outside the vehicle and within a predefined distance from the vehicle, or outside the vehicle and more than the predefined distance from the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the dynamically selecting and displaying includes selecting a control interface providing direct control over a vehicle, treating the controller as a vehicle steering wheel, when the controller is detected as being within a vehicle interior.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the dynamically selecting and displaying includes selecting a control interface providing remote control over a vehicle, including an ability to directly adjust a vehicle path by manipulating the controller, the vehicle displayed in an overhead manner on the controller as part of the interface, when the controller is detected as being outside the vehicle but within the predefined distance from the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the dynamically selecting and displaying includes selecting a control interface providing limited remote control over a vehicle, limited to specifying a vehicle destination as a method of controlling the vehicle, when the controller is detected as being outside the vehicle and outside the predefined distance from the vehicle.