Systems and methods for operating a vehicle on a roadway

• US 10,611,378 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Michalakis, Nikolaos
• Primary Examiner(s): Merlino, David P.
• Application Number:
  US15/422,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20180218606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/225 based on a marking or identifier characterising the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A host vehicle can detect two or more markers positioned on respective locations of a surrounding vehicle. The two or more markers can include data corresponding to the respective locations of each of the two or more markers. The host vehicle can determine the location of the two or more markers based on the data. Based on the location of the two or more markers, the host vehicle can determine the orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The host vehicle can determine a path to follow based on the determined orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The host vehicle can then follow the determined path.

Claims

1. A system for operating a host vehicle on a roadway, the system comprising:

a camera positioned to capture an image of an external environment of the host vehicle;

one or more processors communicably coupled to the camera;

a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing;

a marker location determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to detect, using the image captured by the camera, a first marker and at least a second marker positioned on one or more surfaces of a vehicle surrounding the host vehicle, and determine at least a location of the first and second markers on the surrounding vehicle based on data encoded in each of the markers;

an orientation determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine an orientation of the surrounding vehicle based on the location of the first and second markers; and

an autonomous driving module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle, and to control the host vehicle to follow the determined path by sending one or more control signals to one or more vehicle components to cause the host vehicle to travel along the determined path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second markers are non-visible markers, and wherein the camera is a hyperspectral camera configured to detect the non-visible first and second markers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications system configured to receive second data generated by the surrounding vehicle that is associated with at least one of the first and second markers; and

wherein the memory further stores

a feature determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, via the communications system, the second data generated by the surrounding vehicle, the data indicating a feature related to an area of the surrounding vehicle located proximate the at least one of the first and second markers, and determine, based on the second data, the feature corresponding to the area of the surrounding vehicle located proximate to the at least one of the first and second markers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the autonomous driving module further includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to monitor a likelihood of a collision with the surrounding vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle with respect to the determined path, and, responsive to determining a likely collision with the surrounding vehicle, determine a collision path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle determined by the orientation determination module and the feature for the surrounding vehicle determined by the feature determination module.

5. A method of operating a host vehicle according to an orientation of a surrounding vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, via a camera on the host vehicle, a first marker positioned on a surface of the surrounding vehicle, the first marker including data corresponding to a location of the first marker on the surrounding vehicle;

determining the location of the first marker on the surrounding vehicle based on the data;

detecting, via the camera, a second marker positioned on another surface of the surrounding vehicle, the second marker including second data corresponding to a location of the second marker on the surrounding vehicle;

determining the location of the second marker on the surrounding vehicle based on the second data;

determining an orientation of the surrounding vehicle based on the locations of the first and second markers;

determining a path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle; and

causing the host vehicle to follow the determined path.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving third data associated with the first marker from the surrounding vehicle, the third data representative of one or more features related to an area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker; and

determining a likelihood of collision with the surrounding vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third data is representative of one or more features including a fuel level of the surrounding vehicle, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the fuel level of the surrounding vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the received data is representative of one or more features including an occupant presence in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location the first marker, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the occupant presence in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the occupant presence includes a vulnerability assessment for any occupants present in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, and wherein the collision path is further based at least in part on the vulnerability assessment.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the third data is representative of one or more features including a hazardous cargo assessment for the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, the hazardous cargo assessment being based on any cargo present in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the hazardous cargo assessment for the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a location of the surrounding vehicle relative to the host vehicle, and wherein determining the path for the host vehicle is further based on the determined location of the surrounding vehicle.