TRANSITIONING FROM AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE CONTROL TO DRIVER CONTROL TO RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROL

• US 20150088358A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yopp, Wilford Trent
• Granted Patent: US 9,150,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation

Abstract

Instructions are provided to at least one vehicle control for autonomous operation of a vehicle. A change in position is detected of at the least one vehicle control. A determination is made whether to modify operation of the vehicle at least in part according to the change in position of the at least one vehicle control. The autonomous operation of the vehicle is modified according to the change in position.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

provide instructions to at least one vehicle control for autonomous operation of the vehicle;

detect a change in position of at the least one vehicle control;

determine whether to modify operation of the vehicle at least in part according to the change in position of the at least one vehicle control; and

modify the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle control is at least one of a steering control, an accelerator, and a brake.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein modifying the operation of the vehicle includes ceasing autonomous operation of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to display a message to a user requesting input concerning whether an operation of the vehicle should be carried out according to the change in position of the at least one control.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the computer is further configured to determine a rate of the change of position of at the least one vehicle control, and

determining whether to modify operation of the vehicle according to the change in position includes determining whether to modify operation of the vehicle at least in part according to the rate of change in position of the at least one vehicle control.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer is further configured to determine whether to modify operation of the vehicle according to at least one of whether the change of position exceeds a first predetermined threshold and the rate of change of the position exceeds a second predetermined threshold.

7. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

provide instructions to a plurality of vehicle controls for autonomous operation of the vehicle;

detect respective changes in at least two of the controls;

determine to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of at least one of the at least two controls; and

modify the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position of at least one of the at least two controls.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the controls is one of a steering control, an accelerator, or a brake.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further configured to:

determine to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of at least two controls; and

modify the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position of the at least two controls.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further configured to:

determine not to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of one of the at least two controls; and

maintain the autonomous operation without regard to the change in position the one of the at least two controls.

11. A method, comprising:

providing instructions to at least one vehicle control for autonomous operation of a vehicle;

detecting a change in position of at the least one vehicle control;

determining whether to modify operation of the vehicle at least in part according to the change in position of the at least one vehicle control; and

modifying the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one vehicle control is at least one of a steering control, an accelerator, and a brake.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein modifying the operation of the vehicle includes ceasing autonomous operation of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a message to a user requesting input concerning whether an operation of the vehicle should be carried out according to the change in position of the at least one control.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a rate of the change of position of at the least one vehicle control, and

determining whether to modify operation of the vehicle according to the change in position at least in part according to the rate of change in position of the at least one vehicle control.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether to modify operation of the vehicle according to at least one of whether the change of position exceeds a first predetermined threshold and the rate of change of the position exceeds a second predetermined threshold.

17. A method, comprising:

providing instructions to a plurality of vehicle controls for autonomous operation of the vehicle;

detecting respective changes in at least two of the controls;

determining to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of at least one of the at least two controls; and

modifying the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position of at least one of the at least two controls.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the controls is one of a steering control, an accelerator, or a brake.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of at least two controls; and

modifying the autonomous operation of the vehicle according to the change in position of the at least two controls.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining not to modify operation of the vehicle according to a change in position of one of the at least two controls; and

maintaining the autonomous operation without regard to the change in position the one of the at least two controls.