MONITORING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE STEERING

• US 20150100191A1
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yopp, Wilford Trent
• Application Number:
  US14/049,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100191A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/202 Steering torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/205 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/045 Monitoring control system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• 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 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00

Abstract

A vehicle steering mechanism is autonomously operated. At least one first parameter for governing control of a steering mechanism is retrieved. The first parameter is applied to operation of the steering mechanism. Data is collected relating to operation of the vehicle. At least one second parameter for governing control of the steering mechanism is determined.

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 input to a vehicle steering mechanism for autonomous operation of the steering mechanism;

retrieve at least one first parameter for governing control of a steering mechanism;

apply the first parameter to operation of the steering mechanism;

collect data relating to operation of the vehicle; and

determine at least one second parameter for governing control of the steering mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, the computer being further configured to:

compare the first parameter to the second parameter, and

apply the second parameter to operation of the steering mechanism according to the comparison.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the parameters is a steering assist force to be applied to a steering mechanism.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second parameter is determined at least in part according to a speed of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second parameter is determined at least in part according to a turn rate of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected data relates to at least one of a weather condition, a road condition, a condition of a vehicle component, and a metric related to operation of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the collected data relates to the metric related to operation of the vehicle, and the metric related to operation of the vehicle is data concerning a yaw of the vehicle, the computer being further configured to:

compute a vehicle yaw rate for a vehicle turning operation; and

include the yaw rate in determining the second parameter.

8. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions including instructions to:

provide input to a vehicle steering mechanism for autonomous operation of the steering mechanism;

retrieve at least one first parameter for governing control of a steering mechanism;

apply the first parameter to operation of the steering mechanism;

collect data relating to operation of the vehicle; and

determine at least one second parameter for governing control of the steering mechanism.

9. The medium of claim 8, the instructions further including instructions to:

compare the first parameter to the second parameter, and

apply the second parameter to operation of the steering mechanism according to the comparison.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the parameters is a steering assist force to be applied to a steering mechanism.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein the second parameter is determined at least in part according to one of a speed of the vehicle and a turn rate of the vehicle.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein the collected data relates to at least one of a weather condition, a road condition, a condition of a vehicle component, and a metric related to operation of the vehicle.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the collected data relates to the metric related to operation of the vehicle, and the metric related to operation of the vehicle is data concerning a yaw of the vehicle, the computer being further configured to:

compute a vehicle yaw rate for a vehicle turning operation; and

include the yaw rate in determining the second parameter.

14. A method, comprising:

providing input to a vehicle steering mechanism for autonomous operation of the steering mechanism;

retrieving at least one first parameter for governing control of a steering mechanism;

applying the first parameter to operation of the steering mechanism;

collecting data relating to operation of the vehicle; and

determining at least one second parameter for governing control of the steering mechanism.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

comparing the first parameter to the second parameter, and

applying the second parameter to operation of the steering mechanism according to the comparison.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the parameters is a steering assist force to be applied to a steering mechanism.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second parameter is determined at least in part according to a speed of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the second parameter is determined at least in part according to a turn rate of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the collected data relates to at least one of a weather condition, a road condition, a condition of a vehicle component, and a metric related to operation of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the collected data relates to the metric related to operation of the vehicle, and the metric related to operation of the vehicle is data concerning a yaw of the vehicle, the method further comprising:

computing a vehicle yaw rate for a vehicle turning operation; and

including the yaw rate in determining the second parameter.