DRIVER COMMUNICATION INTERFACE IN AN AT LEAST PARTLY AUTONOMOUS DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20150314729A1
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: EDGREN, Claes
• Granted Patent: US 10,131,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/00 Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 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
• 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: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A communication interface between a driver of a vehicle and an at least partly autonomous drive system in the vehicle. The communication interface is configured to communicate a haptic performance loss signal to the driver when a performance loss is determined in the at least partly autonomous drive system.

Claims

1. A communication interface between a driver of a vehicle and an at least partly autonomous drive system in the vehicle, wherein the communication interface is configured to communicate a haptic performance loss signal to the driver when a performance loss is determined in the at least partly autonomous drive system.

2. The communication interface according to claim 1 wherein the communication interface is configured to communicate the haptic performance loss signal at a detected performance loss in the at least partly autonomous drive system, which performance loss is less than a maximum performance loss that is acceptable for safe driving.

3. The communication interface according to claim 1 further comprising a communication device arranged to be manually operated between at least two different command positions, at least one of the command positions being a resting position for an automated function of the at least partly autonomous drive system.

4. The communication interface according to claim 3 wherein the haptic performance loss signal is configured to be perceived as a changed feeling of the communication device when the communication device is in the resting position for an automated function.

5. The communication interface according to claim 4 wherein the changed feeling of the communication device comprises one or more of a reduced resistance to movement around the resting position for an automated function, a vibration, a change in texture, a change in shape, and a temperature change.

6. The communication interface according to claim 5 wherein the changed feeling of the communication device is proportional to a degree of performance loss.

7. The communication interface according to claim 3 wherein the communication device comprises a joy-stick, a gear-stick or a switch.

8. The communication interface according to claim 4 wherein the communication device comprises a joy-stick, a gear-stick or a switch.

9. The communication interface according to claim 8 wherein the changed feeling of the communication device comprises a reduced resistance to movement of the communication device around the resting position for an automated function within an area of play around the resting position for an automated function.

10. The communication interface according to claim 9 wherein the haptic performance loss signal comprises the communication device being arranged to be movable within the area of play when a performance loss has been determined in the at least partly autonomous drive system and wherein the resistance to movement of the communication device is reduced to a degree where it is less than a resistance to movement of the communication device when the at least partly autonomous drive system is in an optimal operational state but greater than a resistance to movement of the communication device when the at least partly autonomous drive system is in a non-operational state.

11. The communication interface according to claim 10 wherein the communication device is arranged to be moveable to an adjacent resting position within the area of play by a moving force and to remain in the adjacent resting position in absence of the moving force.

12. The communication interface according to claim 9 wherein the area of play is a circular area surrounding the resting position of the communication device and wherein a radius of the area of play is from 1 to 10 mm, such as from 2 to 7 mm.

13. A vehicle comprising an at least partly autonomous drive system and a communication interface according to claim 1, the communication interface being configured to be a communication interface between the at least partly autonomous drive system and a driver of the vehicle.