AUTONOMOUS LANE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20160039458A1
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rupp, Matthew Y., SPERO, Dorian Jack, PILUTTI, Thomas Edward, JOH, Peter Gyumyeong
• Granted Patent: US 9,616,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/286 Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention
• 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 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

An autonomous control system for a vehicle that controls the speed and steering system of the vehicle to operate in a lane-keeping mode or a lane-changing mode. Position sensors sense the location of surrounding vehicles. A lane determining system identifies a current lane where the vehicle is located. A source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the course of the current lane. A controller provides instructions to the steering system and speed control system to maneuver the vehicle in either the lane-keeping mode or the lane-changing mode. The driver may override the control system by providing a manual input to the steering system or the speed control system.

Claims

1. An autonomous lane operation system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a location sensor configured to determine a position of a plurality of surrounding vehicles within a predetermined area around the motor vehicle and to provide surrounding vehicle location data;

a lane determining system configured to identify a current lane of the motor vehicle and to provide current lane-identification data representing the current lane of the motor vehicle;

a controller configured to receive the surrounding vehicle location data and the current lane identification data and to generate path data; and

a steering system configured to steer the motor vehicle according to the path data provided by the controller.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a brake switch configured to send an over-ride signal to the controller in response to an application of a brake pedal,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the over-ride signal, transfer control of the steering system and the brake to a driver.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a speed sensor configured to generate a speed signal in response to a detected current motor vehicle speed; and

a speed control system configured to automatically adjust a speed of the motor vehicle, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the speed signal and the path data, calculate a required speed for the motor vehicle to travel

provide a series of instructions to the speed control system, and wherein

the speed control system is configured to adjust the speed of the motor vehicle in response to the series of instructions.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a steering input configured to generate an over-ride command in response to a manual steering input,

wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the over-ride signal, transfer control of the steering system to a driver.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the location sensor

is further configured to determine a revised position of the plurality of surrounding vehicles within the predetermined area around the motor vehicle and to provide updated surrounding vehicle location data;

the lane determining system is further configured to determine a revised current lane of the motor vehicle and to provide revised current lane-identification data representing a revised current lane of the motor

vehicle, the controller is further configured to generate alternate path data in response to the updated surrounding vehicle location data and the revised current lane identification data

and to provide the alternate path data to the steering system

and wherein the steering system is further configured to steer the motor vehicle according to the alternate path data.

6-20. -20. (canceled)