COGNITIVE REVERSE SPEED LIMITING

• US 20170120903A1
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,328,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing

Abstract

A parking assist system for a vehicle is provided that includes a speed limiting controller configured to set a speed limit for the vehicle during a maneuver and an audio sensor configured to sense an ambient sound within the vehicle. The speed limiting controller is configured to reduce the speed limit based on the sensing of the ambient sound within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A parking assist system for a vehicle, comprising:

a speed limiting controller configured to set a speed limit for the vehicle during a maneuver; and

an audio sensor configured to sense an ambient sound within the vehicle, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce the speed limit based on the sensing of the ambient sound within the vehicle.

2. The parking assist system of claim 1, further comprising:

an environmental sensor configured to determine environmental conditions exterior to the vehicle, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured lower the speed limit based at least in part on the environmental conditions exterior to the vehicle.

3. The parking assist system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more proximity sensors configured to detect a first distance to a first obstacle and a second distance to a second obstacle, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to calculate an angle between the first and second obstacles.

4. The parking assist system of claim 3, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to calculate a difference in a time to collision between the first and the second obstacles.

5. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce a speed of the vehicle by issuing a brake torque request to a brake system.

6. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce the speed limit of the vehicle based on the audio sensor detecting an ambient noise exceeding a predetermined volume.

7. The parking assist system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined volume is about 85 dB.

8. The parking assist system of claim 3, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce the speed limit of the vehicle is the angle exceeds a predetermined angle.

9. A method for assisting in parking a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting a first distance to a first obstacle using one or more proximity sensors;

detecting an ambient sound volume using an audio sensor;

detecting environmental conditions external to the vehicle using an environmental sensor; and

generating a brake torque request using a speed limiting controller configured to slow the vehicle based on the detection of at least one of the first distance to the first obstacle, the ambient sound volume, and the environmental conditions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a second obstacle at a second distance; and

calculating an angle between the first and the second obstacles.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of proximity sensors are configured to detect the second distance to the second obstacle and the speed limiting controller is configured to calculate the angle between the first and second obstacles.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a first time to collision with the first obstacle;

calculating a second time to collision with the second obstacle; and

determining a difference between the first time to collision and the second time to collision.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the brake torque request is generated after the speed limiting controller determines that the angle is greater than a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio sensor is a microphone positioned within a cabin of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the brake torque request is generated after the audio sensor detects the ambient sound volume is greater than a predetermined threshold.

16. A parking assist system for a vehicle, comprising:

one or more proximity sensors;

an audio sensor configured to sense an ambient sound volume within the vehicle;

an environmental sensor configured to detect vehicle exterior environmental conditions; and

a speed limiting controller configured to generate a speed limit for the vehicle during a parking maneuver, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the speed limit based on data from the proximity sensors and the audio sensor.

17. The parking assist system of claim 16, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce the speed limit of the vehicle by different amounts for each of the proximity sensors, the audio sensor, and the environmental sensor.

18. The parking assist system of claim 16, wherein the proximity sensors are configured to detect a first obstacle and a second obstacle.

19. The parking assist system of claim 17, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to calculate an angle between the first obstacle and a second obstacles.

20. The parking assist system of claim 17, wherein the speed limiting controller is configured to reduce a speed of the vehicle by issuing a brake torque request to a brake system.