SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FOR LOW SPEED FOLLOWING

• US 20190001976A1
• Filed: 07/01/2017
• Published: 01/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TuSimple, Inc. (TuSimple Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tusimple
• Inventors: LIU, Liu, LIN, Wutu
• Granted Patent: US 10,737,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0024 Variable gains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

A system and method for adaptive cruise control for low speed following are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including distance data and velocity data relative to a lead vehicle; generating a weighted distance differential corresponding to a weighted difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle; generating a weighted velocity differential corresponding to a weighted difference between a velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle; combining the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle; adjusting the velocity command using a dynamic gain; and controlling the autonomous vehicle to conform to the adjusted velocity command.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data processor; and

an adaptive cruise control module, executable by the data processor, being configured to;

receive input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including distance data and velocity data relative to a lead vehicle;

generate a weighted distance differential corresponding to a weighted difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle;

generate a weighted velocity differential corresponding to a weighted difference between a velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle;

combine the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle;

adjust the velocity command using a dynamic gain; and

control the autonomous vehicle to conform to the adjusted velocity command.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the input object data includes distance data from one or more light imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) sensors.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the weighted distance differential is produced by multiplying a distance weight coefficient with the difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the distance weight coefficient is user configurable.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the weighted velocity differential is produced by multiplying a velocity weight coefficient with the difference between the velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the velocity weight coefficient is user configurable.

7. The system of claim 1 further including summing the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes directing a vehicle control subsystem of the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to achieve a speed corresponding to the velocity command.

9. A method comprising:

receiving input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including distance data and velocity data relative to a lead vehicle;

generating a weighted distance differential corresponding to a weighted difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle;

generating a weighted velocity differential corresponding to a weighted difference between a velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle;

combining the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle;

adjusting the velocity command using a dynamic gain; and

controlling the autonomous vehicle to conform to the adjusted velocity command.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the input object data includes distance data from one or more light imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) sensors.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the weighted distance differential is produced by multiplying a distance weight coefficient with the difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the distance weight coefficient is user configurable.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the weighted velocity differential is produced by multiplying a velocity weight coefficient with the difference between the velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the velocity weight coefficient is user configurable.

15. The method of claim 9 further including summing the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes directing a vehicle control subsystem of the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to achieve a speed corresponding to the velocity command.

17. A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive input object data from a subsystem of an autonomous vehicle, the input object data including distance data and velocity data relative to a lead vehicle;

generate a weighted distance differential corresponding to a weighted difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle;

generate a weighted velocity differential corresponding to a weighted difference between a velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle;

combine the weighted distance differential and the weighted velocity differential with the velocity of the lead vehicle to produce a velocity command for the autonomous vehicle;

adjust the velocity command using a dynamic gain; and

control the autonomous vehicle to conform to the adjusted velocity command.

18. The non-transitory machine-useable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the input object data includes distance data from one or more light imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) sensors.

19. The non-transitory machine-useable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the weighted distance differential is produced by multiplying a distance weight coefficient with the difference between an actual distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle and a desired distance between the autonomous vehicle and the lead vehicle.

20. The non-transitory machine-useable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the weighted velocity differential is produced by multiplying a velocity weight coefficient with the difference between the velocity of the autonomous vehicle and a velocity of the lead vehicle.