Steering system with lane keeping integration

• US 7,711,464 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Kaufmann, Timothy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US12/020,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/96, 701/301, 340/903, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• 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 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A system for steering a vehicle including: an actuator disposed in a vehicle to apply torque to a steerable wheel; a driver input device receptive to driver commands for directing the vehicle; and a sensor for determining an intent of a driver and generating a signal indicative thereof. The system also includes: a lane keeping system for detecting a location of the vehicle relative to a lane marker and generating a lane position signal indicative thereof; a controller in operable communication with the actuator, the driver input device, the first sensor, and the lane keeping system. The controller provides a command to the actuator responsive to the intent of the driver, the lane position, and a desired lane position. The controller executes a lane keeping algorithm consisting of a single control loop based on at least one of the lane position and the lane position deviation.

Claims

1. A method for steering a vehicle comprising:

receiving a lane width value;

determining a keep out distance as a function of at least the lane width value;

receiving a vehicle width value;

receiving a vehicle center to left lane marker distance;

adding the vehicle center to left lane marker distance to the keep out distance and the vehicle width value;

receiving a vehicle center to right lane marker distance;

subtracting the keep out distance and the vehicle width value from the vehicle center to right lane marker distance resulting in a right value;

enabling a left warning responsive to determining that the left value is greater than zero and a left lane marker signal is available; and

enabling a right warning responsive to determining that the right value is less than zero and a right lane marker signal is available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle width value is divided by two to result in a one-half vehicle width value and substituting the one-half vehicle width value for the vehicle width value.

3. The method of claim 1, including receiving a vehicle speed value and determining the keep out distance as a function of the lane width value and the vehicle speed value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a vehicle speed value;

determining a keep out percentage as a function of the lane width value and the vehicle speed value and

calculating the keep out distance as a product of the keep out percentage and the lane width value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a torque warning signal comprising the left value responsive to enabling the left warning; and

sending a torque warning signal comprising the right value responsive to enabling the right warning.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises effecting a torque force on a hand wheel responsive to receiving the torque warning signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the left warning and the right warning are audio warnings.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the left warning and the right warning are visual warnings.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the left warning and the right warning are vibration warnings.

10. A steering system for a vehicle comprising:

a sensor operative to detect a left lane marker and a right lane marker;

a processor operative to;

receive a lane width value;

determine a keep out distance as a function of at least the lane width value;

receive a vehicle width value;

receive a vehicle center to left lane marker distance;

add the vehicle center to left lane marker distance to the keep out distance and the vehicle width value;

receive a vehicle center to right lane marker distance;

subtract the keep out distance and the vehicle width value from the vehicle center to right lane marker distance resulting in a right value;

enable a left warning responsive to determining that the left value is greater than zero and a left lane marker signal is available; and

enable a right warning responsive to determining that the right value is less than zero and a right lane marker signal is available.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle width value is divided by two to result in a one-half vehicle width value and substituting the one-half vehicle width value for the vehicle width value.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to receive a vehicle speed value and determine the keep out distance as a function of the lane width value and the vehicle speed value.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive a vehicle speed value;

determine a keep out percentage as a function of the lane width value and the vehicle speed value and

calculate the keep out distance as a product of the keep out percentage and the lane width value.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to:

send a torque warning signal comprising the left value responsive to enabling the left warning; and

send a torque warning signal comprising the right value responsive to enabling the right warning.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the system further comprises:

a motor operative to effect a torque force on a hand wheel responsive to receiving the torque warning signal from the processor.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the left warning and the right warning are audio warnings.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the left warning and the right warning are visual warnings.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the left warning and the right warning are vibration warnings.