Vehicle mode determination

• US 9,796,388 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tseng, Fling, Filev, Dimitar Petrov, Kristinsson, Johannes Geir, Wisniewski, Joseph, Qiu, Shiqi, Makki, Imad Hassan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US14/972,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20170174215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance

Abstract

An operating mode is determined for a vehicle according to respective control states of each of a plurality of vehicle subsystems that include braking, steering, and propulsion. The operating mode is one of manual control, partial manual control, and no manual control. A route for the vehicle is determined based in part on the operating mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, as one of automatic and manual, respective control states of each of a plurality of vehicle subsystems that include braking, steering, and propulsion;

determining a vehicle operating mode according to the control states, wherein the operating mode is manual control where all control states are manual, partial manual control where one control state is manual and one control state is automatic, and no manual control where all control states are automatic; and

determining a route for the vehicle and operating the vehicle on the determined route based in part on the operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the route includes identifying at least one route feature that is appropriate for at least one of the control states.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one route feature includes a type of road, a type of terrain, a speed limit, a predicted traffic density, and one or more predicted vehicle maneuvers.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising traversing a portion of the route and then modifying the route according to a detected change in the operating mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising traversing a portion of the route and then changing the mode of operation.

6. A system, comprising a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to:

identify, as one of automatic and manual, respective control states of each of a plurality of vehicle subsystems that include braking, steering, and propulsion;

determine a vehicle operating mode according to the control states, wherein the operating mode is manual control where all control states are manual, partial manual control where one control state is manual and one control state is automatic, and no manual control where all control states are automatic; and

determine a route for the vehicle and operate the vehicle on the determined route based in part on the operating mode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein determining the route includes identifying at least one route feature that is appropriate for at least one of the control states.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one route feature includes a type of road, a type of terrain, a speed limit, a predicted traffic density, and one or more predicted vehicle maneuvers.

9. The system of claim 6, further wherein the computer is further programmed to, after a portion of the route is traversed, modify the route according to a detected change in the operating mode.

10. The system of claim 6, further wherein the computer is further programmed to, after a portion of the route is traversed, changing the mode of operation.

11. A system, comprising a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to:

identify a route for a vehicle;

identify, as one of automatic and manual, respective control states of each of a plurality of vehicle subsystems that include braking, steering, and propulsion;

based at least in part on the route, determine a vehicle operating mode according to the control states, wherein the operating mode is manual control where all control states are manual, partial manual control where one control state is manual and one control state is automatic, and no manual control where all control states are automatic; and

operate the vehicle on the route.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the route includes identifying at least one route feature that is appropriate for at least one of the control states.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one route feature is determined according to a type of road, a type of terrain, a speed limit, a predicted traffic density, and one or more predicted vehicle maneuvers.

14. The system of claim 11, further wherein the computer is further programmed to, after a portion of the route is traversed, modify the route according to a detected change in the operating mode.

15. The system of claim 11, further wherein the computer is further programmed to, after a portion of the route is traversed, change the mode of operation.