U.S. patent application number 15/159234 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-23 for safe-to-proceed system for an automated vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.. Invention is credited to Gaurav Bhatia, Junqing Wei, Wenda Xu.
Application Number | 20170337819 15/159234 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60325475 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170337819 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wei; Junqing ; et
al. |
November 23, 2017 |
SAFE-TO-PROCEED SYSTEM FOR AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE
Abstract
A safe-to-proceed system for operating an automated vehicle
proximate to an intersection includes an intersection-detector, a
vehicle-detector, and a controller. The intersection-detector is
suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The intersection-detector is
used to determine when a host-vehicle is proximate to an
intersection. The vehicle-detector is also suitable for use on the
host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to estimate a
stopping-distance of an other-vehicle approaching the intersection.
The controller is in communication with the intersection-detector
and the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to prevent
the host-vehicle from entering the intersection when the
stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the
intersection before stopping.
Inventors: |
Wei; Junqing; (Bridgeville,
PA) ; Bhatia; Gaurav; (Pittsburgh, PA) ; Xu;
Wenda; (Pittsburgh, PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC. |
TROY |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60325475 |
Appl. No.: |
15/159234 |
Filed: |
May 19, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60W 2050/143 20130101;
B60W 2420/403 20130101; G08G 1/163 20130101; G05D 1/0257 20130101;
B60W 2554/00 20200201; B60W 2556/00 20200201; G08G 1/162 20130101;
B60W 30/09 20130101; B60W 50/14 20130101; G08G 1/166 20130101; B60W
30/18154 20130101; G05D 1/0231 20130101; G05D 1/0278 20130101; B60W
2400/00 20130101; B60W 2420/52 20130101; G08G 1/164 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08G 1/16 20060101
G08G001/16; G05D 1/02 20060101 G05D001/02; B60W 30/09 20120101
B60W030/09; B60W 30/18 20120101 B60W030/18 |
Claims
1. A safe-to-proceed system for operating an automated vehicle
proximate to an intersection, said system comprising: an
intersection-detector suitable for use on a host-vehicle, said
intersection-detector used to determine when a host-vehicle is
proximate to an intersection; a vehicle-detector suitable for use
on the host-vehicle, said vehicle-detector used to estimate a
stopping-distance of an other-vehicle approaching the intersection;
and a controller in communication with the intersection-detector
and the vehicle-detector, said controller configured to prevent the
host-vehicle from entering the intersection when the
stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the
intersection before stopping.
2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
intersection-detector includes one of a digital-map, a camera, a
lidar-unit, and a radar-unit.
3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the host-vehicle
is equipped with headlights and a horn, and the controller is
configured to flash the headlights and activate the horn when the
stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the
intersection before stopping.
4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the system
includes a transmitter used to transmit a warning-signal, and
controller is configured activate the transmitter to transmit the
warning-signal when the stopping-distance indicates that the
other-vehicle will enter the intersection before stopping.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a safe-to-proceed
system that operates an automated vehicle, and more particularly
relates to a system configured to prevent a host-vehicle from
entering an intersection when the stopping-distance of an
other-vehicle indicates that the other-vehicle will not stop before
entering the intersection.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] It is generally a poor driving safety practice for an
operator or controller of a host-vehicle to assume that an
other-vehicle is going to safely stop while approaching an
intersection that the host-vehicle is about to enter, especially if
roadway conditions are such that traction is less than optimal,
and/or rainfall or snowfall makes it difficult for the
other-vehicle to detect the presence of the intersection or
traffic-control signs/signals at the intersection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In accordance with one embodiment, a safe-to-proceed system
for operating an automated vehicle proximate to an intersection is
provided. The system includes an intersection-detector, a
vehicle-detector, and a controller. The intersection-detector is
suitable for use on a host-vehicle. The intersection-detector is
used to determine when a host-vehicle is proximate to an
intersection. The vehicle-detector is also suitable for use on the
host-vehicle. The vehicle-detector is used to estimate a
stopping-distance of an other-vehicle approaching the intersection.
The controller is in communication with the intersection-detector
and the vehicle-detector. The controller is configured to prevent
the host-vehicle from entering the intersection when the
stopping-distance indicates that the other-vehicle will enter the
intersection before stopping.
[0004] Further features and advantages will appear more clearly on
a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment, which is given by way of non-limiting example only and
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0005] The present invention will now be described, by way of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a safe-to-proceed system in
accordance with one embodiment; and
[0007] FIG. 2 is a traffic-scenario encountered by the system of
FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a non-limiting example of a
safe-to-proceed system 10, hereafter referred to as the system 10.
The system 10 is generally configured for operating an automated
vehicle, hereafter referred to as the host-vehicle 12, particularly
when the host-vehicle 12 is proximate to a traffic-intersection 14
(FIG. 2), hereafter the intersection 14. As used herein, the word
`proximate` is used to indicate that something is close enough to
warrant consideration by the system 10 for the purpose of safely
operating the host-vehicle 12. For example, within one-hundred
meters (100 m) would likely be considered proximate, but further
than one-kilometer (1 km) would likely not be considered proximate.
In general, the system 10 is configured to estimate or determine
when an other-vehicle 16 that is approaching the intersection 14 is
able to stop, and operate the host-vehicle 12 to wait 40 if the
other-vehicle 16 is estimated (i.e.--predicted, forecasted, or
determined) to be moving too fast to safely stop before entering
the intersection 14. While the non-limiting examples presented
herein are generally directed to a fully automated or autonomous
vehicle, it is contemplated that the teaching presented herein are
also applicable to vehicles that are for the most part manually
operated or driven by a human-operator (not shown), and the system
10 only becomes active to assist the human-operator to, for
example, avoid a collision with the other-vehicle 16 at the
intersection 14.
[0009] The system 10 includes an intersection-detector 18 suitable
for use on the host-vehicle 12. By way of example and not
limitation, the intersection-detector 18 may include an
image-device such as one of, or any combination of, a camera 62, a
lidar-unit 66, and a radar-unit 64. The function of the
intersection-detector 18 may be provided by a location-device such
as a global-positioning-system (GPS) receiver in combination with a
digital-map 68. Whatever the configuration, the
intersection-detector 18 is used to determine when a host-vehicle
12 is proximate to (i.e. close to or approaching) the intersection
14, and those in the art will recognize how the various devices
suggested above can be used to provide this function.
[0010] The system 10 also includes a vehicle-detector 20 suitable
for use on the host-vehicle 12 to detect the other-vehicle 16. By
way of example and not limitation, the vehicle-detector 20 may be
one of, or any combination of, a camera 62, a lidar-unit 66, and a
radar-unit 64. It is contemplated that, for example, both the
intersection-detector 18 and the vehicle-detector 20 may make use
of images captured by same camera 62 to detect the intersection 14
and the other-vehicle 16, respectively. That is, the camera 62,
radar-unit 64, and/or lidar-unit 66 may be shared by the
intersection-detector 18 and the vehicle-detector 20. The
vehicle-detector 20 is used to estimate a stopping-distance 22 of
the other-vehicle 16 approaching the intersection 14, as will be
explained in more detail below. The function of the
vehicle-detector 20 may also be provided or supplemented by a
transceiver (not shown) configured for vehicle-to-infrastructure
(V2I) communications, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications,
and/or vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communications, which may be
generically labeled as V2X communications, as will be recognized by
those in the art.
[0011] The system 10 also includes a controller 24 in communication
with the intersection-detector 18 and the vehicle-detector 20. The
controller 24 may include a processor (not specifically shown) such
as a microprocessor or other control circuitry such as analog
and/or digital control circuitry including an application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC) for processing data as should be evident
to those in the art. The controller 24 may include memory (not
specifically shown), including non-volatile memory, such as
electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) for
storing one or more routines, thresholds, and captured data. The
one or more routines may be executed by the processor to perform
steps for determining the stopping-distance 22 based on signals
received by the controller 24 for controlling the host-vehicle 12
as described herein. In particular, the controller 24 is configured
to prevent the host-vehicle 12 from entering the intersection 14
when the stopping-distance 22 of the other-vehicle 16 indicates
that the other-vehicle 16 will enter the intersection 14 without
stopping.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a non-limiting example of a
traffic-scenario 26 that may be encountered by the host-vehicle 12
where the host-vehicle 12 is stopped at the intersection 14 and the
other-vehicle 16 is approaching or moving toward the intersection
14. Based on signals from the vehicle-detector 20 the controller 24
can determine a speed 28 of the other-vehicle 16 and then use a
braking-model or algorithm for a typical vehicle to estimate the
stopping-distance 22 of the other-vehicle 16 if the other-vehicle
16 were to apply, for example, maximum braking-effort at the
instant the speed 28 was determined. In the example shown in FIG.
2, the stopping-distance 22 is such that it is likely that the
other-vehicle 16 will not be able to stop before entering the
intersection 14, so the controller 24 keeps the host-vehicle 12 at
the present position shown so a collision with the other-vehicle 16
is avoided even though the host-vehicle 12 may have the
right-of-way.
[0013] The controller 24 may also determine a
long-stopping-distance (not shown) based on the other-vehicle 16
applying a typical braking-effort (i.e. less than maximum
braking-effort). The long-stopping-distance may be used by the
controller 24 to determine a threat-level of the other-vehicle 16.
For example, if the long-stopping-distance suggests that the
other-vehicle 16 can easily stop before entering the intersection
14, e.g. the other-vehicle 16 is traveling slower and/or is further
away from the intersection 14 than as illustrated in FIG. 2, the
threat-level may be set at LOW. However, if the other-vehicle 16
continues to travel toward the intersection 14 and no change in the
speed 28 is detected, the threat-level may be increased to, for
example, MEDIUM or HIGH.
[0014] The controller 24 may also consider other variables when the
estimate of the stopping-distance 22 is determined. For example,
V2V communications or the camera 62 may be used to determine a
vehicle-type 32, e.g. large-truck vs. small-automobile vs.
motorcycle, so that a more accurate estimate of the
stopping-distance 22 can be determined. Road conditions may be
determined using V2X communications to receive slippery-road or
icy-road messages originating from vehicles that previously passed
through the intersection 14, or a detected traction-loss by the
host-vehicle 12 may suggest that traction-conditions are less than
optimum, either of which could be used by the controller 24 to
increase the estimate of the stopping-distance 22. The camera 62 or
the lidar-unit 66 may be used to determine if the travel-lane 30 of
the other-vehicle 16 is flat, or has an uphill or downhill slope
which would further influence the stopping-distance 22.
[0015] In addition to operating the host-vehicle 12 to wait 40 to
enter the intersection 14 when the stopping-distance 22 of the
other-vehicle 16 indicates that the other-vehicle 16 will not stop
before entering the intersection 14, the system 10 may be further
configured to warn other of potential danger. For example, since it
is likely that the host-vehicle 12 is equipped with headlights 34
and a horn 36, the controller 24 may be further configured to flash
42 the headlights 34 and/or activate 44 the horn 36 when the
stopping-distance 22 indicates that the other-vehicle 16 will enter
the intersection 14 before or without stopping. Such action may be
effective to warn a pedestrian 46 who appears to be entering the
intersection 14 and may not recognize the danger of the
other-vehicle 16 not stopping because the pedestrian 46 is, for
example, texting. The action may also be effective to warn a
waiting-vehicle 48 whose view of the other-vehicle 16 may be
blocked by the pedestrian 46, for example.
[0016] As another option to warn others of the danger represented
by the other-vehicle 16 not stopping, the system 10 may include a
transmitter 50 used to transmit a warning-signal 54, and controller
24 may be configured activate the transmitter 50 to transmit 52 the
warning-signal 54 when the stopping-distance 22 indicates that the
other-vehicle 16 will enter the intersection 14 before stopping.
The transmitter 50 may be part of the transceiver for V2X
communications discussed above. Alternatively, the transmitter 50
may be a light-source such as an infrared-light-source used to
broadcast local messages that can be detected by other properly
equipped vehicles and/or a V2I communications device 56 located
proximate to the intersection 14.
[0017] In another embodiment, the camera 62 may be used to detect
light emitted by lights 60 on the other-vehicle 16. For example,
the other-vehicle 16 may an ambulance equipped with
emergency-lights that if activated will cause the system 10 to
operate the host-vehicle 12 to wait 40 until the other-vehicle 16
has cleared the intersection 14. Furthermore, flashing of
headlights by the other-vehicle 16 may be interpreted as an
indication that the other-vehicle 16 is unable to stop.
[0018] Accordingly, a safe-to-proceed system (the system 10), a
controller 24 for the system 10, and a method of operating the
system 10 is provided. While the examples presented herein are
specifically directed to the system 10 having the host-vehicle 12
wait 40 when it appears that the other-vehicle 16 is not going to
stop before entering the intersection 14, it is also contemplated
that system 10 will operate the host-vehicle 12 to proceed 58 into
the intersection 14 when the speed 28 and the distance of the
other-vehicle 16 from the intersection 14 indicate that the
host-vehicle 12 has time to enter and sufficient proceed through
the intersection 14 to avoid a collision or interference with the
other-vehicle 16.
[0019] While this invention has been described in terms of the
preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited,
but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that
follow.
* * * * *