Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090310237 | LANE CHANGE AID SIDE-MIRROR SYSTEM - A vehicle-mounted system for automatically adjusting a viewing angle of at least one rear-view mirror of a vehicle. The system includes a sensing unit for detecting and obtaining the positional parameters of an object in a side blind zone of the vehicle. The system also includes a control unit that is capable of adjusting the rear-view mirror based on the positional parameters received from the sensing unit, to facilitate viewing of the object by a driver of the vehicle. | 12-17-2009 |
20090319113 | PATH GENERATION ALGORITHM FOR AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING AND LANE CHANGING CONTROL SYSTEM - A system for providing path generation for automated lane centering and/or lane changing purposes. The system includes a desired path generation processor that receives signals detecting the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling, a request for a lane change, vehicle state information and a steering angle of the vehicle. The system also includes a path prediction processor that predicts the vehicle path based on vehicle state information including vehicle longitudinal speed, vehicle lateral speed, vehicle yaw-rate and vehicle steering angle. The desired path information and the predicted path information are compared to generate an error signal that is sent to a lane change controller that provides a steering angle signal to turn the vehicle and reduce the error signal. The desired path generation processor can use a fifth order polynomial equation to determine the desired path of the vehicle based on the input signals. | 12-24-2009 |
20100017071 | AUTOMATIC REARVIEW MIRROR ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE - Mirrors on a motor vehicle are adjusted by monitoring the position of a first, preferably manually adjusted, mirror and adjusting the position of additional mirrors based on the monitored position of the first one of the mirrors. | 01-21-2010 |
20100039720 | ROAD-ADAPTIVE SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM - A system and method for automatically adjusting the viewing angle of both side rear-view mirrors on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling on a hill. The system estimates the slope of the hill, and uses the estimated slope to determine a corrected viewing angle of the rear-view mirrors. Depending on whether the vehicle is traveling uphill or down-hill, would depend on which direction the rear-view mirrors will be adjusted. | 02-18-2010 |
20100039721 | REARVIEW MIRROR ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM FOR TRAILER ATTACHED VEHICLE - A system and method for automatically correcting the viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle towing a trailer when the vehicle is traveling around a curve. If the dimensions of the trailer are unknown, then the corrected viewing angle is the same as the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer. If the dimensions of the trailer are known, then trigonometry is used to determine the corrected viewing angle. Depending on whether the road is curving to the right or to the left will determine whether the left side rear-view mirror or the right side rear-view mirror is adjusted. | 02-18-2010 |
20100039722 | ROAD CURVATURE ESTIMATION FOR REARVIEW MIRROR ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM - A system and method for automatically correcting the viewing angle of a rear-view mirror on a vehicle when the vehicle is traveling around a curve. The system estimates the curvature of the road using only vehicle speed and vehicle steering angle information. The road curvature estimation is used to determine the radius of curvature of the road, which can then be used to determine the corrected viewing angle of the rear-view mirror. Depending on whether the road is curving to the right or to the left will determine whether the left side rear-view mirror or the right side rear-view mirror will be adjusted. | 02-18-2010 |
20100080416 | EYE DETECTION SYSTEM USING A SINGLE CAMERA - A system and a method for detecting the eyes of a driver of a vehicle using a single camera. The method includes determining a set of positional parameters corresponding to a driving seat of the vehicle. The camera is positioned at a pre-determined location inside the vehicle, and a set of parameters corresponding to the camera is determined. The location of the driver's eyes is detected using the set of positional parameters, an image of the driver's face and the set of parameters corresponding to the camera. | 04-01-2010 |
20100082195 | METHOD TO ADAPTIVELY CONTROL VEHICLE OPERATION USING AN AUTONOMIC VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM - A vehicle includes a vehicle monitoring system for estimating vehicle motion states, a spatial monitoring system, an adaptive cruise control system for vehicle speed and acceleration control, a steering controller for vehicle lateral motion control, a roadway estimator, and an autonomic control system. Commanded vehicle operation is adjusted to achieve a preferred travel path based upon a predicted travel path and an estimated roadway. The preferred travel path is adapted responsive to the estimated roadway. | 04-01-2010 |
20100177412 | ADAPTIVE VEHICLE SIDE MIRROR SYSTEM - Systems and methods for automatically adjusting the orientation of one or more mirrors present on a motorized vehicle are responsive to the spatial position of a component of a driver seat present in such motorized vehicle and the vehicle's primary rear-view mirror. | 07-15-2010 |
20100177413 | VEHICLE MIRROR CONTROL WITH SEAT POSITION INFORMATION - Systems and methods for automatically adjusting the orientation of one or more mirrors present on a motorized vehicle are responsive to the spatial position of at least one component of a driver seat present in such motorized vehicle. | 07-15-2010 |
20100228417 | DRIVER HANDS ON/OFF DETECTION DURING AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING/CHANGING MANEUVER - A system and method for determining whether a vehicle driver is holding a steering wheel of the vehicle while the vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode. The vehicle will include an electric power steering (EPS) system and may include an active front steering (AFS) system, both of which include a motor that can apply a high frequency and low amplitude perturbation signal to the steering wheel of the vehicle that is not felt by the vehicle driver and does not cause the vehicle to turn, but is able to be detected by a steering angle sensor. The method subtracts a steering angle command signal from the steering angle signal and removes road disturbances, and then determines whether the induced perturbation signal is present in the steering angle sensor signal. If the perturbation signal is present, then the system knows that the vehicle driver is not holding the steering wheel. | 09-09-2010 |
20100228419 | METHOD TO ASSESS RISK ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING AN AUTONOMIC VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM - A vehicle is configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver and is equipped with a spatial monitoring system. Each of a plurality of objects located proximate to the vehicle is monitored. Locations of each of the objects are predicted relative to a projected trajectory of the vehicle. A collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects is assessed. | 09-09-2010 |
20100228420 | MODEL BASED PREDICTIVE CONTROL FOR AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING/CHANGING CONTROL SYSTEMS - A system and method for providing steering control for lane changing and lane centering purposes in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle system. A vehicle vision system calculates roadway lane marking information, such as lateral offset, yaw angle and roadway curvature with respect to the vehicle's centered coordinate system. The roadway is then modeled as a second order polynomial equation. The method then predicts roadway lateral position and yaw angle over a pre-defined lane change completion time using a vehicle dynamic model. The method then compares a predicted vehicle path with a desired vehicle path to generate an error value, and calculates a steering angle command to minimize the error value, where the steering angle command is calculated as a function of vehicle lateral position, vehicle lateral speed, vehicle yaw rate and vehicle yaw angle. The steering angle command is then sent to the vehicle steering system. | 09-09-2010 |
20120166032 | DRIVING-BASED LANE OFFSET CONTROL FOR LANE CENTERING SYSTEM - A system and method for providing adaptive lane centering in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle driving system includes activating a lane centering control system, detecting a driver steering override of the lane centering control system, monitoring a lane centering offset when a driver override condition is detected, determining if the lane centering offset represents a driver bias and adjusting the lane centering offset in the lane centering control system to compensate for the driver bias. | 06-28-2012 |
20120218094 | METHOD FOR ROAD GRADE ESTIMATION FOR ENHANCING THE FUEL ECONOMY INDEX CALCULATION - A method is provided of estimating a road grade of a current driven road. A nominal value of a vehicle operating parameter is measured during a nominal vehicle operating condition. The vehicle operating parameter is related to a vehicle thrust power. The nominal value of the vehicle operating condition is comprised of a nominal acceleration corresponding to the nominal value when the vehicle is driven on a substantially non-inclined road. The nominal value and nominal acceleration is stored in a memory. An actual value of the vehicle operating parameter is determined during a current vehicle operating condition. A vehicle acceleration corresponding to the actual value of the vehicle operating parameter is measured. The road grade of the current driven road is estimated as a function of a comparison between the measured acceleration value and the nominal acceleration that would be expected for the actual value of the vehicle operating parameter. | 08-30-2012 |
20120245837 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING AN INSTANTANEOUS FUEL ECONOMY FOR A VEHICLE - A system for calculating an instantaneous fuel economy for a vehicle is disclosed herein. The system includes, but is not limited to, a speed sensor that is configured to determine a current speed of the vehicle, an acceleration sensor that is configured to determine a current acceleration of the vehicle, a fuel sensor that is configured to determine a current fuel consumption rate of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, a display unit, and a processor. The processor is communicatively coupled with the speed sensor, the acceleration sensor, and the fuel sensor, and is operatively coupled with the display unit. The processor is configured to determine the instantaneous fuel economy of the vehicle based on information obtained from the speed sensor, the acceleration sensor, and the fuel sensor. The processor is further configured to instruct the display unit to display the instantaneous fuel economy. | 09-27-2012 |
20120283907 | LANE CENTERING FAIL-SAFE CONTROL USING DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING - Method, system and non-transitory computer-readable medium for fail-safe performance of a lane centering system. An electrical power steering (EPS) system of a vehicle is monitored for a failure and operation of the lane centering system is switched to a differential braking controller to output differential braking commands to a differential breaking system upon determining that a failure of the EPS system has occurred, where the output braking commands direct the differential braking system to apply force a brake for a wheel of vehicle, such by the applied braking force the vehicle follows a desired path determined for a lane centering operation. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283910 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED STEERING OVERRIDE DETECTION DURING AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING - A method and system may measure one or more vehicle steering measurements or quantities and calculate one or more expected vehicle steering measurements. The method and system may deactivate an automatic vehicle control system based on the one or more measured vehicle steering measurements and the one or more expected vehicle steering measurements. The vehicle steering measurements may include a vehicle steering angle measurement, vehicle steering torque measurement, or other vehicle dynamics measurements. The automatic vehicle control system may include an automated lane centering system, lane keeping assist, or other autonomous vehicle steering control system. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283911 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING SMOOTHNESS FOR LANE CENTERING STEERING CONTROL - A method and system may include obtaining a time to complete a lane centering maneuver for a vehicle traveling on a roadway. A lane centering path may be calculated for the maneuver, based on a sensed current heading of the vehicle relative to a sensed center line as determined by the time to complete. A steering adjustment required for the vehicle to execute the maneuver with respect to the calculated lane centering path may be calculated and applied to the vehicle. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283912 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF STEERING OVERRIDE END DETECTION FOR AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING - A method and system may measure one or more vehicle dynamics measurements and activate an automatic vehicle control system based on the one or more measurements. The vehicle dynamics measurements may include a vehicle steering angle measurement, vehicle lane offset measurement, or other vehicle dynamics measurements. The automatic vehicle control system may include an automated lane centering system, lane keeping assist, or other autonomous vehicle steering control system. | 11-08-2012 |
20120283913 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING SMOOTHNESS FOR LANE CENTERING STEERING CONTROL - A method and system may calculate a steering adjustment required for a vehicle traveling on a roadway to execute a transition to lane centering maneuver. A steering limit may be selected or calculated in accordance with a desired smoothness level for completing the maneuver. The steering limit may be applied to a steering adjustment to obtain a modified steering adjustment, and the modified steering adjustment may be applied to the vehicle. | 11-08-2012 |
20120314070 | LANE SENSING ENHANCEMENT THROUGH OBJECT VEHICLE INFORMATION FOR LANE CENTERING/KEEPING - A system and method for accurately estimating a lane in which a vehicle is traveling. A sensor mounted on the vehicle generates sensor data including lane information that is processed by several lane detection sub-systems to generate two or more estimated lanes with corresponding lane confidence information. A combining processor combines the estimated lanes based upon the confidence information to determine a combined estimated lane. | 12-13-2012 |
20120316730 | LANE SENSING THROUGH LANE MARKER IDENTIFICATION FOR LANE CENTERING/KEEPING - A method for adjusting a vehicle's position in a roadway lane. A camera mounted on the vehicle generates a current image of the lane and the method identifies a current lane-center line in the current image. A reference image is generated and the method identifies a reference lane-center line in the reference image. The method then calculates an error between the current lane-center line and the reference lane-center line and provide steering commands to adjust the position of the vehicle so that the error is reduced. | 12-13-2012 |
20130030651 | COLLISION AVOIDANCE MANEUVER THROUGH DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING - A collision avoidance system in a host vehicle that provides automatic steering control using differential braking in the event that the normal steering control fails. The system determines whether a collision with an object, such as a target vehicle, in front of the host vehicle is imminent, and if so, determines an optimal path for the host vehicle to travel along to avoid the object if the collision is imminent. The collision avoidance system may determine that automatic steering is necessary to cause the vehicle to travel along the optimal path to avoid the target. If the collision avoidance system does determine that automatic steering is necessary and detects that normal vehicle steering has failed, the system uses differential braking to steer the vehicle along the path. | 01-31-2013 |
20130060413 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPEED ADAPTIVE STEERING OVERRIDE DETECTION DURING AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING - One or more vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle may be measured. One or more expected vehicle steering measurements may be calculated, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements. At least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement may be calculated. A speed of the vehicle may be measured. One or more current threshold values may be calculated based on the measured speed, each of the current threshold values corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement. An automatic vehicle control system may be deactivated when one or more of the calculated differences exceeds its corresponding current threshold value. | 03-07-2013 |
20130060414 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SMOOTH STEERING OVERRIDE TRANSITION DURING AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING - Vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle may be measured. Expected vehicle steering measurements may be calculated, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements. At least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement may be calculated. A lower boundary and an upper boundary of at least one override transition zone, each of the override transition zones corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement, may be calculated. Steering control of the vehicle may be gradually transferred from an automatic vehicle control system to a driver of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time when one or more of the calculated differences lie between the calculated lower boundary and the calculated upper boundary of the corresponding override transition zone. | 03-07-2013 |
20130151058 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A HOST VEHICLE - A method and system that monitors the behavior of surrounding vehicles in order to predict and react to an upcoming hazard in the road, even in situations where the hazard has not been directly sensed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method monitors an area around the host vehicle and looks for the presence of one or more target vehicles. If target vehicles are detected, then the method evaluates their behavior, classifies their behavior into one of several categories, and assuming that their behavior suggests some type of upcoming hazard, develops an appropriate preemptive response for controlling the host vehicle. The preemptive response may include mimicking, copying and/or integrating with the behavior of the surrounding target vehicles according to so-called “flocking” techniques in order to avoid the otherwise unseen hazard. | 06-13-2013 |
20130179036 | LANE TRACKING SYSTEM WITH ACTIVE REAR-STEER - A lane tracking system for a vehicle includes a front steering controller, a rear steering controller, and a lane tracking processor. The front steering controller is configured to rotate a front wheel of the vehicle through a front steering angle in response to a front steering torque command, and the rear steering controller is configured to rotate a rear wheel of the vehicle through a rear steering angle in response to a rear steering torque command. The lane tracking processor is configured to determine a desired course of the vehicle along a roadway, estimate a trajectory of the vehicle based on sensed vehicle motion, compute an error between the determined desired course and the estimated trajectory, and provide a front steering torque command to the front steering controller, and a rear steering torque command to the rear steering controller to minimize the computed error. | 07-11-2013 |
20130218396 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED VEHICLE CONTROL - A method and system may determine, in a vehicle, a desired path around an object based on a location of the object relative to the vehicle, relative speed, road parameters and one or more vehicle parameters. The method and system may calculate one or more vehicle control parameter values which minimize a predicted deviation from the desired vehicle path. The method and system may determine whether the one or more vehicle control parameter values would cause the vehicle to exceed one or more vehicle stability constraints. If the one or more vehicle control parameter values would cause the vehicle to exceed one or more vehicle stability constraints, the one or more vehicle control parameter values may be reduced to one or more vehicle control parameter values not causing the vehicle to exceed the one or more vehicle stability constraints. The method and system may output the one or more vehicle control parameter values to a vehicle automated control device. | 08-22-2013 |
20130253767 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE LATERAL CONTROL - A lane controller system installed on a vehicle may include components for self-diagnosing malfunctions on the vehicle. The system may include a desired path generator for generating a desired path that keeps the vehicle within a road lane; a steering controller for providing steering a steering correction to keep the vehicle within the road lane; a vehicle state estimator for estimating the state of the vehicle; a lane marking detector for detecting position of road lane markings; a path predictor for predicting a path actively followed by the vehicle; a virtual dynamics module for modeling the anticipated path of the vehicle following input of the steering controller; a comparer that compares the results of actual steering corrections applied with those predicted by the virtual dynamics module, and a diagnostic system that determines a root cause of malfunctions, based on the comparison by the comparer. | 09-26-2013 |
20130253793 | Optimal Fusion Of Electric Park Brake And Hydraulic Brake Sub-System Functions To Control Vehicle Direction - A method, for controlling direction of a vehicle as desired in connection with operation of an autonomous driving maneuver using selectively, independently and/or in combination, multiple electrical park brakes (EPBs) and multiple hydraulic brakes (HBs). The method includes determining a total brake force needed for redirecting the vehicle in a pre-determined manner, and determining whether an applicable EPB can provide the total brake force needed. The method further includes providing, if it is determined that the applicable EPB can provide the total brake force needed, a brake command instructing the applicable EPB to apply the total brake force. The method also includes determining, if it is determined that the EPB is alone insufficient, an optimal fusion of the EPBs and the HBs, including two front and two rear HBs, two rear EPBs, and in some embodiments, also two front EPBs. | 09-26-2013 |
20130274985 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE LATERAL CONTROL - A method, system and computer readable medium to autonomously keep a vehicle in a lane. The method including, engaging a lane centering system configured to maintain the vehicle within the lane, at a specified lane position. Further engaging a lane keeping system when the lane centering system fails to keep the vehicle within the lane, the lane keeping system configured to return the vehicle to the lane, when the vehicle leaves or is leaving the lane. And, applying a cost function to determine the nature of engagement of the lane keeping system to return the vehicle to the lane. | 10-17-2013 |
20140067226 | ANTICIPATORY CRUISE CONTROL - An anticipatory cruise control configured to automatically adjust travel speed responsively to upcoming changes in road conditions in a safe and comfortable manner. | 03-06-2014 |
20140257628 | STEERING-WHEEL-HOLD DETECTION FOR LANE KEEPING ASSIST FEATURE - A system and method for determining whether a vehicle driver is holding a steering wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle will include an electric power steering (EPS) system and may include an active front steering (AFS) system. The vehicle may further include autonomous or semi-autonomous driving features or safety features, such as Lane Centering Control (LCC) or Lane Keeping Assist (LKA). The system monitors steering torque and steering angle signals, determines a resonant frequency of oscillation of the steering system from the measured data, and compares the resonant frequency to a known natural frequency of the steering system. If the resonant frequency is lower than the known natural frequency, then the system knows that the vehicle driver is holding the steering wheel. A measured steering torque greater than a threshold value is also taken as an immediate indication of the driver holding the steering wheel. | 09-11-2014 |