Method of controlling an autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322722-B2
Application number	US-201615293968-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A method of controlling an autonomously operating vehicle includes determining if the vehicle is currently occupied by a passenger, or if the vehicle is not currently occupied by a passenger. When the vehicle is currently occupied by a passenger, a vehicle controller controls at least one vehicle system to operate using a set of passenger present operating parameters. The set of passenger present operating parameters control the vehicle to provide a minimum level of passenger comfort. When the vehicle is not currently occupied by a passenger, the vehicle controller controls at least one vehicle system to operate using a set of passenger not-present operating parameters. The set of passenger not-present operating parameters control the vehicle for one of optimal energy efficiency, or for optimal vehicle diagnostic performance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
determining if the vehicle is currently operating autonomously, or is not currently operating autonomously, with a vehicle controller;
determining if the vehicle is currently occupied by a passenger, or is not currently occupied by a passenger, with the vehicle controller;
controlling at least one vehicle system, with the vehicle controller, to operate using a set of passenger present operating parameters, when the vehicle is currently operating autonomously and the vehicle is currently occupied by a passenger, wherein the set of passenger present operating parameters controls the vehicle to provide a minimum level of passenger comfort; and
controlling at least one vehicle system, with the vehicle controller, to operate using a set of passenger not-present operating parameters, when the vehicle is currently operating autonomously and the vehicle is not currently occupied by a passenger, wherein the set of passenger not-present operating parameters controls the vehicle for one of optimal energy efficiency or optimal vehicle diagnostic performance, and provides less than the minimum level of passenger comfort.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein controlling the at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger present operating parameters includes enabling at least one passenger comfort system.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 , wherein controlling the at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger not-present operating parameters includes disabling at least one passenger comfort system.

4. The method set forth in claim 3 , wherein the at least one passenger comfort system includes at least one of: a cabin temperature control system, an entertainment system, a cabin lighting system, and an electronic ride control system.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein controlling the at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger present operating parameters, and controlling the at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger not-present operating parameters, include adjusting at least one of an engine operation, a transmission operation, a vehicle acceleration, a vehicle deceleration, a vehicle turn rate, or a vehicle cornering speed.

6. The method set forth in claim 1 , further comprising determining if a passenger is expected to enter the vehicle within a pre-defined time period, when the vehicle is not currently occupied.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 , further comprising controlling at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger present operating parameters when the vehicle is not currently occupied, but a passenger is expected to enter the vehicle within the pre-defined time period.

8. The method set forth in claim 7 , wherein controlling at least one vehicle system to operate using the set of passenger present operating parameters when the vehicle is not currently occupied, but a passenger is expected to enter the vehicle within the pre-defined time period, includes controlling a cabin temperature control system to adjust a cabin temperature to a pre-defined temperature.

9. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein controlling the at least one vehicle system to operate using a set of passenger not-present operating parameters, when the vehicle is currently operating autonomously and the vehicle is not currently occupied by a passenger, includes controlling a diagnostic system to execute a diagnostic vehicle test.

10. The method set forth in claim 9 , wherein controlling the diagnostic system to execute the diagnostic vehicle test includes adjusting at least one of an engine operation, a transmission operation, a vehicle acceleration, a vehicle deceleration, a vehicle turn rate, or a vehicle cornering speed, in order to achieve a desired vehicle operating input.

11. The method set forth in claim 10 , wherein controlling the diagnostic system to execute the diagnostic vehicle test includes sensing a vehicle response to the desired vehicle operating input.

12. The method set forth in claim 11 , wherein controlling the diagnostic system to execute the diagnostic vehicle test includes storing the response to the desired vehicle operating input in a memory of the vehicle controller.

13. The method set forth in claim 12 , wherein controlling the diagnostic system to execute the diagnostic vehicle test includes comparing the response to the desired vehicle operating input to a standard, with the vehicle controller, to determine if the response to the desired vehicle operating input is within the standard, or if the response to the desired vehicle operating input is outside the standard.

14. The method set forth in claim 13 , wherein controlling the diagnostic system to execute the diagnostic vehicle test includes notifying a control center when the response to the desired vehicle operating input is outside the standard.

15. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein determining if the vehicle is currently occupied by a passenger, or is not currently occupied by a passenger, includes sensing the presence of a passenger, with a sensor, wherein a passenger includes at least one of a human being, a canine, a feline, a small mammal, a reptile, a bird.

16. The method set forth in claim 15 , wherein sensing the presence of the passenger, with a sensor, is further defined as sensing the presence of the passenger with one of a camera or a seat pressure sensor.

17. A vehicle comprising:
a body structure including a passenger cabin;
a prime power source attached to and supported by the body structure, and operable to provide propulsive power;
a plurality of wheels attached to and supported by the body structure, and operable to transmit torque from the prime power source to a ground surface, and to steer the body structure;
a suspension system interconnecting the plurality of wheels and the body structure;
a braking system attached to and supported by the suspension system, and operable to resist rotation of the plurality of wheels;
a cabin temperature control system for heating or cooling an air temperature within the passenger cabin;
a vehicle controller including a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded an autonomous vehicle operation algorithm, wherein the processor is operable to execute the autonomous vehicle operating algorithm to autonomously control operation of at least one of the prime power source, the plurality of wheels, the suspension system, the braking system, and the cabin temperature control system, without the presence or input of an operator;
wherein the tangible, non-transitory memory of the vehicle controller includes a passenger based control algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the passenger based control algorithm to:
determine if the vehicle controller is currently executing the autonomous vehicle operating algorithm to operate the vehicle autonomously;
determine if the passenger cabin is currently occupied by a passenger, or is not currently occupied by a passenger, with a passenger sensor;
control at least one of the prime power source, the plurality of wheels, the suspension system, the braking system, and the cabin temperature control system, using a set of passenger present operating parameters, when the vehicle controller is currently executing the autonomous vehicle operating algorithm to operate the vehicle autonomously and the passenger cabin is currently occupied by a passenger, wherein the set of passenger

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Muller Brett T
• Auden Joshua R
• Huntzicker Fred W

Classifications

• B60W2050/0043

  Signal treatments, identification of variables or parameters, parameter estimation or state estimation · CPC title

• B60W2710/06

  Combustion engines, Gas turbines · CPC title

• B60W2710/20

  Steering systems · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title