Systems and methods for switching between a driver mode and an autonomous driving mode for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10633025-B2
Application number	US-201815877488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Sep 26, 2017
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle system for operating a vehicle is provided. The vehicle system includes a first output device configured to output a first output, and a second output device configured to output a second output. The vehicle system operates the vehicle based on the first output from the first output device while obtaining vehicle environment information, determines whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information, operates the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in response to determining that the autonomous takeover event occurred, determines whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second output device, and operates the vehicle based on the second output from the second output device in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second output device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a first output device configured to output a first output based on an input from a first user;
a second output device configured to output a second output based on an input from a second user;
one or more processors;
one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and
machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:
operate a vehicle based on the first output from the first output device while obtaining vehicle environment information;
determine whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information;
operate the vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in response to determining that the autonomous take-over event occurred;
determine whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second output device; and
operate the vehicle based on the second output from the second output device in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second output device.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the first output device is a first steering wheel, and wherein the second output device is a second steering wheel.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules cause the vehicle system to provide a feedback to the first user in response to determining that the autonomous take-over event occurred.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3 , wherein the feedback includes a haptic feedback provided through the first output device.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the first output device is a first brake pedal, wherein the second output device is a second brake pedal.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle environment information includes at least one of a status of a driver, a presence of an external obstacle, an operating state of the vehicle, and traffic information.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous take-over event includes the vehicle entering a predetermined zone.

8. A vehicle system comprising:
a first steering wheel configured to output a first output based on an input from a first user;
a second steering wheel configured to output a second output based on an input from a second user;
one or more processors;
one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and
machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:
operate a vehicle based on the first output from the first steering wheel while obtaining vehicle environment information;
determine whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information or determine whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second steering wheel; and
operate the vehicle in an autonomous mode or operate the vehicle based on the second output from the second steering wheel in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second steering wheel.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules cause the vehicle system to:
determine a target trajectory for the vehicle based on the vehicle environment information;
determine a difference between an actual path of the vehicle and the target trajectory for the vehicle; and
provide a feedback through a feedback device based on the difference.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules cause the vehicle system to:
determine whether the actual path is deviated from the target trajectory by a threshold amount; and
provide the feedback through the feedback device in response to determination that the actual path is deviated from the target trajectory by the threshold amount.

11. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the feedback includes an audible feedback explaining the difference.

12. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the feedback includes a visual feedback indicating the difference.

13. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle environment information includes at least one of a status of a driver, a presence of an external obstacle, an operating state of the vehicle, or traffic information.

14. A vehicle system comprising:
a first steering wheel configured to output an output based on an input from a user;
a second steering wheel configured to output a second output based on an input from a second user;
one or more processors;
one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and
machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:
control an orientation of front wheels of a vehicle based on the output from the first steering wheel while obtaining vehicle environment information;
determine whether an autonomous take-over event occurs based on the vehicle environment information or determine whether the vehicle system receives a take-over signal from the second steering wheel; and
operate the vehicle in an autonomous mode or operate the vehicle based on the second output from the second steering wheel in response to determining that the vehicle system received the take-over signal from the second steering wheel.

15. The vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules cause the vehicle system to:
determine a target orientation of front wheels based on the vehicle environment information;
determine whether the orientation of the front wheels of the vehicle based on the output from the first steering wheel deviates from the target orientation;
adjust the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation while the first steering wheel is disengaged from the front wheels;
provide a feedback in response to adjusting the orientation of the front wheels to the target orientation; and
rotate the first steering wheel to align with the front wheels.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the feedback includes a vibration on a portion of the first steering wheel.

17. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the feedback includes a haptic feedback provided through the first steering wheel.

18. The vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the feedback includes a rotational torque applied to the first steering wheel.

19. The vehicle system of claim 18 , wherein the rotational torque is determined based on a difference between an orientation of the first steering wheel and the orientation of the front wheels.

20. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the feedback device includes at least one of a steering wheel interface module, a speaker, and a display.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Mcgill Stephen
• Fletcher Luke
• Nimura Kazunori
• Leonard John
• Pratt Gill

Classifications

• B60W60/0051

  from occupants to vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• B62D15/021

  Determination of steering angle · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B62D1/286

  Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention · CPC title