Steering control system and method for autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737718-B2
Application number	US-201815916993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A steering control system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle includes a steering input device accessible to a driver for providing steering control of the vehicle in a manual steering mode. Also included is at least one autonomous steering assembly for providing steering control of the vehicle in an autonomous steering mode. Further included is a plurality of road wheels controlled by a blended output of the steering input device and the at least one autonomous steering assembly during a transition steering mode.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A steering control system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprising:
a steering input device accessible to a driver for providing steering control of the vehicle in a manual steering mode;
at least one autonomous steering assembly for providing steering control of the vehicle in an autonomous steering mode; and
a plurality of road wheels controlled by a blended output of the steering input device and the at least one autonomous steering assembly during a transition steering mode defined as a transition from the autonomous steering mode to the manual steering mode, wherein the blended output includes a target steering angle of the road wheels, the blended output determined by an algorithm stored within a control module that receives data from a plurality of sensors, wherein the transition steering mode ends prior to a zone required for the manual steering mode to define a buffer zone that provides enough time to safely stop the vehicle before the manual steering mode is required.

2. The steering control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors detects information related to at least one driver readiness condition.

3. The steering control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors detects vehicle dynamic signals.

4. The steering control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors detects vehicle environment conditions.

5. The steering control system of claim 1 , the algorithm simulating a clutch.

6. The steering control system of claim 1 , the algorithm simulating a differential.

7. The steering control system of claim 1 , the algorithm simulating a planetary gear set.

8. A method of transitioning from an autonomous steering mode to a manual steering mode for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprising:
controlling a plurality of road wheels with at least one autonomous steering assembly in the autonomous steering mode;
controlling the plurality of road wheels with a blended output of the at least one autonomous steering assembly and a steering input device operated by a driver during a transition steering mode defined as a transition from the autonomous steering mode to the manual steering mode, wherein the blended output is determined by an algorithm stored in a control module that receives data from a plurality of sensors; and
terminating the transition mode prior to a zone required for manual steering to define a buffer zone that provides enough time to safely stop the vehicle before the manual steering mode is required.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the control module receives data associated with at least one driver readiness condition.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the algorithm receives data associated with vehicle dynamic signals.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the algorithm receives data associated with vehicle environment conditions.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising gradually increasing manual control of the total steering during the transition steering mode.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Klesing Joachim J
• Longuemare Pierre C
• Safour Salaheddine

Classifications

• B62D15/025

  Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/286 Primary

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

• B62D6/007 Primary

  adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode · CPC title

• B60W50/087

  where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver · CPC title

• B60W50/12

  Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation · CPC title