Autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744967-B2
Application number	US-201715720468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle that operates in an autonomous driving mode and includes: an occupant sensing unit that is configured to sense an occupant inside the vehicle; and at least one processor configured to: determine, through the occupant sensing unit, whether the vehicle is occupied; and in a state in which the vehicle operates in the autonomous driving mode, control one or more in-vehicle devices based on a determination of whether the vehicle is occupied.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle that operates in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising:
a sensor that is configured to sense an occupant inside the vehicle; and
at least one processor configured to:
determine, through the sensor, whether the vehicle is occupied,
in a state in which the vehicle operates in the autonomous driving mode, control one or more in-vehicle devices based on a determination of whether the vehicle is occupied,
control a speed variation per unit time during an accelerating operation or a decelerating operation of the vehicle based on the determination of whether the vehicle is occupied,
in a state in which the vehicle is occupied, control the speed variation per unit time to a first speed variation per unit time of the accelerating operation or the decelerating operation, the first speed variation per unit time being less than a second speed variation per unit time of the accelerating operation or the decelerating operation in a state in which the vehicle is unoccupied,
based on the determination of whether the vehicle is occupied, control a timing of the decelerating operation according to each of the autonomous driving mode and an automatic parking mode of the vehicle,
control the timing of the decelerating operation to a first timing in a state in which the vehicle is in the automatic parking mode and is occupied,
control the timing of the decelerating operation to a second timing in a state in which the vehicle is in the automatic parking mode and is unoccupied, the first timing being earlier than the second timing,
control the timing of the decelerating operation to a third timing in a state in which the vehicle operates in the autonomous driving mode and is occupied, and
control the timing of the decelerating operation to a fourth timing in a state in which the vehicle operates in the autonomous driving mode and is unoccupied, the third timing being later than the fourth timing.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on a determination that the vehicle is in an unmanned driving state in which the vehicle operates in the autonomous driving mode and the vehicle is not occupied, operate the one or more in-vehicle devices according to the unmanned driving state.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, control the one or more in-vehicle devices to perform at least one of a fuel efficiency task, a safe driving task, or a driving performance task.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, deactivate at least one in-vehicle device among the one or more in-vehicle devices based on a determination of whether the vehicle is occupied, the at least one in-vehicle device comprising at least one of: a user interface apparatus, a driving manipulation apparatus, a safety apparatus drive unit, a lamp drive unit, an air-conditioner drive unit, a wiper drive unit, a side mirror drive unit, or an electronic control suspension,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
perform the fuel efficiency task by deactivating at least one of the user interface apparatus, the driving manipulation apparatus, the lamp drive unit, the air-conditioner drive unit, the wiper drive unit, the side mirror drive unit, or the electronic control suspension; and
perform the safe driving task by deactivating the safety apparatus drive unit.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, control at least one of a light intensity or an irradiation range of at least one lamp of the vehicle based on a sensing range of one or more sensors of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, control an intervention rate of a regenerative brake system of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, control an Adaptive Cruise Control speed of the vehicle to operate the vehicle at engine RPM values for which a fuel consumption of the vehicle satisfies a threshold value.

8. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
determine that the vehicle is likely to collide with at least one of a first object or a second object based on object information acquired by an object detection apparatus of the vehicle and a driving condition of the vehicle; and
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state and based on a determination that the vehicle is likely to collide with at least one of the first object or the second object, determine a first importance level for the first object and a second importance level for the second object according to types of the first object and the second object; and
control the vehicle to prioritize avoiding colliding with the first object over the second object based on the first importance level being greater than the second importance level.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the first importance level of the first object being the same as the second importance level of the second object, control the vehicle to prioritize avoiding colliding with the first object over the second object based on a determination that colliding with the first object will cause a first impact to an engine or battery of the vehicle that is greater than a second impact to the engine or battery caused by colliding with the second object.

10. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state and based on a determination that the vehicle is unable to avoid a collision with an object, control the vehicle to operate an engine brake of the vehicle and to deactivate a safety apparatus drive unit of the vehicle;
determine, by an object detection apparatus, that snow or liquid is present on a road on which the vehicle travels; and
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state and based on a determination that snow or liquid is present on the road on which the vehicle travels, control the vehicle to operate the engine brake of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on a determination that the vehicle is occupied, control a suspension of the vehicle to be a first suspension level that is more flexible than a second suspension level corresponding to the vehicle being unoccupied.

12. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, transmit, to an external terminal, information regarding at least one of a location, a driving condition, a route, or a driving environment of the vehicle; and
based on a determination of an emergency situation of the vehicle, transmit, to the external terminal, information regarding the emergency situation.

13. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
based on the vehicle being in the unmanned driving state, and based on a determination that a user is likely to board the vehicle:
perform a first control operation of at least one of the one or more in-vehicle devices comprising a user interface apparatus, a driving manipulation apparatus, an air-conditioner drive unit, a wiper drive unit,

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jinkyo
• Kim Ilho

Classifications

• G06V20/593

  Recognising seat occupancy · CPC title

• G06V20/597

  Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness · CPC title

• G06V20/58

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2530/13

  Mileage · CPC title