Control system of autonomous vehicle and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10981497-B2
Application number	US-201916705946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A control system of an autonomous vehicle may include: a camera unit installed on a vehicle body, and configured to take an image of a pedestrian; a measurement unit installed on the vehicle body, and configured to measure a position of the pedestrian and a distance to the pedestrian; a control unit configured to receive data of the camera unit and the measurement unit; and an image irradiation unit configured to operate according to a control signal of the control unit, and irradiate light to one or more of the pedestrian and a road.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
detecting, with one or more sensors installed on the autonomous vehicle, a pedestrian on a sidewalk next to a road on which the autonomous vehicle is driving, a position of the pedestrian and a distance between the pedestrian and the autonomous vehicle;
irradiating light, with one or more light sources, to the sidewalk to form a first image on the sidewalk, when the pedestrian is detected and the distance between the pedestrian and the autonomous vehicle is within a first range;
irradiating light, with the one or more light sources, to the sidewalk or both the sidewalk and the road to form the first image on the sidewalk and further form a second image on the sidewalk or the road, wherein the second image is different from the first image, when the pedestrian is detected and the distance between the pedestrian and the autonomous vehicle is within a second range, wherein the autonomous vehicle is closer to the pedestrian when the distance is within the second range than when the distance is within the first range; and
irradiating light, with the one or more light sources, to the sidewalk and the road to form the first image on the sidewalk and further form a third image on the road, wherein the third image is different and separate from the first image, when the pedestrian is detected and the distance between the pedestrian and the autonomous vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value, wherein the autonomous vehicle is closer to the pedestrian when the distance is smaller than the predetermined value than when the distance is within the second range.

2. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the second image comprises a guide line extending along the road and formed between the road and the pedestrian.

3. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the third image comprises a warning image formed on the road for warning the pedestrian against crossing the road.

4. The control method of claim 3 , wherein when the third image is formed, another image is displayed on a front or side of a body of the autonomous vehicle.

5. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the first image comprises a circular image formed around the pedestrian on the sidewalk.

6. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the second image comprises a line formed along an edge of the sidewalk.

7. The control method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequently to irradiating light to form the first and third images, irradiating light to the road to form a fourth image that is different from the first and third images,
wherein the fourth image comprises a crosswalk image formed on the road for guiding the pedestrian to cross the road.

8. The control method of claim 1 , wherein when the third image is formed, the autonomous vehicle is in a stopping state, whereas when the second image is formed, the autonomous vehicle is in a driving state.

9. The control method of claim 1 , wherein when the first and third images are formed, the second image is formed between the first and third images, wherein the second image is different from and separate from the third image.

Assignees

• Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Eun Jeong
• Baek Seung Woo
• Choi Ban Suk
• Shin Cheon Seop
• Cha Jun Hyuk
• Kim Moo Kwan

Classifications

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/085 Primary

  due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q1/547

  for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake · CPC title

• B60Q1/5037

  the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title