Rumble strip following for automated vehicle steering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029688-B2
Application number	US-201815920004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Feb 12, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A rumble-strip following system for automated vehicle steering includes a vibration-detector, a steering-device, and a controller-circuit. The vibration-detector is configured to detect vibration experienced by a host-vehicle traveling a roadway. The steering-device is configured to steer the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is in communication with the vibration-detector and the steering-device. The controller-circuit is configured to determine that the vibration is indicative of a tire of the host-vehicle contacting a rumble-strip arranged parallel to a heading of the roadway, and operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip.

First claim

We claim:

1. A rumble-strip following system for automated vehicle steering, said system comprising:
a vibration-detector of a host-vehicle configured to detect vibration experienced by the host-vehicle traveling a roadway;
a steering-device configured to steer the host-vehicle; and
a controller-circuit in communication with the vibration-detector and the steering-device, said controller-circuit configured to determine that the vibration is indicative of a tire of the host-vehicle contacting a rumble-strip arranged parallel to a heading of the roadway, and operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip, wherein the controller-circuit is configured to determine a vibration-amplitude of the vibration and operate the steering-device to maximize the vibration-amplitude.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vibration-detector is configured to indicate that the vibration is from a left-tire or a right-tire of the host-vehicle.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a camera configured to detect lane-markings on the roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, and the controller-circuit is configured to operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip when the camera is unable to detect a respective one of the lane-markings on the roadway.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a digital-map configured to indicate coordinates of the rumble-strip, and the controller-circuit is configured to operate the steering-device to steer the host-vehicle towards the rumble-strip when the digital-map indicates that the rumble-strip is present beside the host-vehicle.

5. A controller-circuit for a rumble-strip following system for automated vehicle steering, said controller-circuit comprising:
an input configured to receive a vibration-signal from a vibration-detector of a host-vehicle configured to detect vibration experienced by the host-vehicle traveling a roadway;
an output configured to provide a control-signal for a steering-device configured to steer the host-vehicle; and
a processor in communication with the vibration-detector and the steering-device, said processor configured to determine that the vibration is indicative of a tire of the host-vehicle contacting a rumble-strip arranged parallel to a heading of the roadway, and operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip, wherein the processor is configured to determine a vibration-amplitude of the vibration and operate the steering-device to maximize the vibration-amplitude.

6. The controller-circuit in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the vibration-detector is configured to indicate that the vibration is from a left-tire or a right-tire of the host-vehicle.

7. The controller-circuit in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the system includes a camera configured to detect lane-markings on the roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, and the processor is configured to operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip when the camera is unable to detect a respective one of the lane-markings on the roadway.

8. The controller-circuit in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to access a digital-map configured to indicate coordinates of the rumble-strip, and the processor is configured to operate the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip when the digital-map indicates that the rumble-strip is present beside the host-vehicle.

9. A method of operating automated vehicle steering to follow a rumble-strip, said method comprising:
receiving a vibration-signal from a vibration-detector configured to detect vibration experienced by a host-vehicle traveling a roadway;
determining by a controller-circuit that the vibration is indicative of a tire of the host-vehicle contacting a rumble-strip arranged parallel to a heading of the roadway;
determining a vibration-amplitude of the vibration; and
steering the host-vehicle to maximize the vibration amplitude, such that the tire follows the rumble strip.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein method includes indicating by the vibration-detector that the vibration is from a left-tire or a right-tire of the host-vehicle.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the method includes determining if a camera detects lane-markings on the roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, and operating the steering-device so the tire follows the rumble-strip in accordance with a determination that the camera is unable to detect a respective one of the lane-markings on the roadway.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the method includes accessing a digital-map configured to indicate coordinates of the rumble-strip, and operating the steering-device to steer the host-vehicle towards the rumble-strip.

Assignees

• Motional Ad Llc

Inventors

• Batts Zachary T
• Sun Ludong
• Wei Junqing

Classifications

• B62D15/025 Primary

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

• G05D1/0212 Primary

  with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287) · CPC title

• G05D1/0231

  using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0213

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0227

  using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area · CPC title