Object height determination for automated vehicle steering control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11250276-B2
Application number	US-201916526854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2019
Priority date	Jul 19, 2017
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A steering-system for an automated vehicle is provided. The system includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector indicates a height and/or a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle and is in communication with the object-detector. The controller steers the host-vehicle to straddle the object when the height of the object is less than a ground-clearance of the host-vehicle, and/or the width of the object is less than a track-width of the host-vehicle.

First claim

We claim:

1. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
an object-detector that is configured to:
detect a length and a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;
generate a confidence value of the height of the object based on the length of the object; and
indicate the confidence value and the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:
determine whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the height of the object and the confidence value; and
steer the host-vehicle according to the determining.

2. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-detector comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar, a radar and an ultrasonic-transducer.

3. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the obj ect-detector; and
the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

4. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:
detect multiple heights for the object; and
indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

5. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
an object-detector that is configured to:
detect a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle; and
indicate the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:
receive information from the object-detector, the information including the height;
limit use of the information from the object-detector that is gathered from a distance that exceeds a detector-range of the object-detector; and
steer the host-vehicle based on the information from the object-detector.

6. The steering-system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:
detect multiple heights for the object; and
indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

7. The steering-system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein:
the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and
the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

8. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
an object-detector that is configured to:
detect a length and a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle;
generate a confidence value of the width of the object based on the length of the object; and
indicate the confidence value and the width of the object approached by a host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:
determine whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the width of the object and the confidence value; and
steer the host-vehicle according to the determining.

9. The steering-system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:
detect multiple heights for the object; and
indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

10. The steering-system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein:
the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and
the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

11. A method comprising:
detecting, using an obj ect-detector, a length and a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;
generating a confidence value of the height of the object based on the length of the object; and
indicating the confidence value and the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle;
determining whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the height of the object and the confidence value; and
steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle according to the determining.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object-detector comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar, a radar and an ultrasonic-transducer.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and
steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting multiple heights for the object; and
indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

15. A method comprising:
detecting, using an object detector, a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;
indicating the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle;
receiving information from the object-detector, the information including the height;
limiting use of the information from the object-detector that is gathered from a distance that exceeds a detector-range of the obj ect-detector; and
steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle based on the information from the object-detector.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising:
detecting multiple heights for the object; and
indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising:
determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and
steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

18. A method comprising:
detecting, using an obj ect-detector, a length and a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle;
generating a confidence value of the width of the object based on the length of the object;
indicating the confidence value and the width of the object approached by a host-vehicle;
determining whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the width of the object and the confidence value; and
steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle according to the determining.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 , further comprising:
detecting multiple heights for the object; and
indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18 , further comprising:
determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and
steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

Assignees

• Motional Ad Llc

Inventors

• Wei Junqing
• Xu Wenda

Classifications

• B62D6/00 Primary

  Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) · CPC title

• B60W2552/50

  Barriers · CPC title

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title

• B60W30/09

  Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering · CPC title

• B60W30/08

  Active safety systems} predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision {or attempting to minimise its consequences · CPC title