Dynamic stop time threshold selection for hands-free driving

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11414099-B2
Application number	US-202017006623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle includes an automated driving assistance system that controls maneuvering of the vehicle under certain conditions. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the driving assistance system dynamically selects a threshold stop time corresponding to a duration of time that the vehicle can remain stopped before the driving assistance system will either detect a physical action from the user to resume automated driving assistance or time out and cease the driving assistance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing, with a driving assist system of a vehicle, automated driving assistance to a driver of the vehicle;
monitoring one or more attention indicators of the driver;
generating a map of a current location of the vehicle;
selecting, with the driving assist system, a threshold stop time based on the one or more attention indicators and a resolution of the map of the current location; and
resuming automated driving assistance responsive to detecting engagement of a mechanism by the driver if the vehicle has been stopped longer than the threshold stop time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically resuming automated driving assistance if the vehicle has been stopped for a duration shorter than the threshold stop time.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the automated driving assistance includes automated cruise control.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the automated driving assistance includes automated lane-centering assistance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the map includes updating, as the vehicle travels, a seed map stored in a memory of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the threshold stop time based, in part, on whether the map is a LIDAR map.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring attention indicators of the driver includes capturing images of the driver with one or more cameras.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the attention indicators include a position of eyes of the driver.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein monitoring attention indicators includes determining a tilt of a head of the driver.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the threshold stop time includes selecting the threshold stop time from a pool of threshold stop times.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring an external environment of the vehicle; and
selecting the threshold stop time based on the external environment of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting the threshold stop time based on whether or not pedestrians or animals are present in the external environment.

13. A vehicle, comprising:
one or more cameras configured to capture images of a driver;
a driver attention analysis system configured to analyze the images and to monitor attention indicators of the driver based on the images;
a map system configured to store a map of a current location; and
a driving assist system configured to provide automated driving assistance and to select a threshold stop time to resume automated driving assistance after a stop based on a resolution of the map and the attention indicators.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a communication system configured to communicate with a remote information system and to receive updated map data from the remote information system, wherein the map system is configured to update the map based on the updated map data.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense an external environment of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising a sensor analysis system configured to analyze signals from the one or more sensors and to generate environmental data based on the signals, wherein the driving assist system is configured to select the threshold stop time based on the environmental data.

17. A method, comprising:
providing, with a driving assist system of a vehicle, automated driving assistance to a driver of the vehicle;
detecting that the vehicle has stopped;
selecting, with the driving assist system while the vehicle is stopped, a threshold stop time based, at least in part, on a resolution of a map of a current location of the vehicle;
resuming automated driving assistance if the vehicle is stopped for a duration shorter than the threshold stop time; and
awaiting an action from the driver of the vehicle before resuming automated driving assistance if the vehicle is stopped for a duration longer than the threshold stop time.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the action includes engaging an accelerator of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
monitoring attention indicators of the driver while the vehicle is stopped; and
selecting the threshold stop time based, at least in part, on the attention indicators.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein resuming automated driving assistance includes resuming hands free automated driving assistance.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Taylor Alexandra
• Hassani Ali
• Lee Darren

Classifications

• B60W2540/229

  Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping · CPC title

• G01C21/3833

  characterised by the source of data · CPC title

• B60W30/12

  Lane keeping · CPC title

• B60W2540/223

  Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined · CPC title

• B60W30/17 Primary

  with provision for special action when the preceding vehicle comes to a halt, e.g. stop and go · CPC title