System for identifying road type

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017637-B2
Application number	US-202117527713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine; an electric machine; a transceiver, programmed to communicate with a server; and a controller, programmed to responsive to identifying a route, obtain road data associated with the route via the transceiver, wherein the road data include locations of stop signs and traffic lights, and identify a sign classification using a sign and traffic light density calculated using a total number of stop signs and traffic lights within a lookahead distance on the route, identify a road type classification using the sign classification, responsive to determining the sign and traffic light density within the lookahead distance is above a threshold indicative of a city road type classification, adjust a drivetrain of the vehicle to reduce engine operation and increasingly propel the vehicle via the electric machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
an engine;
an electric machine;
a transceiver, programmed to communicate with a server; and
a controller, programmed to
responsive to identifying a route, obtain road data associated with the route via the transceiver, wherein the road data include locations of stop signs and traffic lights, and speed limit information within a lookahead distance on the route,
identify a sign classification using a sign and traffic light density calculated using a total number of stop signs and traffic lights within the lookahead distance on the route,
identify a speed classification using the speed limit information,
identify a road type classification as a city road type classification using the sign classification and the speed classification, wherein the sign classification is assigned with a first weight and the road type classification is assigned with a second weight less than the first weight, and

responsive to identifying the road type classification as being a city road type classification, adjust a drivetrain of the vehicle to reduce engine operation and increase electric machine operation to propel the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
responsive to detecting a vehicle speed is above a first speed threshold, increase the lookahead distance; and
responsive to detecting the vehicle speed is below a second speed threshold, decrease the lookahead distance.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further programmed to communicate with a mobile device, the controller is further programmed to:
responsive to planning the route, instruct the mobile device to download the road data associated with the route, and
obtain the road data from the mobile device as the vehicle traverses on the route.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
predict the vehicle is to traverse the route at a start time; and
instruct the mobile device to download the road data before the start time.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sign classification is associated with a first confidence rating and the road type classification is associated with a second confidence rating, the controller is further programmed to:
adjust the first and second weights using the first and second confidence ratings.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
responsive to detecting the city road type, decrease the lookahead distance.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
responsive to determining the sign and traffic light density within the lookahead distance is below a threshold indicative of a highway road type classification, adjust a drivetrain of the vehicle to increase engine operation.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the road data further includes a form of way indicator and a function class indicator.

9. A method for a vehicle, comprising:
responsive to identifying a route, obtaining road data associated with the route via a transceiver, wherein the road data include locations of traffic controls, and speed limit information within a lookahead distance on of the route; and
identify a traffic control classification using a traffic control density calculated using a total number of traffic controls within the lookahead distance on the route;
identifying a road type classification using the traffic control classification;
adjusting a vehicle powertrain setting using the road type classification;
identifying a speed classification using the speed limit information; and
identifying the road type classification using both the traffic control classification and the speed classification, wherein the traffic control classification is associated with a first weight and the speed classification is associated with a second weight less than the first weight.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
responsive to planning the route, instructing a mobile device wirelessly connected to the vehicle to download the road data associated with the route, and
obtaining the road data from the mobile device as the vehicle traverses on the route.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
instructing the mobile device to download the road data before the vehicle is predicted to start traversing the route.

12. A system for a vehicle, comprising:
a transceiver, programmed to communicate with a server; and
a controller, programmed to
responsive to identifying a route, obtain road data associated with the route via the transceiver, wherein the road data include locations of stop signs and traffic lights and speed limit information within a lookahead distance on of the route, and
identify a sign classification using a sign and traffic light density calculated using a total number of stop signs and traffic lights within the lookahead distance on the route,
identify a speed classification using the speed limit information,
identify a road type classification using the sign classification and the speed classification, wherein the sign classification is assigned with a first weight and the speed classification is assigned with a second weight less than the first weight, and
adjust a vehicle powertrain setting using the road type classification.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
responsive to planning the route, instruct a mobile device to download the road data associated with the route, and
obtain the road data from the mobile device as the vehicle traverses on the route.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further programmed to instruct a mobile device to download the road data before a predicted time when the vehicle is predicted to start traversing the route.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sign classification is associated with a first confidence rating and the road type classification is associated with a second confidence rating, the controller is further programmed to:
adjust the first and second weights using the first and second confidence ratings.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Roy Judhajit
• Lu Chenliu Stephen
• Cole W Cary
• King Jared
• Yeakle Kyle

Classifications

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W2756/10

  Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2555/60

  Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way · CPC title

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title