Turn signal assignment for complex maneuvers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377776-B2
Application number	US-202217990551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 20, 2022
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

Provided are methods for turn signal assignment in complex maneuvers, which can include receiving position information associated with a position of a vehicle. Some methods described also include determining, hierarchically and based at least on the position information, whether to activate a turn signal of a vehicle prior to activation of the turn signal based on a turn of the vehicle at a roadway intersection. Some methods described also include determining a time to activate the turn signal prior to the turn of the vehicle at the roadway intersection. Some methods described also include transmitting a control signal to activate the turn signal at the determined time. Systems and computer program products are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, result in operations comprising:
receiving position information associated with a position of a vehicle;
hierarchically determining whether to activate a turn signal of the vehicle prior to activation of the turn signal based on a turn of the vehicle at a roadway intersection using a plurality of ordered determinations based on the position information, wherein a first determination of the plurality of ordered determinations is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a steering-based turn signal based on a positive determination of the first determination, a second determination is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a lane-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the first determination and a positive determination of the second determination, and a third determination is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a trajectory-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the second determination and a positive determination of the third determination;
determining, upon hierarchically determining to activate the turn signal and based at least on the position information, a time to activate the turn signal prior to the turn of the vehicle at the roadway intersection; and
transmitting a control signal to activate the turn signal of the vehicle at the determined time.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position information comprises a heading direction of the vehicle, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal comprises: determining an angle between the heading direction and a reference path is less than a threshold angle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the position information further comprises a descriptor, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining the vehicle is not experiencing a lane change based on the descriptor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicle is determined to not experience the lane change after determining the angle is less than the threshold angle.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the position information further comprises a lateral trajectory, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining a deviation between the lateral trajectory and the reference path is less than a threshold deviation.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the deviation is determined to be less than the threshold deviation after determining the angle is less than the threshold angle and determining the vehicle is not experiencing the lane change.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining a distance from a destination parking spot and/or a pick up-drop off zone is greater than a threshold distance.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the distance is determined to be greater than the threshold distance after determining the deviation is less than the threshold deviation, determining the angle is less than the threshold angle, and determining the vehicle is not experiencing the lane change.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining the time to activate the turn signal comprises: extracting, based on the position information, an upcoming path of the vehicle, wherein the upcoming path comprises the roadway intersection and an initial roadway intersection prior to the roadway intersection.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein determining the time to activate the turn signal comprises: detecting the roadway intersection is after the initial roadway intersection; and delaying the time to activate the turn signal until after the vehicle exits the initial roadway intersection.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: transmitting a second control signal to deactivate the turn signal after detecting the turn has been completed.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ordered determinations comprises a fourth determination associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a parking-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the third determination and a positive determination of the fourth determination, and a fifth determination associated with activating the turn signal by assigning an intersection-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the fourth determination and a positive determination of the fifth determination.

13. A method executed by a processor of a vehicle comprising:
receiving position information associated with a position of the vehicle;
hierarchically determining whether to activate a turn signal of the vehicle prior to activation of the turn signal based on a turn of the vehicle at a roadway intersection using a plurality of ordered determinations based on the position information, wherein a first determination of the plurality of ordered determinations is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a steering-based turn signal based on a positive determination of the first determination, a second determination is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a lane-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the first determination and a positive determination of the second determination, and a third determination is associated with activating the turn signal by assigning a trajectory-based turn signal based on a negative determination of the second determination and a positive determination of the third determination;
determining, upon hierarchically determining to activate the turn signal and based at least on the position information, a time to activate the turn signal prior to the turn of the vehicle at the roadway intersection; and
transmitting a control signal to activate the turn signal of the vehicle at the determined time.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the position information comprises a heading direction of the vehicle, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal comprises: determining an angle between the heading direction and a reference path is less than a threshold angle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the position information further comprises a descriptor, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining the vehicle is not experiencing a lane change based on the descriptor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle is determined to not experience the lane change after determining the angle is less than the threshold angle.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the position information further comprises a lateral trajectory, and wherein hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining a deviation between the lateral trajectory and the reference path is less than a threshold deviation.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the deviation is determined to be less than the threshold deviation after determining the angle is less than the threshold angle and determining the vehicle is not experiencing the lane change.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the hierarchically determining whether to activate the turn signal further comprises: determining a distance from a destination parking spot and/or a pick up-drop off zone is greater than a threshold distance.

20.

Assignees

• Motional Ad Llc

Inventors

• Pendleton Scott Drew
• Chua Titus

Classifications

• B60Q1/346 Primary

  with automatic actuation · CPC title

• B60Q2800/10

  Autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q2900/30

  Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions · CPC title

• B60Q1/40

  having {mechanical, electric or electronic} automatic return to inoperative position · CPC title

• B60Q1/507 Primary

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title