System and method for shared autonomy through cooperative sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020042017-A1
Application number	US-201916415379-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for shared autonomy through cooperative sensing are described. According to one embodiment, a cooperative sensing system includes a rendezvous module that receives broadcast messages from a plurality of cooperating vehicles on the roadway. The rendezvous module also selects a subordinate vehicle from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on the autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to an autonomy level of a principal vehicle. The cooperative sensing system also includes a positioning module that determines a cooperative position of the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle. The cooperative sensing system further includes a negotiation module that receives at least one cooperating parameter from the subordinate vehicle. The cooperative sensing system includes a perception module that initiates cooperative automation the subordinate vehicle according to the at least one cooperating parameter when the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle are positioned in the cooperative position.

First claim

1 . A cooperative sensing system of a principal vehicle for providing enhanced autonomy to a subordinate vehicle on a roadway, the cooperative sensing system comprising:
a rendezvous module configured to:
receive broadcast messages from a plurality of cooperating vehicles on the roadway, wherein a broadcast message received from a cooperating vehicle of the plurality of cooperating vehicles includes a vehicle identifier and an autonomy level of the cooperating vehicle; and
select the subordinate vehicle from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on the autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to the principal vehicle;
a positioning module configured to determine a cooperative position of the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle; a negotiation module configured to receive at least one cooperating parameter from the subordinate vehicle, wherein the parameter defines a behavioral aspect of the subordinate vehicle; and a perception module configured to initiate cooperative automation with the subordinate vehicle according to the at least one cooperating parameter when the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle are positioned in the cooperative position.

2 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the subordinate vehicle is selected from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on a lower autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to the principal vehicle.

3 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the cooperative position defines the subordinate vehicle being inline and directly behind the principal vehicle.

4 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the positioning module further comprises sending a position message to the subordinate vehicle that provides vectoring instructions for the subordinate vehicle to assume the cooperative position.

5 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooperating parameter is a kinematic parameter that defines kinematic operation of the subordinate vehicle.

6 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooperating parameter is a relative parameter that defines relative behavior between the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle.

7 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the negotiation module is further configured to send a cooperative proposal to the subordinate vehicle.

8 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 7 , wherein the cooperative proposal includes a pecuniary arrangement for the cooperative automation.

9 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the perception module is further configured to receive subordinate sensor data from the subordinate vehicle and send navigation data to the subordinate vehicle based on the subordinate sensor data.

10 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 9 , wherein the navigation data is also based on principal sensor data from sensors of the principal vehicle.

11 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the subordinate vehicle participates in cooperative automation with the principal vehicle until the principal vehicle reaches a geofence.

12 . The cooperative sensing system of claim 11 , wherein upon reaching a geofence the perception module sends a handoff message to the subordinate vehicle.

13 . A computer-implemented method for a principal vehicle to provide enhanced autonomy to a subordinate vehicle on a roadway, comprising:
receiving broadcast messages from a plurality of cooperating vehicles on the roadway, wherein a broadcast message received from a cooperating vehicle of the plurality of cooperating vehicles includes an autonomy level of the cooperating vehicle; selecting the subordinate vehicle from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on a lower autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to the principal vehicle; determining a cooperative position of the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle; sending a cooperative proposal to the subordinate vehicle, wherein the cooperative proposal includes a pecuniary arrangement for the cooperative automation; receiving acceptance of the cooperative proposal; receiving at least one cooperating parameter from the subordinate vehicle, wherein the cooperating parameter defines a behavioral aspect of the subordinate vehicle; and controlling the subordinate vehicle according to the at least one cooperating parameter when the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle are positioned in the cooperative position.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving rearward subordinate sensor data from the subordinate vehicle; combining the rearward subordinate sensor data with principal sensor data from the principal vehicle to generate combined sensor data; and planning a path for the cooperative automation based on the combined sensor data.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein controlling the subordinate vehicle includes sending navigation data based on the planned path to the subordinate vehicle.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the navigation data includes steering information for the subordinate vehicle based on the cooperative position.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions for a principal vehicle to provide enhanced autonomy to a subordinate vehicle on a roadway, that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
receive broadcast messages from a plurality of cooperating vehicles on the roadway, wherein a broadcast message received from a cooperating vehicle of the plurality of cooperating vehicles includes an autonomy level of the cooperating vehicle; select the subordinate vehicle from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on an autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to an autonomy level of the principal vehicle; determine a cooperative position of the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle; receive at least one cooperating parameter from the subordinate vehicle, wherein the parameter defines a behavioral aspect of the subordinate vehicle; receive subordinate sensor data from the subordinate vehicle; combine the subordinate sensor data with principal sensor data from the principal vehicle to generate combined sensor data; plan a path based on the combined sensor data; receive vehicle occupant data about a vehicle occupant of the subordinate vehicle or the principal vehicle; determine a vehicle occupant state based on the vehicle occupant data; control the subordinate vehicle on the planned path according to the at least one cooperating parameter when the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle are positioned in the cooperative position; and identify a cooperating state associated with the vehicle occupant state that modifies the at least one cooperating parameter.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:
issue a cooperation notification based on the cooperating state; determining if a pre-conditioned feedback is received in response to the cooperation notification; in response to receiving the pre-conditioned feedback, returning to receiving vehicle occupant data; and in response to not receiving the pre-conditioned feedback, initiating the identified cooperating state.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the issue of the cooperation notification is delayed for a predetermined amount of time.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kelkar Paritosh
• Bai Xue
• Rajab Samer
• Tafish Hasan

Classifications

• G01S5/0284 Primary

  Relative positioning · CPC title

• G01S19/51

  Relative positioning · CPC title

• G01S5/0072

  Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems · CPC title

• G08G1/22

  Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles · CPC title

• B60W30/165

  Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar" · CPC title