Transitioning from autonomous vehicle control to operator vehicle control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9684306-B2
Application number	US-201614988807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A method for transitioning vehicle control includes obtaining a one or more operator vehicle control inputs, analyzing the one or more operator vehicle control inputs to determine operator compliance with one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that are actively controlling motion of a vehicle, and based on the analysis of the one or more operator vehicle control inputs, allowing an operator to assume manual control of the vehicle when the operator vehicle control inputs match the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs to within a threshold value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transitioning vehicle control, the method comprising:
obtaining one or more operator vehicle control inputs;
analyzing the one or more operator vehicle control inputs to determine operator compliance with one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that are actively controlling motion of a vehicle by comparing the one or more operator vehicle control inputs against the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs; and
based on the analysis and comparison of the one or more operator vehicle control inputs against the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs, allowing an operator to assume manual control of the vehicle when the one or more operator vehicle control inputs match the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs to within a threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing to the operator any of visual, audible or haptic indicators indicative of the operator compliance with the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that are actively controlling motion of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the visual indicator is provided on a heads up display.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the visual indicator is provided by a light.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the audible indicator is provided by a speaker.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the haptic indicator is provided by a vibratory element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is predefined.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is variable based on a changing condition.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the changing condition is any of a road condition or a weather condition.

10. An apparatus for transitioning vehicle control, the apparatus comprising:
an operator tracking module configured to execute instructions on a processor, the operator tracking module configured to obtain one or more operator vehicle control inputs; and
a comparison module configured to execute instructions on a processor, the comparison module configured to analyze the one or more operator vehicle control inputs to determine operator compliance with one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that actively control motion of a vehicle by comparing the one or more operator vehicle control inputs against the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs, the comparison module configured to, based on the analysis and comparison of the one or more operator vehicle control inputs against the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs, allow an operator to assume manual control of the vehicle when the one or more operator vehicle control inputs match the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs to within a threshold value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an output element configured to provide any of visual, audible or haptic indicators indicative of the operator compliance with the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that actively control motion of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a heads up display configured to provide the visual indicator.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a light configured to provide the visual indicator.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a speaker configured to provide the audible indicator.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a vibratory element configured to provide the haptic indicator.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the threshold value is predefined.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the threshold value is variable based on a changing condition.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the changing condition is any of a road condition or a weather condition.

19. A method for transitioning a vehicle from autonomous control to operator control, the method comprising:
autonomously controlling a vehicle;
obtaining one or more operator vehicle control inputs;
comparing the one or more operator vehicle control inputs against autonomous vehicle control inputs that are actively controlling motion of the vehicle to determine operator compliance with the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs; and
based on the determined operator compliance with the one or more autonomous vehicle control inputs that are actively controlling motion of the vehicle, transitioning vehicle control from autonomous control to operator control.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein transitioning vehicle control from autonomous control to operator control comprises:
transitioning vehicle control from autonomous control to operator control when the operator vehicle control inputs match the autonomous vehicle control inputs to within a predefined threshold value, the predefined threshold value based on a changing condition selected from any of a changing ambient condition, a changing road condition or a changing weather condition.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Sprigg Stephen Alton

Classifications

• B60W30/00

  Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units · CPC title

• B60W2050/143

  Alarm means · CPC title

• B60W2540/00

  Input parameters relating to occupants · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title