Autonomous driving sensing system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720411-B2
Application number	US-201414189760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A computer in a vehicle is configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of an autonomous and a semi-autonomous mode. The computer is further configured to detect at least one condition of a roadway being traveled by the vehicle, the condition comprising at least one of a restricted lane, a restricted zone, a construction zone, and accident area, an incline, a hazardous road surface. The computer is further configured to determine at least one autonomous action based on the condition, the at least one autonomous action including at least one of altering a speed of the vehicle, controlling vehicle steering, controlling vehicle lighting, transitioning the vehicle to manual control, and controlling a distance of the vehicle from an object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle configured to:
detect a passive marker proximate to a roadway;
detect an active marker that is also proximate to the roadway and that includes a radio transponder that provides information about the roadway at a location of the active marker;
obtain data from the passive and active markers; and
implement at least one autonomous action based on the data;
wherein the data indicates at least one of a restricted lane, a construction zone, an accident area, an incline, a hazardous road surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one autonomous action is at least one of altering a speed of the vehicle, controlling vehicle steering, controlling vehicle lighting, transitioning the vehicle to manual control, and controlling a distance of the vehicle from an object.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data is provided from the physical marker via at least one of a radiofrequency transmission, a camera image, and lidar.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to detect at least one second physical marker proximate to the roadway, and to obtain data from each of the markers.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data further indicates a restricted zone.

6. A method, implemented in a computer configured to operate a vehicle:
detecting a passive marker proximate to a roadway;
detecting an active marker that is also proximate to the roadway and that includes a radio transponder that provides information about the roadway at a location of the active marker;
obtaining data from the passive and active markers; and
implement at least one autonomous action based on the data;
wherein the data indicates at least one of a restricted lane, a construction zone, an accident area, an incline, a hazardous road surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one autonomous action is at least one of altering a speed of the vehicle, controlling vehicle steering, controlling vehicle lighting, transitioning the vehicle to manual control, and controlling a distance of the vehicle from an object.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data is provided from the physical marker via at least one of a radiofrequency transmission, a camera image, and lidar.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising detecting at least one second physical marker proximate to the roadway, and obtaining data from each of the markers.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data further indicates a restricted zone.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical marker is one of a plurality of physical markers proximate to the roadway.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the physical marker is one of a plurality of physical markers proximate to the roadway.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a virtual marker that consists of wireless communications from one of a second vehicle and a remote server.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising detecting a virtual marker that consists of wireless communications from one of a second vehicle and a remote server.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the passive marker lacks a radio transponder.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the passive marker lacks a radio transponder.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the passive marker lacks a radio transponder.

18. The method of claim 6 , wherein the passive marker lacks a radio transponder.

19. The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer is further configured to receive, from the radio transponder in the active marker, the data.

20. The method of claim 10 , further comprising receiving, from the radio transponder in the active marker, the data.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Crombez Dale Scott
• Pilutti Thomas Edward
• Rupp Matt Y
• Trombley Roger Arnold
• Waldis Andrew
• Worrel Peter Francis
• Yopp Wilford Trent

Classifications

• B60W2050/009

  Priority selection · CPC title

• B60W2050/0095

  Automatic control mode change · CPC title

• B60W50/08 Primary

  Interaction between the driver and the control system · CPC title

• B60W30/16

  Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle · CPC title

• G05D1/00

  Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) · CPC title