Operation of vehicle controls to effect autonomous passing, road exit and exit search operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9817401-B2
Application number	US-201615054941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A computing device is configured for communication with at least one autonomously controllable vehicle system or component. The computing device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to execute one of an autonomous passing operation, an autonomous road exit operation, and an autonomous exit search operation responsive to manual actuation of an associated control mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device configured for communication with at least one autonomously controllable vehicle system or component, the computing device comprising one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control a vehicle so as to execute one of an autonomous passing operation and an autonomous road exit operation, responsive to manual actuation of an associated control mechanism according to an associated manual actuation mode.

2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the control mechanism comprises a button configured to initiate one of the autonomous passing operation, and autonomous road exit operation.

3. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the control mechanism comprises a turn signal lever configured to initiate execution of the one of the autonomous operations responsive to an associated manual actuation mode of the lever.

4. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the control mechanism comprises an interactive field of a touch screen display.

5. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the control mechanism comprises a voice-actuatable interface configured to initiate execution of the autonomous operation.

6. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to:
execute an autonomous exit search operation responsive to manual actuation of an associated control mechanism according to an associated manual actuation mode; and
responsive to detection, during execution of the exit search operation, of one or more exits within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle, control the vehicle in accordance with an autonomous road exit operation to exit the road at an exit closest to the vehicle within the predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle.

7. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the associated control mechanism is a turn signal lever, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to initiate an autonomous passing operation responsive to actuation of the turn signal lever according to a first manual actuation mode of the turn signal lever, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to execute an autonomous road exit operation responsive to actuation of the turn signal lever according to a second manual actuation mode of the turn signal lever different from the first manual actuation mode.

8. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous passing operation, determine if there is a suitable passing lane adjacent the vehicle in a desired passing direction.

9. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous passing operation, determine whether an object vehicle is still driving in a lane in which the object vehicle was driving when the passing operation was initiated.

10. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous passing operation, determine whether either of a maximum occupant “comfort speed” or a road speed limit will be exceeded by the ego-vehicle during execution of the passing operation.

11. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous passing operation, determine if a road-exit operation or other route-related maneuver will need to be executed within a predetermined distance of the vehicle's current position.

12. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous passing operation, determine if another vehicle is driving immediately in front of an object vehicle designated to be passed by the vehicle.

13. The computing device of claim 12 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, if another vehicle is driving immediately in front of the object vehicle, designate the other vehicle as the new object vehicle to be passed by the vehicle.

14. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, during execution of an autonomous road exit operation, provide a notification containing information regarding structures and/or facilities located within a predetermined distance from a road exit at which the road exit operation is being executed.

15. The computing device of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to enable a user to select, from the information provided in the notification, an autonomous driving destination for the vehicle.

16. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control the vehicle so as to, responsive to manual actuation of an associated control mechanism according to an associated manual actuation mode so as to execute an autonomous road exit operation:
(a) determine a location of a nearest road exit along a side of a road on which the autonomous road exit operation is to occur;
(b) calculate an estimate as to whether the vehicle can exit the road at the nearest road exit before the nearest road exit is passed;
(c) if it is estimated that the vehicle can exit the road at the nearest road exit on before the nearest road exit is passed, autonomously direct the vehicle toward the nearest road exit; and
(d) repeats steps (b) and (c) until the vehicle exits the road at the nearest road exit.

17. A method of controlling an autonomous vehicle comprising the step of initiating one of an autonomous passing operation, and an autonomous road exit operation, responsive to an associated manual actuation of an associated control mechanism.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the associated control mechanism is a turn signal lever configured to initiate at least one of the autonomous passing operation, and the autonomous road exit operation.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of initiating one of an autonomous passing operation, and an autonomous road exit operation, comprises the step of initiating the autonomous passing operation by double-clicking the turn signal lever.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of initiating one of an autonomous passing operation and an autonomous road exit operation comprises the step of initiating the autonomous road exit operation by triple-clicking the turn signal lever.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Delp Michael J

Classifications

• B60W50/082

  Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B60W10/18

  including control of braking systems · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• 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