Abstract:
A vehicle system for providing an interface for driver control of at least a partially autonomous vehicle. The system includes a driver command processor that receives request signals from a driver interface device of the driver&#39;s desire for the vehicle system to take certain actions and sends appropriate signals in response thereto to the proper autonomous vehicle systems. The driver command processor also sends signal to a display device indicating available actions, acknowledgement of the driver request, status of actions being taken or to be taken, etc.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the priority date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/053,728, titled Method and Apparatus for Driver Control of a Limited-Ability Autonomous Vehicle, filed May 16, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a system and method for controlling at least a partially autonomous vehicle and, more particularly, to a system and method for controlling at least a partially autonomous vehicle that includes a driver interface for providing driver requests in connection with the autonomous control. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     The operation of modern vehicles is becoming more autonomous, i.e., being able to provide driving control with less and less driver intervention. Cruise control systems have been on vehicles for a number of years where the vehicle operator can set a particular speed of the vehicle, and the vehicle will maintain that speed without the driver operating the throttle. Adaptive cruise control systems have been developed in the art where not only does the system maintain the set speed, but also will automatically slow the vehicle down in the event that a slower moving preceding vehicle is detected using various sensors, such as radar and cameras. Certain modern vehicles also provide autonomous parking where the vehicle will automatically provide the steering control for parking the vehicle. Some vehicle systems intervene if the driver makes harsh steering changes that may affect the vehicle stability. Some vehicle systems attempt to maintain the vehicle near the center of a lane on the road. Further, fully autonomous vehicles have been demonstrated that can drive in simulated urban traffic up to 30 mph, observing all of the rules of the road. 
     As vehicle systems improve, they will become more autonomous with the goal being a completely autonomous vehicle. For example, future vehicles probably will employ autonomous systems for lane changing, passing, turns away from traffic, turns into traffic, etc. As these systems become more prevalent in vehicle technology, it will also be necessary to determine what the driver&#39;s role will be in combination with these systems for controlling vehicle speed and steering, and overriding the autonomous system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a vehicle system is disclosed for providing an interface for driver control of at least a partially autonomous vehicle. The system includes a driver command processor that receives request signals from a driver interface device of the driver&#39;s desire for the vehicle system to take certain actions and sends appropriate signals in response thereto to the proper autonomous vehicle systems. The driver command processor also sends signals to a display device indicating available actions, acknowledgement of the driver request, status of actions being taken or to be taken, etc. 
     Additional features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a vehicle system that includes an autonomous driving system, a driver command processor and a driver command input device, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of various vehicle sub-systems in combination with the autonomous driving system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of the driver command input device for road travel maneuvers shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a driver command input device for providing low speed maneuvers, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a driver command input device as a car for road travel maneuvers; and 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of a driver command input device as a joy stick for road travel maneuvers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following discussion of the embodiments of the invention directed to a driver control interface and associated processor for at least a partially autonomous vehicle is merely exemplary in nature, and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its applications or uses. 
     The present invention proposes a system and method for an interface between a vehicle driver and a partially autonomous vehicle system or systems that provides for informing the driver when a command is required by the vehicle or that other driver actions are required, an input device for a driver to indicate which maneuver the vehicle is to execute next, a device for transmitting the command to the vehicle, and a device to determine that a driver or devices has taken manual control of the vehicle. The input device provides alternatives arranged in a physical configuration that correspond to the direction of the motion that is desired. 
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a vehicle system  10  that includes a driver command processor  12  that provides an interface between an autonomous driving system  14  and other vehicle devices and systems that control the operation of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The autonomous driving system  14  can provide any suitable type of at least partially autonomous vehicle operations, as will be discussed in further detail below. The driver command processor  12  receives signals from a vehicle steering system  16  indicating that the vehicle operator is steering the vehicle, a vehicle accelerator pedal  18  indicating how much power is being requested by the vehicle operator and a vehicle brake  20  indicating that the vehicle operator is braking the vehicle. 
     Additionally, the system  10  includes a vehicle driver interface  22  to the driver command processor  12  that includes a series of buttons  24 , described in detail below, that provide requests to the processor  12  indicating what the driver would like the vehicle to do. The driver command processor  12  can include any suitable algorithm consistent with the discussion herein that would process a particular vehicle maneuver signal from the interface  22 , and then send control signals to suitable devices in the autonomous driving system  14 . One of skill in the art will readily recognize and be able to provide such algorithms consistent with the discussion herein. These request signals are processed in the processor  12 , and provided to the autonomous driving system  14  that causes the vehicle to operate accordingly. The system  10  also includes a display  26  that can display any function suitable for the operation of the system  10  as described herein, such as vehicle course, selection options for vehicle control, control options selected, etc. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a non-limiting, representative illustration of the autonomous driving system  14  in connection with the driver command processor  12 . The autonomous driving system  14  includes an autonomous driving coordinator  30  that provides control of the system  14 . In other words, various inputs from sensors, detectors, radar, cameras, GPS, etc. are required to allow the driving system  14  to detect the driving environment, and be able to drive the vehicle autonomously. The discussion below gives merely representative examples of sub-systems that may be provided in the autonomous driving system  14  with the understanding that other sub-systems may also be employed. 
     The driving coordinator  30  includes a traffic flow assessment sub-system  32  that provides signals of forecasted traffic flow. The traffic assessment sub-system  32  can receive signals from vehicle radar and/or lidar devices  34 , vision devices  36 , etc. The autonomous driving coordinator  30  also includes a road assessment sub-system  38  that provides road forecast signals, such as curves in the road, forks in the road, lane endings, slippery roads, etc. The road assessment sub-system  38  can receive signals from the vision device  36 , a GPS receiver and/or map database  40 , etc. The autonomous driving coordinator  30  also includes a driver attentiveness assessment sub-system  42  that provides signals as to how attentive, such as drowsy, awake, etc., the vehicle driver is. The driver attentiveness assessment sub-system  42  can receive signals from a driver monitoring camera  44  and other information about the driver&#39;s activities to determine the driver attentiveness assessment. 
     The autonomous driving coordinator  30  can also include a maneuver and behavior planning sub-system  46  that provides suitable signals to various vehicle devices and controllers based on the various input signals. Particularly, the maneuver and behavior planning sub-system  46  receives the traffic flow forecast signals from the traffic flow assessment sub-system  32 , the road forecast signals from the road assessment sub-system  38 , the driver responsiveness signals from the driver attentiveness assessment sub-system  42  and the driver&#39;s autonomous driving behavior requests from the driver command processor  12  that may be input from the interface  22 . Using this data, the maneuver and behavior planning sub-system  46  will control the various vehicle devices that provide autonomous vehicle driving signals to, for example, a forward motion supervisor  48  and a lateral motion supervisor  50 . The forward motion supervisor  48  can provide adaptive cruise control (ACC) commands to the appropriate vehicle devices, such as an adaptive cruise control controller, the engine controller and/or the brake controller. The lateral motion supervisor  50  can provide steering and yaw rate command signals to the appropriate vehicle devices, such as a lane centering sub-system and steering actuators. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the interface  22  including the buttons  24  shown in  FIG. 1 . The buttons  24  are oriented and arranged on the interface  22  in an arrow pattern that conforms with the travel direction of the vehicle and the particular command given by the vehicle operator. Particularly, the vehicle operator can push one of the buttons  24  to cause the vehicle to autonomously perform the vehicle maneuver. In this non-limiting embodiment, the buttons  24  include a button  60  for providing a continue in present lane request; a button  62  for providing a speed up or go if stopped request; a button  64  for a follow the preceding vehicle more closely request; a button  66  for a change lanes to the left request; a button  68  for a turn left request; a button  70  for a merge to the left request; a button  72  for a follow a left fork in the road request; a button  74  for a slow down request; a button  76  for a fall back from a preceding vehicle request; a button  78  for a change lanes to the right request; a button  80  for a turn right request; a button  82  for a merge to the right request; a button  84  for a follow a right fork in the road request; and a button  86  for a stop at the next intersection request. 
     Although the interface  22  with the buttons  24  is used in this non-limiting embodiment, other suitable interfaces may include a joystick, a touch screen display, a toy car or other representation of the vehicle that is pushed, pulled or turned to indicate the maneuver the driver wants the vehicle to execute, etc. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the combination of the driver interface  22  and the driver command processor  12  is intended to be one of a relationship between a novice driver and a coach or teacher of the novice driver. In this relationship, the autonomous driving system  14  operates as the novice driver that may be unfamiliar with a certain area and/or may not have complete confidence in its driving ability. The vehicle driver will act as the teacher, and interject commands as discussed that either tell the autonomous driving system  14  that it is doing the right thing or tell the autonomous driving system  14  to make some sort of vehicle maneuver. For example, as the vehicle is autonomously being driven down the road, and encounters other vehicles, merging lanes, exit ramps, stop signs, freeway off ramps, etc., selections may be displayed on the display  26  requiring the vehicle operator to either make a selection for the vehicle system  14  to act on, or to provide a command that tells the system  14  to maintain the present course as each option is encountered. 
     The discussion above of the buttons  24  on the interface  22  are intended to be merely representative. In another embodiment, an interface can be provided for other vehicle requests, such as low speed vehicle maneuvers, where the interface is the only interface provided or is another interface to the interface  22 . Such an interface  90  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The interface  90  includes a button  92  for a turn left into the next drive request; a button  94  for a turn right into the next drive request; a button  96  for a parallel park in the next spot on the left request; a button  98  for a parallel park in the next spot on the right request; a button  100  for an angle park in the next spot on the left request; and a button  102  for an angle park in the next spot on the right request. The interface  90  can also be part of the interface  22 . 
     As mention above, other interface devices can be employed to provide the driver commands.  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another command interface device  110  that includes a toy car  112 . The car  112  is mounted to a platform  114  in such a manner that car  112  can be moved left, can be moved right, can be moved forward, can be moved backward, can be moved upward, can be moved downward, can be pivoted and can be rotated. Each of the movements can provide any suitable request, such as those discussed above. 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a driver command device  118  including a joy stick  120  and a platform  122  that is also applicable to provide driver input commands. For example, putting the joy stick in position  1  could be a command for stay in the present lane, putting the joy stick in position  2  could be a command for follow left fork or merge left, putting the joy stick in position  3  could be a command for turn left, putting the joy stick in position  4  could be a command for change lanes to the left, putting the joy stick in position  5  could be a command for follow closer or speed up, putting the joy stick in position  6  could be a command for follow farther or slow down, putting the joy stick in position  7  could be a command for follow right fork or merge right, putting the joy stick in position  8  could be a command to turn right, and putting the joy stick in position  9  could be a command for change lanes to the right. 
     The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.