Patent Application
20230192131
The present disclosure relates to a method and device for predicting a collision for automated driving and driver assist systems.
Automated driving and driver assist systems gather information about an environment surrounding a vehicle and use that information to plan and move along a desired path. Movement along the desired path requires detection of any objects present in the environment surrounding the vehicle and along the path. Sensors gather information about the environment surrounding the vehicle and may accumulate large amounts of information and data that can be challenging to process. Automotive manufactures are continuously seeking more efficient information processing methods to improve operation of vehicle systems.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting a context of this disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A method of defining an autonomous vehicle path according to a disclosed exemplary embodiment includes, among other possible things, defining a boundary that utilizes sensor data indicative of features constraining a possible vehicle path, generating a reference path with a vehicle autonomous control system based on the defined boundary, defining a clearance distance for the vehicle relative to the reference path, detecting a conflict at a point along the reference path that is responsive to a distance between the reference path and the defined boundary being less than the defined clearance, and communicating the potential conflict to the vehicle autonomous control system.
In another exemplary embodiment of the foregoing method, the reference path comprises a plurality of points and the defined clearance comprises a circle centered on at least some of the plurality of points.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the circle comprises a diameter that is equal to or greater than a greatest width of the vehicle.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the sensor data comprises a plurality of points that are indicative of a boundary object and defining the boundary comprises defining a line based on the plurality of points.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the boundary object comprises a boundary separating different driving surfaces.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the boundary object comprises an object extending upwardly from a driving surface.
Another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods further comprises detecting an object with the defined boundary based on sensor data and defining an object clearance around the detected object.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the object clearance is defined about the object and includes a spacing that provides a clearance between a vehicle moving along the reference path.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the object clearance comprises a collision radius that is at least half as wide as the vehicle.
An autonomous vehicle control system according to another exemplary embodiment includes, among other possible things, a controller mountable within a vehicle that is configured to define a boundary utilizing sensor data indicative of features constraining a possible vehicle path, generate a reference path with a vehicle autonomous control system based on the defined boundary, define a clearance distance for the vehicle relative to the reference path, detect a conflict at a point along the reference path responsive to a distance between the reference path and the defined boundary being less than the defined clearance, and communicate the potential conflict to the vehicle autonomous control system.
In another embodiment of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control system, the reference path comprises a plurality of points and the defined clearance comprises a circle centered on at least some of the plurality of points.
In another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems, the circle comprises a diameter equal to or greater than a greatest width of the vehicle.
Another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems further includes at least one sensor configured to generate data comprising a plurality of points indicative of a boundary object proximate the vehicle and the controller is further configured define the boundary based on the plurality of points.
In another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems, the controller is further configured to detect an object within the boundary based on data from the sensor and to generate an object clearance around the detected object.
In another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems, the object clearance comprises a circle centered on the detected object. The circle includes a radius at least as wide as half a greatest width of the vehicle.
In another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems, the controller is configured to define the object clearance as a spacing that provides a clearance between a vehicle moving along the reference path.
Another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems further includes at least one sensor generating information indicative of vehicle motion, position and direction and the controller is further configured to utilize information indictive of vehicle motion, position and direction to determine the reference path.
In another embodiment of any of the foregoing autonomous vehicle control systems, the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a radar system, camera system or a lidar.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions for operating an autonomous vehicle control system, the computer readable storage medium according to another disclosed exemplary embodiment includes, among other possible things, instructions prompting a controller located within the autonomous vehicle to define a boundary utilizing sensor data indicative of features constraining a possible vehicle path, instructions prompting the controller to generate a reference path with a vehicle autonomous control system based on the defined boundary, instructions prompting the controller to define a clearance distance for the vehicle relative to the reference path, instructions prompting the controller to detect a conflict at a point along the reference path responsive to a distance between the reference path and the defined boundary being less than the defined clearance, and instructions prompting the controller to communicate the potential conflict to the vehicle autonomous control system.
Another embodiment of the foregoing non-transitory computer readable storage medium further includes instructions for prompting the controller to detect an object with the defined boundary based on sensor data and define an object clearance around the detected object.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.
These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
Referring to
The vehicle 22 is shown schematically and includes a width 38 and is disposed along a centerline 40. The vehicle 22 may be fully autonomous or may operate semi-autonomously. The example vehicle 22 may be a car, truck or large truck for pulling a trailer. Moreover, the vehicle 22 may be of any configuration that operates in some way autonomously.
The example controller 24 may be a separate controller dedicated to the control system 20 are may be part of an overall vehicle controller. Accordingly, the example controller 24 relates to a device and system for performing necessary computing or calculation operations of the control system 20. The controller 24 may be specially constructed for operation of the control system 20, or it may comprise at least a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by software instructions 30 stored in the memory device 28. The computing system can also consist of a network of (different) processors.
The example vehicle controller 24 includes a processor 26 and the memory device 28. The memory device 28 provides for the storage of the software instructions 30 that prompt operation of the controller 24. The software instructions 30 may be embodied in a computer program that uses data obtained from the sensor systems 32, 34 and 36 and data stored in the memory device that may be required for its execution.
The instructions 30 for configuring and operating the controller 24 and control system 20 and the processor 26 are embodied in software instructions that may be stored on a computer readable medium, schematically shown at 35. The computer readable, medium may be embodied in structures such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMS), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. The disclosed computer readable medium may be a non-transitory medium such as those examples provided.
Moreover, the software instructions 30 may be saved in the memory device 28. The disclosed memory device 28, may can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, VRAM, etc.) and/or nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CD-ROM, etc.). The software instructions 30 in the memory device 28 may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The disclosed controller 24 is configured to execute the software instructions 30 stored within the memory device 28, to communicate data to and from the memory device 28, and to generally control operations pursuant to the software. Software in memory, in whole or in part, is read by the processor 26, perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed.
The vehicle control system 20 utilizes information obtained from the sensor systems 32, 34, 36 to define a map that includes boundaries and other objects that must be avoided by the vehicle 22. The control system 20 may further operate according to a predefined map stored in the memory device 28.
One a path for the vehicle 22 is determined, the control system 20 operates the vehicle to move along the path. However, the control system 20 is also required to monitor and detect any objects along the path that may cause undesired contact. Accordingly, the disclosed example vehicle control system 20 is to detect possible collisions along the defined reference path.
Referring to
Referring to
Once the boundaries 46 are defined by the control system 20, a desired reference path 44 is defined. The reference path 44 is defined to move the vehicle 22 to a desired location. In this example embodiment, the vehicle 22 is being moved along a driveway to a target destination 45 that is a parking spot. The boundary 46 may be predefined or saved in the memory device 28 if the vehicle 22 has previously operated in an area. The boundary 46 may also be defined by the control system 20 as a map of an area new to the vehicle 22.
The reference path is defined to prevent the vehicle 22 from intersecting with any of the boundaries 46. In order to prevent the vehicle 22 from intersecting with any of the boundaries 46, the example control system 20 defines a clearance around the reference path 44. The clearance 48 is defined at spaced apart intervals along the reference path 44 from the location of the vehicle to the target final destination. The clearance 48 in one disclosed example embodiment is defined as a circle with a radius equal to at least one half the vehicle width 38. A series of these clearance circles 48 are centered on the reference path 44. Should any of the clearance circles 48 intersect with any of the boundaries 46 then the control system 20 would determine that the desired reference path would result in contact with one of the boundaries 46.
The reference path illustrated in
Referring to
In the example shown in
Referring to
Definition of the boundary, according to one disclosed embodiment, may include use of raw data points to generate two-dimensional representations of objects surrounding the vehicle 22. In one disclosed embodiment, the boundary 46 represents surface the edge of a drivable surface, for example, a driveway. The vehicle control system 20 defines the boundaries 46 and then generates a reference path 44 in view of the boundaries 46 as is indicated at 58.
Definition of the reference path 44 is followed by a determination of a clearance distance 48 for the vehicle relative to the reference path 44 as is indicated at 60. The determination is made to assure that no part of the vehicle 22 will intersect with the boundary 46. In one disclosed embodiment, the clearance distance is uniform about a point centered on a point along the path 44. The clearance distance 48 is therefore defined as a circle and/or a plurality of circles that are centered along the reference path 44 and spaced apart at intervals. Each of the clearance circles is defined with the diameter that its at least as wide as a width of the vehicle 38. It should be appreciated that other geometric shapes could be utilized along with other widths to provide a desired clearance to assure that no portion of the vehicle 22 comes in contact with other objects.
The vehicle control system 20 uses the determined clearance to determine if a conflict is present between a detected object or the boundary as is indicated at 62. Once such a conflict is detected, that conflict will be communicated to the vehicle control system 20 as indicated at 64. The conflict is used by the control system 20 to modify vehicle operation as necessary to prevent undesired contact. The control system 20 may simply stop the vehicle 22 or generate a modification to the path 44 that routes the vehicle around the object 50 within the boundary 46.
The disclosed vehicle control system 20 embodiments provides for the detection of potential conflicts with objects and features surrounding a vehicle 22 so that corrective action and potential vehicle course corrections can be performed during autonomous operation.
Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments.
It should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure.
The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.
