Method and apparatus for controlling haptic feedback signal in self-driving vehicle

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a haptic feedback signal in a self-driving vehicle are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an interface circuit, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor circuit programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: detect a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determining a driver engagement metric based on the torque input; and transmitting a feedback signal to the steering wheel based on a comparison of the driver engagement metric to a threshold value, the feedback signal indicating an environment in which the vehicle is operating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle control, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for controlling haptic feedback signals in a self-driving vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, some vehicles have been equipped with automated driving systems that can automatically steer the vehicle or steer the vehicle in self-driving mode. These systems include a path follower controller that analyzes the road ahead (e.g., using one or more cameras and / or a map-based system) and, based on this analysis, determines how to steer the vehicle along a target path. The path follower controller determines an angle request to be applied by the steering system to steer the vehicle. In some cases, when in self-driving mode, the driver may still need to manually steer the vehicle. Therefore, the driver can apply input torque to the steering wheel. Typically, the driver may not have shared control of the vehicle. However, when in self-driving mode, the steering driver interaction logic uses the angle from the path follower controller and the input torque from the driver to determine the final angle to be applied by the steering system to steer the vehicle. Therefore, the driver can still have at least partial control of the vehicle when in self-driving mode. Summary of the Invention

[0003] It will be appreciated that exemplary systems, devices, articles, and methods have been disclosed that enable a steering controller associated with a vehicle to control haptic feedback signals based on a driver engagement metric. Thus, the disclosed examples adaptively filter path follower noise for driver comfort. The disclosed systems, devices, articles, and methods improve the efficiency of using a computing device by filtering haptic feedback from self-driving commands. Thus, the disclosed systems, devices, articles, and methods relate to one or more improvements in the operation of a machine, such as a computer or other electronic and / or mechanical device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 An example vehicle is shown in which the examples disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0005] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an example steering system for an example vehicle including an example steering controller.

[0006] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Block diagram of an exemplary steering controller.

[0007] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a filter circuit.

[0008] Figure 5 Example operations for determining an example filtered path follower angle request are shown.

[0009] Figure 6 is a flowchart representing example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations that may be executed, instantiated, and / or performed by example programmable circuitry to implement Figure 3 An exemplary filter circuit of FIG.

[0010] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an example processing platform including programmable circuitry structured to execute, instantiate, and / or carry out example machine-readable instructions and / or perform Figure 6 Example operations to implement Figure 3 An exemplary filter circuit 304 is shown.

[0011] Generally, throughout the drawings and the accompanying written description, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or similar parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Rather, the thickness of layers or regions may be exaggerated in the drawings. Although the drawings illustrate layers and regions with simple lines and boundaries, some or all of these lines and / or boundaries may be idealized. In practice, boundaries and / or lines may be unobservable, mixed, and / or irregular. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Figure 1 An example vehicle 100 is shown in which the examples disclosed herein may be implemented. Figure 1 The illustrated example of vehicle 100 is merely an example of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) in which the examples disclosed herein may be implemented. However, the examples disclosed herein may also be implemented in conjunction with other types of vehicles (e.g., pickup trucks, sedans, semi-trucks, etc.). The exemplary vehicle 100 includes an exemplary steering controller that is operable to automatically steer the vehicle along a target path and / or automatically guide the vehicle along a target path. This automated operation is referred to herein as a path follower (PF) or self-driving mode or operation. In some examples, the driver can activate and deactivate the self-driving mode by pressing a button and / or interacting with a display in the vehicle. During the self-driving mode, the steering controller of the vehicle 100 generates a PF angle request (e.g., independent of driver input) to guide the vehicle 100 along the target path.

[0013] In addition, the exemplary vehicle 100 includes an electronic control unit that utilizes a virtual reinforcement curve (VBC) to determine an overlay angle to be added to the path follower angle request. This exemplary overlay angle is primarily based on the driver's torque input to the steering wheel. Furthermore, this overlay angle allows the driver to provide input and at least partially steer the vehicle when the vehicle is in self-driving mode. An exemplary steering controller determines a steering angle based on the driver's torque input. The exemplary angle controller can then transmit the steering angle to a steering motor to steer the vehicle. As used herein, the steering angle based on the driver's torque input may be referred to as a "VBC angle request." Furthermore, the terms "steering angle" and "steering wheel angle" (SWA) are used interchangeably and refer to the angle by which the steering wheel has been rotated (by the driver, by a steering motor, etc.) relative to a neutral or center position. In some examples, the steering controller combines the VBC angle request with the PF angle request to generate a final angle request and converts the final angle request into a torque request or output for adjusting the steering angle of the vehicle 100. Further description of the steering controller, VBC angle request, PF angle request, etc. can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 491,557. The entire contents of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 491,557 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0014] Typically, a steering controller can react to signal noise (e.g., noise, noise signals, extraneous information, etc.) associated with a PF angle request. These feedback signals can indicate signal noise, extraneous information, etc. associated with a self-driving command. When the vehicle 100 is in self-driving mode, in the examples disclosed herein, the steering controller can filter the noise data. In other words, the steering controller can limit and / or otherwise prevent the noise data from being transmitted to the steering wheel, rather than allowing the noise data to influence the final angle request, which could lead to customer dissatisfaction (e.g., via wheel movement and / or driver corrections). In self-driving mode, the driver experience can be improved by filtering and / or otherwise controlling such feedback signals. For example, when the vehicle 100 is in self-driving mode, the driver may not want to feel and / or experience every small correction, sensor noise, etc. that goes through the path follower request to the final steering angle request. The examples disclosed herein enable a steering controller associated with the vehicle to filter the path follower angle request based on the driver's engagement level, thereby adaptively filtering the path follower noise to increase driver comfort.

[0015] Figure 2 Yes, you can Figure 1Schematic diagram of an exemplary steering system 200 implemented in the exemplary vehicle 100. The exemplary steering system 200 includes: an electronic control unit (ECU) 202, which includes a steering controller 204; a steering wheel 206; a steering column 208; a steering motor 210; a steering rack 212; a torque sensor 214; and a pinion angle sensor 216. The exemplary steering wheel 206 is mechanically connected to the steerable wheels of the exemplary vehicle via the steering column 208, the steering rack 212, etc. Figure 1 When the driver of vehicle 100 inputs torque to adjust the steering wheel angle of steering wheel 206, the steering angle of the steerable wheels is adjusted accordingly (e.g., left or right). In some examples, steering column 208 is a single shaft extending between steering wheel 206 and steering rack 212. In other examples, steering column 208 is a mechanical linkage device including two or more interconnected shaft segments.

[0016] The exemplary steering system 200 includes a motor 210. The motor 210 is operably coupled to the steering wheel 206 and steerable wheels of the vehicle 100. For example, the motor 210 is coupled to a steering rack 212. When activated, the motor 210 moves the steering rack 212, thereby turning or angled the steering wheel 206 and the steerable wheels. Thus, the motor 210 operates to adjust the steering angle of the steering wheel 206 and, consequently, the angle of the steerable wheels relative to the road. In some examples, the motor 210 can be used to provide power steering assistance. For example, in conventional driving mode, based on torque input to the steering wheel 206, the electronic control unit 202 can activate the motor 210 to provide additional torque assistance for steering the vehicle 100. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is in autonomous driving mode, the motor 210 can be activated to control the steering angle of the steering wheel 206. The exemplary steering controller 204 can operate in autonomous driving mode to control the motor 210 and adjust the steering angle of the vehicle 100.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 2. When the vehicle 100 is in the self-driving mode, the steering controller 204 operates to control the motor 210 to adjust the steering of the vehicle 100 along a path (e.g., a target path). The steering controller 204 may also control the motor 210 based on driver torque input during the self-driving mode (such as when the driver attempts to manually turn the steering wheel 206). In some examples, the steering controller 204 Figure 2 Additionally or alternatively, the steering controller 204 may be implemented in another control system, control unit, and / or computing system of the vehicle 100 .

[0018] The exemplary steering controller 204 includes an exemplary angle blending circuit 300, an exemplary VBC 301, an exemplary angle controller 302, an exemplary blending weight 303, and an exemplary filter circuit 304. The exemplary torque sensor 214 outputs a sensor signal indicative of the driver torque input applied to / using the steering wheel 206. The VBC 301 receives the signal from the torque sensor 214 and, in turn, determines the input torque. Furthermore, the VBC 301 determines a VBC angle request based on the input torque and the current steering wheel angle associated with the steering wheel 206. The exemplary VBC angle request represents a desired driver steering angle based on the current steering wheel angle and the driver input torque. In some examples, the VBC angle request is also based, at least in part, on vehicle speed.

[0019] Additionally, the example path follower circuit 306 determines and / or executes machine-readable instructions (e.g., a path follower angle request and / or any other self-driving command) to steer the vehicle 100 along the path. Figure 3 , the path follower circuit 306 is shown as being separate from the steering controller 204. For example, the path follower circuit 306 can be implemented by another controller of the electronic control unit 202. However, the path follower circuit 306 can be part of the steering controller 204. When the driver of the vehicle 100 does not interact with the steering wheel 206 during the self-driving mode (e.g., applying zero input torque), the path follower circuit 306 controls the steering angle of the vehicle 100 (e.g., via a path follower angle request). In some examples, the path follower circuit 306 determines the path follower angle request based on the target path of the vehicle 100, the speed of the vehicle 100, the current steering angle of the steering wheel 206, and / or the projected path of the vehicle 100.

[0020] The exemplary angle blending circuit 300 adjusts and / or modifies the path follower angle request based on the VBC 301 (e.g., VBC angle request), the path follower angle request, the angle blending weights, and / or the speed of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the angle blending circuit 300 determines the final angle request. In some examples, the blending weight (e.g., angle blending weight) 303 is an internal signal or data value with a value in the range of 0 to 1. An exemplary blending weight of 0 corresponds to no driver input or interaction, and a blending weight of 1 corresponds to fully engaged driver interaction. Therefore, when the driver is not interacting (e.g., the angle blending weight is equal to 0), the angle control of the vehicle 100 can be based solely on the path follower angle request. To generate the angle blending weights, the angle blending circuit 300 can pass the driver torque input through a VBC lookup table, which provides VBC weights (e.g., preliminary weights). In addition, the angle blending circuit 300 can determine a rate-based weight based on the VBC weights and the speed of the vehicle 100. Thus, the angle blending circuit 300 may modify the path follower angle request based on rate-based weights, VBC weights, angle blending weights, etc. The example angle controller 302 converts the final steering angle request into a final torque request, which the motor 210 uses to adjust the steering angle of the steering wheel 206 to steer the vehicle 100 along the desired path.

[0021] The example steering controller 204 includes a filter circuit 304 to control tactile feedback (eg, tactile feedback sent via a signal) in a self-driving vehicle. Figure 4 As shown, the example filter circuit 304 includes an example torque detection circuit 400 , an example engagement determination circuit 402 , and an example feedback transmitter circuit 404 . Figure 4 The exemplary filter circuit 304 of can be instantiated (e.g., created as an instance, formed for any length of time, embodied, implemented, etc.) by a programmable circuit, such as a central processing unit (CPU) executing a first instruction. Additionally or alternatively, Figure 4 The exemplary filter circuit 304 may be instantiated (e.g., created as an instance, formed in any length of time, embodied, implemented, etc.) by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is structured and / or configured to perform operations corresponding to the first instruction in response to executing the second instruction. It should be understood that Figure 4 Some or all of the circuits may thus be instantiated at the same or different times. Figure 4 Some or all of the circuits of can be instantiated, for example, in one or more threads that execute concurrently on hardware and / or serially on hardware. Figure 4Some or all of the circuitry may be implemented by microprocessor circuitry executing instructions to implement one or more virtual machines and / or containers.

[0022] The exemplary torque detection circuit 400 detects the torque of the vehicle 100 ( Figure 1 ) steering wheel 206( Figure 2 ) torque input (e.g., driver torque input). In some examples, torque sensing circuit 400 is coupled to torque sensor 214 (e.g., via a network) to access the driver torque input. Exemplary engagement determination circuit 402 determines a driver engagement metric based on the torque input. For example, engagement determination circuit 402 accesses blending weights 303 that indicate driver engagement. In some examples, engagement determination circuit 402 can transform the torque input into a driver engagement metric using any function (e.g., a linear function, a polynomial function, etc.). In other examples, engagement determination circuit 402 inputs the driver torque input into a lookup table to output a driver engagement metric.

[0023] When the driver torque input is greater than zero, engagement determination circuit 402 determines the driver engagement metric (e.g., angle blending weight) to be 1. In other examples, engagement determination circuit 402 determines the driver engagement metric based on the driver torque input. For example, if the driver torque input is 1 Newton meter (Nm), engagement determination circuit 402 may determine the driver engagement metric to be 0.1. If the driver torque input is 15 Nm, engagement determination circuit 402 may determine the driver engagement metric to be 1. Alternatively, when the driver torque input is zero (e.g., 0 Nm), engagement determination circuit 402 determines the driver engagement metric to be 0. In some examples, engagement determination circuit 402 modifies (e.g., increases, decreases, etc.) the driver engagement metric based on the speed and / or velocity of vehicle 100.

[0024] In some examples, engagement determination circuit 402 can compare the driver engagement metric to a threshold. In some examples, the threshold is 0.6 (e.g., 0.6 / 1). If engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is 0.2, engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is less than (e.g., does not meet) the threshold (e.g., 0.2<0.6). Alternatively, if engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is 1, engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is greater than (e.g., meets) the threshold (e.g., 1>0.6). In some examples, engagement determination circuit 402 monitors updates, changes, increases, decreases, etc. of the driver engagement metric.

[0025] The exemplary feedback transmitter circuit 404 may determine whether to transmit a feedback signal (e.g., a tactile feedback signal) to the steering wheel 206 based on the comparison performed by the engagement determination circuit 402. In some examples, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 may parse and / or otherwise access the exemplary feedback signal from the path follower angle request. For example, the path follower angle request may include information and feedback signals (e.g., noise, signal noise, tactile feedback, etc.) for steering the vehicle 100 along the path. The exemplary feedback signal may indicate the environment in which the vehicle is operating. For example, the environment may include environmental conditions (e.g., weather, wind, etc.) and / or road conditions (e.g., bumpy, slippery, etc.). The exemplary feedback transmitter circuit 404 may parse the feedback signal from the path follower angle request. Then, when the engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is greater than the threshold, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 may transmit at least one of the feedback signals to the steering wheel 206 and / or any other part of the vehicle (e.g., a display screen). Figure 3 In the example of , the feedback signal is represented by line 308. Feedback transmitter circuit 404 can provide feedback signals to steering wheel 206 via mechanical vibration and / or rotation of steering column 208, steering rack 212, motor 210, and / or any other mechanical linkage coupled to steering wheel 206. In some examples, the feedback signal includes movement (e.g., vibration, rotation, etc.) of steering wheel 206 (e.g., felt / experienced by the driver of vehicle 100). Alternatively, when engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold, feedback transmitter circuit 404 can prevent transmission of at least one feedback signal.

[0026] In some examples, the torque detection circuit 400 is instantiated by a programmable circuit that executes detection instructions and / or is configured to perform operations, such as by Figure 6 In some examples, the exemplary filter circuit 304 includes means for detecting torque. For example, the means for detecting can be implemented by the torque detection circuit 400. In some examples, the torque detection circuit 400 can be implemented by a programmable circuit (such as Figure 7 For example, the torque detection circuit 400 may be instantiated by executing machine executable instructions (such as by at least Figure 66 (those instructions implemented by block 602 of ). In some examples, the torque detection circuit 400 may be instantiated by hardware logic circuitry, which may be implemented by an ASIC or XPU, which is configured and / or structured to perform operations corresponding to machine-readable instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the torque detection circuit 400 may be instantiated by any other combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, the torque detection circuit 400 may be implemented by at least one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuitry, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuitry, ASIC, XPU, comparator, operational amplifier (op-amp), logic circuitry, etc.), which are configured and / or structured to execute some or all of the machine-readable instructions and / or perform some or all of the operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions without executing software or firmware, but other structures are equally applicable.

[0027] In some examples, engagement determination circuitry 402 is instantiated by programmable circuitry that executes engagement determination instructions and / or is configured to perform instructions such as those provided by Figure 6 In some examples, the exemplary filter circuit 304 includes means for determining a driver engagement metric. For example, the means for determining may be implemented by engagement determination circuit 402. In some examples, engagement determination circuit 402 may be implemented by a programmable circuit such as Figure 7 For example, the engagement determination circuit 402 may be instantiated by executing machine executable instructions (such as by at least Figure 6 604, 606, 612 of ). In some examples, engagement determination circuitry 402 may be instantiated by hardware logic circuitry, which may be implemented by an ASIC or XPU configured and / or structured to perform operations corresponding to machine-readable instructions. Additionally or alternatively, engagement determination circuitry 402 may be instantiated by any other combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, engagement determination circuitry 402 may be implemented by at least one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuitry, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuitry, ASIC, XPU, comparator, operational amplifier (op-amp), logic circuitry, etc.), which are configured and / or structured to execute some or all of the machine-readable instructions and / or perform some or all of the operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions without executing software or firmware, although other structures are equally applicable.

[0028] In some examples, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 is instantiated by a programmable circuit that executes a second transmission instruction and / or is configured to execute instructions such as Figure 6In some examples, the exemplary filter circuit 304 includes means for transmitting feedback. For example, the means for transmitting can be implemented by the feedback transmitter circuit 404. In some examples, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 can be implemented by a programmable circuit (such as Figure 7 For example, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 may be instantiated by executing machine executable instructions (such as by at least Figure 6 608, 610 of . In some examples, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 can be instantiated by hardware logic circuitry, which can be implemented by an ASIC or XPU, which is configured and / or structured to perform operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 can be instantiated by any other combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 can be implemented by at least one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuitry, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuitry, ASIC, XPU, comparator, operational amplifier (op-amp), logic circuitry, etc.), which are configured and / or structured to execute some or all of the machine-readable instructions and / or perform some or all of the operations corresponding to the machine-readable instructions without executing software or firmware, but other structures are equally applicable.

[0029] Figure 5 is an example operation 500 performed by the filter circuit 304 to determine an example filtered path follower angle request 501. In some examples, the filtered path follower angle request 501 corresponds to a final angle request. Figure 5In the example of FIG5 , filter circuit 304 obtains a path follower angle request 502, an angle blending weight 504 (e.g., blending weight 303), and a vehicle speed 506 from angle blending circuit 300. Example engagement determination circuit 402 determines a driver engagement metric based on the angle blending weight 504 and the vehicle speed 506 via an example function 508 (e.g., a linear function, a polynomial function, a lookup table, etc.). For example, engagement determination circuit 402 increases the driver engagement metric when the angle blending weight 504 is relatively high (e.g., greater than 0.6) and / or when the vehicle speed 506 is relatively high (e.g., greater than 35 miles per hour (mph)). Alternatively, engagement determination circuit 402 decreases the driver engagement metric when the angle blending weight is relatively low (e.g., less than 0.2) and / or when the vehicle speed 506 is relatively low (e.g., less than 15 mph). In some examples, filtered path follower angle request 501 may include little or no haptic feedback signal. In other words, the filtered path follower angle request 501 results in a smoother driver experience compared to the unfiltered path follower angle request.

[0030] Although Figure 4 The implementation is shown in Figure 1 The exemplary filter circuit 304 is shown in FIG. Figure 4 One or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices shown in the drawings may be combined, split, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other manner. In addition, the exemplary torque detection circuit 400, the exemplary engagement determination circuit 402, the exemplary feedback transmitter circuit 404, and / or more generally Figure 4 The example filter circuit 304 can be implemented by hardware alone or by hardware in combination with software and / or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the example torque detection circuit 400, the example engagement determination circuit 402, the example feedback transmitter circuit 404, and / or more generally the example filter circuit 304 can be implemented by programmable circuitry in combination with machine-readable instructions (e.g., firmware or software), processor circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, logic circuitry, a programmable processor, a programmable microcontroller, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a programmable logic device (PLD), and / or a field programmable logic device (FPLD). Further, Figure 4 The exemplary filter circuit 304 may include one or more elements, processes and / or devices in addition to or in place of Figure 4 Those shown in, and / or may include more than one of any or all of the shown elements, processes and devices.

[0031] Figure 6A flowchart representing exemplary machine-readable instructions that may be executed by programmable circuitry to implement and / or instantiate Figure 4 The exemplary filter circuit 304 and / or representations may be executed by a programmable circuit to implement and / or instantiate Figure 4 The machine-readable instructions may be one or more executable programs or a portion of one or more executable programs executed by programmable circuits, such as the following in conjunction with Figure 7 The programmable circuit 712 shown in the exemplary programmable circuit platform 700 discussed herein may be, and / or may be part of, one or more functions or functions performed by the exemplary programmable circuit. In some examples, machine-readable instructions cause an operation, task, or the like to be performed and / or executed in an automated manner in the real world. As used herein, "automated" means without human involvement.

[0032] The program may be embodied in instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable storage media, such as cache memory; magnetic storage devices or disks (e.g., floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.); optical storage devices or disks (e.g., Blu-ray discs, compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.); redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID); registers; ROM; solid-state drives (SSDs); SSD memory; non-volatile memory (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc.); volatile memory (e.g., any type of random access memory (RAM), etc.); and / or any other storage device or storage disk. The instructions of the non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable media may be programmed and / or executed by programmable circuitry located in one or more hardware devices, but the entire program and / or portions thereof may alternatively be executed and / or instantiated and / or embodied in dedicated hardware by one or more hardware devices rather than by programmable circuitry. The machine-readable instructions may be distributed across multiple hardware devices and / or executed by two or more hardware devices (e.g., a server and a client hardware device). For example, the client hardware device may be implemented by an endpoint client hardware device (e.g., a hardware device associated with a user and / or machine user) or an intermediate client hardware device gateway (e.g., a radio access network (RAN) that may facilitate communications between a server and an endpoint client hardware device). Similarly, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may include one or more media. Furthermore, although reference is made to Figure 6The flowchart shown describes an example procedure, but many other methods of implementing the example filter circuit 304 may be used instead. For example, the order of execution of the blocks of the flowchart may be changed, and / or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined. Additionally or alternatively, any or all of the blocks in the flowchart may be implemented by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuits, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuits, ASICs, comparators, operational amplifiers (op-amps), logic circuits, etc.) that are structured to perform the corresponding operations without executing software or firmware. The programmable circuits may be distributed in different network locations and / or distributed locally on one or more hardware devices (e.g., single-core processors (e.g., single-core CPUs), multi-core processors (e.g., multi-core CPUs, XPUs, etc.). For example, the programmable circuits may be a CPU located in the same package (e.g., the same integrated circuit (IC) package or in two or more separate housings), one or more processors in a single machine, multiple processors distributed across multiple servers in a server rack, multiple processors distributed across one or more server racks, etc., and / or any combination thereof.

[0033] The machine-readable instructions described herein may be stored in one or more of a compressed format, an encrypted format, a segmented format, a compiled format, an executable format, a packaged format, and the like. The machine-readable instructions as described herein may be stored as data (e.g., computer-readable data, machine-readable data, one or more bits (e.g., one or more computer-readable bits, one or more machine-readable bits, etc.), a bitstream (e.g., a computer-readable bitstream, a machine-readable bitstream, etc.), etc.) or a data structure (e.g., stored as a portion of instructions, code, a representation of code, etc.) that can be used to create, manufacture, and / or generate machine-executable instructions. For example, the machine-readable instructions may be segmented and stored on one or more storage devices, disks, and / or computing devices (e.g., servers) located in the same or different locations (e.g., in the cloud, on an edge device, etc.) on a network or collection of networks. The machine-readable instructions may need to be installed, modified, adapted, updated, combined, supplemented, configured, decrypted, decompressed, unpacked, distributed, redistributed, compiled, and the like in order to make them directly readable, interpretable, and / or executable by a computing device and / or other machine. For example, machine-readable instructions may be stored in multiple parts that are separately compressed, encrypted, and / or stored on separate computing devices, wherein the parts, when decrypted, decompressed, and / or combined, form a computer-executable and / or machine-executable set of instructions that implement one or more functions and / or operations that may together form a program such as described herein.

[0034] In another example, the machine-readable instructions may be stored in a state in which they can be read by programmable circuitry, but a library (e.g., a dynamic link library (DLL)), a software development kit (SDK), an application programming interface (API), etc. may need to be added in order to execute the machine-readable instructions on a particular computing device or other device. In another example, the machine-readable instructions and / or one or more corresponding programs may need to be configured (e.g., to store settings, input data, record network addresses, etc.) before they can be executed in whole or in part. Thus, as used herein, a machine-readable, computer-readable, and / or machine-readable medium may include instructions and / or programs regardless of the specific format or state of the machine-readable instructions and / or programs.

[0035] The machine-readable instructions described herein may be represented by any past, present, or future instruction language, scripting language, programming language, etc. For example, any of the following languages may be used to represent the machine-readable instructions: C, C++, Java, C#, Perl, Python, JavaScript, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Structured Query Language (SQL), Swift, etc.

[0036] As mentioned above, the present invention may be implemented using executable instructions (eg, computer-readable instructions and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media and / or machine-readable media. Figure 6As used herein, the terms non-transitory computer-readable medium, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium are expressly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, and to exclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media. Examples of such non-transitory computer-readable media, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium include optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, HDDs, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), CDs, DVDs, caches, any type of RAM, registers, and / or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for an extended period of time, permanently, for transient situations, for temporary buffering, and / or for caching information). As used herein, the terms "non-transitory computer-readable storage device" and "non-transitory machine-readable storage device" are defined to include any physical (mechanical, magnetic, and / or electrical) hardware to retain information for a period of time, but to exclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage devices and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage devices include any type of random access memory, any type of read-only memory, solid-state memory, flash memory, optical disks, magnetic disks, disk drives, and / or redundant array of independent disks (RAID) systems. As used herein, the term "device" refers to a physical structure, such as a mechanical and / or electrical device, hardware, and / or circuitry, that may or may not be configured and / or manufactured to execute computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc.

[0037] Figure 6 is a flow chart representing example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations 600 that may be executed, instantiated, and / or performed by programmable circuitry to control haptic feedback signals. Figure 6 The example operations 600 begin at block 602, where the example torque sensing circuit 400 detects a torque input (eg, a driver torque input) to the steering wheel 206 of the vehicle 100. In some examples, the torque sensing circuit 400 is coupled to the torque sensor 214 to access the driver torque input.

[0038] At block 604, example engagement determination circuitry 402 determines a driver engagement metric based on the torque input. For example, if the driver torque input is 1 Nm, engagement determination circuitry 402 may determine the driver engagement metric to be 0.1. If the driver torque input is 15 Nm, engagement determination circuitry 402 may determine the driver engagement metric to be 1. Alternatively, when the driver torque input is zero (e.g., 0 Nm), engagement determination circuitry 402 may determine the driver engagement metric to be 0.

[0039] At block 606, the example engagement determination circuit 402 determines whether the driver engagement metric is greater than a threshold value. If the example engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is greater than the threshold value, control of the process proceeds to block 608. For example, if the threshold value is 0.6 and the driver engagement metric is 1, the engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is greater than the threshold value (e.g., 1>0.6). In such an example, control of the process proceeds to block 608. Alternatively, if the threshold value is 0.6 and the driver engagement metric is 0.1, the example engagement determination circuit 402 determines that the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold value (e.g., 0.1<0.6). In such an example, control of the process proceeds to block 610.

[0040] At block 608, the exemplary feedback transmitter circuit 404 transmits at least one haptic feedback signal to the steering wheel 206. In other words, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 does not filter the path follower request. In other examples, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 transmits at least one haptic feedback signal via at least one mechanical linkage coupled to the steering wheel 206 (e.g., the steering column 208, the steering rack 212, etc.). The exemplary feedback signal may indicate the environment in which the vehicle is operating. For example, the environment may include environmental conditions (e.g., weather, wind, etc.) and / or road conditions (e.g., bumpy, slippery, etc.). In some examples, the feedback signal includes movement of the steering wheel 206 (e.g., vibration, rotation, etc.).

[0041] At block 612 , the example engagement determination circuit 402 monitors the driver engagement metric for updates, changes, increases, decreases, etc.

[0042] At block 610, the example feedback transmitter circuit 404 blocks the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel 206. For example, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 may parse, separate, block, etc. the feedback signal from the path follower angle request. In other words, the feedback transmitter circuit 404 filters the path follower angle request. The process then ends. In other examples, when the engagement determination circuit 402 compares the driver engagement metric to a threshold (e.g., continuously compares and / or monitors), control of the process may proceed to block 606.

[0043] Figure 7 is structured to execute and / or instantiate Figure 6 Example machine-readable instructions and / or example operations to implement Figure 4 304. The programmable circuit platform 700 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a workstation, a self-learning machine (e.g., a neural network), a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smartphone, an iPad, etc.). TM tablet computers), game consoles, personal video recorders, set-top boxes, headsets (e.g., augmented reality (AR) headsets, virtual reality (VR) headsets, etc.) or other wearable devices or any other type of computing device and / or electronic device.

[0044] The programmable circuit platform 700 of the illustrated example includes a programmable circuit 712. The programmable circuit 712 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the programmable circuit 712 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, and / or microcontrollers from any desired family or manufacturer. The programmable circuit 712 can be implemented by one or more semiconductor-based (e.g., silicon-based) devices. In this example, the programmable circuit 712 implements the example torque detection circuit 400, the example engagement determination circuit 402, and the example feedback transmitter circuit 404.

[0045] The programmable circuit 712 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 713 (e.g., cache, registers, etc.). The programmable circuit 712 of the illustrated example communicates with main memories 714, 716, including volatile memory 714 and non-volatile memory 716, via a bus 718. The volatile memory 714 may be comprised of synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory The non-volatile memory 716 may be implemented by flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memories 714, 716 of the illustrated example is controlled by a memory controller 717. In some examples, the memory controller 717 may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microcontrollers, or any other type of circuitry from any desired family or manufacturer to manage the flow of data to and from the main memories 714, 716.

[0046] The programmable circuit platform 700 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 720. The interface circuit 720 can be implemented by hardware according to any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, interface, a near field communication (NFC) interface, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface, and / or a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface.

[0047] In the example shown, one or more input devices 722 are connected to the interface circuitry 720. The input devices 722 allow a user (e.g., a human user, a machine user, etc.) to input data and / or commands into the programmable circuitry 712. The input devices 722 may be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, buttons, a mouse, a touch screen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isochronous device, and / or a speech recognition system.

[0048] One or more output devices 724 are also connected to the interface circuit 720 of the illustrated example. The output device 724 can be implemented, for example, by a display device (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, an in-place switch (IPS) display, a touch screen, etc.), a tactile output device, a printer, and / or a speaker. Thus, the interface circuit 720 of the illustrated example typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and / or a graphics processor circuit, such as a GPU.

[0049] The interface circuitry 720 of the illustrated example also includes communication devices, such as transmitters, receivers, transceivers, modems, residential gateways, wireless access points, and / or network interfaces, to facilitate data exchange with external machines (e.g., any type of computing device) via a network 726. Communication may occur via, for example, an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection, a telephone line connection, a coaxial cable system, a satellite system, a beyond-line-of-sight wireless system, a line-of-sight wireless system, a mobile telephone system, an optical connection, etc.

[0050] The programmable circuit platform 700 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage disks or devices 728 for storing firmware, software, and / or data. Examples of such mass storage disks or devices 728 include magnetic storage devices (e.g., floppy disks, drives, HDDs, etc.), optical storage devices (e.g., Blu-ray disks, CDs, DVDs, etc.), RAID systems, and / or solid-state storage disks or devices, such as flash memory devices and / or SSDs.

[0051] Can be Figure 6The machine-readable instructions 732 implemented by the machine-readable instructions may be stored in the mass storage device 728, in the volatile memory 714, in the non-volatile memory 716, and / or on at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (such as a CD or DVD) that may be removable.

[0052] "Include" and "comprising" (and all their forms and tenses) are used herein as open-ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim uses any form of "include" or "comprising" (e.g., includes, contains, contains, encompasses, has, etc.) as a preamble or within any type of claim formulation, it should be understood that additional elements, items, etc. may be present without falling outside the scope of the corresponding claim or formulation. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, such as in the preamble of a claim, it becomes an open-ended term in the same manner that the terms "include" and "comprising" become open-ended terms. The term "and / or" when used, for example, in a form such as A, B, and / or C, refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C, such as (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) only C, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, and (7) A and B and C. As used herein in the context of describing structures, components, articles, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing structures, components, articles, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A or B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of a process, instruction, action, activity, etc., the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of a process, instruction, action, activity, etc., the phrase "at least one of A or B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0053] As used herein, singular references (e.g., "a," "a," "first," "second," etc.) do not exclude plural references. As used herein, the term "a" or "an" object refers to one or more of the object. The terms "a" (or "a"), "one or more," and "at least one" are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although listed separately, multiple devices, elements, or actions may be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these may be combined, and inclusion in different examples or claims does not mean that a combination of features is not feasible and / or advantageous.

[0054] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "above" describes the relationship of two parts relative to the Earth. A first part is above a second part if the second part has at least a portion between the Earth and the first part. Similarly, as used herein, a first part is "below" a second part when the first part is closer to the Earth than the second part. As described above, a first part can be above or below a second part in one or more of the following ways: there are other parts between them, there are no other parts between them, the first part and the second part are touching, or the first part and the second part are not in direct contact with each other.

[0055] As used in this patent, the statement that any part (e.g., a layer, film, region, area, or plate) is in any way located on another part (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) indicates that the referenced part is in contact with the other part, or that the referenced part is above the other part with one or more intermediate parts located therebetween.

[0056] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and coupled) may include intermediate members between the elements referenced by the connection reference and / or relative movement between such elements. Thus, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and / or in fixed relation to each other. As used herein, stating that any part is "in contact with" another part is defined to mean that there are no intermediate parts between the two parts.

[0057] Unless otherwise specifically stated, descriptors such as "first," "second," and "third" as used herein do not in any way impose or otherwise indicate any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or ordering, but are merely used as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements to facilitate understanding of the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while a different descriptor such as "second" or "third" may be used to refer to the same element in the claims. In such cases, it should be understood that such descriptors are only used to clearly identify those elements within the context of the discussion (e.g., within the claims) where those elements might, for example, otherwise share the same name.

[0058] As used herein, the phrase "communicate" (including variations thereof) encompasses direct communication and / or indirect communication through one or more intermediate components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and / or continuous communication, but also includes selective communication at periodic intervals, scheduled intervals, non-periodic intervals and / or one-time events.

[0059] As used herein, "programmable circuitry" is defined to include: (i) one or more specialized circuits (e.g., application specific circuits (ASICs)) structured to perform specific operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors); and / or (ii) one or more general-purpose semiconductor-based circuits that can be programmed with instructions to perform specific functions and / or operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors). Examples of programmable circuitry include programmable microprocessors, such as a central processing unit (CPU) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, a graphics processing unit (GPU) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, a digital signal processor (DSP) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, an XPU, a network processing unit (NPU), one or more microcontrollers and / or integrated circuits (such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions. For example, an XPU may be implemented by a heterogeneous computing system that includes multiple types of programmable circuits (e.g., one or more CPUs, one or more GPUs, one or more NPUs, one or more DSPs, etc. and / or combinations thereof) and orchestration technology (e.g., an application programming interface (API)) that can assign computing tasks to any one or more types of programmable circuits that are most suitable and available to perform the computing tasks.

[0060] As used herein, an integrated circuit is defined as one or more semiconductor packages containing one or more circuit elements, such as transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, current paths, diodes, etc. For example, an integrated circuit may be implemented as one or more of an ASIC, a chip, a microchip, a programmable circuit, a semiconductor substrate coupling multiple circuit elements, a system on a chip (SoC), etc.

[0061] Example 1 includes a device comprising an interface circuit, machine-readable instructions, and at least one processor circuit, the at least one processor circuit being programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: detect a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determine a driver engagement metric based on the torque input; and transmit a feedback signal to the steering wheel based on a comparison of the driver engagement metric to a threshold, the feedback signal being indicative of an environment in which the vehicle is operating.

[0062] Example 2 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuits prevents the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel when the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold.

[0063] Example 3 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the environment includes at least one of ambient conditions or road conditions.

[0064] Example 4 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is to transmit the torque input to a motor associated with the vehicle, the torque input being to steer the vehicle.

[0065] Example 5 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is to determine the driver engagement metric based on the torque input and a speed of the vehicle.

[0066] Example 6 includes the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the feedback signal comprises movement of the steering wheel.

[0067] Example 7 includes the apparatus of Example 6, wherein the movement of the steering wheel comprises at least one of vibration or rotation.

[0068] Example 8 includes at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions that cause at least one processor circuit to at least: detect a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determine a driver engagement metric based on the torque input; and transmit a feedback signal to the steering wheel based on a comparison of the driver engagement metric to a threshold, the feedback signal being indicative of an environment in which the vehicle is operating.

[0069] Example 9 includes at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium as described in Example 8, wherein when the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold, the machine-readable instructions cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to prevent the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel.

[0070] Example 10 includes the at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of Example 8, wherein the environment includes at least one of an environmental condition or a road condition.

[0071] Example 11 includes at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium as described in Example 8, wherein the machine-readable instructions will cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to transmit the torque input to a motor associated with the vehicle, the torque input causing the vehicle to steer.

[0072] Example 12 includes the at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of Example 8, wherein the machine-readable instructions are to cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to determine the driver engagement metric based on the torque input and the speed of the vehicle.

[0073] Example 13 includes the at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of Example 8, wherein the feedback signal comprises movement of the steering wheel.

[0074] Example 14 includes the at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of Example 13, wherein the movement of the steering wheel comprises at least one of vibration or rotation.

[0075] Example 15 includes a method comprising: detecting a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle by at least one processor circuit programmed with at least one instruction, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determining a driver engagement metric based on the torque input by one or more of the at least one processor circuits; and transmitting a feedback signal to the steering wheel by one or more of the at least one processor circuits based on a comparison of the driver engagement metric with a threshold, the feedback signal indicating the environment in which the vehicle is operating.

[0076] Example 16 includes the method of Example 15, further comprising preventing the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel when the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold.

[0077] Example 17 includes the method of Example 15, wherein the environment includes at least one of a surrounding condition or a road condition.

[0078] Example 18 includes the method of Example 15, further comprising transmitting the torque input to a motor associated with the vehicle, the torque input causing the vehicle to steer.

[0079] Example 19 includes the method of Example 15, further comprising determining the driver engagement metric based on the torque input and a speed of the vehicle.

[0080] Example 20 includes the method of Example 15, wherein the feedback signal comprises movement of the steering wheel.

[0081] The appended claims are hereby incorporated by reference into this detailed description. Although certain example systems, devices, articles, and methods have been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. Rather, this patent covers all systems, devices, articles, and methods that fully fall within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. A device comprising: Interface circuit; machine-readable instructions; and at least one processor circuit programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: detecting a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determining a driver engagement metric based on the torque input; as well as Based on the comparison of the driver engagement metric to a threshold, a feedback signal is transmitted to the steering wheel, the feedback signal being indicative of the environment in which the vehicle is operating. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuits prevents the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel when the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the environment comprises at least one of an environmental condition or a road condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the at least one processor circuit is to transmit the torque input to a motor associated with the vehicle, the torque input being to cause the vehicle to steer. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor circuit is to determine the driver engagement metric based on the torque input and a speed of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor circuit is to: decreasing the driver engagement metric when the speed of the vehicle does not satisfy a speed threshold; and When the speed of the vehicle satisfies the speed threshold, the driver engagement metric is increased.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal comprises movement of the steering wheel.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the movement of the steering wheel comprises at least one of vibration or rotation.

9. At least one machine-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing at least one processor circuit to: detecting a torque input to a steering wheel of a vehicle, the at least one processor circuit executing the machine-readable instructions to steer the vehicle along a path; determining a driver engagement metric based on the torque input; as well as Based on the comparison of the driver engagement metric to a threshold, a feedback signal is transmitted to the steering wheel, the feedback signal being indicative of the environment in which the vehicle is operating.

10. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein when the driver engagement metric is less than the threshold, the machine-readable instructions cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to prevent the transmission of the feedback signal to the steering wheel.

11. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the environment comprises at least one of an environmental condition or a road condition.

12. At least one machine-readable medium as described in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions will cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to transmit the torque input to a motor associated with the vehicle, the torque input causing the vehicle to steer.

13. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions will cause one or more of the at least one processor circuits to determine the driver engagement metric based on the torque input and the speed of the vehicle.

14. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the feedback signal comprises movement of the steering wheel.

15. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the movement of the steering wheel comprises at least one of vibration or rotation.

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