System and method for performing an automatic lane change into a pull-off lane

Abstract

A system for operating a host vehicle to perform an automatic lane change into or out of a stopped traffic lane includes sensors and actuators equipped to the host vehicle and commanded by an automatic lane change (ALC) application executed by a controller. The ALC application calculates speeds of other vehicles in an alternative lane and calculates sizes of gaps between the other vehicles. The ALC application selectively determines that a gap is within a range and size accommodated by the host vehicle. The ALC application commands actuators of the host vehicle to automatically accelerate / decelerate the host vehicle in open loop control according to a calculated speed profile and autonomously perform a vehicle lane change from a current host vehicle lane to a target alternative lane.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and more specifically, to vehicles capable of achieving fully automated and / or semi-automated driving modes. Background Technology

[0002] When operating autonomous and / or semi-autonomous vehicles, algorithms can be used to change lanes from the current lane to lanes occupied by other road users, wherein the lane-changing algorithm operates in a closed-loop manner to the space between the target vehicles.

[0003] However, while current systems and methods for performing automatic lane changes achieve their intended purpose, there is a need in the art for new and improved systems and methods for performing automatic lane changes into stop-and-go traffic lanes that maintain operator comfort, adhere to planned routes, and operate vehicles automatically and / or semi-automatically in a manner that remains within the system's capabilities while providing a smooth and efficient transition between the current driving lane and the stop lane, where the vehicle's speed in the stop lane is significantly lower than in the vehicle's current driving lane, while maintaining or reducing system complexity and providing increased redundancy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to several aspects, a system for operating a primary vehicle to perform automatic lane changing into and out of stopped traffic lanes includes: a primary vehicle; one or more sensors attached to the primary vehicle and detecting static and dynamic information about the primary vehicle; one or more actuators attached to the primary vehicle and changing the static and dynamic states of the primary vehicle; the system also includes a controller having a processor, memory, and input / output (I / O) ports; the I / O ports communicating with the one or more sensors and the one or more actuators; the processor executing a portion of program code stored in memory; the program code portion including an automatic lane changing (ALC) application having at least first control logic, second control logic, third control logic, fourth control logic, and fifth control logic; the first control logic calculating the speeds of other vehicles in the alternative lanes and calculating the size of the spacing between the other vehicles; the second control logic determining that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles is greater than a predetermined deceleration limit for the primary vehicle; the third control logic determining that the spacing between the other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the primary vehicle; and the fourth control logic commanding one or more of the actuators of the primary vehicle to perform open-loop acceleration of the primary vehicle. The fifth control logic selectively engages the closed-loop autonomous control of the primary vehicle or gradually transfers control of the primary vehicle to the human operator. The ALC application automatically accelerates the primary vehicle based on its calculated speed profile and, through one or more of the drivetrain actuators, brake actuators, and steering actuators, enables the primary vehicle to automatically perform lane changes from its current lane to the target alternative vehicle lane. The current primary vehicle lane has a significantly different speed from the current target alternative vehicle lane.

[0005] In another aspect of this disclosure, the first control logic further includes control logic for calculating the speed of other vehicles in the alternative vehicle lane based on a moving average of the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane. The moving average is stored in a buffer with multiple samples, each lasting a predetermined amount of time. The buffers last approximately forty (40) seconds, and each buffer contains a total of five (5) samples. Each sample lasts approximately eight (8) seconds, such that the calculated speed curve of the primary vehicle is constrained to a moving average of eight buffers, resulting in a total of approximately three hundred and twenty (320) seconds.

[0006] In another aspect of this disclosure, the system also includes control logic for calculating the speed curve of the main vehicle according to the following formula:

[0007]

[0008] Where V dlThe speed of the vehicle lane is used to replace the desired target; Vx t Let x be the longitudinal velocity of each individual object / or other vehicle in the vehicle lane representing the desired target, such that 'x' refers to the longitudinal direction and 't' refers to each individual object or other vehicle; n is the number of objects in the vehicle lane representing the desired target; and K t Let K be the sampling time window, where K is the sampling time window. t Hard-coded values ​​calibrated for various main modes of transportation operating conditions.

[0009] In another aspect of this disclosure, the second control logic further includes control logic that executes the third control logic when it is determined that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim). When it is determined that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim), the system executes control logic that determines the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined primary vehicle acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim), and executes the third control logic when it determines the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than the predetermined primary vehicle acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim). When it is determined that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined primary vehicle acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim), the system terminates the ALC application control of the primary vehicle.

[0010] In another aspect of this disclosure, the third control logic further includes control logic for determining whether the spacing between other vehicles meets predefined maneuvering limits, which include: the current speed of the primary vehicle (Vx), the speed of other vehicles in the lane of the desired target replacement vehicle (V_dl); the longitudinal length of the spacing between other vehicles; a deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) and an acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) for the primary vehicle; and predefined mechanical and / or software-implemented ADAS-based actuator drive limits. The spacing within the predefined range is the spacing within the area detectable by the primary vehicle's sensors and is on the currently planned autonomous navigable driving route.

[0011] In another aspect of this disclosure, the fourth control logic also includes control logic for selectively performing open-loop control on one or more actuators of the primary vehicle to accelerate or decelerate the primary vehicle in an open loop until a predetermined time limit is exceeded, or the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) or a predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) for the primary vehicle.

[0012] In another aspect of this disclosure, the control logic for selectively engaging one or more actuators of a primary vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the primary vehicle until a predetermined time limit is exceeded further includes: control logic for determining how long the primary vehicle operates during open-loop deceleration or acceleration using a set of calibrable values ​​without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to a target alternative vehicle lane. The calibrable values ​​also include: a short-term time limit and a long-term time limit. The short-term time limit has a maximum value of twenty seconds, and the long-term time limit has a value up to two minutes. Each of the short-term and long-term time limits is based on Global Positioning System (GPS) information, high-definition (HD) map information, and a primary vehicle indicator.

[0013] In another aspect of this disclosure, the fourth control logic further includes control logic for assessing the urgency of a lane change maneuver based on multiple factors, including: the current speed of the primary vehicle, the distance the primary vehicle will travel to the route event, or the calculated time. The route event includes one or more of the following: lane separation, traffic congestion, traffic jam, turning, lane ending, and lane merging. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be low, the control logic applied by the ALC is executed to calculate the time to the critical decision point; and when the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be not low, the system creates a speed profile for the primary vehicle with the lowest possible speed adjustment and continues to autonomously perform the lane change maneuver.

[0014] In another aspect of this disclosure, the control logic for calculating the time to a critical decision point further includes control logic for determining whether the time to the critical decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time, which is based in part on the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane. When it is determined that the time to the critical decision point is less than the predetermined minimum threshold time, the system creates a speed profile with the highest possible speed adjustment and alerts the vehicle operator to take over control of the primary vehicle to perform a lane change.

[0015] In another aspect of this disclosure, when the time to reach the critical decision point is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum threshold time, control logic is executed to: calculate the speed adjustment of the primary vehicle based on the critical distance and time; create a speed curve based on the calculated speed adjustment of the primary vehicle; and continue to perform automatic lane changing.

[0016] In another aspect of this disclosure, a method for operating a primary vehicle to perform automatic lane changing in and out of a parking lane includes: detecting static and dynamic information of the primary vehicle using one or more sensors mounted on the primary vehicle; and altering the static and dynamic states of the primary vehicle using one or more actuators mounted on the primary vehicle. The method also includes a portion of program code stored in the memory of the controller, executed by a processor of the controller of the primary vehicle. The controller also includes input / output (I / O) ports communicating with one or more sensors and one or more actuators. The program code portion includes an Automatic Lane Changing (ALC) application with control logic for: calculating the speeds of other vehicles in alternative lanes and calculating the spacing between other vehicles; determining that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles is greater than a predetermined deceleration limit for the primary vehicle; and determining that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is sufficiently large to accommodate the primary vehicle. The method also includes commanding one or more actuators of the primary vehicle to perform open-loop acceleration of the primary vehicle; and selectively engaging closed-loop autonomous control of the primary vehicle or progressively transferring control of the primary vehicle to a human primary vehicle operator. The ALC application automatically accelerates the primary vehicle based on its calculated speed profile and automatically performs a lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to the alternative vehicle lane via one or more drivetrain actuators, brake actuators, and steering actuators. The current primary vehicle lane has a significantly different speed from the target alternative vehicle lane.

[0017] In another aspect of this disclosure, the method further includes calculating the speed of other vehicles in the alternative vehicle lane based on a moving average of the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane. The moving average is stored in a buffer with multiple samples, each lasting a predetermined amount of time. The buffers last approximately forty (40) seconds, and each buffer contains a total of five (5) samples. Each sample lasts approximately eight (8) seconds, and the calculated speed curve of the primary vehicle is constrained as a moving average of the eight buffers, resulting in a total of approximately three hundred and twenty (320) seconds.

[0018] In another aspect of this disclosure, the method also includes calculating the speed curve of the main vehicle according to the following formula:

[0019]

[0020] Where V dl The speed of the vehicle lane is used to replace the desired target; Vx t Let x be the longitudinal velocity of each individual object / or other vehicle in the vehicle lane representing the desired target, such that 'x' refers to the longitudinal direction and 't' refers to each individual object or other vehicle; n is the number of objects in the vehicle lane representing the desired target; and K t Let K be the sampling time window, where K is the sampling time window. t Hard-coded values ​​calibrated for various main modes of transportation operating conditions.

[0021] In another aspect of this disclosure, when the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is determined to be greater than a predetermined deceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_DclLim), the method determines that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the primary vehicle. When the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is determined to be less than or equal to the predetermined deceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_DclLim), the method determines that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined acceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_AclLim). When the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is determined to be greater than the predetermined acceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_AclLim), the method determines that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the primary vehicle. The method terminates ALC application control for the primary vehicle when the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) for the primary vehicle.

[0022] In another aspect of this disclosure, the method determines that the spacing between other vehicles meets predefined maneuvering constraints, including: the current speed of the primary vehicle (Vx), the speed of other vehicles in the lane of the desired target replacement vehicle (V_dl); the longitudinal length of the spacing between other vehicles; a deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) and an acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) for the primary vehicle; and predefined mechanically and / or software-implemented ADAS-based actuator drive limits. The spacing within the predefined range is the spacing within the area detectable by the primary vehicle's sensors and is on the currently planned autonomous navigable driving route.

[0023] In another aspect of this disclosure, the method selectively engages open-loop control of one or more actuators of a primary vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the primary vehicle until a predetermined time limit is exceeded, or the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) or a predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the primary vehicle.

[0024] In another aspect of this disclosure, selectively engaging open-loop control of one or more actuators of the primary vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the primary vehicle until a predetermined time limit is exceeded further includes: determining, using a set of calibrable values, how long the primary vehicle operates during open-loop deceleration or acceleration without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to the target alternative vehicle lane. The calibrable values ​​also include short-term and long-term time limits. The short-term time limit has a value of up to twenty seconds, and the long-term time limit has a value of up to two minutes, each of which is based on Global Positioning System (GPS) information, high-definition (HD) map information, and the primary vehicle indicator.

[0025] In another aspect of this disclosure, the urgency of lane change maneuvers is assessed based on multiple factors, including: the current speed of the primary vehicle, the distance the primary vehicle will travel to the route event, or the computational time. Route events include one or more of the following: lane separation, traffic congestion, traffic jam, turning, lane ending, and lane merging. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be low, the method executes the control logic of the ALC application to calculate the time to the critical decision point. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be not low, the method creates a speed profile for the primary vehicle with the lowest possible speed adjustment and continues to autonomously perform lane change maneuvers.

[0026] In another aspect of this disclosure, calculating the time to the critical decision point further includes: determining whether the time to the critical decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time, which is based in part on: the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane. When the time to the critical decision point is determined to be less than the predetermined minimum threshold time, the method creates a speed profile with the highest possible speed adjustment and alerts the vehicle operator to take over control of the primary vehicle to perform a lane change. When the time to the critical decision point is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined minimum threshold time, the method executes control logic for: calculating the speed adjustment of the primary vehicle based on the critical distance and time; creating a speed profile based on the calculated speed adjustment of the primary vehicle; and continuing to perform automatic lane changes.

[0027] In another aspect of this disclosure, a method for operating a primary vehicle to perform automatic lane changing into and out of a parking lane includes: detecting static and dynamic information of the primary vehicle using one or more sensors mounted on the primary vehicle, and altering the static and dynamic states of the primary vehicle using one or more actuators mounted on the primary vehicle. The method also includes a portion of program code stored in the memory of a controller of the primary vehicle, executed by a processor of the controller. The controller also includes input / output (I / O) ports communicating with one or more sensors and one or more actuators. The program code portion includes an Automatic Vehicle Lane Changing (ALC) application having control logic for: calculating the speeds of other vehicles in an alternative vehicle lane, and calculating the magnitude of the spacing between other vehicles, including: calculating the speeds of other vehicles in the alternative lane based on a moving average of the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane. The moving average is stored in a buffer having multiple samples, each sample lasting a predetermined amount of time. The buffers last approximately forty (40) seconds, and each buffer contains a total of five (5) samples. Each sample lasts approximately eight (8) seconds, therefore the calculated speed curve of the main vehicle is constrained to a moving average of eight buffers, resulting in a total of approximately three hundred and twenty (320) seconds. The method also includes calculating the speed curve of the main vehicle according to the following formula:

[0028]

[0029] Where V dl The speed of the vehicle lane is used to replace the desired target; Vx t Let x be the longitudinal velocity of each individual object / or other vehicle in the vehicle lane representing the desired target, such that 'x' refers to the longitudinal direction and 't' refers to each individual object or other vehicle; n is the number of objects in the vehicle lane representing the desired target; and K t Let K be the sampling time window, where K is the sampling time window. tThis is a hard-coded value calibrated for various primary vehicle operating conditions. The method also includes determining that the difference between the primary vehicle's speed and the speeds of other vehicles is greater than a predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit, wherein: when it is determined that the difference between the primary vehicle's speed and the speeds of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than the predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim), the method determines that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is sufficiently large to accommodate the primary vehicle; and when it is determined that the difference between the primary vehicle's speed and the speeds of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim); it determines that the difference between the primary vehicle's speed and the speeds of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined primary vehicle acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim). Furthermore, when the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined acceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_AclLim), the method determines that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the primary vehicle. When the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined acceleration limit for the primary vehicle (K_v_AclLim), the method terminates the ALC application control of the primary vehicle. The method also determines that the spacing between other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the primary vehicle. This includes: determining that the spacing between other vehicles meets predetermined maneuvering limits, including: the current speed of the primary vehicle (Vx); the speeds of other vehicles (V_dl) in the desired target alternative vehicle lane; the longitudinal length of the spacing between other vehicles; the primary vehicle's deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) and acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim); and predetermined mechanical and / or software-implemented ADAS-based actuator drive limits. The spacing within the predetermined range is the spacing within the area detectable by the primary vehicle's sensors and on the currently planned autonomous navigable driving route. The method also includes commanding one or more actuators of the primary vehicle to perform open-loop acceleration of the primary vehicle, comprising: selectively engaging open-loop control of one or more actuators of the primary vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the primary vehicle until a predetermined time limit is exceeded, or the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) or a predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the primary vehicle.The predefined time limit is defined by the following: a set of calibrable values ​​is used to determine how long the primary vehicle operates under open-loop deceleration or acceleration without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to the target alternative vehicle lane. The calibrable values ​​also include short-term and long-term time limits. The short-term time limit is a maximum of twenty seconds, and the long-term time limit is a maximum of two minutes. Each of the short-term and long-term time limits is based on Global Positioning System (GPS) information, high-definition (HD) map information, and the primary vehicle indicator. When the difference between the primary vehicle speed and the speed of other vehicles is less than or equal to a predefined primary vehicle acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) or a predefined primary vehicle deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim), the method assesses the urgency of the lane change maneuver based on multiple factors, including: the current primary vehicle speed, the distance the primary vehicle will travel to the route event, or the calculated time. Route events include one or more of the following: lane separation, traffic congestion, traffic jam, turning, lane ending, and lane merging. When the urgency of the vehicle lane change maneuver is determined to be low, the method executes the control logic of the ALC application to calculate the time to the critical decision point. This includes: determining, in part, based on the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles in the target substitute vehicle's lane, whether the time to the critical decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time; and when the time to the critical decision point is determined to be less than the predetermined minimum threshold time, the method creates a speed profile with the highest possible speed adjustment and alerts the vehicle operator to take over control of the primary vehicle to perform the lane change. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be not low, the method creates a speed profile of the primary vehicle with the lowest possible speed adjustment and continues to autonomously perform the lane change maneuver; and when the time to the critical decision point is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined minimum threshold time, the method executes control logic to: calculate the speed adjustment of the primary vehicle based on the critical distance and time; create a speed profile based on the calculated speed adjustment of the primary vehicle; and continue to perform the automatic lane change. The method continues to perform the automatic lane change by selectively engaging the closed-loop autonomous control of the primary vehicle or gradually transferring control of the primary vehicle to the human primary vehicle operator. The ALC application automatically accelerates the primary vehicle based on its speed profile and automatically performs a lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to the alternative vehicle lane by driving steering actuators and one or more powertrain actuators and brake actuators. The current primary vehicle lane has a significantly different speed from the target alternative vehicle lane.

[0030] Further areas of application will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the descriptions and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure in any way.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a main vehicle for performing an automatic lane change into a stopped traffic lane, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 2A This is a perspective top view of a road segment according to an exemplary embodiment, on which a road segment is equipped with Figure 1 The main vehicle shown in the system for performing automatic lane changes into a stopped traffic lane is slowing down before the lane change;

[0034] Figure 2B This is a perspective top view of a road segment according to an exemplary embodiment, on which a road segment is equipped with Figure 1 The main vehicle in the system that performs automatic lane changes to enter the stop traffic lane is accelerating before merging into the lane;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a description based on an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 The logic flowchart of the automatic lane change system for entering a stopped traffic lane;

[0036] Figure 4 It depicts an exemplary embodiment. Figure 3 The flowchart shown is a logic flow of the open-loop acceleration / deceleration section of the system used to execute automatic lane changing into a stopped traffic lane. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit this disclosure, application, or use.

[0038] refer to Figure 1This illustration shows a system 10 for speed profile adaptation based on maneuver prediction for behavior-based automatic cruise control (ACC) 11. System 10 includes a vehicle 12. The primary vehicle 12 is illustrated as a passenger car; however, it should be understood that the primary vehicle 12 can be any type of vehicle, including but not limited to: automobiles, trucks, SUVs, vans, motorhomes, semi-trailers, tractor-trailers, transport vehicles including those used in warehouses, tricycles, motorcycles, aircraft, amphibious vehicles, or any other such vehicle 12. Additionally, without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure, the primary vehicle 12 can be an aircraft, a boat, etc.

[0039] System 10 also includes one or more sensors 14 disposed on, attached to, or otherwise integrated into the main vehicle 12. Additional sensors 14 may be located remotely from the main vehicle 12 and transmit information to it, as will be described in further detail below. The sensors 14 of the main vehicle 12 may include any of a variety of sensor types, including but not limited to: electromagnetic (EM) sensors 14, such as cameras, infrared cameras, video cameras, LiDAR sensors, RADAR sensors, SONAR sensors, etc. In some examples, the cameras and / or other sensors 14 of the main vehicle 12 are equipped with an external field of view (FOV), and the data collected by such cameras includes optical information about the environment in which the main vehicle 12 operates. In other, non-limiting examples, the cameras and / or other sensors 14 are pointed towards the interior or passenger compartment of the main vehicle 12, thereby providing information about the passengers and operators of the main vehicle 12. Other sensors 14 may include, but are not limited to: an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 16, a suspension control unit such as a semi-active damping suspension (SADS) sensor 18, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor 22, a wheel speed sensor 24 capable of measuring the rotational speed of one or more wheels 26 of the main vehicle 12, a throttle and / or accelerator pedal position sensor 28, a brake pedal position sensor 30, a steering position sensor 32 capable of measuring the position, steering ratio, and steering speed of the steering system 34, a tire pressure monitoring system 36, etc.

[0040] The IMU 16 can measure the movement, acceleration, etc. of the main vehicle 12 in several degrees of freedom. In a specific example, the IMU 16 can measure position, movement, acceleration, etc. in at least three degrees of freedom. Similarly, the SADS sensor 18 can be an IMU 16 capable of measuring in three or more degrees of freedom. In some examples, the SADS 18 can be a suspension hub accelerometer, etc. The sensor 14 of the main vehicle 12 can therefore detect and record wheel speed data, the position and location of the main vehicle 12, and static and dynamic information (such as speed, acceleration, etc.) of the main vehicle 12.

[0041] As used herein and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the terms “front,” “rear,” “inner,” “inward,” “outer,” “outward,” “above,” and “below” are terms used relative to the orientation of the main vehicle 12. Thus, “forward” refers to the direction toward the front of the vehicle 12, “rear” refers to the direction toward the rear of the vehicle 12, “inner” and “inward” refer to the direction toward the interior of the vehicle 12 or the passenger compartment 38, “outer” and “outward” refer to the direction toward the exterior of the vehicle 12, “below” refers to the direction toward the bottom of the main vehicle 12, and “above” refers to the direction toward the top of the main vehicle 12.

[0042] System 10 also includes one or more controllers 40 that communicate with various sensors 14 of the main vehicle 12, process information received from the main vehicle 12, and generate output signals to assist the vehicle operator 42 in maintaining attention and avoiding highway hypnosis or white line fever. The controllers 40 are integrated into the main vehicle 12. More specifically, the controllers 40 are non-generalized electronic control devices having a pre-programmed digital computer or processor 44, a non-transitory computer-readable medium or memory 46 for storing data (such as control logic, software applications, instructions, computer code, data lookup tables), and input / output (I / O) ports 48. The computer-readable medium or memory 46 includes any type of media accessible by a computer (such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of memory). The “non-transitory” computer-readable memory 46 does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links for transmitting transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable storage 46 includes media capable of permanently storing data, as well as media capable of storing data and being rewritten later (such as rewritable optical discs or erasable storage devices). Computer code includes any type of program code, including source code, object code, and executable code. Processor 44 is configured to execute code or instructions. The main vehicle 12 may have additional controllers 40 (such as a dedicated Wi-Fi controller, engine control module, transmission control module, body control module, infotainment control module, etc.). I / O ports 48 may be configured for wired communication, wireless communication via Wi-Fi protocols under IEEE 802.11x, etc., without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure.

[0043] The controller 40 also includes one or more applications 50. An application 50 is a software program configured to perform a specific function or set of functions. An application 50 may include one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof suitable for implementation in suitable computer-readable program code. Applications 50 may be stored within memory 46 or in a separate or additional memory 46. Examples of applications 50 include audio or video streaming services, games, browsers, social media, etc. In other examples, applications 50 are used to manage the body control system functions of the primary vehicle 12; suspension control system functions 54; steering control system functions 56; powertrain control system functions 58, including transmission 59 and / or engine 60 control system functions; braking system 62 control functions; or similar functions in the exemplary primary vehicle 12. More specifically, the primary vehicle 12 is equipped with multiple control systems that manage the static and dynamic performance characteristics of the primary vehicle 12 through multiple onboard actuators 64 equipped on the primary vehicle 12.

[0044] Without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure, the actuator 64 may take many different forms and manage many different and / or related main vehicle 12 control systems. It will be understood that the actuator 64 may be any combination of the above types of actuation devices for altering one or more static and / or dynamic performance properties of the main vehicle 12, including electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, electromechanical, electrohydraulic, electropneumatic, magnetorheological, hydraulic-pneumatic, electromagnetic, and / or other types of actuation devices.

[0045] In some non-limiting examples, the suspension control system 54 includes one or more suspension system actuators 64 (such as active or semi-active shock absorbers 66) capable of altering the damping forces transmitted from the wheels 26 of the main vehicle 12 to the body 68 of the main vehicle 12 when the main vehicle 12 is traveling on a road surface. The actuators of the steering control system 56 may include an electric motor, electrohydraulic, electropneumatic, or other such electric motor or steering actuator 70, which applies torque to the steering shaft 72 or steering rack 74 of the main vehicle 12 and thereby alters the driving orientation of the main vehicle 12 by changing the position or angular orientation of the steering wheels 26. In contrast, the onboard actuators 64 of the transmission 59 or engine 60 control system may include the transmission 59 or engine 60 itself and / or actuating components therein capable of altering the torque output or torque ratio of the engine 60 or transmission 59. In some non-limiting transmission 59 or engine 60 control systems, actuator 76 may include a throttle valve or electronic throttle valve 78 capable of changing the torque output of engine 60, a transmission actuator 80 capable of changing the gear ratio and the torque output transmitted from engine 60 through transmission 59, etc. It should also be understood that, although... Figure 1 The main vehicle 12 shown is equipped with an internal combustion engine (ICE) 60, but without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure, the engine 60 can be any type of engine 60 or prime mover, such as an ICE engine 60, an electric motor, a hybrid electric motor 60, a combination thereof, or any other known type of engine 60. Similarly, the braking system 62 actuator 64 includes brakes 82 of the main vehicle 12, which are capable of selectively slowing the rotational speed of the wheels 26 of the main vehicle 12, and thereby changing the speed of the main vehicle 12 itself.

[0046] The main vehicle 12 can operate in a variety of different modes, including a fully manual mode in which the vehicle operator 42 has full control over the static and dynamic performance characteristics of the main vehicle 12. In other non-limiting examples, the main vehicle 12 can operate in a fully automatic or semi-automatic mode that controls some or all of the static and dynamic performance of the main vehicle 12. More specifically, the system 10 of this disclosure operates on the main vehicle 12, which has an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) 84 capable of controlling the adaptive cruise control (ACC) 11 function, steering, braking, and any of a variety of other means of controlling the onboard main vehicle 12 systems.

[0047] refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B And refer again Figure 1 System 10 utilizes one or more applications 50, particularly an Automated Vehicle Lane Change (ALC) application 52, which uses sensor 14 data, vehicle operator 42 preference data, location data, etc., to adjust the ACC 11 speed profile of the primary vehicle 12, while providing the vehicle operator 42 with comfortable, accurate, and properly engaged route corrections via ADAS 84 navigation to plan routes into and / or out of alternative vehicle lanes 86 with significantly different environmental speeds from the current primary vehicle lane 88. Without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure, the alternative vehicle lane 86 may include any of a variety of different types of vehicle lanes on a road segment. In some non-limiting examples, the alternative vehicle lane 86 may include adjacent vehicle lanes 90, exit vehicle lanes 92, merging vehicle lanes 94, and / or any vehicle lane on a road segment adjacent to or otherwise separated from the primary vehicle lane 88. It will also be understood that the alternative vehicle lane 86 can be a vehicle lane occupied by other vehicles 12' traveling at the same or substantially different speeds as the primary vehicle 12. Figure 2A In a non-restricted example, another vehicle 12' occupying existing vehicle lane 92 is traveling at approximately 25 miles per hour (mph), while the main vehicle 12 is traveling at approximately 60 mph in main vehicle lane 88. In contrast, in Figure 2B In the middle, other vehicles 12' accelerated from approximately 25 mph to approximately 60 mph highway speed in merge lane 94. Figure 2B In the example, the main vehicle 12 is traveling in the main vehicle lane 88, which is also the merging vehicle lane 94, which merges with vehicles 12 and 12' and causes vehicles 12 and 12' to enter a highway with an ambient speed of approximately 60 miles per hour.

[0048] For reference Figure 3 And continue to refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2A and Figure 2BThe ALC application 52 is illustrated in more detail as a flowchart. Utilizing sensor 14 data processed through a series of logical steps, the ALC application 52 proactively, accurately, and smoothly adjusts the ACC 11 speed of the ADAS 84 operation of the primary vehicle 12 to incorporate the primary vehicle 12 into an alternative vehicle lane 86 with an environmental speed significantly different from the original or current primary vehicle lane 88. These steps will be described in more detail herein. More specifically, the acceleration and deceleration provided by system 10 and ALC application 52 to the primary vehicle 12 fall within a comfort-ability envelope defined for vehicle passengers 42. The comfort-ability envelope may vary for different applications and for different vehicle operators 42, but in some non-limiting examples, for high speed difference scenarios, the comfort-ability envelope covers accelerations up to and including approximately + / - 1.5 m / sec. 2 It will also be understood that as the speed increment between the current primary vehicle lane 88 and the target alternative vehicle lane 86 increases, detecting the gap 96 between other vehicles 12' becomes increasingly important. In experiments, simple interpolation of such gaps 96 has shown that it is difficult to achieve an ongoing lane change when the speed increment is greater than approximately 5.7 m / s, and typical highway separation is in the range of approximately 4.37 m / s to approximately 8 m / s before the exit or separation lane is considered to be blocked by a normal human vehicle operator 42. Therefore, System 10 and ALC application 52 operate in an open-loop manner to decelerate and / or accelerate the primary vehicle 12 within the effective operating range of the closed-loop control of the primary vehicle 12. Therefore, it will be understood that the term "significantly different speed" or "significantly different speed" as used herein is intended to mean a speed or speed difference exceeding approximately 5.7 m / s.

[0049] like Figure 3As shown, ALC application 52 begins at box 100. At box 102, system 10 and ALC application 52 use sensor 14 data to calculate the speed of the target or desired alternative vehicle lane 86. At box 104, system 10 and ALC application 52 calculate the size of the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86. Subsequently, at box 106, system 10 and ALC application 52 determine whether the difference between the speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12 and the speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 is greater than a predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) for the primary vehicle 12. If it is determined that this difference is greater than the predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) for the primary vehicle 12, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 108. Although the deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the main vehicle 12 can vary considerably from application to application, and is based on the individual preferences of the specific vehicle operator 42, the deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the main vehicle 12 should be understood as the maximum acceleration / deceleration that maintains the comfort of the vehicle operator 42. That is, the deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the main vehicle 12 defines the maximum limit of the comfort range, which includes up to and includes approximately + / - 1.5 m / sec for high incremental speed situations. 2 The acceleration.

[0050] At box 108, after determining that the difference (V_dl) between the speed of the primary vehicle 12 (Vx) and the speed of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 is greater than the primary vehicle 12 deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim), system 10 and ALC application 52 determine whether the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is within acceptable limits and sufficiently large to allow the primary vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change within predefined maneuvering limits. In a non-limiting example, to ensure that the spacing or gap 96 meets the predefined maneuvering limits, the longitudinal length of the spacing or gap 96 and the current speed of the primary vehicle 12 and the ambient speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 are compared with the predefined maneuvering limits. The predefined maneuvering limits may vary depending on the application, the situation, and the vehicle operator 42, based on various factors. These factors include the current speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12, the speed (V_dl) of other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86, the longitudinal length of the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target vehicle lane, and the deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) of the primary vehicle 12. Further predefined maneuvering restrictions or thresholds may include, but are not limited to: GPS-based route guidance, predefined mechanical and / or software-implemented actuation limits of the ADAS-based actuator 64, etc. Such actuation limits of the ADAS-based actuator 64 may include the maximum and / or minimum steering wheel 26 hinge angle at a specific primary vehicle 12 speed (Vx), the maximum and / or minimum longitudinal acceleration and / or deceleration limits or ratio limits at a given primary vehicle 12 speed (Vx), etc. Additionally, it should be understood that for gap 96 to be “within range”, gap 96 must be within the detectable area of ​​sensor 14 of the main vehicle 12, and gap 96 must be on the currently planned autonomous navigable driving route, and gap 96 must be navigable into by the main vehicle 12’s ADAS 84 and ACC 11 without exceeding any of the main vehicle 12’s deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim), acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim), or comfort range.

[0051] When the distance or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is determined to be within a range and sufficiently large to allow the main vehicle 12 to change vehicle lanes within predefined maneuvering limits, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to block 110, in which system 10 and ALC application 52 switch to closed-loop control and command the main vehicle 12 to decelerate in a closed loop by: actuation of actuator 64 of the powertrain 58 control system, including the transmission 59 and / or engine 60 control system; and / or actuation of actuator 64 of the braking system 62; and simultaneously commanding the steering control system 56 actuator to change the direction of travel of the main vehicle 12 by changing the position or angular orientation of the steering wheels 26 of the main vehicle 12, thereby smoothly guiding the main vehicle 12 through the vehicle lane change and into a gap 96 in the target alternative vehicle lane 86.

[0052] However, when the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is determined to be outside the range and / or insufficient to allow the main vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change within the predefined maneuvering limits, the system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to block 112, in which the system 10 and ALC application 52 command the main vehicle 12 to decelerate in an open loop by actuation of actuator 64 of the powertrain 58 control system, including the transmission 59 and / or engine 60 control system; and / or actuation of actuator 64 of the braking system 62; etc.

[0053] During open-loop control at box 114, system 10 and ALC application 52 determine whether a predetermined time limit has been exceeded. The predetermined time limit can vary depending on the application, the situation, and the vehicle operator 42, based on a variety of factors. However, it should be understood that the predetermined time limit is a set of calibrable values ​​that determine how long the primary vehicle 12 should operate in open-loop deceleration mode without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane 88 to one of the alternative vehicle lanes 86. The predetermined time limit can include short-term and long-term time limit values, each with a sliding or adjustable window. In some non-limiting examples, depending on the driving conditions of the primary vehicle 12, the short-term time limit value can be up to seven (7) seconds or up to twenty (20) seconds, and the long-term time limit value can be up to one (1) minute or up to two (2) minutes. The predetermined time limits, including short-term and long-term time limits, are based in part on GPS information, high-definition (HD) map information, the main vehicle 12 indicator (i.e., turn signal), the other vehicle 12' indicator (i.e., other vehicle 12' turn signal), and the on-board sensors 14 and actuators 64 of the main vehicle 12.

[0054] In box 116, when it is determined that a predetermined time limit has been exceeded, system 10 and ALC application 52 abort any pending autonomously derived lane change attempts and notify vehicle operator 42 and / or gradually transfer control to vehicle operator 42. From boxes 110 and / or 116, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 118, where ALC application 52 terminates and relinquishes at least partial control of the primary vehicle 12 to vehicle operator 42.

[0055] However, when at box 114, if the predetermined time limit has not been exceeded, system 10 and ALC application 52 return to box 108, where system 10 and ALC application 52 continuously determine whether the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is within range and large enough to allow the main vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change.

[0056] Returning to reference box 106, when it is determined that the difference between the speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12 and the speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 is less than or equal to a predetermined deceleration limit (K_v_DclLim) for the primary vehicle 12, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 120. Boxes 120 through 130 illustrate and describe the logical process of system 10 and ALC application 52, which is similar to the logical process described above in boxes 106 through 118 for the primary vehicle 12 decelerating from primary vehicle lane 88 to an alternative vehicle lane 86 where the ambient speed is less than the primary vehicle speed (Vx). However, boxes 120 to 130 define a series of logical steps for system 10 and ALC application 52, which are applied to the case where the primary vehicle 12 accelerates from the current primary vehicle lane 88 to the alternative vehicle lane 86, in which the speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 is greater than the speed (Vx) of the current primary vehicle.

[0057] At box 120, after determining that the difference between the speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 and the speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12 is greater than the acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) of the primary vehicle 12, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 122. At box 122, system and ALC application 52 determine whether the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is within acceptable limits and sufficiently large to allow the primary vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change within predefined maneuvering limits. As previously described, in a non-limiting example, to ensure that the spacing or gap 96 meets the predefined maneuvering limits, the longitudinal length of the spacing or gap 96 and the current speed of the primary vehicle 12, as well as the ambient speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86, are compared with the predefined maneuvering limits. The predefined maneuvering limits may vary depending on the application, the situation, and the vehicle operator 42, based on various factors. These factors include the current speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12, the speed (V_dl) of other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86, the longitudinal length of the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target vehicle lane, and the acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) of the primary vehicle 12. Further predefined maneuvering limits or thresholds may include, but are not limited to: GPS-based route guidance, predefined mechanical and / or software-implemented actuation limits of the ADAS-based actuator 64, etc. Such actuation limits of the ADAS-based actuator 64 may include the maximum and / or minimum steering wheel 26 hinge angle at a given primary vehicle 12 speed (Vx), the maximum and / or minimum longitudinal acceleration and / or deceleration limits or ratio limits at a given primary vehicle 12 speed (Vx), etc.

[0058] When the distance or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is determined to be within a range and large enough to allow the main vehicle 12 to change vehicle lanes within predefined maneuvering limits, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to block 124, where system 10 and ALC application 52 switch to closed-loop control and command the main vehicle 12 to accelerate in closed loop by actuation of actuator 64 of the powertrain 58 control system, including the transmission 59 and / or engine 60 control system; and / or actuation of actuator 64 of the braking system 62; and simultaneously commanding the steering control system 56 actuator to change the direction of travel of the main vehicle 12 by changing the position or angular orientation of the steering wheels 26 of the main vehicle 12, thereby smoothly guiding the main vehicle 12 through the vehicle lane change and into a gap 96 in the target alternative vehicle lane 86.

[0059] However, when the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is determined to be outside the range and / or insufficient to allow the main vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change within the predefined maneuvering limits, the system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to block 126, where the system 10 and ALC application 52 command the main vehicle 12 to accelerate in open loop by means of actuators 64 of the drive powertrain 58 control system (including actuators 64 or transmission 59 and / or engine 60 control system; braking system 62; etc.).

[0060] During the open-loop acceleration control in block 126, system 10 and ALC application 52 determine whether a predetermined time limit has been exceeded. The predetermined time limit can vary depending on the application, the situation, and the vehicle operator 42, based on a variety of factors. However, it should be understood that the predetermined time limit is a set of calibrable values ​​that determine how long the primary vehicle 12 should operate in open-loop deceleration mode without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane 88 to one of the alternative vehicle lanes 86. The predetermined time limit can include short-term and long-term time limit values, each with a sliding or adjustable window. In some non-limiting examples, depending on the driving conditions of the primary vehicle 12, the short-term time limit value can be as high as seven (7) seconds or as high as twenty (20) seconds, and the long-term time limit value can be as high as one (1) minute or as high as two (2) minutes. The predetermined time limits, including short-term and long-term time limits, are partly based on GPS information, high-definition (HD) map information, indicators, and onboard sensors 14 and actuators 64 of the main vehicle 12.

[0061] When it is determined at box 128 that a predetermined time limit has been exceeded, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 116 and abort any pending autonomously derived lane change attempts, and notify vehicle operator 42 and / or gradually transfer control to vehicle operator 42. System 10 and ALC application 52 then proceed to box 118, where ALC application 52 terminates and relinquishes at least partial control of the primary vehicle 12 to vehicle operator 42.

[0062] However, when at box 128, if the predetermined time limit has not been exceeded, system 10 and ALC application 52 return to box 122, where system 10 and ALC application 52 continuously determine whether the spacing or gap 96 between other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86 is within range and large enough to allow the main vehicle 12 to perform a vehicle lane change.

[0063] Returning to reference box 106, when the difference between the speed (Vx) of the primary vehicle 12 and the speed (V_dl) of the desired or target alternative vehicle lane 86 is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit (K_v_AclLim) for the primary vehicle 12, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 130, where ALC application 52 terminates and relinquishes at least partial control of the primary vehicle 12 to vehicle operator 42. Similarly, when system 10 and ALC application 52 transition to closed-loop control of the primary vehicle at box 124, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 130, where ALC application 52 terminates.

[0064] As will be understood from the foregoing, boxes 120 to 130 illustrate and describe the logical process of system 10 and ALC application 52, which is similar to the logical process described above in boxes 106 to 118 concerning the deceleration of the primary vehicle 12 from primary vehicle lane 88 to an alternative vehicle lane 86 where the ambient speed is less than the primary vehicle speed (Vx). However, boxes 120 to 130 define a series of logical steps for system 10 and ALC application 52 applied to the case where the primary vehicle 12 accelerates from the current primary vehicle lane 88 to the alternative vehicle lane 86, where the desired or target speed (V_dl) of the alternative vehicle lane 86 is greater than the current primary vehicle speed (Vx).

[0065] Now for reference Figure 4 And continue to refer to Figures 1 to 3 The flowchart shows in more detail the parts of system 10 and ALC application 52 related to the calculated lane change urgency.

[0066] More specifically, Figure 4 Depicting in Figure 3 The open-loop control portion of ALC application 52 is initiated at box 108 or 122. Therefore, Figure 4The open-loop control loop shown can be considered similarly applied to decelerate or accelerate the primary vehicle 12 to maneuver it into the appropriate gap 96 in the alternative lane 86. The open-loop control portion of the ALC application 52 begins at block 200. At block 202, system 10 and ALC application 52 assess the urgency of the lane change maneuver of the primary vehicle 12. In several aspects, the relative urgency of the lane change maneuver depends on calculated values ​​of various factors, including but not limited to: the current speed of the primary vehicle 12, the distance or calculated time of the primary vehicle 12 reaching the route event (such as lane separation, traffic congestion or jams in one or more lanes on the current route or a segment of the route, turning, lane ending, lane merging, etc.), and the criticality of such route events. The criticality of a route event is the ranking of the importance of the route event relative to the planned navigation route and relative to the alternative route option closest to maintaining the target arrival time of the primary vehicle 12 to the planned destination. The criticality and urgency of the route event may also involve the need to change lanes for emergency vehicles, avoid obstacles in specific lanes, etc. At box 204, system 10 and ALC application 52 determine whether the relative urgency of the lane change maneuver is low. A lower relative urgency of the lane change maneuver indicates that system 10 and ALC application 52 find that the desired or planned lane change maneuver can be achieved under normal operating conditions using open-loop deceleration or acceleration, and that the acceleration or deceleration curve for the primary vehicle 12 to achieve the planned or desired lane change maneuver falls within the comfort range of the vehicle operator 42 or passengers. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be low at box 204, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 206, where system 10 and ALC application 52 create a speed profile for the primary vehicle 12 with the lowest possible speed adjustment. The speed profile may vary depending on the application and environment without departing from the scope or intent of this disclosure. In several aspects, the speed profile is the moving average speed of other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86. In some non-limiting examples, the speed profile includes multiple samples, each lasting a predetermined amount of time. In some non-restrictive examples, the buffers last approximately forty (40) seconds, and each buffer may contain a total of five (5) samples. Each sample in each buffer is defined by a sliding or adjustable time window. In some examples, the samples last approximately eight (8) seconds. Thus, in one non-restrictive example, the velocity profile includes eight (8) buffers, thus producing a velocity profile or average of approximately three hundred and twenty (320) seconds in total. However, it should be understood that the velocity profile is generally calculated according to the following formula:

[0067]

[0068] Where V dlThe speed of the vehicle lane is used to replace the desired target; Vx t Let 'x' be the longitudinal velocity of each individual object / or other vehicle 12' in the desired vehicle lane, such that 'x' refers to the longitudinal direction and 't' refers to each individual object or other vehicle 12'; n is the desired target substitution number of objects in the vehicle lane; and K t The sampling time window is K. t This may vary depending on the application, but should be understood as a hard-coded value calibrated for the operating conditions of various primary modes of transportation 12. Subsequently, at box 208, system 10 and ALC application 52 continue to perform automatic lane changing.

[0069] However, when it is determined at box 204 that the urgency of the lane change maneuver is not low, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 210. At box 210, system 10 and ALC application 52 calculate the time to the critical decision point. In several respects, as described above, the critical decision point defines the route event. That is, the critical decision point can include any of a variety of navigation decision points, such as lane separation, traffic congestion or jam, turning, lane ending, merging, etc., in one or more road lanes on the current road segment. System 10 and ALC application 52 then determine at box 212 whether the time to the critical decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time. The predetermined minimum threshold time can vary significantly depending on the road type, the physical location of the primary vehicle 12, the speed of the primary vehicle 12, the speed of other vehicles 12' in the target alternative vehicle lane 86, and other factors not specifically listed herein but related to the immediacy or urgency of the vehicle lane change relative to the autonomous navigation route currently traveled by the primary vehicle 12. When the time to the decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 214. At box 214, system 10 and ALC application 52 create a speed profile with the highest possible speed adjustment for the primary vehicle 12, based on a comfort range defined for the vehicle operator 42 or passenger. System 10 and ALC application 52 then proceed to box 216, where they notify or warn the vehicle operator 42 that the expected lane change is being performed because the calculated highest possible speed adjustment for the primary vehicle 12 exceeds the comfort range. In several respects, when the time to reach the decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time and the maximum possible speed of the main vehicle 12 is adjusted beyond the comfort range, the exit conditions of the ALC application 52 are met, and the system 10 and the ALC application 52 may additionally provide the vehicle operator 42 with an alternative route plan, while re-engaging the ACC 11 to bring the main vehicle 12 back to the traffic environment speed in the main vehicle lane 88, and then the system 10 re-initializes or otherwise restarts the ALC application 52.

[0070] However, when the time to reach the decision point at box 212 is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum threshold time, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 218. At box 218, system 10 and ALC application 52 calculate the speed adjustment of the main vehicle 12 based on the critical distance and time to the critical decision point. Subsequently, at box 220, based on the calculated speed adjustment from box 218, system 10 and ALC application 52 create a speed profile for the main vehicle 12, and at box 222, system 10 and ALC application 52 continue to perform automatic lane changing using the speed profile of the main vehicle 12 from box 222. From each of boxes 208, 216, and 222, system 10 and ALC application 52 proceed to box 224, where the open-loop control portion of ALC application 52 exits.

[0071] The system 10 and ALC application 52 disclosed herein offer several advantages. These advantages include the ability to automatically perform vehicle lane changes into and / or out of parking lanes while maintaining the comfort of the vehicle operator 42, keeping the main vehicle 12 along the planned route, and operating the main vehicle 12 autonomously and / or semi-autonomously in a manner that limits the operation of the automated main vehicle 12 to the capabilities of the system 10, while providing a smooth and efficient transition between the current main vehicle driving lane 88 and an alternative parking lane 86 in which other vehicles 12' travel at significantly lower or higher speeds than the current main vehicle driving lane 88, and simultaneously maintaining or reducing the complexity of the system 10, operating on existing main vehicle 12 hardware, and providing increased redundancy.

[0072] The description in this disclosure is exemplary in nature only, and any modifications that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure are intended to fall within its scope. Such modifications should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A system for operating a main vehicle to perform automatic lane changes entering and exiting a stopped traffic lane, the system comprising: Main means of transportation; One or more sensors are equipped with the main vehicle and detect static and dynamic state information about the main vehicle; One or more actuators are provided to the main vehicle and change the static and dynamic states of the main vehicle; The controller has a processor, memory, and input / output (I / O) ports that communicate with the one or more sensors and the one or more actuators. The processor executes a portion of program code stored in the memory, the program code including an Automatic Lane Change (ALC) application, the automatic lane change application including: The first control logic is used to calculate the speed of other vehicles in the alternative lane and to calculate the distance between the other vehicles; The second control logic is used to determine that the difference between the speed of the main vehicle and the speed of the other vehicles is greater than a predetermined deceleration limit for the main vehicle; The third control logic is used to determine that the spacing between the other vehicles is within a predetermined range and is large enough to accommodate the main vehicle. The fourth control logic is used to command one or more of the actuators of the main vehicle to perform open-loop acceleration of the main vehicle; and The fifth control logic is used to selectively engage closed-loop autonomous control of the primary vehicle or to gradually transfer control of the primary vehicle to a human primary vehicle operator, wherein the ALC application automatically accelerates the primary vehicle according to a calculated speed curve of the primary vehicle, and enables the primary vehicle to autonomously perform lane changes from the current primary vehicle lane to a target alternative vehicle lane via actuation of one or more of the powertrain actuators and brake actuators and the steering actuator, wherein the current primary vehicle lane has a significantly different speed from the target alternative vehicle lane.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The first control logic further includes: Control logic is used to calculate the speed of the other vehicles in the alternative vehicle lane based on a moving average of the speed of the other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane, wherein the moving average is stored in a buffer with multiple samples, each sample lasting a predetermined amount of time; wherein the buffer lasts approximately forty seconds and each buffer includes a total of five samples; and wherein each sample lasts approximately eight seconds, wherein the calculated speed curve of the primary vehicle is defined as a moving average of eight buffers, resulting in a total of approximately three hundred and twenty seconds.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising: Control logic used to calculate the speed curve of the main vehicle according to the following formula: Where V dl The speed of the vehicle lane is used to replace the desired target; Vx t Let 'x' represent the longitudinal velocity of each individual object / or other vehicle in the desired target replacement vehicle lane, and 't' represent each individual object or other vehicle; n is the number of objects in the desired target replacement vehicle lane; and K t The sampling time window, K t Hard-coded values ​​calibrated for various main modes of transportation operating conditions.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The second control logic also includes: Control logic that executes the third control logic when it determines that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit K_v_DclLim; and When the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of the other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined primary vehicle deceleration limit K_v_DclLim, the following is executed: Control logic that determines that the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than a predetermined acceleration limit K_v_AclLim for the primary vehicle; and The third control logic is executed when the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of other vehicles in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is greater than the predetermined acceleration limit K_v_AclLim for the primary vehicle; and When the difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of the other vehicle in the desired target alternative vehicle lane is less than or equal to the predetermined primary vehicle acceleration limit K_v_AclLim, the ALC application control of the primary vehicle ends.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The third control logic also includes: Control logic for determining whether the spacing between the other vehicles meets predefined maneuvering limits, including: the current speed Vx of the primary vehicle, the speed V_dl of other vehicles in the lane of the desired target alternative vehicle; the longitudinal length of the spacing between the other vehicles; the deceleration limit K_v_DclLim and the acceleration limit K_v_AclLim of the primary vehicle; predefined mechanical and / or software-implemented ADAS-based actuator actuation limits; and The spacing within the predetermined range is the spacing within the area detectable by the main vehicle's sensors, and is on the currently planned autonomous navigable driving route.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The fourth control logic also includes: Control logic for selectively engaging open-loop control of one or more actuators of the main vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the main vehicle until: Exceeding the predetermined time limit, or The difference between the speed of the primary vehicle and the speed of the other vehicles is less than or equal to a predetermined acceleration limit K_v_AclLim or a predetermined deceleration limit K_v_DclLim for the primary vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The control logic for selectively engaging one or more actuators of the main vehicle to engage open-loop acceleration or deceleration of the main vehicle until a predetermined time limit is exceeded also includes: Control logic that, without initiating a vehicle lane change from the current primary vehicle lane to the target alternative vehicle lane, uses a set of calibrable values ​​to determine how long the primary vehicle operates under open-loop deceleration or open-loop acceleration, and said calibrable values ​​further include: The system includes short-term and long-term time limits, with the short-term time limit having a value of up to twenty seconds and the long-term time limit having a value of up to two minutes; and each of the short-term and long-term time limits is based on Global Positioning System (GPS) information, high-definition (HD) map information, and a main vehicle indicator.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The fourth control logic also includes: Control logic is used to assess the urgency of lane change maneuvers based on multiple factors, including: the current speed of the primary vehicle, the distance or calculated time before the primary vehicle arrives at the route event, wherein the route event includes one or more of the following: lane separation, traffic backup, traffic congestion, turning, lane ending, and lane merging. When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be low, the control logic of the ALC application is executed to calculate the time to the critical decision point; and When the urgency of the lane change maneuver is determined to be not low, a speed profile of the primary vehicle with the lowest possible speed adjustment is created, and the lane change maneuver continues to be performed autonomously.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, The control logic used to calculate the time to key decision points also includes: Control logic, which is used to determine, in part, whether the time to the critical decision point is less than a predetermined minimum threshold time, based on the speed of the primary vehicle and the speeds of other vehicles in the target alternative vehicle lane; and When the time to the critical decision point is less than the predetermined minimum threshold time, a speed curve with the highest possible speed adjustment is created, and the vehicle operator is alerted to take over control of the primary vehicle to perform a lane change.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein, When the time to the critical decision point is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined minimum threshold time, the following control logic is executed: Speed ​​adjustments for primary transportation vehicles are calculated based on key distances and times. A speed curve is created based on the calculated speed of the main mode of transportation; and Continue performing the automatic lane change.

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