DEVICE FOR SELECTING A DRIVING MODE FOR AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE - Patent application

Abstract

A device (1) for selecting a driving mode of an autonomous vehicle, comprising an electrical assembly (100) in which a switch (10, 20) is associated in series with a first resistor (11, 21) and a safety resistor (30) is connected in parallel with said switch (10, 20) and said associated first resistor (11), said electrical assembly being connected firstly to a DC voltage source (41) of a computer (40) and secondly to a ground (42) of the computer (40), such that an equivalent resistance of the electrical assembly (100) makes it possible, firstly, to determine whether the switch (10) is closed or open and, secondly, to determine a potential fault of said electrical assembly (100).

Description

Summary of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for gaining control of an autonomous vehicle, and in particular to a device for selecting a driving mode of an autonomous vehicle.

[0002] In the field of motor vehicles, an autonomous vehicle is a vehicle that can move and steer automatically without the assistance of a driver. In other words, an autonomous vehicle is driven by an on-board computer and makes control decisions depending on external sensors such as radar and lidar, depending on the dynamics of the autonomous vehicle obtained by sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, depending on the knowledge of the road obtained by on-board mapping means, and depending on the geographical position of the autonomous vehicle obtained, for example, by GPS.

[0003] However, an autonomous vehicle must have the capability to be driven by a human driver, who must therefore have the option to trigger automatic steering or take back control.

[0004] To this end, the control interface needs to be able to allow the driver to manually decide at any time whether he or she wants to enter or exit the autonomous mode.

[0005] Given that this command has great safety importance, it is necessary that the sending of the command to activate or deactivate the autonomous mode is optimally secure.

[0006] Document EP 3240712 B1 is particularly known, which describes a circuit diagram of a control system for activating or deactivating an autonomous mode, comprising an electronic controller, which activates the autonomous driving mode when a first button and a second button are selected at once for more than a predetermined first time, thus avoiding the autonomous driving mode being activated or deactivated involuntarily.

[0007] However, the solution proposed by this document, with two switches, does not make it possible to detect possible failures of this control system.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an improved control system that can automatically detect possible failures in the electronic control circuits for entering or exiting an autonomous driving mode.

[0009] For this purpose, a device for selecting a driving mode of an autonomous automated vehicle is proposed, the device comprising at least one control switch, the device comprising a computer capable of detecting the pressing of said switch.

[0010] The device comprises an electric circuit in which the switch is connected in series with a first resistor and a safety resistor is connected in parallel with the switch and the first resistor, the electric circuit being connected on the one hand to a DC voltage source of the computer and on the other hand to the ground of the computer, so that an equivalent resistance of the electric circuit makes it possible to determine, on the one hand, whether the switch is closed or open and, on the other hand, to determine a potential fault of the electric circuit.

[0011] The presence of the safety resistor therefore provides optimized safety to ensure that the computer is able to detect failure of the device for selecting the operating mode.

[0012] Advantageously and non-limitingly, the electric circuit comprises a second switch connected in series with a second resistor, the second switch and the second resistor being connected in parallel with the first switch and the first resistor on the one hand and with the safety resistor on the other hand, so that the equivalent resistance of the electric circuit further makes it possible to determine whether the second switch is closed or open, either simultaneously with the first switch or without the first switch. The device is therefore suitable for operating with two switches, which makes it possible to obtain an increase in safety in changing the operating mode.

[0013] Moreover, such a circuit with two switches has only two connections to the computer, namely a connection to ground and a DC voltage connection, allowing the computer to measure the equivalent resistance. Thus, the risk of electrical failure, in particular the risk of the cable being cut, is reduced with respect to the prior art, where there were twice as many cables for connection to the computer.

[0014] Advantageously, the device comprises means making it possible to detect that the two switches are open when their equivalent resistance is equal to the value of said safety resistor, and thus, by measuring the equivalent resistance as seen by the computer, it is possible to determine in a simple manner whether the switches are both open.

[0015] Advantageously, the device comprises means making it possible to detect a fault associated with an open circuit when said equivalent resistance is equal to an infinite value, and thus, by measuring the equivalent resistance as seen by a computer, it is possible to determine in a simple manner whether there is an open circuit fault in the electric circuit.

[0016] Advantageously, the device comprises means making it possible to detect a short circuit to ground or to the DC voltage source when the equivalent resistance is 0. It is therefore possible to determine in a simple manner whether the device is short circuited, by measuring the equivalent resistance as seen by the computer.

[0017] The invention also relates to a computer on board an autonomous automated vehicle, which is suitable for detecting, depending on the measured resistance value, whether the connected selection device is a selection device comprising a single switch or whether the connected selection device is a selection device comprising two switches.

[0018] The invention also relates to a steering wheel for a motor vehicle, comprising an on-board computer and a selection device as described above.

[0019] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel as described above.

[0020] Other details and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and not by way of limitation, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 5A-5C are diagrams of two alternative electrical circuit representations of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] With reference to FIG. 1 , according to a first embodiment of the invention, an autonomous automated vehicle is provided with a steering wheel having means for selecting a driving mode that makes it possible to trigger autonomous driving or to deactivate autonomous driving.

[0023] These selection means comprise two switches 10, 20, each mounted on the steering wheel such that one of them can be activated by the driver's right hand and the other by the driver's left hand.

[0024] When the two switches are pressed simultaneously for a predetermined period of time, say one to three seconds, an on-board computer built into the steering wheel detects a command to change the driving mode state.

[0025] Thus, when the two switches 10, 20 are kept closed for a predetermined time, if the current driving mode was the autonomous mode, the vehicle will switch to the manual driving mode, and vice versa.

[0026] When the two switches 10, 20 are released, or when only one of the switches is released, the selector is in a rest position indicating that no action is required by the driver to change the driving mode.

[0027] The selection device 1 comprises an electric circuit 100 in which a first switch 10 is connected in series with a first resistor 11, also labelled Rsw1, forming a first branch of the circuit.

[0028] A second switch 20 is connected in series with a second resistor 21 , also labeled Rsw 2 , to form a second branch of the circuit 100 .

[0029] The first branch and the second branch are in parallel with each other.

[0030] Finally, R AD A safety resistor 30, also labeled as a safety resistor 30, is mounted in parallel with the first and second branches.

[0031] This circuit is connected on the one hand to the ground 42 of the on-board computer 40 and on the other hand to V BAT Also labeled as GND, the power supply 42 is connected to a DC voltage 41 of a computer 40 .

[0032] In this embodiment, the DC voltage has a value of 5V.

[0033] Therefore, from a computer point of view, the equivalent resistance Re of this circuit can be calculated in the following form:

[0034] [Math1] JPEG2024521627000002.jpg14170

[0035] This equivalent resistance value Re therefore allows the computer to determine, on the one hand, what the state of the two switches is, and furthermore to detect possible faults of the circuit 100.

[0036] In this example, the following resistance values ​​are taken:

[0037] R SW1 =560Ω

[0038] R SW2 =560Ω

[0039] R AD =6.8kΩ

[0040] By calculating the equivalent resistance Re, as seen by the computer, at these given resistance values, the computer 40 can determine the state of the circuit according to the following table: [Table 1] JPEG2024521627000003.jpg58170

[0041] From this table, the circuit according to the invention and the selected resistance values, in particular the safety resistor R AD It will be appreciated that the circuit and selected resistance values ​​according to the present invention, in which the equivalent resistance Re has a value at least ten times greater than the first and second resistors, enables a computer to determine the state of the electrical circuit 100, and in particular possible short circuit or open circuit faults in the circuit 100, as a function of the equivalent resistance Re.

[0042] According to one particular implementation of this embodiment, the first resistor and the second resistor may also have distinct values ​​so that when only one switch is detected as closed, the computer can determine which is the closed switch.

[0043] According to a second embodiment of the invention, and with reference to FIG. 2, a single computer 41 occurs which is mounted on various models of motor vehicles.

[0044] Thus, for example, the same computer may be implemented for an urban model of a motor vehicle and for a sports model of a motor vehicle.

[0045] In this case, there may be differences, including manual change of driving mode, where in the case of the sports model, the change from the autonomous driving mode is manually controlled by a single switch 50, and in the case of the urban model, the change from the autonomous driving mode is controlled by simultaneously pressing the two switches 10, 20 as disclosed in the first embodiment.

[0046] The diagram in FIG. 2 is a superimposed view of two different circuits 100' that do not exist simultaneously in the same vehicle, where only the upper circuit 500 or the lower circuit 501 exists in the vehicle.

[0047] Thus, by way of example, the sports model comprises an upper circuit 500 with a single switch 50, and the urban model comprises a lower circuit 501, which is similar to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0048] The purpose is to enable the computer to detect, on the one hand, which circuits are present and, on the other hand, to detect commands to change the operating mode and possible faults in the electrical circuits.

[0049] To this end, the upper circuit 500 has a single switch 50 and a resistor 51, also labeled Rsw3, in series with the switch 50. The upper circuit 500 also includes a safety resistor 31 in parallel with the switch 50 and the resistor 51.

[0050] This upper circuit 500 is connected to the computer 50 and, on the one hand, to the ground of the computer 42 and, on the other hand, to a DC voltage source V, for example at 5 V, of the computer 41. BAT is connected to.

[0051] In this upper circuit 500, the resistors have the following values:

[0052] Safety resistor R RS =2.7kΩ

[0053] Resistor 51 Rsw3=1.5kΩ.

[0054] The lower circuit 501 is for its part similar to that of the first embodiment, and the resistance values ​​are the same as in this first embodiment.

[0055] Thus, from the computer 40's point of view, measuring the equivalent resistance Re makes it possible to detect various conditions. [Table 2] JPEG2024521627000004.jpg84170

[0056] Thus, it should be understood that computer 40 can determine which circuits are installed in a motor vehicle, which switches are closed, and possible short circuit or open circuit faults in the circuits, even when computer 40 does not know in advance which circuits have been installed in the vehicle.

[0057] Thus, the present invention recognizes specific choices of resistor values, where:

[0058] - The safety resistor is larger than the resistor associated with the switch, for example, 5 to 20 times larger,

[0059] - the safety resistor of the first circuit mode and the safety resistor of the second circuit mode are different from each other, for example, have resistance values ​​having a ratio in the range of 2 to 4;

[0060] The computer enables automatic detection of which electrical circuits are present in the steering wheel and ensures optimal safety of the selection of driving modes by automatically detecting major faults in the electrical circuits.

Claims

1. A device (1) for selecting a driving mode of an autonomous automated vehicle, comprising at least one control switch (10, 50) and further comprising a computer (40) capable of detecting a depression of said switch (10, 50), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said device (1) comprises an electric circuit (100) in which said switch (10, 50) is connected in series with a first resistor (11, 51) and in which a safety resistor (30) is connected in parallel with said switch (10, 50) and said first resistor (11), said electric circuit being connected on the one hand to a DC voltage source (41) of said computer (40) and on the other hand to the ground (42) of said computer (40), so that an equivalent resistance of said electric circuit (100) makes it possible, on the one hand, to determine whether said switch (10, 50) is closed or open and, on the other hand, to determine a potential fault of said electric circuit (100).

2. 2. The selection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric circuit (100) comprises a second switch (20) connected in series with a second resistor (21), the second switch (20) and the second resistor (21) being connected in parallel with the first switch (10) and the first resistor on the one hand and with the safety resistor (30) on the other hand, so that the equivalent resistance of the electric circuit (100) further makes it possible to determine whether the second switch (20) is closed or open, either simultaneously with the first switch (10) or without the first switch (10).

3. A selection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible to detect that the two switches (10, 20) are open when the equivalent resistance is equal to the value of the safety resistor (30).

4. A selection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible to detect a fault associated with an open circuit when said equivalent resistance is equal to an infinite value.

5. A selection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means making it possible to detect a short circuit in the ground (42) or in the DC voltage source (41) when the equivalent resistance is zero.

6. A computer (40) on board an autonomous motor vehicle, the computer (40) being adapted to detect, depending on the measured resistance value (Re), whether a connected selection device is a selection device (1) according to claim 1 comprising a single switch (50) or whether the connected selection device is a selection device according to claim 2 comprising two switches (10, 20).

7. A steering wheel for a motor vehicle, comprising an on-board computer (40) according to claim 6 and a selection device according to claim 1.

8. A motor vehicle comprising a steering wheel according to claim 7.

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