Integrated Lateral Control for Lane Keeping Across Driving Ranges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lateral control systems for vehicle path tracking in advanced driving assist systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) face challenges in handling high dynamic maneuvers, with kinematics-based controllers underperforming at high lateral acceleration and dynamics-based controllers struggling at low speeds, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs) with enhanced performance capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A combined kinematics and dynamics-based lateral acceleration controller is implemented, using camera inputs to detect lane boundaries and path curvature, determining yaw rate and steering angle to maintain vehicle position within the lane, and activating steering and braking actuators as needed, based on vehicle speed and performance parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If kinematics-based controllers are used for lateral control, then the system is simple and easy to implement, but the controller underperforms at high lateral acceleration and high dynamic maneuvers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontroller structureVSAvoidcontrol performance at high lateral acceleration

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines kinematics-based and dynamics-based controllers into a unified lateral control system. The kinematics controller handles low-speed scenarios while the dynamics controller handles high-speed scenarios, and they are merged through a switching mechanism that selects the appropriate controller based on vehicle speed and lateral acceleration thresholds, thereby achieving both simplicity and high performance across all operating conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic switching between kinematics and dynamics controllers based on real-time vehicle operating conditions (speed and lateral acceleration). The system transitions from a static controller selection to a dynamic adaptive control architecture that adjusts the controller type according to the current driving scenario, improving reliability across varying operational states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If dynamics-based controllers are used for lateral control, then the controller performs well at high lateral acceleration, but the controller struggles at low speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol performance at high lateral accelerationVSAvoidvehicle speed range

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the operating range into different zones based on vehicle speed and lateral acceleration. The kinematics controller is assigned to handle low-speed scenarios (below threshold v1 or lateral acceleration a1), while the dynamics controller handles high-speed scenarios (above threshold v2 or lateral acceleration a2). This segmentation allows each controller to specialize in its optimal operating range, eliminating the weakness of dynamics controllers at low speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different controller characteristics to different operating conditions. The kinematics controller provides sufficient control authority at low speeds where dynamic effects are minimal, while the dynamics controller provides precise control at high speeds where dynamic effects dominate. This local optimization ensures each controller operates in its most effective regime

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a single controller handles all driving ranges from static to highly dynamic maneuvers, then the controller must be highly adaptive, but the controller complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving range coverageVSAvoidcontroller structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal lateral control system that can handle all driving scenarios from static to highly dynamic maneuvers through a multi-functional architecture. The system incorporates both kinematics and dynamics controllers with a switching mechanism, allowing a single control system to perform multiple functions (low-speed control, high-speed control, lane keeping, evasive maneuvers) without requiring separate dedicated controllers for each scenario

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11891059B2System and methods of integrating vehicle kinematics and dynamics for lateral control feature at autonomous driving

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 WHS ENERGY SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

An apparatus includes at least one camera configured to capture an image of a traffic lane in front of a vehicle. The apparatus also includes a path tracking controller configured to detect lane boundaries and a path curvature for the traffic lane from the image, determine a lateral offset of the vehicle from a reference path for the traffic lane and a heading offset for the vehicle from the path curvature, determine a yaw rate maintaining the vehicle within the traffic lane using a kinematics control, determine a steering angle maintaining the vehicle within the traffic lane using a dynamics control and the yaw rate determined by the kinematics control, and activate a steering control based on the determined steering angle.