IP Library Granted Patent US 10,272,946
Granted Patent B2
US 10,272,946 · App. 15/329,826 · Granted Apr 30, 2019

Method and system of assisting a driver of a vehicle

Inventors: Yoshiro Takamatsu (Sunnyvale, CA); Yuji Takada (Sunnyvale, CA); Yoshinori Kusayanagi (Kamakura, JP); Norimasa Kishi (Yokohama, JP)
Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc.; NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
B62D15/025B60W30/12B60W50/14B60W50/16B62D5/0463B62D6/008G05D1/0212G05D1/0248G05D1/0257G05D1/0278B60W2550/10B60W2550/146B60W2710/202B60Y2300/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,272,946
App. No.
15/329,826
Granted
Apr 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle, the method includes obtaining a location of a road boundary relative to the vehicle using a sensor, selecting, via a controller, a parameter to assist a driver of the vehicle when approaching the location of the road boundary based on a condition, determining, via the controller, based on the location of the road boundary whether the vehicle will be a predetermined distance from the road boundary, and providing a feedback operation to assist the driver in avoiding the road boundary based on the selected parameter.

Claims (37)

1. A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining a location of a road boundary relative to the vehicle using a sensor;

selecting, via a controller, a parameter to assist a driver of the vehicle when approaching the location of the road boundary based on a condition;

determining, via the controller, an acceptable distance between the vehicle and the road boundary based on the selected parameter;

determining, via the controller, based on the location of the road boundary whether the vehicle will be the acceptable distance from the road boundary; and

providing a feedback operation to assist the driver in avoiding the road boundary based on the selected parameter, including applying an assist force on a portion of a steering system of the vehicle to cause movement of the vehicle away from the boundary, the assist force being calculated using a predetermined period of time of a speed of a steering operation during previous driving maneuvers, and when the speed of the steering operation during previous driving maneuvers increases, a predetermined period of time of applying the assist force is decreased.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the providing the feedback operation includes providing haptic feedback to a portion of an interior of the vehicle located proximate to the driver.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

calculating the torque using at least one of a distance to the road boundary, an angle of the car relative to the road boundary, and a curvature of the road.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

calculating the torque using estimated values for a distance of the vehicle to the road boundary, an angle of the vehicle relative to the road boundary, and an estimated curvature of the road at a predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the selecting the parameter based on the condition includes manual election by a user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

updating the parameter based on a driving operation of the vehicle on the road.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the updating the parameter includes updating the parameter based on a condition of a steering system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the parameter includes a distance threshold, and the providing a feedback operation includes applying a feedback force when a distance of the vehicle to the road boundary is less than the distance threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the parameter includes an assist force threshold, and the providing a feedback operation includes applying the assist force at the assist force threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein

the parameter includes an assist force gradient, and the assist force is calculated according to the assist force gradient.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein

the condition is one of a plurality of conditions, and

the method further includes adjusting the distance threshold based on at least one condition of the plurality of conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

adjusting the assist force based on at least one condition of the plurality of conditions.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the assist force is calculated based on a trajectory of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the boundary is at least one of a wall and a curb proximal to the road.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the boundary is a lane marker on the road.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to adjust the acceptable distance based on a condition of the road.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2019
From: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 050589/0642 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2017
From: TAKAMATSU, YOSHIRO; TAKADA, YUJI; KUSAYANAGI, YOSHINORI; KISHI, NORIMASA
To: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.; NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 041108/0384 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180201315A1 · Jul 19, 2018