IP Library Granted Patent US 10,625,753
Granted Patent B2
US 10,625,753 · App. 15/853,929 · Granted Apr 21, 2020

Self-driving vehicle

Inventors: Yoshinori Yoshii (Shizuoka, JP); Takahiro Nakamura (Shizuoka, JP); Akihisa Tominaga (Shizuoka, JP); Nobuya Ishikawa (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: YAMAHA MOTOR POWER PRODUCTS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60W50/10B60W10/18B60W10/20B60W30/10B60W30/16B60W50/082B60W50/12G05D1/0259B60W2300/40B60W2520/10B60W2540/10B60W2540/12B60W2540/18B60W2556/45
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,625,753
App. No.
15/853,929
Granted
Apr 21, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A self-driving vehicle includes a plurality of operation members for the driver to operate and a controller. The plurality of operation members includes a steering operation member, a brake operation member, and an accelerating operation member. The controller has, as control modes thereof, an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode. The operation member that is predefined as a trigger for the shift from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode differs depending on states of the vehicle in the automatic operation mode. The self-driving vehicle enables the driver to shift the control mode from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode with a simple operation.

Claims (43)

1. A self-driving vehicle comprising:

a plurality of operation members configured for a driver to operate, the operation members comprising:

a steering operation member,

a brake operation member, and

an accelerating operation member;

a sensor that detects an induction line installed along a running course; and

a controller having an automatic operation mode and a manual operation mode, wherein the controller controls, when in the automatic operation mode, the vehicle based on output of the sensor so that the vehicle runs along the induction line, wherein the controller allows, when in the manual operation mode, the vehicle to run and stop in accordance with the operation of the plurality of the operation members by the driver, and wherein the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of a predefined operation member among the plurality of the operation members,

wherein

the operation member that is predefined as the trigger for the shift from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode differs depending on a state of the vehicle in the automatic operation mode.

2. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

in a vehicle stop state in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of the accelerating operation member, and

in a vehicle running state in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member, the brake operation member, and the accelerating operation member.

3. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a first brake device that automatically starts working under a control of the controller when the vehicle transitions into the vehicle stop state, and the first brake device then maintains the vehicle in the vehicle stop state, wherein

the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of the accelerating operation member in the vehicle stop state where the first brake device works and then releases braking of the first brake device.

4. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the controller does not shift from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member and the brake operation member in the vehicle stop state in the automatic operation mode.

5. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member, the brake operation member, and the accelerating operation member in a vehicle running state in the automatic operation mode, and

after a predefined stop condition is satisfied during running in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member and the accelerating operation member.

6. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

after the stop condition is satisfied during running in the automatic operation mode and until the vehicle transitions into the vehicle stop state in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member and the accelerating operation member.

7. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

after the stop condition is satisfied during running in the automatic operation mode, the controller does not shift from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of the brake operation member.

8. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first brake device that automatically starts working under a control of the controller when the vehicle transitions into a vehicle stop state in the automatic operation mode, and then maintains the vehicle in the vehicle stop state, and

a second brake device that slows down the vehicle,

wherein

before the second brake device starts slowing down the vehicle in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member, the brake operation member, and the accelerating operation member,

in a period after the second brake device starts slowing down the vehicle in the automatic operation mode and until the first brake device automatically starts working, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of any one of the steering operation member and the accelerating operation member.

9. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein

in the period after the second brake device starts slowing down the vehicle in the automatic operation mode and until the first brake device automatically starts working, the controller does not shift from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of the brake operation member.

10. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a steered wheel, wherein

the steering operation member is interlocked with the steered wheel and is positioned at a rotation angle corresponding to orientation of the steered wheel,

the controller controls the orientation of the steered wheel based on a relative position between the induction line and the vehicle in the automatic operation mode, and

the controller limits change of the orientation of the steered wheel at a start time of running of the vehicle in the automatic operation mode.

11. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the controller determines the start time of running based on a speed of the vehicle.

12. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a start instruction operation member for the driver to instruct the controller to start running the vehicle in the automatic operation mode, wherein

the controller determines the start time of running based on operation of the start instruction operation member.

13. The self-driving vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein

in a vehicle running state in the automatic operation mode, the controller shifts from the automatic operation mode to the manual operation mode upon a trigger of operation of the steering operation member.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2026
From: YAMAHA MOTOR POWER PRODUCTS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 073713/0522 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 25, 2017
From: YOSHII, YOSHINORI; NAKAMURA, TAKAHIRO; TOMINAGA, AKIHISA; ISHIKAWA, NOBUYA
To: YAMAHA MOTOR POWER PRODUCTS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 044480/0233 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-044048 · Mar 8, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180257667A1 · Sep 13, 2018