IP Library Granted Patent US 11,250,276
Granted Patent B2
US 11,250,276 · App. 16/526,854 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Object height determination for automated vehicle steering control system

Inventors: Junqing Wei (Bridgeville, PA); Wenda Xu (Pittsburgh, PA)
Assignee: Motional AD LLC
G06K9/00805B60W30/09B62D15/0265G08G1/166
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,250,276
App. No.
16/526,854
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A steering-system for an automated vehicle is provided. The system includes an object-detector and a controller. The object-detector indicates a height and/or a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle. The controller is configured to steer the host-vehicle and is in communication with the object-detector. The controller steers the host-vehicle to straddle the object when the height of the object is less than a ground-clearance of the host-vehicle, and/or the width of the object is less than a track-width of the host-vehicle.

Claims (80)

1. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:

an object-detector that is configured to:

detect a length and a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;

generate a confidence value of the height of the object based on the length of the object; and

indicate the confidence value and the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:

determine whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the height of the object and the confidence value; and

steer the host-vehicle according to the determining.

2. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-detector comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar, a radar and an ultrasonic-transducer.

3. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:

the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the obj ect-detector; and

the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

4. The steering-system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:

detect multiple heights for the object; and

indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

5. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:

an object-detector that is configured to:

detect a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle; and

indicate the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:

receive information from the object-detector, the information including the height;

limit use of the information from the object-detector that is gathered from a distance that exceeds a detector-range of the object-detector; and

steer the host-vehicle based on the information from the object-detector.

6. The steering-system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:

detect multiple heights for the object; and

indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

7. The steering-system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein:

the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and

the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

8. A steering-system for an automated vehicle, said system comprising:

an object-detector that is configured to:

detect a length and a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle;

generate a confidence value of the width of the object based on the length of the object; and

indicate the confidence value and the width of the object approached by a host-vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the object-detector configured to:

determine whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the width of the object and the confidence value; and

steer the host-vehicle according to the determining.

9. The steering-system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the object-detector is further configured to:

detect multiple heights for the object; and

indicate a tallest height of the multiple heights.

10. The steering-system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein:

the object-detector is further configured to determine that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and

the controller is further configured to steer the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

11. A method comprising:

detecting, using an obj ect-detector, a length and a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;

generating a confidence value of the height of the object based on the length of the object; and

indicating the confidence value and the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle;

determining whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the height of the object and the confidence value; and

steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle according to the determining.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object-detector comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar, a radar and an ultrasonic-transducer.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising:

determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and

steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting multiple heights for the object; and

indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

15. A method comprising:

detecting, using an object detector, a height of an object approached by a host-vehicle;

indicating the height of the object approached by the host-vehicle;

receiving information from the object-detector, the information including the height;

limiting use of the information from the object-detector that is gathered from a distance that exceeds a detector-range of the obj ect-detector; and

steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle based on the information from the object-detector.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising:

detecting multiple heights for the object; and

indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising:

determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and

steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

18. A method comprising:

detecting, using an obj ect-detector, a length and a width of an object approached by a host-vehicle;

generating a confidence value of the width of the object based on the length of the object;

indicating the confidence value and the width of the object approached by a host-vehicle;

determining whether to steer the host-vehicle over the object based on the width of the object and the confidence value; and

steering, according to the object-detector comprising one or more of a camera, LiDAR, or an ultrasonic transducer, the host-vehicle according to the determining.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 , further comprising:

detecting multiple heights for the object; and

indicating a tallest height of the multiple heights.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18 , further comprising:

determining that a trailing edge of the object is past a range of detection of the object-detector; and

steering the host-vehicle around the object, when the object-detector determines that the trailing edge of the object is past the range of detection of the object-detector.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2020
From: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
To: MOTIONAL AD LLC
Reel/Frame 053863/0399 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2020
From: WEI, JUNQING; XU, WENDA
To: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 052191/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2020
From: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 052191/0690 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15653846 · Jul 19, 2017
Related Publication 20190354784A1 · Nov 21, 2019