Vehicle control based on localization and road data
Systems and methods for determining the location of a vehicle are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for localizing a vehicle includes driving over a first road segment, identifying by a first localization system a set of candidate road segments, obtaining vertical motion data while driving over the first road segment, comparing the obtained vertical motion data to reference vertical motion data associated with at least one candidate road segment, and identifying, based on the comparison, a location of the vehicle. The use of such localization methods and systems in coordination with various advanced vehicle systems such as, for example, active suspension systems or autonomous driving features, is contemplated.
1. A method of operating a vehicle, comprising:
when the vehicle is at a first location along a road, determining a first approximation of the first location of the vehicle with a first localization system;
providing the first approximation of the first location of the vehicle to a remote data storage facility;
based on the first approximation of the first location, receiving, from the remote data storage facility, a reference profile of a portion of the road;
while traveling in the vehicle, along the road, to the first location, measuring, with a sensor, a parameter associated with a vertical motion of at least one wheel of the vehicle;
generating a first working profile, based at least partially on the measurements;
comparing the first working profile with the reference profile;
determining a second approximation of the first location of the vehicle based on the comparison;
traveling along the road to a second location;
while traveling to the second location, collecting new information with the sensor about the parameter associated with the vertical motion of the at least one wheel of the vehicle;
updating the first working profile based on the new information; and
determining an approximation of the second location based on a comparison of the updated first working profile and the reference profile.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
based at least partially on information about the second location, receiving data, at a controller on-board the vehicle, associated with a surface of a portion of the road ahead of the vehicle; and
using the data to operate vehicle system.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first localization system includes a global positioning system.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reference profile includes time domain data.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one vehicle system is selected from the group consisting of an active suspension system, a semi-active suspension system, a braking system, and a steering system.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reference profile includes data selected from the group consisting of acceleration of an unsprung mass, pitch angle of a vehicle, pitch rate of a vehicle, and pitch acceleration of a vehicle.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reference profile includes space domain data.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reference profile includes time domain data.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reference profile includes data collected from a second vehicle using at least one sensor operatively attached to an unsprung mass of the second vehicle.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.
11. A method of operating a vehicle system based on a location of a vehicle along a road, the method comprising:
traveling along the road with the vehicle;
while traveling along the road in the vehicle, measuring a parameter related to a vertical motion of at least one wheel of the vehicle with a sensor;
based at least partially on the measurements, generating a working profile of at least a portion of the road;
from a remote data storage facility, receiving a previously stored reference profile for the road;
determining a first location of the vehicle based on a degree of similarity between of the working profile and the previously stored reference profile;
updating the working profile as the vehicle travels to a new location along the road; and
determining a second location of the vehicle, based on a degree of similarity between the updated working profile and the previously stored reference profile.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
receiving data at a controller, on-board the vehicle, about the road ahead of the vehicle based at least partially on information about the second location; and
using the data to operate the vehicle system.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the previously stored reference profile includes time domain data.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle system is selected from the group consisting of an active suspension system, a semi-active suspension system, a braking system, and a steering system.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the previously stored reference profile includes data selected from the group consisting of acceleration of an unsprung mass, pitch angle of a vehicle, pitch rate of a vehicle, and pitch acceleration of a vehicle.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the previously stored reference profile includes space domain data.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the previously stored reference profile includes time domain data.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the previously stored reference profile includes data collected from a second vehicle using at least one sensor operatively attached to an unsprung mass of the second vehicle.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.