IP Library Granted Patent US 11,415,994
Granted Patent B2
US 11,415,994 · App. 16/792,645 · Granted Aug 16, 2022

Method and apparatus for planning travelling path, and vehicle

Inventors: Xiaoxin Fu (Beijing, CN); Dayang Hao (Beijing, CN); Zhenguang Zhu (Beijing, CN); Zhiyuan Chen (Beijing, CN); Fan Zhu (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
G05D1/0214G01C21/3453G08G1/0133G08G1/0145G05D2201/0213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,415,994
App. No.
16/792,645
Granted
Aug 16, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for planning a travelling path, and a vehicle are provided. The method includes: determining at least one reference curve covering a first length range, and selecting a target reference curve covering the first length range from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range; extracting a curve to be adjusted covering a second length range from the target reference curve covering the first length range; processing the curve to be adjusted based on a safety parameter within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve; and determining a travelling path covering the first length range based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve. The complexity of an actual traffic scene is taken into account, and a travelling path planning is not affected by the accuracy of sampling points.

Claims (69)

1. A method for planning a travelling path, implemented by circuits for implementing control driving functions of a vehicle, comprising:

determining at least one reference curve covering a first length range in a path where the vehicle is located, and selecting a target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the target reference curve is a curve which is used for avoiding any obstacle within the first length range;

extracting a curve to be adjusted covering a second length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the second length range is smaller than the first length range and the second length range has a same starting point as the first length range;

processing the curve to be adjusted based on a safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve;

determining a travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve; and

controlling the vehicle to follow the determined travel path based on the presented driving functions;

wherein the processing the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve comprises:

determining the safety parameter within the second length range based on a vehicle parameter and an environmental parameter within the second length range; and

processing the curve to be adjusted to obtain the adjusted curve, based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range;

wherein in a quadratic planning, the curve to be adjusted is represented by a polynomial function 1=f(w, s) in the Frenet Frame coordinate system, wherein w is a polynomial coefficient; x=w is set, and the quadratic planning is performed by the following two calculations:

minimize J ( x )= x T Hx;

subject to Ax≤b;

wherein a quality and a score of the curve are calculated by J, minimize means to select an J value with a lowest cost, and x represents a curve parameter; H is a preset parameter, b is a safety parameter, and A is a distance from a static or dynamic object to the curve to be adjusted; the x obtained through the above calculations is an adjustment result, and the adjusted curve after adjustment is obtained by bringing the x into 1=f(w, s).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining the at least one reference curve covering the first length range of the vehicle comprises:

selecting, based on a current position of the vehicle, a travelling reference line segment for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the current position of the vehicle, on an initial travelling reference line for the vehicle;

determining at least one sampling point based on the travelling reference line segment; and

generating the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the determined at least one sampling point.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

determining the target reference curve as the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, when the processing of the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range is failed.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting the target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located comprises:

acquiring position information of at least one obstacle within the first length range; and

selecting a reference curve from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located as the target reference curve, based on the position information of the at least one obstacle within the first length range, wherein the target reference curve is a reference curve with a minimum path cost, which is used for avoiding the at least one obstacle.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve comprises:

splicing the adjusted curve with a part of the target reference curve outside the second length range, to obtain the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the target reference curve as the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, when the processing of the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range is failed.

7. An apparatus for planning a travelling path for a vehicle, implemented by circuits for implementing control driving functions of the vehicle, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a storage device configured to store one or more programs, wherein

the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine at least one reference curve covering a first length range in a path where the vehicle is located, and select a target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the target reference curve is a curve which is used for avoiding any obstacle within the first length range;

extract a curve to be adjusted covering a second length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the second length range is smaller than the first length range and the second length range has a same starting point as the first length range, and process the curve to be adjusted based on a safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve;

determine a travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve; and

control the vehicle to follow the determined travel path based on the presented driving functions;

wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to determine the safety parameter within the second length range based on a vehicle parameter and an environmental parameter within the second length range; and

process the curve to be adjusted to obtain the adjusted curve, based on the safety parameter within the second length range;

wherein in a quadratic planning, the curve to be adjusted is represented by a polynomial function 1=f(w, s) in the Frenet Frame coordinate system, wherein w is a polynomial coefficient; x=w is set, and the quadratic planning is performed by the following two calculations:

minimize J ( x )= x T Hx;

subject to Ax≤b;

wherein a quality and a score of the curve are calculated by J, minimize means to select an J value with a lowest cost, and x represents a curve parameter; H is a preset parameter, b is a safety parameter, and A is a distance from a static or dynamic object to the curve to be adjusted; the x obtained through the above calculations is an adjustment result, and the adjusted curve after adjustment is obtained by bringing the x into 1=f(w, s).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to select, based on a current position of the vehicle, a travelling reference line segment for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the current position of the vehicle, on an initial travelling reference line for the vehicle; determine at least one sampling point based on the travelling reference line segment; and generate the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the determined at least one sampling point.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to acquire position information of at least one obstacle within the first length range; and select a reference curve from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located as the target reference curve, based on the position information of the at least one obstacle within the first length range, wherein the target reference curve is a reference curve with a minimum path cost, which is used for avoiding the at least one obstacle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to splice the adjusted curve with a part of the target reference curve outside the second length range, to obtain the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to determine the target reference curve as the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, when the processing of the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range is failed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors further to determine the target reference curve as the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, when the processing of the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range is failed.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, implemented by circuits for implementing control driving functions of a vehicle, comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine at least one reference curve covering a first length range in a path where the vehicle is located, and selecting a target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the target reference curve is a curve which is used for avoiding any obstacle within the first length range;

extract a curve to be adjusted covering a second length range in the path where the vehicle is located from the target reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, wherein the second length range is smaller than the first length range and the second length range has a same starting point as the first length range;

process the curve to be adjusted based on a safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve;

determine a travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve; and

controlling the vehicle to follow the determined travel path based on the presented driving functions;

wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor further to:

determine the safety parameter within the second length range based on a vehicle parameter and an environmental parameter within the second length range; and

process the curve to be adjusted to obtain the adjusted curve, based on the safety parameter within the second length range;

wherein in a quadratic planning, the curve to be adjusted is represented by a polynomial function 1=f(w, s) in the Frenet Frame coordinate system, wherein w is a polynomial coefficient; x=w is set, and the quadratic planning is performed by the following two calculations:

minimize J ( x )= x T Hx;

subject to Ax≤b;

wherein a quality and a score of the curve are calculated by J, minimize means to select an J value with a lowest cost, and x represents a curve parameter; H is a preset parameter, b is a safety parameter, and A is a distance from a static or dynamic object to the curve to be adjusted; the x obtained through the above calculations is an adjustment result, and the adjusted curve after adjustment is obtained by bringing the x into 1=f(w, s).

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor further to:

select, based on a current position of the vehicle, a travelling reference line segment for the vehicle covering the first length range from in the path where the vehicle is located the current position of the vehicle, on an initial travelling reference line for the vehicle;

determine at least one sampling point based on the travelling reference line segment; and

generate the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located based on the determined at least one sampling point.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor further to:

acquire position information of at least one obstacle within the first length range; and

select a reference curve from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located as the target reference curve, based on the position information of the at least one obstacle within the first length range, wherein the target reference curve is a reference curve with a minimum path cost, which is used for avoiding the at least one obstacle.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor further to:

splice the adjusted curve with a part of the target reference curve outside the second length range, to obtain the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor further to:

determine the target reference curve as the travelling path for the vehicle covering the first length range in the path where the vehicle is located, when the processing of the curve to be adjusted based on the safety parameter of the vehicle within the second length range is failed.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICANT NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057933 FRAME: 0812. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
To: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058594/0836 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2021
From: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
To: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057933/0812 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: FU, XIAOXIN; HAO, DAYANG; ZHU, ZHENGUANG; CHEN, ZHIYUAN; ZHU, FAN
To: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051833/0139 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201910133965.0 · Feb 22, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200272157A1 · Aug 27, 2020