IP Library Granted Patent US 10,282,998
Granted Patent B2
US 10,282,998 · App. 15/461,855 · Granted May 7, 2019

Vehicle system and vehicle controller for controlling vehicle

Inventor: Te-Ping Kang (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc.; DENSO CORPORATION
G08G1/167B60W10/04B60W10/20B60W30/18163B60W50/0098G05D1/0061G05D1/0214G06K9/00791G08G1/166B60W2550/20B60W2710/20B60W2720/10G01S19/13G05D1/0088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,282,998
App. No.
15/461,855
Granted
May 7, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle system includes a vehicle size sensor mounted in a subject vehicle, the vehicle size sensor configured to detect whether a leading vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is oversized, and a processor coupled to the subject vehicle and the vehicle size sensor. The subject vehicle is configured to perform an assisted passing of the leading vehicle based on a passing parameter that defines a characteristic of the assisted passing, and the processor is programmed to, during the assisted passing: communicate with the vehicle size sensor to determined whether the leading vehicle is oversized, and modify the passing parameter when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized.

Claims (58)

1. A vehicle system, comprising:

a vehicle size sensor mounted in a subject vehicle, the vehicle size sensor configured to detect whether a leading vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is oversized in width, length, or height; and

a processor coupled to the subject vehicle and the vehicle size sensor, wherein:

the subject vehicle is configured to perform an assisted passing of the leading vehicle based on a passing parameter that defines a characteristic of the assisted passing;

the processor is programmed to, during the assisted passing:

communicate with the vehicle size sensor to determine whether the leading vehicle is oversized; and

modify the passing parameter when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized;

the processor is programmed to control the subject vehicle to perform the assisted passing by:

controlling a heading of the subject vehicle to change lanes from a driving lane to an adjacent lane;

controlling a speed of the subject vehicle in the adjacent lane to pass the leading vehicle in the driving lane; and

controlling the heading of the subject vehicle to return to the driving lane after passing the leading vehicle; and

when the leading vehicle is oversized in length, the processor modifies the passing parameter by increasing the speed of the subject vehicle when passing the leading vehicle.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein

when the leading vehicle is oversized in width, the processor modifies the passing parameter by increasing a minimum lateral distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle when passing the leading vehicle.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein

the processor modifies the passing parameter by:

terminating the assisted passing, or

increasing a minimum following distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle when returning to the driving lane.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a road sensor mounted in the subject vehicle, the road sensor detecting a road type of a road on which the subject vehicle is travelling, wherein

the processor is programmed to, during the assisted passing

communicate with the road sensor to determine the road type of the road, and

modify the passing parameter based on the determined road type when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein

the processor is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in width and the road type of the road is determined to be narrow.

6. The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein

the processor is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in width and the road type of the road is determined to be curved.

7. The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein

the processor is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in height and the road type of the road is determined to be curved.

8. A vehicle controller for controlling a subject vehicle, comprising:

a central processing unit; and

a memory coupled to the central processing unit, wherein:

the central processing unit is coupled to a vehicle size sensor mounted in the subject vehicle, the vehicle size sensor configured to detect whether a leading vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is oversized in width, length, or height;

the central processing unit is programmed to, when the subject vehicle is performing an assisted passing of the leading vehicle based on a passing parameter that defines a characteristic of the assisted passing:

communicate with the vehicle size sensor to determine whether the leading vehicle is oversized; and

modify the passing parameter when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized;

the central processing unit is programmed to control the subject vehicle to perform the assisted passing by:

controlling a heading of the subject vehicle to change lanes from a driving lane to an adjacent lane;

controlling a speed of the subject vehicle in the adjacent lane to pass the leading vehicle in the driving lane; and

controlling the heading of the subject vehicle to return to the driving lane after passing the leading vehicle; and

when the leading vehicle is oversized in length, the central processing unit modifies the passing parameter by increasing the speed of the subject vehicle when passing the leading vehicle.

9. The vehicle controller of claim 8 , wherein

the central processing unit is coupled to a road sensor mounted in the subject vehicle, the road sensor detecting a road type of a road on which the subject vehicle is travelling, and

the central processing unit is programmed to, during the assisted passing

communicate with the road sensor to determine the road type of the road, and

modify the passing parameter based on the determined road type when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein

the central processing unit is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in width and the road type of the road is determined to be narrow.

11. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein

the central processing unit is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in width and the road type of the road is determined to be curved.

12. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein

the central processing unit is programmed to terminate the assisted passing when the leading vehicle is determined to be oversized in height and the road type of the road is determined to be curved.

13. The vehicle controller of claim 8 , wherein

the central processing unit modifies the passing parameter by:

terminating the assisted passing, or

increasing a minimum following distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle when returning to the driving lane.

14. The vehicle controller of claim 8 , wherein

when the leading vehicle is oversized in width, the central processing unit modifies the passing parameter by increasing a minimum lateral distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle when passing the leading vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2017
From: KANG, TE-PING
To: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.; DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041609/0624 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180268703A1 · Sep 20, 2018