IP Library Granted Patent US 12,304,515
Granted Patent B2
US 12,304,515 · App. 17/839,637 · Granted May 20, 2025

Vehicle path adjustment

Inventors: Erol Dogan Sumer (Ann Arbor, MI); Abhishek Sharma (West Bloomfield, MI); Mohit Srinivasan (Ann Arbor, MI); Alexander Jaeckel (Ann Arbor, MI); Michael Hafner (San Carlos, CA); Mrdjan J. Jankovic (Birmingham, MI); Aakar Mehra (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W50/085B60W40/13B60W50/0225B60W50/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,304,515
App. No.
17/839,637
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine a virtual barrier around a vehicle based on receiving a first user input and data indicating a vehicle sprung mass, upon receiving a second user input selecting the virtual barrier, to determine an updated virtual barrier based on the received second user input, upon determining the virtual barrier, to verify that the virtual barrier satisfies one or more vehicle parameters; and to provide output based on the virtual barrier.

Claims (28)

1. A system, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

determine a virtual barrier around a vehicle based on receiving a first user input and data indicating a vehicle sprung mass;

upon receiving a second user input selecting the virtual barrier, determine an updated virtual barrier based on the received second user input;

upon determining the updated virtual barrier, verify that the updated virtual barrier satisfies one or more vehicle parameters;

upon verifying the updated virtual barrier, operate the vehicle based on the updated virtual barrier; and

in response to the updated virtual barrier not satisfying the one or more vehicle parameters, operate the vehicle without using the updated virtual barrier.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicle parameters include a location of a reference point and dimensions of the vehicle sprung mass.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to verify the updated virtual barrier by determining whether at least one point of the vehicle sprung mass is outside of the updated virtual barrier; and upon identifying the at least one point outside the updated virtual barrier, rejecting the updated virtual barrier, whereby the output includes a rejection of the updated virtual barrier.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to reject the updated virtual barrier upon determining that at least a distance of one point of the updated virtual barrier to the vehicle sprung mass exceeds a distance threshold.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first user input includes data specifying an adjustment of the vehicle sprung mass of the vehicle as a result of (i) a change of a body of the vehicle, (ii) loading a bicycle on the vehicle, or (iii) attachment of a trailer to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first user input includes an image representing the adjustment of the vehicle sprung mass.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first user input includes data specifying a dimension of the adjustment of the vehicle sprung mass.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the dimension of the adjustment of the vehicle sprung mass is a distance of an outer point of the adjusted vehicle sprung mass relative to a vehicle reference point.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to receive data from a mobile device identifying a distance of the outer point on an outer surface of the adjusted vehicle sprung mass from the vehicle reference point.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to generate the virtual barrier based on the first user input and a barrier smoothing technique including a superellipse fitting algorithm.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first user input includes a shape drawn based on a user input to a user input device specifying a requested virtual barrier around the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual barrier is a two-dimensional closed shape surrounding a projection of the vehicle on a ground surface.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second user input is determined based on (i) a user input specifying a buffer space or (ii) activation of a vehicle navigation algorithm.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second user input includes at least one of: (i) a lateral movement of the virtual barrier relative to the vehicle, (ii) a longitudinal movement of the virtual barrier relative to the vehicle, (iii) a rotation of the virtual barrier relative to the vehicle, (iv) an extension or a compression of the virtual barrier relative to the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions, upon receiving the second user input, to generate the updated virtual barrier by defining a second virtual barrier in addition to the virtual barrier.

16. A method, comprising:

determining a virtual barrier around a vehicle based on receiving a first user input and data indicating a vehicle sprung mass;

upon receiving a second user input selecting the virtual barrier, determining an updated virtual barrier based on the received second user input;

upon determining the updated virtual barrier, verifying that the updated virtual barrier satisfies one or more vehicle parameters;

upon verifying the updated virtual barrier, operating the vehicle based on the updated virtual barrier; and

in response to the updated virtual barrier not satisfying the one or more vehicle parameters, operating the vehicle without using the updated virtual barrier.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising verifying the updated virtual barrier by determining whether at least one point of the vehicle sprung mass is outside of the updated virtual barrier; and upon identifying the at least one point outside the updated virtual barrier, rejecting the updated virtual barrier, whereby the output includes a rejection of the updated virtual barrier.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising rejecting the updated virtual barrier upon determining that at least a distance of one point of the updated virtual barrier to the vehicle sprung mass exceeds a distance threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2022
From: SUMER, EROL DOGAN; SHARMA, ABHISHEK; SRINIVASAN, MOHIT; JAECKEL, ALEXANDER; HAFNER, MICHAEL; JANKOVIC, MRDJAN J.; MEHRA, AAKAR
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 060189/0743 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230399002A1 · Dec 14, 2023
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