IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,321,171
Granted Patent B2
US 12,321,171 · App. 17/902,362 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Autonomous vehicle, method for requesting control remotely thereof

Inventors: Hee Gwon Kim (Seoul, KR); Wan Jae Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
G05D1/0061G05D1/0022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,321,171
App. No.
17/902,362
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle and a remote control request method therefor. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an autonomous vehicle including: a processor configured to determine whether the autonomous vehicle is in a state in which remote control is enabled to be performed when the remote control of the autonomous vehicle is required, and to request a control system to perform the remote control when the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed; and a communication device configured to perform communication with the control system under control of the processor.

Claims (33)

1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

a processor configured to: determine whether the autonomous vehicle is in a state in which remote control is enabled to be performed through determination of whether a global path is abnormal or whether a local path is abnormal and when the remote control of the autonomous vehicle is required, determine that the global path is in an abnormal state when a destination does not exist on the global path, request a control system to perform the remote control when the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed, transmit a distance of a drivable path generated without the destination to the control system when the destination does not exist on the global path, and control the autonomous vehicle based on a command received from the control system; and

a communication device configured to perform communication with the control system under control of the processor.

2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a sensing device configured to detect autonomous driving information and vehicle state information.

3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the sensing device includes:

one or more sensors; and

one or more information processing modules configured to perform object fusion based on output information of the one or more sensors.

4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the processor determines whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed through determination of at least one of whether the one or more sensors operate normally, whether the one or more information processing modules operate normally, or whether a communication state is abnormal.

5. The autonomous vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor receives an output value of an alive counter from the one or more sensors every predetermined cycle to determine whether the one or more sensors are operating normally.

6. The autonomous vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor receives an output value of an alive counter from the one or more information processing modules every predetermined cycle to determine whether the one or more information processing modules are operating normally.

7. The autonomous vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor determines that the global path is in a normal state when a global path planning (GPP) flag is normal.

8. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the communication device to transmit a length of the drivable path when the control system is requested to perform the remote control.

9. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines that a remote control request transferred to the control system is possible when the autonomous vehicle is in a normal stop state.

10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein

in the case where a stop state of the autonomous vehicle is maintained for a predetermined time period,

the processor determines that the autonomous vehicle is in the normal stop state when the autonomous vehicle is in a waiting state depending on a traffic signal or traffic flow, and

the processor determines that the autonomous vehicle is in an abnormal stop state as an abnormal state of the local path when it stops regardless of the traffic signal or the traffic flow and a front situation.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the processor determines that the autonomous vehicle is normally stopped when the autonomous vehicle is stopped for more than a reference time period that is predetermined by the control system or the autonomous vehicle is stopped at a place that is predetermined by the control system.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the processor immediately requests the control system to perform the remote control when the autonomous vehicle is stopped for more than a reference time period that is predetermined by the control system or the autonomous vehicle is stopped at a place that is predetermined by the control system.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein

when arbitrary manipulation of a steering device or an acceleration or deceleration device is inputted by a driver, or manipulation of an emergency autonomous driving release button is inputted during an autonomous driving mode or a remote control mode,

the processor releases the autonomous driving mode or the remote control mode, and switches to a manual driving mode.

14. A remote control request method for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

determining, by a processor, whether the autonomous vehicle is in a state in which remote control is enabled to be performed through determination of whether a global path is abnormal or whether a local path is abnormal and when the remote control of the autonomous vehicle is required, determining, by the processor, that the global path is in an abnormal state when a destination does not exist on the global path, and transmitting, by the processor, a distance of a drivable path generated without the destination to the control system when the destination does not exist on the global path; and; and

requesting, by the processor, a control system to perform the remote control when the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed; and

controlling, by the processor, the autonomous vehicle based on a command received from the control system.

15. The remote control request method of claim 14 , wherein the determining of whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed includes determining, by the processor, whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed through determination of at least one of whether one or more sensors for detecting autonomous driving information and vehicle state information operate normally, whether one or more information processing modules for performing object fusion based on output information of the one or more sensors operate normally, or whether a communication state is abnormal.

16. The remote control request method of claim 15 , wherein

the determining of whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed further includes:

receiving, by the processor, an output value of an alive counter from the one or more sensors every predetermined cycle to determine whether the one or more sensors are operating normally; and

receiving, by the processor, an output value of an alive counter from the one or more information processing modules every predetermined cycle to determine whether the one or more information processing modules are operating normally.

17. The remote control request method of claim 16 , wherein the determining of whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed includes determining, by the processor, that the remote control is possible when the global path is in a normal state or a length of the drivable path generated without the destination is determined.

18. The remote control request method of claim 16 , wherein the determining of whether the autonomous vehicle is in the state in which the remote control is enabled to be performed includes determining, by the processor, that a remote control request transferred to the control system is possible when the autonomous vehicle is in a normal stop state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2022
From: KIM, HEE GWON; LEE, WAN JAE
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060985/0856 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0015026 · Feb 4, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230251652A1 · Aug 10, 2023
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