IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,377,844
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,844 · App. 18/167,934 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Method and system for keeping a vehicle on a predetermined path, and computer program

Inventors: Alexander Eriksson (Gothenburg, SE); Klara Essman (Gothenburg, SE); Fredrika Zeidler (Gothenburg, SE)
Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
B60W30/12B60W40/08B62D15/025B60W2540/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,844
App. No.
18/167,934
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for keeping a vehicle on a predetermined path. The method comprises receiving a driver pose information and classifying the driver pose information as normal or abnormal (S 1 ). Alternatively or additionally, a driver attention information is received and classified as normal or abnormal (S 1 ). Moreover, according to the method, a hand location information is received and evaluated (S 2 ). Also a turn indicator status information is received and evaluated (S 3 ). Subsequently, a path keeping measure is triggered (S 5 ), if the driver pose information is classified as abnormal or if the driver attention information is classified as abnormal. Additional conditions are that the hand location information relates to less than two hands on the steering wheel, and that the turn indicator status information relates to a non-activated state of the turn indicators. Furthermore, a system for keeping a vehicle on a predetermined path is presented. Moreover, a corresponding computer program is explained.

Claims (46)

1. A method for keeping a vehicle on a predetermined path, comprising

receiving, a system comprising a processor, at least one of a driver pose information (PI) or a driver attention information;

classifying, by the system, the at least one of the driver pose information (PI) or the driver attention information as normal (N) or abnormal (AN);

receiving, by the system, a hand location information (HI);

evaluating, by the system, whether the hand location information (HI) relates to two hands ( 2 H) on a steering wheel or to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel or to no hands (OH) on the steering wheel;

receiving, by the system, a turn indicator status information (TI);

evaluating, by the system, whether the turn indicator status information (TI) relates to an activated state (A) or a non-activated state (NA) of the turn indicators (S 3 ) of the vehicle;

receiving, by the system, a path following information (FI) of the vehicle;

classifying, by the system, the path following information of the vehicle as on-path (ON) or off-path (OFF); and

triggering, by the system, a path keeping measure (S 5 ) if the at least one of driver pose information (PI) or the received driver attention information is classified as abnormal, and if the hand location information (HI) relates to less than two hands on the steering wheel, and if the received turn indicator status information (TI) relates to a non-activated state (NA), wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a heading angle adjustment measure (HA), if the hand location information (HI) relates to no hand (OH) and if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the path following information of the vehicle is classified as on-path (ON).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein triggering a path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein triggering a path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

6. A system for keeping a vehicle on a predetermined path, comprising:

a memory that stores computer program instructions; and

a processor that executes at least one of the computer program instructions that:

receives at least one of a driver pose information (PI) or a driver attention information;

receives a hand location information (HI);

evaluates whether the hand location information (HI) relates to two hands ( 2 H) on a steering wheel or one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel or no hands (OH) on the steering wheel;

receives a turn indicator status information (TI);

receives a path following information (FI) of the vehicle;

classifies the path following information of the vehicle as on-path (ON) or off-path (OFF);

triggers a path keeping measure as a function of the at least one of driver pose information (PI) or the received driver attention information, the hand location information (HI), the received turn indicator status information (TI), and the path following information (FI), wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a heading angle adjustment measure (HA), if the hand location information (HI) relates to no hand (OH) and if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the computer program instructions further:

classifies the at least one of the driver pose information (PI) or the driver attention information as normal (N) or abnormal (AN).

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the path following information of the vehicle is classified as on-path (ON).

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the computer program instructions further: evaluates whether the turn indicator status information (TI) relates to an activated state (A) or a non-activated state (NA) of the turn indicators.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the function comprises determining that the at least one of driver pose information (PI) or the received driver attention information is classified as abnormal, and the hand location information (HI) relates to less than two hands on the steering wheel, and the received turn indicator status information (TI) relates to a non-activated state (NA).

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving at least one of a driver pose information (PI) or a driver attention information;

classifying the at least one of the driver pose information (PI) or the driver attention information as normal (N) or abnormal (AN);

receiving a hand location information (HI)

evaluating whether the hand location information (HI) relates to two hands ( 2 H) on a steering wheel or to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel or to no hands (OH) on the steering wheel;

receiving a turn indicator status information (TI);

evaluating whether the turn indicator status information (TI) relates to an activated state (A) or a non-activated state (NA) of the turn indicators (S 3 ) of the vehicle;

receiving a path following information (FI) of the vehicle;

classifying the path following information of the vehicle as on-path (ON) or off-path (OFF); and

triggering a path keeping measure (S 5 ) if the at least one of driver pose information (PI) or the received driver attention information is classified as abnormal, and if the hand location information (HI) relates to less than two hands on the steering wheel, and if the received turn indicator status information (TI) relates to a non-activated state (NA), wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a heading angle adjustment measure (HA), if the hand location information (HI) relates to no hand (OH) and if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the path following information of the vehicle is classified as on-path (ON).

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering an increased stiffness (IS) of a steering system of the vehicle, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the path following information (FI) of the vehicle is classified as off-path (OFF).

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein triggering the path keeping measure comprises triggering a counter torque (CT) at the steering wheel, if the hand location information (HI) relates to one hand ( 1 H) on the steering wheel.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2023
From: ERIKSSON, ALEXANDER; ESSMAN, KLARA; ZEIDLER, FREDRIKA
To: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062670/0424 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22159009 · Feb 25, 2022 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230271609A1 · Aug 31, 2023
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