# US 10,246,086 B2 · Echelon parking

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- Number: US 10,246,086 B2
- Document ID: US10246086B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/259,271
- Filed: 2016-09-08
- Published: 2018-03-08
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-08
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Louis Tijerina; John Shutko
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246086B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/06: Automatic manoeuvring for parking
- B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems
- B60W 30/00: Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
- B60W 30/08: {Active safety systems} predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision {or attempting to minimise its consequences}
- B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers
- B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling}
- B60W 60/0051: {from occupants to vehicle}
- B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant}
- B60W 60/0059: {Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity}
- B60W 60/0061: {Aborting handover process}
- B60W 60/007: {Emergency override (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227)}
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/0055: {with safety arrangements}
- B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2510/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines
- B60W 2510/08: Electric propulsion units
- B60W 2510/18: Braking system
- B60W 2510/20: Steering systems
- B60W 2520/28: Wheel speed
- B60W 2540/00: Input parameters relating to occupants
- B60W 2540/22: Psychological state; Stress level or workload
- B60W 2540/26: Incapacity
- B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
- B60W 2720/24: Direction of travel
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

Upon determining that one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation has occurred, certain actions are taken by an autonomously operating vehicle. An appropriate road-side location for parking is identified. The vehicle is maneuvered to the appropriate road side location. The vehicle is oriented to a specified acute angle to an adjacent traffic lane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
determine when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;
identify an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane; and
initiate operation in an autonomous mode only in a predetermined geographic area and maneuver the vehicle to park at the orientation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an initial specified acute angle is 45°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle is reduced to accommodate a shoulder obstacle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver condition is a lack of response from a driver responsive to a request initiated by the computing device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode upon exiting the predetermined geographic area.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to return operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction to return operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the subsystem fault may include any one of a compromised steering system, a compromised drive motor, a compromised brake system, and a compromised tire and a vehicle impact.

### Claim 10

A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:
determining when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;
identifying an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane; and
initiating operation in an autonomous mode only in a predetermined geographic area and maneuvering the vehicle to park at the orientation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an initial specified acute angle is 45°.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the angle is reduced to accommodate a shoulder obstacle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the driver condition is a lack of response from a driver responsive to a request initiated by the computing device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises a step of prompting a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode upon exiting the predetermined geographic area.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the method further comprises a step of returning operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises a step of prompting a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises a step of returning operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the subsystem fault may include any one of a compromised steering system, a compromised drive motor, a compromised brake system, and a compromised tire and a vehicle impact.

### Claim 19

A system, comprising a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
determine when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;
identify an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane;
maneuver the vehicle to park at the orientation; and
prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.