# US 10,246,100 B2 · System and method for vehicle path prediction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,100 B2 - Document ID: US10246100B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/525,026 - Filed: 2015-11-06 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-06 - Assignees: Veoneer Sweden AB - Applicants: Veoneer Sweden AB - Inventors: Shane Murray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246100B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/0097: {Predicting future conditions} - B60W 30/0953: {the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters} - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60W 2520/06: Direction of travel - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2520/14: Yaw - B60W 2540/18: Steering angle - B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure - B60W 2552/53: Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk - B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects - B60W 2554/20: Static objects - B60W 2710/30: Auxiliary equipments - B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2720/106: Longitudinal acceleration - 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 ## Abstract A method of predicting a future path of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: sensing a speed, and direction, and yaw rate of the vehicle; sensing a steering angle of the vehicle; sensing a driving lane near the vehicle, or along which the vehicle is being driven; calculating a first path prediction, for a first period of time following the current time, the first path prediction comprising a trajectory predicted based on the sensed speed and the direction and the yaw rate; calculating a second path prediction, for a second period of time, at least some of which is later than the first period of time, which assumes that a steering action arising from changes in the steering angle will take effect on the vehicle; calculating a third path prediction, for a third period of time, at least some of which is later than the second period of time, which assumes that the driver of the vehicle will control the trajectory of the vehicle to attempt to follow at least substantially the driving lane; and formulating a combined predicted path for the first, second and third periods of time, wherein the first, second and third path predictions each contribute to the combined predicted path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of predicting a future path of a vehicle, comprising the steps of: sensing a speed, a direction, and a yaw rate of the vehicle; sensing a steering angle of the vehicle; sensing a driving lane near the vehicle, or along which the vehicle is being driven; calculating a first path prediction, for a first period of time following a current time, the first path prediction comprising a trajectory predicted based on the sensed speed, the sensed direction and the sensed yaw rate; calculating a second path prediction, for a second period of time, at least some of which is later than the first period of time, which assumes that a steering action arising from changes in the steering angle will take effect on the vehicle; calculating a third path prediction, for a third period of time, at least some of which is later than the second period of time, which assumes that the driver of the vehicle will control the trajectory of the vehicle to attempt to follow at least substantially the driving lane; formulating a combined predicted path for the first, the second and the third periods of time, wherein the first, the second and the third path predictions each contribute to the combined predicted path; and activating one or more vehicle safety systems if it is determined, based on the combined predicted path that the vehicle will, or is likely to, encounter a hazardous situation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising wherein the first, the second and the third path predictions each contribute to the combined predicted path with respectively, a first, a second and a third contribution weights that vary over the time periods of the combined predicted path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising wherein, in formulating the combined path prediction, the first path prediction only is used for the first period of time, or wherein, in formulating the combined path prediction, the second path prediction only is used for the second period of time, or wherein, in formulating the combined path prediction, the third path prediction only is used for the third period of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising wherein, for at least one time within the first, the second or the third period of time, a path prediction is made based on a combination of two or more of the first, the second and the third path predictions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising wherein, in a first transition period, the combined path prediction is based on a combination of the first path prediction and the second path prediction, according to their respective contribution weights. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising wherein, in a second transition period, the combined path prediction is based on a combination of the second path prediction and the third path prediction, according to their respective contribution weights. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising wherein, in a third transition period, the combined path prediction is based on a combination of the first, second and third path predictions, according to their respective contribution weights. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising, wherein the contribution weights of the respective path predictions vary over time during a first, second or third transition period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the first path prediction includes the following steps: a) continuing in the current sensed direction, or b) continuing to turn with respect to the sensed direction at the sensed yaw rate, or c) continuing to turn with respect to the sensed direction at a yaw rate which continues to change at the sensed rate of change of yaw rate, or d) continuing at the current sensed speed, or e) continuing to accelerate or decelerate with respect to the sensed speed at the sensed rate of acceleration or deceleration, or f) continuing to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle with respect to the sensed speed at an acceleration or deceleration which continues to change at the sensed rate of change of acceleration or deceleration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising wherein the second period of time is calculated to begin after a lag period corresponding to a steering lag of the vehicle, or wherein the third period of time is calculated to begin after the sum of a first period corresponding to a reaction time for the driver, and a second period corresponding to a steering lag of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting one or more objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, with which the vehicle might collide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying the normal direction of travel for the driving lane.