Assisting drivers with roadway lane changes
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorLindsay Chan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for assisting drivers with roadway lane changes. In general, aspects of the invention are used in motorized vehicles to guide a driver to a more efficiently operating lane of a multi-lane roadway. A lane recommendation can be based on sensed and/or communicated aspects of surrounding vehicles (e.g., speed, acceleration, etc.). Lane recommendations can be communicated to a driver with audio and/or visual cues. In one aspect, images of surrounding roadway are augmented with additional data to highlight lanes, lane change locations, other vehicles, etc. Lane recommendations can be revised in (essentially) real-time in response to changing conditions in a roadway environment (e.g., a vehicle in a neighboring lane has changed speed).
Claims20
A method for assisting with a roadway lane change from a current lane, the method comprising:
- determining a vehicle can travel more efficiently in other lanes based on speed and acceleration of other vehicles on the roadway;
- presenting a real-time windshield display of the roadway on a vehicle windshield that depicts a roadway configuration, the vehicle, and the other vehicles;
- receiving driver input indicating a desire to switch to another lane;
- calculating a speed for the vehicle to maintain;
- indicating on the real-time windshield display when it is appropriate for the vehicle to change into the other lane.
A vehicle, the vehicle comprising:
- one or more processors;
- system memory coupled to one or more processors, the system memory storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors;
- the one or more processors executing the instructions stored in the system memory to perform the following:
- determine a speed and acceleration of the vehicle;
- determine that the vehicle is traveling in the current lane of travel;
- access data indicative of the speed and acceleration of one or more other vehicles within a specified distance of the vehicle on the roadway, each of the one or more other vehicles traveling in a lane selected from among the one or more other lanes;
- determine another lane for the vehicle to occupy based on the speed and acceleration of the vehicle and the speed and acceleration of the one or more other vehicles, the other lane selected from among the one or more other lanes;
- present a real-time windshield display of the roadway on a vehicle windshield that depicts a roadway configuration, the vehicle, and the other vehicles and proposes a lane change to the other lane by highlighting the other lane within the real-time windshield display;
- receive input from the cabin accepting the proposed lane change;
- calculate a speed for the vehicle to maintain when changing from the current lane to the appropriate lane;
- and
- indicate within the real-time windshield display where the vehicle is to change into the other lane between other depicted vehicles.
At a vehicle, a method comprising:
- determining a speed and acceleration of the vehicle;
- determining that the vehicle is traveling in the current lane;
- accessing data indicative of the speed and acceleration of one or more other vehicles within a specified distance of the vehicle on the roadway, each of the one or more other vehicles traveling in a lane selected from among the one or more other lanes;
- determining another lane for the vehicle to occupy based on the speed and acceleration of the vehicle and the speed and acceleration of the one or more other vehicles, the other lane selected from among the one or more other lanes;
- projecting a Heads Up Display (HUD) of the roadway on a vehicle windshield that depicts a roadway configuration, the vehicle, and the other vehicles and proposes a lane change to the other lane by highlighting the other lane within the real-time windshield display;
- receiving input from the cabin accepting the proposed lane change;
- calculating a speed for the vehicle to maintain when changing from the current lane to the appropriate lane;
- and
- indicating within the Heads Up Display (HUD) where the vehicle is to change into the other lane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.