Object-detector configuration based on human-override of automated vehicle control

A controller-circuit for a vehicle control system, the controller-circuit comprising:

• a first-connection for connecting to an object-detector configured to detect objects proximate to a host-vehicle, the object-detector including a light-detection-and-ranging-device (LIDAR) characterized as having a variable scan-frequency;
• a second-connection for connecting to a location-detector configured to indicate a location of the host-vehicle on a digital-map;
• a memory for storing a configuration-map configured to indicate, from among a plurality of configurations available for the object detector, a particular configuration applicable to the object-detector for a current location of the host-vehicle when the host-vehicle is operated in an automated-mode, the particular configuration specifying a first value of the scan-frequency to operate the LIDAR;
• and
• a processor in communication with the location-detector, the configuration-map, and the object-detector, the processor configured to:
• operate the object-detector in accordance with the particular configuration for the current location of the host-vehicle in the automated-mode of operating the host-vehicle,
• detect a human-override of the automated-mode of operating the host-vehicle at the current location, and
• in response to the human-override of the automated-mode, update the particular configuration applicable to the object-detector for the current location in accordance with objects detected at the current location, wherein updating the particular configuration comprises providing a second value of the scan-frequency to operate the LIDAR differently in response to the human-override of the automated-mode.

A method of operating a vehicle control system, the method comprising:

• operating a host-vehicle in an automated-mode;
• determining a current location of a host-vehicle on a digital-map;
• operating an object-detector to detect objects proximate to a host-vehicle in accordance with a particular configuration of the object-detector specified by a configuration-map, the object-detector including a light-detection-and-ranging-device (LIDAR) characterized as having a variable scan-frequency, the configuration-map configured to indicate, from among a plurality of configurations available for the obj ect-detector, the particular configuration applicable to the current location of the object-detector and specifying a first value of the scan-frequency to operate the LIDAR;
• and
• detecting a human-override of the automated-mode at the current location;
• and
• in response to the human-override of the automated-mode, updating the particular configuration applicable to the object-detector for the current location in accordance with objects detected at the current location, wherein updating the particular configuration comprises providing a second value of the scan-frequency to operate the LIDAR differently in response to the human-override of the automated-mode.

A vehicle control system, the system comprising:

• an object-detector configured to detect objects proximate to a host-vehicle, the object-detector including a device having a variable frame-rate parameter;
• a location-detector configured to indicate a location of the host-vehicle;
• a configuration-map configured to indicate, from among a plurality of configurations available for the object-detector, a particular configuration applicable to the object-detector for a current location of the object-detector, the particular configuration specifying a first value of the frame-rate to operate the device;
• and
• a controller-circuit in communication with the object-detector, the location-detector, and the configuration-map, the controller-circuit configured to:
• operate the object-detector in accordance with the particular configuration for the current location of the object-detector in an automated-mode of operating the host-vehicle,
• detect a human-override of the automated-mode of operating the host-vehicle at the current location, and
• in response to the human-override of the automated-mode, update the particular configuration applicable to the object-detector for the current location in accordance with objects detected at the current location, wherein updating the particular configuration comprises providing a second value of the frame-rate to operate the device differently in response to the human-override of the automated-mode.