# US 11,897,498 B2 · Control method for a vehicle, computer program, non-transitory computer readable medium, and automated driving system

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- Number: US 11,897,498 B2
- Document ID: US11897498B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/969,245
- Filed: 2018-02-15
- Published: 2021-01-07
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-15
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Europe
- Applicants: Toyota Motor Europe
- Inventors: Niels Ferson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897498B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)}
- B60W 60/001: {Planning or execution of driving tasks}
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 40/105: Speed
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings
- B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2554/801: Lateral distance
- B60W 2554/802: Longitudinal distance
- B60W 2554/804: Relative longitudinal speed
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/18: Braking system
- B60W 2710/207: Steering angle of wheels
- 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 control method for a host vehicle (100), comprising a) acquiring a speed (Vx) of the host vehicle, a relative speed (Vr) and distance (Dr) between a preceding vehicle (200) and the host vehicle (100); b) calculating a perceived risk level (PRL) as a function of said speed Vx of the host vehicle, said relative speed Vr, said relative distance Dr, and at least one of variables Vx*Vr and Vx2; and c) controlling at least one vehicle device (32, 34, 36, 38) of the host vehicle as a function of the perceived risk level (PRL). A computer program, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and an automated driving system for implementing the above method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control method for a host vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
a) acquiring a speed Vx of the host vehicle, a relative speed Vr between a preceding vehicle and the host vehicle, and a relative distance Dr between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle;
b) calculating a perceived risk level PRL as a function of said speed Vx of the host vehicle, said relative speed Vr, said relative distance Dr, and at least one of variables Vx*Vr and Vx2;
c) controlling at least one vehicle device of the host vehicle as a function of the perceived risk level;
wherein in step b), the perceived risk level PRL is calculated based on equation (1):
PRL=(Dr−Pb*V)/(Pa*V); wherein (1)
Pa, Pb are five components vectors; and
V=(1; Vx; Vr; Vx*Vr; Vx2).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control method according to claim 1, wherein Pa and Pb are linked by the following relations:
Pa=(Pa1,Pa2,Pa3,Pa4,Pa5)
Pb=(Pb1,Pb2,Pb3,Pb4,Pb5)
Pa1/Pa2=0.295±0.15
Pa2/Pa3=−0.236±0.12
Pa3/Pa4=−8.2±4.1
Pa4/Pa5=5.72±2.75
Pb1/Pb2=1.8±0.9
Pb2/Pb3=−3.98±2
Pb3/Pb4=−32.6±16.3
Pb4/Pb5=1.77±0.89
in which Pa1, . . . Pa5 and Pb1, . . . Pb5 are real numbers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control method according to claim 1, wherein:
Pa=(−0.00094±0.00047; −0.0032±0.0016; 0.014±0.007;
−0.0017±0.00085; −0.00029±0.00015); and
Pb=(−4.5±2.25; −2.5±1.25; 0.62±0.31; −0.019±0.009;
−0.011±0.0055).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control method according to claim 1, wherein in step c), controlling said at least one vehicle device includes controlling said at least one vehicle device as a function of a difference between the perceived risk level and a predetermined maximum acceptable risk level.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The control method according to claim 1, wherein step c) includes actuating at least one driving actuator among said at least one vehicle device when the perceived risk level PRL exceeds a predetermined value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The control method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one vehicle device includes at least one brake and/or at least one other driving actuator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the control method of claim 1.

### Claim 8

An automated driving system for a host vehicle, the automated driving system comprising an electronic control unit configured
a) to acquire a speed Vx of the host vehicle, a relative speed Vr between a preceding vehicle and the host vehicle, and a relative distance Dr between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle;
b) to calculate a perceived risk level as a function of said speed Vx of the host vehicle, said relative speed Vr, said relative distance Dr, and at least one of parameters Vx*Vr and Vx2;
c) to control at least one vehicle device of the host vehicle as a function of the perceived risk level;
wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the perceived risk level PRL based on equation (1):
PRL=(Dr−Pb*V)/(Pa*V); wherein (1)
Pa, Pb are five components vectors; and
V=(1; Vx; Vr; Vx*Vr; Vx2).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The automated driving system according to claim 8, wherein Pa and Pb are linked by the following relations:
Pa=(Pa1,Pa2,Pa3,Pa4,Pa5)
Pb=(Pb1,Pb2,Pb3,Pb4,Pb5)
Pa1/Pa2=0.295±0.15
Pa2/Pa3=−0.236±0.12
Pa3/Pa4=−8.2±4.1
Pa4/Pa5=5.72±2.75
Pb1/Pb2=1.8±0.9
Pb2/Pb3=−3.98±2
Pb3/Pb4=−32.6±16.3
Pb4/Pb5=1.77±0.89
in which Pa1, . . . Pa5 and Pb1, . . . Pb5 are real numbers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The automated driving system according to claim 8, wherein
Pa=(−0.00094±0.00047; −0.0032±0.0016; 0.014±0.007;
−0.0017±0.00085; −0.00029±0.00015); and
Pb=(−4.5±2.25; −2.5±1.25; 0.62±0.31; −0.019±0.009;
−0.011±0.0055).

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The automated driving system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit is configured, for controlling said at least one vehicle device, to control said at least one vehicle device as a function of a difference between the perceived risk level and a predetermined maximum acceptable risk level.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The automated driving system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to actuate at least one driving actuator among said at least one vehicle device when the perceived risk level PRL exceeds a predetermined value.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The automated driving system according to claim 8, wherein said at least one vehicle device includes at least one brake and/or at least one other driving actuator.