US 12,741,676 B2Granted

Path planning system and method for a vehicle

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorNegin Lashkari

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Abstract

A method for path planning for a vehicle may include determining a repulsive potential at each of a plurality of location points in an environment surrounding the vehicle using a vehicle perception sensor. The method further may include determining an attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points in the environment surrounding the vehicle using the vehicle perception sensor. The method further may include calculating a potential field representing the environment surrounding the vehicle based at least in part on the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points and the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points. The potential field quantifies a suitability of each of the plurality of location points in the environment for inclusion in a path for the vehicle. The method further may include generating the path for the vehicle based at least in part on the potential field.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for path planning for a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a repulsive potential at each of a plurality of location points in an environment surrounding the vehicle using a vehicle perception sensor;
determining an attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points in the environment surrounding the vehicle using the vehicle perception sensor;
calculating a potential field representing the environment surrounding the vehicle based at least in part on the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points and the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the potential field quantifies a suitability of each of the plurality of location points in the environment for inclusion in a path for the vehicle, wherein calculating the potential field further comprises:
determining a repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points based at least in part on the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points;
determining an attractive force at each of the plurality of location points based at least in part on the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points;
and
calculating the potential field based at least in part on the repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points and the attractive force at each of the plurality of location points, wherein a value of the potential field at each of the plurality of location points is equal to a sum of the repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points and the attractive force at each of the plurality of location points, and wherein the potential field at each of the plurality of location points is defined by a potential field function:
F
⁡
(
s
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=
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∑
{
k
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(
1
ρ
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-
1
ρ
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1
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≤
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i
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{
-
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k
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>
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}
wherein F(s) is the potential field function, s is a vector describing a location of one of the plurality of location points, kr is a predetermined repulsive constant, ρi is a distance between the location of the one of the plurality of location points and an ith obstacle of a plurality of obstacles, ρ0,i is a minimum allowed distance between the vehicle and the ith obstacle of the plurality of obstacles, s0 is a vector describing a location of one of the plurality of obstacles which is closest to the one of the plurality of location points s, a summation operator Σ indicates a summation over each of the plurality of obstacles, ka is a predetermined attractive constant, sd is a vector describing a goal location, and da is a predetermined attractive threshold;
and
generating the path for the vehicle based at least in part on the potential field.

122 more elements

A system for path planning for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle perception sensor;
a controller in electrical communication with the vehicle perception sensor, wherein the controller is programmed to:
determine a repulsive potential at each of a plurality of location points in an environment surrounding the vehicle using the vehicle perception sensor, wherein to determine the repulsive potential, the controller is further programmed to:
detect a plurality of obstacles using the vehicle perception sensor, wherein at least one of the plurality of obstacles is a marker, barrier, or road sign indicating a construction zone;
measure a distance between each of the plurality of location points and each of the plurality of obstacles using the vehicle perception sensor;
and
calculate the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points is defined by a repulsive potential function:
U
rep
(
s
)
=
∑
{
1
2
⁢
k
r
(
1
ρ
i
-
1
ρ
0
,
i
)
2
if
⁢
ρ
i
≤
ρ
0
,
i
0
if
⁢
ρ
i
>
ρ
0
,
i
wherein Urep(s) is the repulsive potential function, s is a vector describing a location of one of the plurality of location points, kr is a predetermined repulsive constant, ρi is a distance between the location of the one of the plurality of location points and an ith obstacle of the plurality of obstacles, ρ0,i is a minimum allowed distance between the vehicle and the ith obstacle of the plurality of obstacles, and a summation operator Σ indicates a summation over each of the plurality of obstacles;
determine an attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points in the environment surrounding the vehicle using the vehicle perception sensor, wherein to determine the attractive potential, the controller is further programmed to:
determine a goal location in the environment;
determine a distance between each of the plurality of location points and the goal location;
and
calculate the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points is defined by an attractive potential function:
U
att
(
s
)
=
{
k
a
⁢
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
2
if
⁢
❘
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-
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❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
≤
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a
k
a
(
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-
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)
if
⁢
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
>
d
a
wherein Uatt(s) is the attractive potential function, s is the vector describing a location of one of the plurality of location points, ka is a predetermined attractive constant, sd is a vector describing the goal location, and da is a predetermined attractive threshold;
calculate a potential field representing the environment surrounding the vehicle based at least in part on the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points and the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the potential field quantifies a suitability of each of the plurality of location points in the environment for inclusion in a path for the vehicle;
and
generate the path for the vehicle based at least in part on the potential field.

124 more elements

A method for path planning for a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of obstacles using a vehicle perception sensor;
measuring a distance between each of a plurality of location points and each of a plurality of obstacles in an environment surrounding the vehicle using the vehicle perception sensor;
calculating a repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points based at least in part on the distance between each of the plurality of location points and each of the plurality of obstacles;
determining a goal location in the environment;
determining a distance between each of the plurality of location points and the goal location;
calculating an attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points based at least in part on the distance between each of the plurality of location points and the goal location;
calculating a potential field representing the environment surrounding the vehicle based at least in part on the attractive potential at each of the plurality of location points and the repulsive potential at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the potential field quantifies a suitability of each of the plurality of location points in the environment for inclusion in a path for the vehicle, wherein calculating the potential field further comprises:
determining a repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points is defined by a repulsive force function:
F
r
(
s
)
=
-
∇
U
rep
(
s
)
=
∑
{
k
r
(
1
ρ
i
-
1
ρ
0
,
i
)
⁢
1
ρ
i
2
⁢
s
-
s
0
ρ
i
if
⁢
ρ
i
≤
ρ
0
,
i
0
if
⁢
ρ
i
>
ρ
0
,
i
wherein Fr(s) is the repulsive force function, ∇ is a gradient operator, s is a vector describing a location of one of the plurality of location points, kr is a predetermined repulsive constant, ρi is a distance between the location of the one of the plurality of location points and an ith obstacle of a plurality of obstacles, ρ0,i is a minimum allowed distance between the vehicle and the ith obstacle of the plurality of obstacles, s0 is a vector describing a location of one of the plurality of obstacles which is closest to the one of the plurality of location points s, and a summation operator Σ indicates a summation over each of the plurality of obstacles;
determining an attractive force at each of the plurality of location points, wherein the attractive force at each of the plurality of location points is defined by an attractive force function:
F
a
(
s
)
=
-
∇
U
att
(
s
)
=
{
-
2
⁢
k
a
(
s
-
s
d
)
if
⁢
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
≤
d
a
-
2
⁢
k
a
⁢
d
a
⁢
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
if
⁢
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
s
-
s
d
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
>
d
a
wherein Fa(s) is the attractive force function, ∇ is the gradient operator, s is the vector describing a location of one of the plurality of location points, ka is a predetermined attractive constant, sd is a vector describing a goal location, and da is a predetermined attractive threshold;
calculating the potential field based at least in part on the repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points and the attractive force at each of the plurality of location points, wherein a value of the potential field at each of the plurality of location points is equal to a sum of the repulsive force at each of the plurality of location points and the attractive force at each of the plurality of location points, and wherein the potential field at each of the plurality of location points is defined by a potential field function:
F
⁡
(
s
)
=
F
r
(
s
)
+
F
a
(
s
)
wherein F(s) is the potential field function, Fr(s) is the repulsive force function, and Fa(s) is the attractive force function;
and
generating the path for the vehicle based at least in part on the potential field.

162 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/671,132Filed 22 May 2024
Published: US 2025/0360945 A127 Nov 2025
Granted: 22 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B60W 60/00184
By employing degraded modes, e.g. reducing speed, in response to suboptimal conditions: related to infrastructure
G01C 21/3602
Input/output arrangements for on-board computers: input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes,…
B60W 60/0011
Planning or execution of driving tasks: involving control alternatives for a single driving scenario, e.g. planning several paths to avoid obstacles
B60W 60/00274
Using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants: considering possible movement changes