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US 2017/0247040 A1Published application
Autonomous vehicle control transitioning
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsKenneth James Miller, William Paul Perkins, David B. Kelley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Signals are received from a plurality of sources, representing operating characteristics of a vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle. A plurality of operational factors are developed based on the signals. The vehicle is controlled according to one of at least three levels of control, including an autonomous, a semi-autonomous, and a manual level of control, based on the operational factors.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- receiving signals, from a plurality of sources, representing operating characteristics of a vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle;
- developing a plurality of operational factors based on the signals;
- and
- transitioning control of the vehicle between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the operational factors.
1 more element
An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors and receivers arranged to receive signals, from a plurality of sources, representing operating characteristics of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle;
- a plurality of vehicle control subsystems;
- and
- at least one computing device programmed to develop a plurality of operational factors based on the signals and to transition control of the plurality of subsystems between levels of autonomy based at least in part on the operational factors.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- collecting, in a vehicle computer, data concerning a vehicle occupant and data concerning vehicle operations, the data representing operating characteristics of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle;
- developing at least two values for respective vehicle operating factors based at least in part on the data, at least one of the values relating to a state of the vehicle occupant;
- and
- selecting one of at least three levels of control, including an autonomous, a semi-autonomous, and a manual level of control, based on the operational factors.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.