# US 2017/0247040 A1 · Autonomous vehicle control transitioning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0247040 A1 - Document ID: US20170247040A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/073,093 - Filed: 2016-03-17 - Published: 2017-08-31 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-25 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Kenneth James Miller; William Paul Perkins; David B. Kelley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170247040A1 ## CPC - B60W 60/0059: {Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity} - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - G05D 1/0248: {in combination with a laser (lasers per se H01S)} - B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver} - B60W 2040/089: {Driver voice} - B60W 2050/0075: {Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2540/21: Voice - B60W 2540/22: Psychological state; Stress level or workload - B60W 2540/223: Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined - B60W 2540/225: Direction of gaze - B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping - B60W 2540/24: Drug level, e.g. alcohol - B60W 2540/26: Incapacity - B60W 2556/10: Historical data - 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 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the levels of autonomous control include an autonomous, a semi-autonomous, and a manual level of control. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operational factors include at least two of a driver readiness factor, a driver alertness factor, an autonomous confidence factor, a driver action probability factor, and a peril factor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the operational factors is determined according to component values from each of a plurality of vehicle data sources. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein developing the operational factors includes weighting the component values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous control includes control of each of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by a vehicle computer, semi-autonomous control includes control of at least one of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computer, and manual control includes control of none of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising changing from a first one of the levels of autonomous control to a second one of the levels of autonomous control when at least one of the operational factors exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising actuating at least one of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion after determining the level of control. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operational factors are based in part on historical data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the signals includes data concerning a vehicle occupant. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the levels of autonomous control include an autonomous, a semi-autonomous, and a manual level of control. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the operational factors include at least two of a driver readiness factor, a driver alertness factor, an autonomous confidence factor, a driver action probability factor, and a peril factor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the operational factors is determined according to component values from each of a plurality of vehicle data sources. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the autonomous control includes control of each of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by a vehicle computer, semi-autonomous control includes control of at least one of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computing device, and manual control includes control of none of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to change from a first one of the levels of autonomous control to a second one of the levels of autonomous control when at least one of the operational factors exceeds a threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to actuate at least one of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion after determining the level of control. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least one of the signals includes data concerning a vehicle occupant. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the autonomous control includes control of each of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by a vehicle computer, semi-autonomous control includes control of at least one of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computing device, and manual control includes control of none of vehicle steering, braking, and propulsion by the vehicle computing device.