US 9,849,878 B2 · System and method for providing a corrected lane following path through a curve for trailering vehicles

Abstract

A method for providing vehicle steering control through a curve in an autonomously driven or semi-autonomously driven vehicle that is towing a trailer. The method determines that the trailer will cross out of the travel lane based on the curvature of the curve and the turn radius of the trailer. The method calculates a start turn radius of the vehicle for a start location of the curve, an end turn radius of the vehicle for an end location of the curve, and a turn end point proximate the end location or a turn start point proximate the start location. The method provides initial and boundary conditions for determining a desired path of the vehicle through the curve that prevents the trailer from crossing out of the lane and determines the desired path based on the initial and boundary conditions by solving a polynomial equation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for providing vehicle steering control in an autonomously driven or semi-autonomously driven vehicle that is towing a trailer so as to prevent the trailer from crossing out of a travel lane in a curve that the vehicle is traveling along, said method comprising:

using a processor programmed for:
determining a radius of curvature of the curve, a width of the travel lane, and a length of the trailer;
determining when the vehicle has entered the curve;
determining a current steering angle of the vehicle;
determining a current turn radius of the vehicle for traveling through the curve using the current steering angle;
determining a turn radius of the trailer using the current turn radius of the vehicle and other parameters;
determining that the trailer will cross out of the travel lane based on the radius of curvature of the curve and the turn radius of the trailer;
calculating a start turn radius of the vehicle for a start location of the curve;
calculating an end turn radius of the vehicle for an end location of the curve;
determining a turning end point proximate the end location;
determining a turning start point proximate the start location;
and
determining a desired path of the vehicle through the curve that prevents the trailer from crossing out of the lane that includes solving a polynomial equation using the start turn radius, the end turn radius and the turning end point or the turning start point;
and
steering the vehicle using a steering system along the desired path through the curve.

12 more elements

using a processor programmed for:
determining a radius of curvature of the curve, a width of the travel lane, and a length of the trailer;
determining when the vehicle has entered the curve;
determining a current steering angle of the vehicle;
determining a current turn radius of the vehicle for traveling through the curve using the current steering angle;
determining a turn radius of a rear end of the trailer using the current turn radius of the vehicle a wheel base of the vehicle, a distance from front wheels of the vehicle to a front bumper of the vehicle, a hitch length between the vehicle and the trailer, and a length of the trailer;
determining that the trailer will cross out of the travel lane based on the radius of curvature of the curve and the turn radius of the trailer;
calculating a start turn radius of the vehicle for a start location of the curve;
calculating an end turn radius of the vehicle for an end location of the curve;
determining a turning end point proximate the end location;
and
determining a desired path through the curve that prevents the trailer from crossing out of the lane and that starts at a beginning location of the curve, has a relatively wide turn through the curve, and ends before an ending location of the curve using the start turn radius, the end turn radius and the turning end point, wherein determining the desired path includes providing a revised road curvature value of 1/Rf and a change in rate of road curvature as
2
D
⁡
(
R
f
-
R
t
)
,
where Rf is me current turn radius of the vehicle, Rt is the turn radius of the trailer, and D is a tuning parameter to adjust for driver aggressiveness;
and
steering the vehicle using a steering system along the desired path through the curve.

23 more elements

using a processor programmed for:
determining a radius of curvature of the curve, a width of the travel lane, and a length of the trailer;
determining when the vehicle has entered the curve;
determining a current steering angle of the vehicle;
determining a current turn radius of the vehicle for traveling through the curve using the current steering angle;
determining a turn radius of a rear end of the trailer using the current turn radius of the vehicle a wheel base of the vehicle, a distance from front wheels of the vehicle to a front bumper of the vehicle, a hitch length between the vehicle and the trailer, and a length of the trailer;
determining that the trailer will cross out of the travel lane based on the radius of curvature of the curve and the turn radius of the trailer;
calculating a start turn radius of the vehicle for a start location of the curve;
calculating an end turn radius of the vehicle for an end location of the curve;
determining a turning start point proximate the start location;
determining a desired path through the curve that prevents the trailer from crossing out of the lane and that starts after a beginning location of the curve, has a relatively narrow turn through the curve, and ends at an ending location of the curve using the start turn radius, the end turn radius and the turning start point, wherein determining the desired path includes providing a revised road curvature value of 1/Rf and a change in rate of road curvature as
2
D
⁡
(
R
f
-
R
t
)
,
where Rf is me current turn radius of the vehicle, Rt is the turn radius of the trailer, and D is a tuning parameter to adjust for driver aggressiveness;
and
steering the vehicle using a steering system along the desired path through the curve.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for providing a corrected lane following path through a curve for trailering vehicles

Life of this patent

System and method for providing a corrected lane following path through a curve for trailering vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20