US 12,466,444 B2
Techniques for switching between manual and autonomous control for a movable object
Mingyu Wang, Guangdong (CN)
Assigned to SHENZHEN ZHUOYU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., Shenzhen (CN)
Filed by SHENZHEN ZHUOYU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/097,316.
Application 17/097,316 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CN2019/077510, filed on Mar. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0061312 A1, Mar. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 50/14 (2020.01); B60W 50/08 (2020.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60W 50/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 60/0051 (2020.02) [B60W 50/082 (2013.01); B60W 50/14 (2013.01); B60W 60/0015 (2020.02); B60W 2050/0071 (2013.01); B60W 2050/143 (2013.01); B60W 2556/45 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle control system, comprising:
a plurality of sensors coupled to an autonomous vehicle;
a plurality of vehicle controls in the autonomous vehicle;
a vehicle control unit in communication with the plurality of sensors and the plurality of vehicle controls, the vehicle control unit including at least one processor and a control manager, the control manager including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the control manager to:
receive a request to switch driving modes from a first mode to a second mode;
obtain a driving state using the plurality of sensors;
determine that the driving state meets a switching standard;
enter a pending switching state, the pending switching state in which the autonomous vehicle being a temporary driving mode between the first mode and the second mode, a length of time in the pending switching state varies depending on current driving conditions, wherein the length of time the pending switching state in smooth traffic conditions is shorter than that in congested traffic conditions, wherein in the pending switching state, a control input received for the first mode applied with a first weight value is combined with a control input received for the second mode applied with a second weight value to generate a vehicle control output to control one function of the autonomous vehicle;
send a message indicating that the driving mode is to switch from the first mode to the second mode, the message including an option to cancel, if a driver cancels change, then the driving mode reverts back to the first mode, if, at the end of the pending switching state, the change has not been canceled, then the driving mode is updated to the second mode; and
switch the driving modes from the temporary driving mode to the second mode,
wherein as time in the pending switching state continues, the first weight value decreases while the second weight value increases.