WO2015076734A1 - System and method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

System and method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015076734A1
WO2015076734A1 PCT/SE2014/051372 SE2014051372W WO2015076734A1 WO 2015076734 A1 WO2015076734 A1 WO 2015076734A1 SE 2014051372 W SE2014051372 W SE 2014051372W WO 2015076734 A1 WO2015076734 A1 WO 2015076734A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
motor vehicle
control system
external control
vehicle
signal
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2014/051372
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Daniel Frylmark
Linus Bredberg
Original Assignee
Scania Cv Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Scania Cv Ab filed Critical Scania Cv Ab
Priority to EP14864102.0A priority Critical patent/EP3072022A4/en
Publication of WO2015076734A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015076734A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/60—Intended control result
    • G05D1/617—Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/0011—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots associated with a remote control arrangement
    • G05D1/0022—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots associated with a remote control arrangement characterised by the communication link
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W60/00—Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W60/00—Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
    • B60W60/005—Handover processes
    • B60W60/0051—Handover processes from occupants to vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • 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
    • B60W60/00—Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
    • B60W60/005—Handover processes
    • B60W60/0057—Estimation of the time available or required for the handover
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/0055—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots with safety arrangements
    • G05D1/0061—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots with safety arrangements for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/20—Control system inputs
    • G05D1/22—Command input arrangements
    • G05D1/221—Remote-control arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/20—Control system inputs
    • G05D1/24—Arrangements for determining position or orientation
    • G05D1/247—Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
    • G05D1/248—Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons generated by satellites, e.g. GPS
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D2101/00—Details of software or hardware architectures used for the control of position
    • G05D2101/10—Details of software or hardware architectures used for the control of position using artificial intelligence [AI] techniques
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D2105/00—Specific applications of the controlled vehicles
    • G05D2105/05—Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for soil shifting, building, civil engineering or mining, e.g. excavators

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle comprising such a system.
  • Aids are currently available to facilitate the work of the operator such as adaptive cruise-control systems, emergency braking, carriageway warnings, and similar. These aids, however, require that an operator be present in the motor vehicle who can himself or herself assess the situation and take appropriate action.
  • the operator constitutes a large part of the operating cost of a motor vehicle, also in cases in which the load on the operator is very low. This is the case, for example, in mining applications in which the journeys often consist of loading at one location in order subsequently to drive to a second location and unload.
  • a second example is the transport of passengers between an airplane and an airport terminal. The traffic conditions in these applications are controlled and thus no pedestrians, cyclists or similar disturbances are present.
  • Mines, for example are in addition located in such a manner that transport and infrastructure are required for the personnel. This generates large costs. In order to minimise the costs, it is therefore desirable in certain types of operation to fully automate the driving of the motor vehicles or to control the motor vehicle by remote control.
  • the processor module transmits the command onwards to the control unit of the industrial vehicle, which in turn controls the drive system based on the said command.
  • the pathway may be defined by a cable under the floor, tape, or other references on the floor, which the guidance and navigation system detects. While it is true that this system achieves
  • One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which keeps the costs to a minimum.
  • One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which makes possible the use of already existing package solutions for autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which limits the access of external users to functions that are internal to the vehicle.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which keeps the costs to a minimum.
  • One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which makes possible the use of already existing package solutions for autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which limits the access of external users to functions that are internal to the vehicle.
  • a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • the external control system is preferably arranged to generate several signals comprising control parameters for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle. It is preferable that the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • a system to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the external control of the said motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, and in which, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion to allow external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of external control.
  • control system that is internal to the vehicle comprise several control units.
  • a system to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, and in which, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion to allow autonomous operation of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation.
  • a signal or signals may concern a message or several messages comprising one or several signals.
  • a signal within a message can comprise one
  • the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the control unit thus receives the signal that is transferred over the computer interface from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle is preferably a part of the motor vehicle in its fundamental design and controls the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is driven with an operator or driver present.
  • the interface may constitute a part of the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the use of a control system that is external to the vehicle that is already commercially available for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, coupled with the motor vehicle, is made possible.
  • the motor vehicle does not need to be provided during manufacture with expensive systems and tools in order to achieve autonomous operation and/or external control: the purchaser of the motor vehicle can on a later occasion connect an existing external control system for autonomous operation and/or external control to the computer interface that has been configured for this purpose and to the control system that is internal to the vehicle. In this way, a time-efficient and cost-effective solution is achieved to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle.
  • the access of the external control system is limited by the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle may comprise information and functions that the manufacturer of the vehicle does not wish external users to have access to.
  • the level of abstraction with respect to the external control system can at the same time be raised, in order to simplify the use.
  • the system according to the present invention makes it impossible for the external control system to take over the control of the motor vehicle unless its signals have first passed over the computer interface.
  • the computer interface means also that the influence on the motor vehicle is held at a minimum in the cases in which connection of the external control system is carried out in an erroneous manner.
  • the motor vehicle can thus be controlled either manually by an operator of the motor vehicle, or autonomously or externally through the external control system.
  • the motor vehicle may be driven autonomously in a first condition and driven under the control of an operator (manually or externally) in a second condition.
  • An operator for example a driver, can thus use the same computer interface as during autonomous operation when the operator desires to control the vehicle externally.
  • the said operator can control the vehicle by means of a control means, where the operator is located external to or by the side of the vehicle, in, for example, a basket or an aerial work platform, or manually through regulators that are arranged in a cabin at the vehicle.
  • the external control system is defined as a control system that is provided and installed by a party other than the manufacturer of the vehicle.
  • the external control system may comprise units that are arranged at the motor vehicle and/or units that are arranged not at the motor vehicle.
  • the external control system comprise hardware in the form of sensors, navigation systems, cameras and similar to determine the position of the motor vehicle and to obtain an accurate assessment of its surroundings. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise also at least one control unit that receives instructions with respect to the desired operation of the motor vehicle. During autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, the control unit at the external control system receives instructions at a high level, for example, "Drive from a point A to a point B". The said control unit can further be arranged in communicative connection with external units such as a map database or other similar systems that can contribute information that can influence the autonomous operation of the said vehicle.
  • external units such as a map database or other similar systems that can contribute information that can influence the autonomous operation of the said vehicle.
  • the control unit processes signals from the above-mentioned hardware and/or the external units, together with instructions and vehicle parameters, in order to determine an appropriate route for the motor vehicle.
  • the vehicle parameters can be constituted by vehicle weight, vehicle height, acceleration capacity, etc.
  • the control unit further determines appropriate control parameters for the driving of the motor vehicle according to the route that has been determined.
  • the control parameters comprise instructions at a low level and can be constituted by steering angle, appropriate gear of a transmission, braking power, acceleration of the motor vehicle, angular velocity and/or torque at the steering wheel, and similar detailed control parameters.
  • the signal that is generated by the external control system comprises at least one such control parameter.
  • the control unit of the external control system determines control parameters based on a driving operation of the motor vehicle desired by an operator.
  • the term "external control" can be used to denote remote control of a motor vehicle by means of remote control means such as a portable computer, a remote-control unit, joystick or similar means, manipulated by an operator.
  • the external control system may comprise, for example, a computer arranged at the vehicle, and the interface may be constituted by a signal line, whereby an operator can, by means of pressing a button, desire, for example, that the motor vehicle be accelerated, decelerated, undergo a change of gear and/or turned.
  • the control parameters of the signal from the external control system comprise, just as during autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, instructions at a low level and can relate to steering angle, appropriate gear, braking power, acceleration and similar detailed control parameters.
  • a control parameter can be known also as a "request”.
  • the external control system provides a request with respect to, for example, a speed at which the motor vehicle should be driven.
  • the request is transferred over the interface to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which processes the request and determines whether the request is to be executed.
  • the signal from the external control system comprises a request that is constituted by a positive or negative speed request and/or a braking request, and a desired steering angle.
  • the signal from the external control system constitutes a request that is constituted by an acceleration and/or deceleration request and a desired steering angle.
  • the signal from the external control system comprises a request that is constituted by an angular velocity and/or a torque at the steering wheel.
  • the external control system generate continuously several signals each comprising one or several control parameters or requests. It is appropriate that the computer interface be designed with pre-determined requirements for the appearance of requests at the signal from the external control system.
  • the operating systems are constituted by a brake control system for the control of, for example, service brake, secondary brake and parking brake, driving means and/or control means.
  • the term "secondary brake” can be used to denote retarders, exhaust brakes, electrical secondary brakes and similar.
  • the operating systems further constitute an engine control system for the control of the engine of the motor vehicle and its propulsion, together with a change of gear control system for the control of the change of gear of the motor vehicle.
  • the operating means are thus constituted by systems that through the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle influence, among other things, the speed and direction of the motor vehicle.
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems over a communication bus.
  • the communication bus enables a two-way communication between the control unit and the operating systems. It is appropriate that the communication bus comprise a CAN bus or other standard for the transmission of data.
  • control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether several pre-determined criteria to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle are satisfied,
  • a system in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion comprises that autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle may only have been in use during a period that does not exceed a pre-determined period of time.
  • the signal from the external control system is processed and converted by means of the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred from the control unit to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven autonomously and/or externally.
  • the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. In this way, a limitation to when and how autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is allowed is achieved.
  • a time-limited use of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is achieved.
  • the pre-determined criterion with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control concerns that the accumulated duration of autonomous operation and/or external control must not exceed a pre-determined duration.
  • the pre-determined criterion with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control concerns that the use of autonomous operation and/or external control is allowed solely during a certain period of time, for example, during a couple of months.
  • the predetermined period of time is constituted by the period between two service occasions.
  • the predetermined period of time is constituted by the period between several service occasions.
  • the predetermined period of time is constituted by a pre- determined maximum operating duration of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
  • the time-limited use of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is regulated by the use of operator licences. It is thus appropriate that the pre-determined period of time is constituted by the period of validity of the licence. The transfer of signals from the external control system to the operating systems is stopped when the licence has ceased to be valid. In order to again be able to drive the motor vehicle autonomously and/or externally, it is appropriate to require that the operator renew the licence.
  • Information about the validity of the licence is supplied to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which can in this way determine whether the criterion with respect to the pre-determined period of time is satisfied or not. It is preferable that a warning to the operator is generated when the duration for which the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally is approaching the end of the pre-determined period of time. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which signal is transferred over the computer interface to the external control system. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise a user interface with the operator at which the warning is presented.
  • the pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to geographical region and/or a driven distance.
  • the pre-determined criterion is associated with a signal from at least one operator regulator arranged at the motor vehicle. It is appropriate that the pre-determined criterion is stored at the control unit.
  • control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle is updated with, for example, relevant information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or the distance driven and/or the duration of driving and/or the licence or certificate in order to be able to compare the said information with the pre-determined criterion, and in this way to be able to determine whether the criterion is satisfied.
  • a limitation is achieved also with respect to at least one of when, where and how the external control system has access to the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged to process or convert, when the criterion is satisfied, the signal from the external control system such that the processed signal demonstrates a format that the operating systems at the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle can interpret.
  • the processed signal thus comprises the same request or control parameter as the signal from the external control system, but in a different format.
  • the control unit subsequently transfers the processed signal to the operating systems.
  • the operating systems are controlled in accordance with the control parameters in the signal from the external control system. Autonomous operation and/or external operation of the motor vehicle through the external control system is in this way achieved.
  • a system in which the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether the motor vehicle is located within a pre-determined geographical region.
  • The, at least one, pre-determined criterion thus comprises that the motor vehicle is to be present within a pre-determined geographical region.
  • the signal from the external control system is processed at the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven either autonomously or externally.
  • the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit.
  • a system is achieved for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
  • the pre-determined geographical region is a region that demonstrates controlled traffic conditions in which autonomous operation and/or external control is suitable. It can in this way be ensured that, for example, a mining machine comprising a system according to the present invention can be driven autonomously and/or externally solely within the mine area. As soon as the mining machine leaves the mine area, the autonomous operation and/or the external control is stopped, and the mining machine is stopped, or driven manually.
  • the positioning unit be constituted by a GNSS system (Global Navigation Satellite System), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or Compass. It is appropriate that the positioning system be comprised by the control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle. Alternatively, the positioning unit is arranged in communicative connection with the control unit, such that the control unit can receive information from the positioning unit. Alternatively, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is located within the pre-determined geographical region through the use of aerials arranged in the surroundings and receivers arranged at the motor vehicle.
  • GNSS system Global Navigation Satellite System
  • the predetermined geographical region is preferably stored at the control unit.
  • the pre-determined geographical region may be determined by at least one of the manufacturer of the vehicle and its operator.
  • the vehicle manufacturer may, for example, have specified the pre-determined geographical region to be a certain country, while the operator desires to limit the use of autonomous operation and/or external control further, and thus specifies the pre-determined geographical region to be a certain industrial site. It is preferable that the operator cannot extend the pre-determined geographical region that has been specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
  • a warning to the operator be generated when the motor vehicle is close to leaving the pre-determined geographical region.
  • a warning is generated, for example, when the motor vehicle is located 500 meters from the boundary of the pre-determined geographical region. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the vehicle control system, which signal is transferred over the interface to the external control system. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise a user interface with the operator at which the warning is present.
  • a system in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion comprises that the
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle is thus arranged to determine whether the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally a certain accumulated distance, which distance does not exceed the predetermined maximum distance.
  • the signal from the external control system is processed by means of the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred from the control unit to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven either autonomously or externally.
  • the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. In this way, a limitation to when and how autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is allowed is achieved.
  • a system is achieved for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
  • a warning to the operator is generated when the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally a distance that is approaching the pre-determined maximum distance.
  • a warning to the operator is generated, for example, 500 km before the pre-determined maximum distance has been reached. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the vehicle control system, which signal is transferred over the interface to the external control system.
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged to generate, when autonomous operation and/or external control of motor vehicle is not permitted and transfer of the signal of the external control system from the control unit to the operating systems has been prevented, a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle and to transfer the said signal to the operating systems.
  • An internal control of the motor vehicle is in this way achieved when a criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not satisfied.
  • the signal for internal control comprise control parameters that minimise the risk of damage to the motor vehicle and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
  • the signal for internal control comprises, for example, control parameters that lead to the motor vehicle being braked and/or stopped/ parked.
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged to generate, when a criterion described here to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not satisfied, a signal comprising information that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle and to transfer the signal comprising information that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle from the control system that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system over the interface.
  • the external control system and thus also the operator, in this way receives information that it is not controlling the motor vehicle and the reason that this is the case.
  • the external control system preferably receives an instruction about measures that are required in order to again achieve autonomous operation and/or external control. It is appropriate that the instructions concerning measures be generated at the control system that is internal to the vehicle and transferred to the external control system over the computer interface.
  • a system in which the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether the control unit is receiving a signal from an operator regulator at the motor vehicle.
  • the operator regulator at the motor vehicle is preferably constituted by a regulator that can be operated manually by the operator when the operator is located inside the driver's cabin of the motor vehicle. Examples of operator regulators are steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear change stick, indicators, etc.
  • an operator regulator is constituted by a regulator that indicates when activated that the operator desires to drive the vehicle manually. In the cases in which the control unit receives signals from an operator regulator, autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not allowed, and the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit.
  • autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is prevented as soon as the indication is given that a person is present inside the motor vehicle and desires to drive the motor vehicle manually.
  • autonomous operation and/or external control is not allowed, manual operation of the motor vehicle is achieved through the control unit controlling the operating systems according to the signal received from the operator regulator. It is in this way ensured that manual operation of the motor vehicle is always given priority over
  • the control unit thus controls the operating systems, for example, on the basis of signals either from the operator regulators (manual operation), or from the external control system (autonomous operation and/or external control).
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged to validate the signal from the external control system.
  • the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle validating the incoming signal from the external control system, a check is achieved before the said signal is processed and transferred to the operating systems and thus controls the motor vehicle. It can in this way be ensured that no unreasonable or damaging signals, or signals that the control unit cannot interpret, control the motor vehicle.
  • the validation preferably comprises the check of pre-determined criteria, for example, with respect to the format of signals of the external control system.
  • the validation comprises, for example, check of criteria with respect to the frequency of the signal generated by the external control system, i.e. how often signals from the external control system are transmitted. For example, in the case in which signals are intended to be transmitted every 40 milliseconds but an interruption occurs, the control unit stops the
  • the validation means that the format with which communication takes place over the computer interface must comply with clearly defined criteria in order to be received by the control system that is internal to the vehicle. It is in this way ensured that the manufacturer of the vehicle has control of how the vehicle is controlled and driven, even when an external control system is used for autonomous operation and/or external control. Furthermore, it is ensured that the external control system is an approved and allowed control system for autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
  • control unit stop the signal from the external control system when the validation shows that the signal from the external control system does not satisfy a pre-determined criterion. It is preferable that the control unit generates also a signal for internal control and transfers the signal for internal control to the operating systems.
  • a system in which the control unit is arranged to modify the signal from the external control system before transfer to the operating systems, such that the motor vehicle is not unnecessarily placed into situations that may be harmful for the motor vehicle and/or its surroundings.
  • the signal from the external control system comprises, as has been previously mentioned, at least one control parameter.
  • at least one of the operator and the motor vehicle is subject to limitations with respect to, for example, speed, steering angle, choice of gear and similar. The operator may, for example, be limited to driving the motor vehicle with a pre-determined maximum speed.
  • the signal from the external control system demonstrates in this case a requested speed that exceeds the said maximum speed
  • the signal is modified at the control unit, such that the modified signal that is communicated to the operating systems demonstrates a speed that is in accordance with the allowed maximum speed.
  • a modification of the signal from the external control system may be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains at the same time requests for increase in speed or acceleration and braking or deceleration. Modification of the signal from the external control system can be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains requests to select the reverse gear or neutral condition at the same time as the motor vehicle is being driven at speed.
  • Modification of the signal from the external control system may be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains at the same time requests for rapid acceleration and steering angle. Modification of the signal from the external control system can be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains requests to tip a loading bed at the same time as the motor vehicle is being driven at a speed that is too high for tipping. Modification of the signal from the external control system thus entails that the modified signal comprise a request or control parameter that differs from the original request or control parameter of the signal from the external control system.
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to limit, in the event that a criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control is not satisfied, the functionality of the autonomous operation and/or the external control of the motor vehicle.
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle may, for example, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, limited the speed at which the motor vehicle may be driven autonomously and/or externally.
  • the limitation of the functionality of autonomous operation and/or the external control is carried out through the control unit modifying the signal from the external control system, such that the modified signal, when it is transferred to the operating systems, leads to the motor vehicle being driven in a safe manner.
  • the pre-determined criterion concerns a predetermined geographical region
  • the operator can in this way be allowed, for example, to return the motor vehicle to the pre-determined geographical region at a limited speed.
  • a method is provided to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
  • a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, predetermined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle makes possible two-way communication between the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle. In this way, the use of an external control system that is already commercially available for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle is made possible. By allowing an external control system for autonomous operation and/or external control to generate signals comprising control parameters for autonomous and/or external control, can the costs be minimised. Through the fact that the signal generated by the external control system is transferred to the control system that is internal to the vehicle over the computer interface, the access of the external control system is limited by the control system that is internal to the vehicle. The external control system, thus, cannot take over the control system of the motor vehicle without first having passed the computer interface.
  • a method is provided to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
  • a method is provided to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • the signal from the external control system demonstrates during the validation properties that are not in accordance with pre-determined criteria with respect to, for example, the format and/or frequency and/or checksum of the signal
  • the signal is stopped at the control unit and
  • the pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is preferably stored at the control unit, whereby the control system that is internal to the vehicle determines whether the predetermined criterion is satisfied by comparing information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or its operating condition with the stored criterion.
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is satisfied:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is not satisfied:
  • the control unit When the control system that is internal to the vehicle has decided not to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle and has prevented transfer of the signal from the external control system to the operating systems, the control unit preferably generates a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle and transfers the said signal to the operating systems. This may be the case both when the signal does not satisfy during the validation pre-determined signal criteria and when autonomous operation and/or external control is not allowed. It is preferable that the signal that the control unit generates for the internal control of motor vehicle comprise control parameters to drive the motor vehicle in a safe manner. It is appropriate that the signal for internal control comprise control parameters in order to stop the motor vehicle. Thus, autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is prevented by means of the external control system, and the motor vehicle stops. By stopping the vehicle when
  • a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is not satisfied:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • a method is provided further comprising the step:
  • control unit to generate by means of the control unit a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle when the interface and/or the control system that is internal to the vehicle does not receive any signal at all from the external control system.
  • the control system that is internal to the vehicle can in this way stop the motor vehicle when the autonomous operation and/or external control has been interrupted for any reason. Both the motor vehicle and objects and people in its surroundings are in this way protected.
  • a system and a method are provided to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and a method are provided to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and a method are provided to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle.
  • the purposes of the present invention are achieved also through a motor vehicle according to claim 13. It is preferable that the said motor vehicle is constituted by a lorry, bus, forestry machine, mining machine, wheel loader or car.
  • a computer program is provided, where the said computer program comprises program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said computer program is run on a computer.
  • a computer program product comprising a program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on a computer.
  • a computer program comprising program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said computer program is run on an electronic control unit.
  • a computer program product comprising a program code stored on a medium that can be read by a computer, in order to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on an electronic control unit.
  • a computer program product comprising a program code stored on a medium that can be read by a computer, in order to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on computer.
  • a computer program product is provided directly stored in an internal memory of a computer, comprising a computer program comprising program code arranged to carry out the method steps named in the current application, when the said computer program is run on an electronic control unit.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle
  • Figure 2 shows schematically a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 3a shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 3b shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 4 illustrates schematically a computer according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows a side view of a motor vehicle 100 comprising a drawing vehicle 1 10 and a trailer 1 12.
  • the motor vehicle 100 comprises further a system 200 to make possible autonomous operation and/or the external control of the motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the motor vehicle may be a heavy vehicle, such as a lorry, bus, wheel loader, forestry machine, dumper, mining machine, tracked vehicle or tank. Alternatively, the motor vehicle may be a car.
  • the motor vehicle 100 may be, according to one design, a hybrid vehicle.
  • the motor vehicle 1 00 may be, according to one design, an electrical vehicle with an electric motor.
  • the invention is advantageously applied to vehicles in association with mining.
  • FIG. 2 shows schematically a system 200 to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the system 200 comprises an external control system 205, a computer interface 21 0, and a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the external control system 205 may be manufactured by a third-party supplier and comprises a control system for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle.
  • the external control system 205 comprises, according to one embodiment, sensors such as cameras, radar devices, and similar (not shown in the drawing).
  • the said sensors may be located at the motor vehicle 100 and/or external to the motor vehicle 100.
  • the external control system 205 comprises, according to one embodiment, at least one control unit (not shown in the drawings).
  • the said control unit processes signals from the relevant sensors.
  • the said control unit can further be arranged in communicative connection with external units such as an electronic map database or other similar systems that can contribute information that can influence the autonomous operation and/or the external control of the said vehicle.
  • the external control system 205 is arranged to generate continuously a signal S1 , comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or the external control of the said motor vehicle 100.
  • the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle can communicate with each other in that the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle.
  • the external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 are arranged for communication over a link L205, and the computer interface 210 and the control system 210 that is internal to the vehicle are arranged for communication over a link L21 0.
  • the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle comprises a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250.
  • the control unit 220 is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over a link L220, and with the computer interface over the link L210.
  • the operating systems 230, 240, 250 are constituted by systems that through the control unit 220 of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle influence, among other things, the speed and direction of the motor vehicle 100.
  • the operating systems 230, 240, 250 are, in this execution given as an example, a system for change of gear 230, a brake-control system 240, and an engine-control system 250.
  • the external control system 205 is arranged to transmit the signal S1 over the link L205 to the computer interface 21 0.
  • the interface is further arranged to transmit the signal S1 onwards to the control unit 220 over the link L21 0.
  • the control unit 220 is arranged to communicate with a power supply 280 and an operator regulator 290 at the motor vehicle 100.
  • the said power supply 280 controls functions at the motor vehicle 100, such as tipping of a loading bed, raising a gripper, control of a crane, etc.
  • the operator regulator 290 constitutes a regulator that can be operated manually by the operator when the operator is located inside the drawing vehicle 1 10 of the motor vehicle 100. Examples of operator regulators 290 are steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear change stick or paddle, indicators, etc.
  • the control unit 220 is arranged in communicative connection with the power supply 280 over a link L280.
  • the control unit 220 is further arranged in communicative connection with the operator regulators 290 over a link L290.
  • the operator regulators are arranged to transmit on activation a signal S4 to the control unit 220 over the link L290.
  • the signal S4 comprises control parameters that correspond to the wishes of the operator with respect to operation of the motor vehicle 100.
  • the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 1 00 is satisfied, whereby the predetermined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control. It is appropriate that the pre-determined criterion is that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally during a period that does not exceed a pre-determined period of time.
  • the pre-determined criterion comprises, according to one embodiment, that the motor vehicle 100 is to be located within a pre-determined geographical region, and/or that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally a distance that does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance.
  • control unit 220 comprise a positioning unit.
  • control unit 220 can receive information from a positioning unit.
  • the pre-determined criterion comprises, according to one embodiment, that the control unit 220 is not to be receiving a signal S4 from the operator regulators 290.
  • the control unit 220 is further arranged to process or convert, when the criterion is satisfied, the signal S1 from the external control system 205, such that the processed signal S1 b demonstrates a format that can be interpreted by the operating systems 230, 240, 250.
  • the control unit 220 transmits the processed signal S1 b to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over the link L220.
  • the control unit 220 may transmit the processed signal S1 b also over the link L280 to the power supply 280.
  • the said signal S1 b comprises at least one control parameter for the control of said operating systems 230, 240, 250 and/or the power supply 280. Autonomous operation and/or external operation of the motor vehicle 100 is in this way achieved.
  • the control unit 220 is further arranged to stop, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, the signal S1 from the external control system 205 and in this way to not allow either autonomous operation or external control of the motor vehicle 100.
  • the control unit 220 is arranged also to generate, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transmit the said signal S2 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over the link L220 and/or the power supply 280 over the link L280.
  • the control unit 220 is arranged to generate, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, a signal S3 comprising information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100.
  • the control unit 220 is further arranged to transmit the said signal S3 to the computer interface 210 over the link L210.
  • the computer interface 210 is arranged to transmit continuously, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, the signal S3 over the link L205 to the external control system 205.
  • the control unit 220 is further arranged to transmit, on reception of the signal S4 from the operator regulator 290, the said signal S4 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and/or the power supply 280 for manual operation of the motor vehicle 100.
  • Figure 3a shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or the external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the method comprises the step s301 of transferring over a computer interface 210 a signal S1 from the external control system 205 to a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250.
  • the computer interface 21 0 is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. It is appropriate that the transfer between the external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 be carried out over a link L205. It is appropriate that the transfer between the computer interface 210 and the external control system be carried out over a link L210.
  • the step s301 further comprises to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, pre- determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
  • the method is terminated after the method step s301.
  • Figure 3b shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the method comprises the step s310 of generating by means of an external control system 205 a signal S1 comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle 100.
  • a method step s320 is carried out after the method step s310.
  • the method step s320 comprises transferring over a computer interface 210 the said signal S1 from the external control system 205 to a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250, whereby the computer interface 210 is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. It is appropriate that the transfer between the external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 be carried out over a link L205. It is appropriate that the transfer between the computer interface 210 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle be carried out over a link L21 0.
  • a method step s330 is carried out after the method step s320.
  • the step s330 comprises to determine by means of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied.
  • the criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period of use of autonomous operation and/or external control and may be, for example, that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally during a period of time that does not exceed a predetermined period of time.
  • the pre-determined criterion may comprise also that the motor vehicle 1 00 is to be located within a pre-determined geographical region, and/or that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously along a distance that does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance.
  • The, at least one, pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100 is preferably stored at the control unit 220.
  • the control unit 220 is further updated with, for example, relevant information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or the distance driven and/or the duration of driving and/or the licence or certificate in order to be able to compare the said information with the pre-determined criterion and in this way to be able to determine whether the criterion is satisfied.
  • a method step s340 or s350 is carried out after the method step s330.
  • the method s340 is carried out solely if it is determined in method step s330 that the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is satisfied.
  • the method step s340 comprise to process or convert the signal S1 by means of the control unit 220 and to transfer the processed signal S1 b to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and in this way to drive the motor vehicle 100 autonomously and/or externally. It is appropriate that the transfer of the processed signal S1 b between the control unit 220 and the operating systems 230, 240, 250 be carried out over a link L220.
  • the method is terminated after the method step s340.
  • the method s350 is carried out solely if it is determined in method step s330 that the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is not satisfied.
  • the method step s350 comprises to generate, by means of the control unit 220, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S2 from the control unit 220 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250. It is appropriate that the transfer be carried out over the link L220.
  • the method step s350 is carried out after the method step s360.
  • the method step s360 comprises to generate by means of the control unit 220 a signal S3 comprising information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100, and transferring the said signal S3 from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system 205 over the computer interface 210. It is appropriate that the transfer from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to the computer interface 210 be carried out over the link L21 0 and that the transfer from the computer interface 210 to the external control system be carried out over the link L205.
  • the method is terminated after the method step s360.
  • Figure 4 shows a drawing of a design of an arrangement 400.
  • the external control system 205 and/or the control unit 220 that have been described with reference to Figure 2 may, in one design, comprise the arrangement 400.
  • the arrangement 400 comprises a non-transient memory 420, a data processing unit 410 and a read/write memory 450.
  • the non-transient memory 420 has a first section of memory 430 in which a computer program, such as an operating system, is stored in order to control the function of the arrangement 400.
  • the arrangement 400 comprises a bus controller, a serial communication port, I/O means, an A D converter, a unit for the input and transfer of time and date, an event counter and an interrupt controller (not shown in the drawing).
  • the non-transient memory 420 has also a second section of memory 440.
  • a computer program P which may comprise routines to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 1 00, is provided at the arrangement 400.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to generate a signal S1 comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle 100, and routines to transmit and receive the signal S1 over a computer interface 210.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to validate the signal S1 .
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to modify the signal S1 .
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to transfer, in the event that the criterion is satisfied, the said signal S1 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and in this way to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to generate, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S2 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to generate, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, a signal S3 comprising information that a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S3 from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to an external control system 205 over the computer interface 210.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to determine whether the motor vehicle is located within a pre-determined geographical region.
  • the computer program P may comprise routines to determine the period of time that the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally, and to determine whether the said period of time does not exceed a pre-determined period of time.
  • the computer program may comprise routines to determine the distance along which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously, and to determine whether the said distance does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance.
  • the computer program P may be stored in an executable form or in a compressed form in at least one of a memory 460 and a read/write memory 450.
  • the data processing arrangement 410 can communicate with a data port 499 over a data bus 415.
  • the non-transient memory 420 is intended for communication with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 41 2.
  • the separate memory 460 is intended to communicate with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 41 1 .
  • the read/write memory 450 is arranged to communicate with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 414.
  • the links L205, L210, L220, L280, and L290, for example, can be connected to the data port 499 (see Figure 2).
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise parameters for autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise parameters for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise information from an operator regulator 290.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise information from a power supply 280.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the geographical location of the motor vehicle 100.
  • signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the period during which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously and/or externally. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the distance along which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously and/or externally. The signals that have been received at the data port 499 can be used by the arrangement 400 to determine whether the said motor vehicle 100 is to be driven autonomously, externally or manually.
  • Parts of the methods described here may be carried out by the arrangement 400 with the aid of the data processing unit 410, which runs the program stored in the memory 460 or in the read/write memory 450.
  • the arrangement 400 runs the program, the method described here is executed.

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  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
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Abstract

The invention concerns a system (200) to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, comprising an external control system (205) arranged to generate a signal (S1 ) comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle, and a control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit (220) and operating systems (230; 240; 250), in which the control unit (220) is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems (230; 240; 250). In which a computer interface (210) is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system (205) and the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface (210) is arranged to transfer the signal (S1 ) from the external control system (205) to the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, and whereby the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control. The invention concerns also a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle (100, 1 10) comprising such a system (200).

Description

System and method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle
TECHNICAL AREA
The present invention concerns a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle comprising such a system.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
To drive a motor vehicle places high demands on the operator since there are many complex predictable and unpredictable situations that must be considered. Aids are currently available to facilitate the work of the operator such as adaptive cruise-control systems, emergency braking, carriageway warnings, and similar. These aids, however, require that an operator be present in the motor vehicle who can himself or herself assess the situation and take appropriate action.
The operator constitutes a large part of the operating cost of a motor vehicle, also in cases in which the load on the operator is very low. This is the case, for example, in mining applications in which the journeys often consist of loading at one location in order subsequently to drive to a second location and unload. A second example is the transport of passengers between an airplane and an airport terminal. The traffic conditions in these applications are controlled and thus no pedestrians, cyclists or similar disturbances are present. Mines, for example, are in addition located in such a manner that transport and infrastructure are required for the personnel. This generates large costs. In order to minimise the costs, it is therefore desirable in certain types of operation to fully automate the driving of the motor vehicles or to control the motor vehicle by remote control. In order to drive a motor vehicle autonomously, in other words without an operator or driver, there is required an accurate assessment of the surroundings of the motor vehicle in order to achieve safe driving of the motor vehicle. This can be achieved through the use of sensors with high precision and advanced information processing, and communication between the various control units of the motor vehicle. It is time-consuming and expensive to develop and implement a solution for the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle. Various methods and systems have been suggested in the prior art technology in order to achieve autonomous operation. In document US 2012/0239238 A1 , for example, there is revealed how an industrial vehicle is autonomously guided along a defined pathway through the use of a guidance and navigation system. The guidance and navigation system creates and transmits a command with respect to the speed over a communication network to a processor module. The processor module transmits the command onwards to the control unit of the industrial vehicle, which in turn controls the drive system based on the said command. The pathway may be defined by a cable under the floor, tape, or other references on the floor, which the guidance and navigation system detects. While it is true that this system achieves
autonomous operation of the industrial vehicle, it requires a pathway that has been defined in advance along which the industrial vehicle is to be driven, and an internal guidance and navigation system. Despite the prior art solutions in the field, there is still a need to further develop a system and a method to make possible at least one of the autonomous operation and external control of a motor vehicle that minimises the operating costs and the development costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which keeps the costs to a minimum. One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings. A further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which makes possible the use of already existing package solutions for autonomous operation and/or external control. A further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which limits the access of external users to functions that are internal to the vehicle. A further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which keeps the costs to a minimum.
One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
A further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which makes possible the use of already existing package solutions for autonomous operation and/or external control. A further purpose of the present invention is to achieve a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which limits the access of external users to functions that are internal to the vehicle.
These purposes are achieved through a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to claim 1 , and through a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to claim 8.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle. Furthermore, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
The external control system is preferably arranged to generate several signals comprising control parameters for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle. It is preferable that the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the external control of the said motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, and in which, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion to allow external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of external control.
It is preferable that the control system that is internal to the vehicle comprise several control units.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle comprising an external control system arranged to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, and a control system that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit and operating systems, where the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems, in which a computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface is arranged to transfer the signal from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, and in which, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion to allow autonomous operation of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation. In this respect, a signal or signals may concern a message or several messages comprising one or several signals. A signal within a message can comprise one or several control parameters.
It is preferable that the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle. The control unit thus receives the signal that is transferred over the computer interface from the external control system to the control system that is internal to the vehicle. The control system that is internal to the vehicle is preferably a part of the motor vehicle in its fundamental design and controls the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is driven with an operator or driver present. By arranging a computer interface in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle, two-way communication between the control system that is external to the vehicle and the control system that is internal to the vehicle is made possible. Thus, the interface is configured for communication between the control system that is internal to the vehicle and the external control system. The interface may constitute a part of the control system that is internal to the vehicle. In this way, the use of a control system that is external to the vehicle that is already commercially available for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, coupled with the motor vehicle, is made possible. Thus, the motor vehicle does not need to be provided during manufacture with expensive systems and tools in order to achieve autonomous operation and/or external control: the purchaser of the motor vehicle can on a later occasion connect an existing external control system for autonomous operation and/or external control to the computer interface that has been configured for this purpose and to the control system that is internal to the vehicle. In this way, a time-efficient and cost-effective solution is achieved to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle. Through the fact that the signal generated by the external control system is transferred to the control system that is internal to the vehicle over the computer interface, the access of the external control system is limited by the control system that is internal to the vehicle. This is particularly advantageous since the control system that is internal to the vehicle may comprise information and functions that the manufacturer of the vehicle does not wish external users to have access to. The level of abstraction with respect to the external control system can at the same time be raised, in order to simplify the use. In the same way, the system according to the present invention makes it impossible for the external control system to take over the control of the motor vehicle unless its signals have first passed over the computer interface. The computer interface means also that the influence on the motor vehicle is held at a minimum in the cases in which connection of the external control system is carried out in an erroneous manner.
The motor vehicle can thus be controlled either manually by an operator of the motor vehicle, or autonomously or externally through the external control system.
The motor vehicle may be driven autonomously in a first condition and driven under the control of an operator (manually or externally) in a second condition. An operator, for example a driver, can thus use the same computer interface as during autonomous operation when the operator desires to control the vehicle externally. Thus, the said operator can control the vehicle by means of a control means, where the operator is located external to or by the side of the vehicle, in, for example, a basket or an aerial work platform, or manually through regulators that are arranged in a cabin at the vehicle. The external control system is defined as a control system that is provided and installed by a party other than the manufacturer of the vehicle. The external control system may comprise units that are arranged at the motor vehicle and/or units that are arranged not at the motor vehicle. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise hardware in the form of sensors, navigation systems, cameras and similar to determine the position of the motor vehicle and to obtain an accurate assessment of its surroundings. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise also at least one control unit that receives instructions with respect to the desired operation of the motor vehicle. During autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, the control unit at the external control system receives instructions at a high level, for example, "Drive from a point A to a point B". The said control unit can further be arranged in communicative connection with external units such as a map database or other similar systems that can contribute information that can influence the autonomous operation of the said vehicle. The control unit processes signals from the above-mentioned hardware and/or the external units, together with instructions and vehicle parameters, in order to determine an appropriate route for the motor vehicle. The vehicle parameters can be constituted by vehicle weight, vehicle height, acceleration capacity, etc. The control unit further determines appropriate control parameters for the driving of the motor vehicle according to the route that has been determined. The control parameters comprise instructions at a low level and can be constituted by steering angle, appropriate gear of a transmission, braking power, acceleration of the motor vehicle, angular velocity and/or torque at the steering wheel, and similar detailed control parameters. The signal that is generated by the external control system comprises at least one such control parameter. During external control of the motor vehicle, the control unit of the external control system determines control parameters based on a driving operation of the motor vehicle desired by an operator. The term "external control" can be used to denote remote control of a motor vehicle by means of remote control means such as a portable computer, a remote-control unit, joystick or similar means, manipulated by an operator. The external control system may comprise, for example, a computer arranged at the vehicle, and the interface may be constituted by a signal line, whereby an operator can, by means of pressing a button, desire, for example, that the motor vehicle be accelerated, decelerated, undergo a change of gear and/or turned. The control parameters of the signal from the external control system comprise, just as during autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, instructions at a low level and can relate to steering angle, appropriate gear, braking power, acceleration and similar detailed control parameters.
A control parameter can be known also as a "request". Thus, the external control system provides a request with respect to, for example, a speed at which the motor vehicle should be driven. The request is transferred over the interface to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which processes the request and determines whether the request is to be executed. According to one embodiment, the signal from the external control system comprises a request that is constituted by a positive or negative speed request and/or a braking request, and a desired steering angle. Alternatively, the signal from the external control system constitutes a request that is constituted by an acceleration and/or deceleration request and a desired steering angle.
Alternatively, the signal from the external control system comprises a request that is constituted by an angular velocity and/or a torque at the steering wheel.
It is preferable that the external control system generate continuously several signals each comprising one or several control parameters or requests. It is appropriate that the computer interface be designed with pre-determined requirements for the appearance of requests at the signal from the external control system. It is appropriate that the operating systems are constituted by a brake control system for the control of, for example, service brake, secondary brake and parking brake, driving means and/or control means. The term "secondary brake" can be used to denote retarders, exhaust brakes, electrical secondary brakes and similar. It is appropriate that the operating systems further constitute an engine control system for the control of the engine of the motor vehicle and its propulsion, together with a change of gear control system for the control of the change of gear of the motor vehicle. The operating means are thus constituted by systems that through the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle influence, among other things, the speed and direction of the motor vehicle.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems over a communication bus. The communication bus enables a two-way communication between the control unit and the operating systems. It is appropriate that the communication bus comprise a CAN bus or other standard for the transmission of data.
It is preferable that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether several pre-determined criteria to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle are satisfied,
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion comprises that autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle may only have been in use during a period that does not exceed a pre-determined period of time. When autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle has occurred for a period that does not exceed the pre-determined period of time, the signal from the external control system is processed and converted by means of the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred from the control unit to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven autonomously and/or externally. When autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle has occurred for a period that is equal to or exceeds the pre-determined period of time, the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. In this way, a limitation to when and how autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is allowed is achieved. Thus, a time-limited use of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is achieved.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the pre-determined criterion with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control concerns that the accumulated duration of autonomous operation and/or external control must not exceed a pre-determined duration. Alternatively, the pre-determined criterion with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control concerns that the use of autonomous operation and/or external control is allowed solely during a certain period of time, for example, during a couple of months.
By allowing autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle solely during a limited period, the risk for unsuitable use of autonomous operation and/or external control is minimised. In this way, a system is achieved to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
It is preferable that the predetermined period of time is constituted by the period between two service occasions. Alternatively, the predetermined period of time is constituted by the period between several service occasions.
Alternatively, the predetermined period of time is constituted by a pre- determined maximum operating duration of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
Alternatively, the time-limited use of autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is regulated by the use of operator licences. It is thus appropriate that the pre-determined period of time is constituted by the period of validity of the licence. The transfer of signals from the external control system to the operating systems is stopped when the licence has ceased to be valid. In order to again be able to drive the motor vehicle autonomously and/or externally, it is appropriate to require that the operator renew the licence.
Information about the validity of the licence is supplied to the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which can in this way determine whether the criterion with respect to the pre-determined period of time is satisfied or not. It is preferable that a warning to the operator is generated when the duration for which the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally is approaching the end of the pre-determined period of time. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the control system that is internal to the vehicle, which signal is transferred over the computer interface to the external control system. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise a user interface with the operator at which the warning is presented.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to geographical region and/or a driven distance. Alternatively, the pre-determined criterion is associated with a signal from at least one operator regulator arranged at the motor vehicle. It is appropriate that the pre-determined criterion is stored at the control unit.
It is appropriate that the control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle is updated with, for example, relevant information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or the distance driven and/or the duration of driving and/or the licence or certificate in order to be able to compare the said information with the pre-determined criterion, and in this way to be able to determine whether the criterion is satisfied.
Through introducing in this way a time limitation, a geographical limitation, or another form of limitation to the driving of the motor vehicle autonomously and/or externally, a limitation is achieved also with respect to at least one of when, where and how the external control system has access to the control system that is internal to the vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged to process or convert, when the criterion is satisfied, the signal from the external control system such that the processed signal demonstrates a format that the operating systems at the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle can interpret. The processed signal thus comprises the same request or control parameter as the signal from the external control system, but in a different format. The control unit subsequently transfers the processed signal to the operating systems. By transferring the processed signal to the operating systems, the operating systems are controlled in accordance with the control parameters in the signal from the external control system. Autonomous operation and/or external operation of the motor vehicle through the external control system is in this way achieved.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether the motor vehicle is located within a pre-determined geographical region. The, at least one, pre-determined criterion thus comprises that the motor vehicle is to be present within a pre-determined geographical region. When the motor vehicle is located within the pre-determined geographical region, the signal from the external control system is processed at the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven either autonomously or externally. When the motor vehicle is not located within the pre-determined geographical region, the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. By solely allowing autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle within a limited region, a system is achieved for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings. It is appropriate that the pre-determined geographical region is a region that demonstrates controlled traffic conditions in which autonomous operation and/or external control is suitable. It can in this way be ensured that, for example, a mining machine comprising a system according to the present invention can be driven autonomously and/or externally solely within the mine area. As soon as the mining machine leaves the mine area, the autonomous operation and/or the external control is stopped, and the mining machine is stopped, or driven manually. It is preferable that it is determined whether the motor vehicle is located within the pre-determined geographical region through the use of a positioning unit and electronic map arranged at the motor vehicle. It is appropriate that the positioning unit be constituted by a GNSS system (Global Navigation Satellite System), such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or Compass. It is appropriate that the positioning system be comprised by the control unit at the control system that is internal to the vehicle. Alternatively, the positioning unit is arranged in communicative connection with the control unit, such that the control unit can receive information from the positioning unit. Alternatively, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is located within the pre-determined geographical region through the use of aerials arranged in the surroundings and receivers arranged at the motor vehicle. Alternatively, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is located within the pre-determined geographical region through other communication between the motor vehicle and its surroundings. The predetermined geographical region is preferably stored at the control unit. The pre-determined geographical region may be determined by at least one of the manufacturer of the vehicle and its operator. The vehicle manufacturer may, for example, have specified the pre-determined geographical region to be a certain country, while the operator desires to limit the use of autonomous operation and/or external control further, and thus specifies the pre-determined geographical region to be a certain industrial site. It is preferable that the operator cannot extend the pre-determined geographical region that has been specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
It is preferable that a warning to the operator be generated when the motor vehicle is close to leaving the pre-determined geographical region. A warning is generated, for example, when the motor vehicle is located 500 meters from the boundary of the pre-determined geographical region. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the vehicle control system, which signal is transferred over the interface to the external control system. It is appropriate that the external control system comprise a user interface with the operator at which the warning is present.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion comprises that the
accumulated distance that the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally must not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance. The control system that is internal to the vehicle is thus arranged to determine whether the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally a certain accumulated distance, which distance does not exceed the predetermined maximum distance. When the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally an accumulated distance, independently of the route taken, that does not exceed the pre-determined maximum distance, the signal from the external control system is processed by means of the control unit, after which the processed signal is transferred from the control unit to the operating systems and the motor vehicle is driven either autonomously or externally. When the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally an accumulated distance that is equal to or exceeds the predetermined maximum distance, the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. In this way, a limitation to when and how autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is allowed is achieved.
By allowing autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle only for a limited distance, a system is achieved for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle, which is safe and which protects the motor vehicle, and objects and/or people in its surroundings.
It is preferable that it is determined whether the motor vehicle satisfies the criterion with respect to distance driven under autonomous operation and/or external control by means of functions that are internal to the vehicle, which functions communicate with the control unit.
It is preferable that a warning to the operator is generated when the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally a distance that is approaching the pre-determined maximum distance. A warning to the operator is generated, for example, 500 km before the pre-determined maximum distance has been reached. It is appropriate that a signal comprising the warning is generated at the vehicle control system, which signal is transferred over the interface to the external control system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged to generate, when autonomous operation and/or external control of motor vehicle is not permitted and transfer of the signal of the external control system from the control unit to the operating systems has been prevented, a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle and to transfer the said signal to the operating systems. An internal control of the motor vehicle is in this way achieved when a criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not satisfied. It is preferable that the signal for internal control comprise control parameters that minimise the risk of damage to the motor vehicle and objects and/or people in its surroundings. The signal for internal control comprises, for example, control parameters that lead to the motor vehicle being braked and/or stopped/ parked.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged to generate, when a criterion described here to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not satisfied, a signal comprising information that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle and to transfer the signal comprising information that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle from the control system that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system over the interface. The external control system, and thus also the operator, in this way receives information that it is not controlling the motor vehicle and the reason that this is the case. When autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not allowed, the external control system preferably receives an instruction about measures that are required in order to again achieve autonomous operation and/or external control. It is appropriate that the instructions concerning measures be generated at the control system that is internal to the vehicle and transferred to the external control system over the computer interface.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether the control unit is receiving a signal from an operator regulator at the motor vehicle. The operator regulator at the motor vehicle is preferably constituted by a regulator that can be operated manually by the operator when the operator is located inside the driver's cabin of the motor vehicle. Examples of operator regulators are steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear change stick, indicators, etc. According to one embodiment, an operator regulator is constituted by a regulator that indicates when activated that the operator desires to drive the vehicle manually. In the cases in which the control unit receives signals from an operator regulator, autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is not allowed, and the signal from the external control system is stopped at the control unit. By preventing the transfer of signals from the external control system to the operating systems when the control unit receives a signal from an operator regulator, autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is prevented as soon as the indication is given that a person is present inside the motor vehicle and desires to drive the motor vehicle manually. When autonomous operation and/or external control is not allowed, manual operation of the motor vehicle is achieved through the control unit controlling the operating systems according to the signal received from the operator regulator. It is in this way ensured that manual operation of the motor vehicle is always given priority over
autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
The control unit thus controls the operating systems, for example, on the basis of signals either from the operator regulators (manual operation), or from the external control system (autonomous operation and/or external control).
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged to validate the signal from the external control system. Through the control unit of the control system that is internal to the vehicle validating the incoming signal from the external control system, a check is achieved before the said signal is processed and transferred to the operating systems and thus controls the motor vehicle. It can in this way be ensured that no unreasonable or damaging signals, or signals that the control unit cannot interpret, control the motor vehicle. This is particularly important since the signal from the external control system comprises control parameters at a low level. The validation preferably comprises the check of pre-determined criteria, for example, with respect to the format of signals of the external control system. The validation comprises, for example, check of criteria with respect to the frequency of the signal generated by the external control system, i.e. how often signals from the external control system are transmitted. For example, in the case in which signals are intended to be transmitted every 40 milliseconds but an interruption occurs, the control unit stops the
autonomous operation. Furthermore, criteria with respect to a checksum generated by the external control system can be checked during the validation. The validation means that the format with which communication takes place over the computer interface must comply with clearly defined criteria in order to be received by the control system that is internal to the vehicle. It is in this way ensured that the manufacturer of the vehicle has control of how the vehicle is controlled and driven, even when an external control system is used for autonomous operation and/or external control. Furthermore, it is ensured that the external control system is an approved and allowed control system for autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
It is appropriate that the control unit stop the signal from the external control system when the validation shows that the signal from the external control system does not satisfy a pre-determined criterion. It is preferable that the control unit generates also a signal for internal control and transfers the signal for internal control to the operating systems.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided in which the control unit is arranged to modify the signal from the external control system before transfer to the operating systems, such that the motor vehicle is not unnecessarily placed into situations that may be harmful for the motor vehicle and/or its surroundings. The signal from the external control system comprises, as has been previously mentioned, at least one control parameter. In certain cases, at least one of the operator and the motor vehicle is subject to limitations with respect to, for example, speed, steering angle, choice of gear and similar. The operator may, for example, be limited to driving the motor vehicle with a pre-determined maximum speed. If the signal from the external control system demonstrates in this case a requested speed that exceeds the said maximum speed, the signal is modified at the control unit, such that the modified signal that is communicated to the operating systems demonstrates a speed that is in accordance with the allowed maximum speed. A modification of the signal from the external control system may be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains at the same time requests for increase in speed or acceleration and braking or deceleration. Modification of the signal from the external control system can be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains requests to select the reverse gear or neutral condition at the same time as the motor vehicle is being driven at speed. Modification of the signal from the external control system may be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains at the same time requests for rapid acceleration and steering angle. Modification of the signal from the external control system can be carried out, for example, when the signal from the external control system contains requests to tip a loading bed at the same time as the motor vehicle is being driven at a speed that is too high for tipping. Modification of the signal from the external control system thus entails that the modified signal comprise a request or control parameter that differs from the original request or control parameter of the signal from the external control system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the control system that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to limit, in the event that a criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control is not satisfied, the functionality of the autonomous operation and/or the external control of the motor vehicle. The control system that is internal to the vehicle may, for example, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, limited the speed at which the motor vehicle may be driven autonomously and/or externally. It is preferable that the limitation of the functionality of autonomous operation and/or the external control is carried out through the control unit modifying the signal from the external control system, such that the modified signal, when it is transferred to the operating systems, leads to the motor vehicle being driven in a safe manner. In the case in which the pre-determined criterion concerns a predetermined geographical region, the operator can in this way be allowed, for example, to return the motor vehicle to the pre-determined geographical region at a limited speed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
- to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for
autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle by means of an external control system, and to
- to transfer over a computer interface the signal from the external control system to a control system that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit and operating systems, whereby the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle; and
- to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, predetermined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
The computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle makes possible two-way communication between the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle. In this way, the use of an external control system that is already commercially available for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle is made possible. By allowing an external control system for autonomous operation and/or external control to generate signals comprising control parameters for autonomous and/or external control, can the costs be minimised. Through the fact that the signal generated by the external control system is transferred to the control system that is internal to the vehicle over the computer interface, the access of the external control system is limited by the control system that is internal to the vehicle. The external control system, thus, cannot take over the control system of the motor vehicle without first having passed the computer interface.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
- to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the external control of the said motor vehicle by means of an external control system, and
- to transfer over a computer interface the signal from the external control system to a control system that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit and operating systems, whereby the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle; and
- to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of external control.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
- to generate a signal comprising at least one control parameter for the autonomous operation of the said motor vehicle by means of an external control system, and
- to transfer over a computer interface the signal from the external control system to a control system that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit and operating means, whereby the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system and the control system that is internal to the vehicle; and
- to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to validate the signal from the external control system by means of the control unit.
In the cases in which the signal from the external control system demonstrates during the validation properties that are not in accordance with pre-determined criteria with respect to, for example, the format and/or frequency and/or checksum of the signal, the signal is stopped at the control unit and
autonomous operation and/or external control is prevented. The pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is preferably stored at the control unit, whereby the control system that is internal to the vehicle determines whether the predetermined criterion is satisfied by comparing information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or its operating condition with the stored criterion.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to determine whether the motor vehicle is located within a pre-determined geographical region, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to determine whether the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally during a period that does not exceed a pre-determined period of time, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to determine whether the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally along an accumulated distance that does not exceed a predetermined distance, by means of the control system that is internal to the vehicle.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to determine whether the control unit is not receiving any signal from operator regulators at the motor vehicle.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is satisfied:
- to process the signal from the external control system by means of the control unit; and
- to transfer the processed signal from the control unit to the operating systems.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is not satisfied:
- to generate a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle by means of the control unit; and
- to transfer the said signal for internal control from the control unit to the operating systems.
When the control system that is internal to the vehicle has decided not to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle and has prevented transfer of the signal from the external control system to the operating systems, the control unit preferably generates a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle and transfers the said signal to the operating systems. This may be the case both when the signal does not satisfy during the validation pre-determined signal criteria and when autonomous operation and/or external control is not allowed. It is preferable that the signal that the control unit generates for the internal control of motor vehicle comprise control parameters to drive the motor vehicle in a safe manner. It is appropriate that the signal for internal control comprise control parameters in order to stop the motor vehicle. Thus, autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is prevented by means of the external control system, and the motor vehicle stops. By stopping the vehicle when
autonomous operation and/or external control is not appropriate, it is ensured that the motor vehicle is not driven in an erroneous and dangerous manner. Both the motor vehicle and objects and/or people in its surroundings are in this way protected. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step, when the criterion is not satisfied:
- to generate a signal comprising information that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle by means of the control unit; and
- to transfer the said signal from the control system that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system over the interface.
When the control system that is internal to the vehicle has decided that the criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control is not satisfied and has prevented transfer of the signal from the external control system to the operating systems, it is appropriate that the operator is informed through the external control system that the control system that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to modify the signal from the external control system. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided further comprising the step:
- to generate by means of the control unit a signal for the internal control of the motor vehicle when the interface and/or the control system that is internal to the vehicle does not receive any signal at all from the external control system.
The control system that is internal to the vehicle can in this way stop the motor vehicle when the autonomous operation and/or external control has been interrupted for any reason. Both the motor vehicle and objects and people in its surroundings are in this way protected.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and a method are provided to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and a method are provided to make possible the external control of a motor vehicle. According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and a method are provided to make possible the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle.
The purposes of the present invention are achieved also through a motor vehicle according to claim 13. It is preferable that the said motor vehicle is constituted by a lorry, bus, forestry machine, mining machine, wheel loader or car.
The purposes of the present invention are further achieved through a computer program according to claim 15 and a computer program product according to claim 16. According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program is provided, where the said computer program comprises program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said computer program is run on a computer.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided comprising a program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on a computer.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program is provided, where the said computer program comprises program code to carry out the method steps described here, when the said computer program is run on an electronic control unit.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided comprising a program code stored on a medium that can be read by a computer, in order to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on an electronic control unit.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided comprising a program code stored on a medium that can be read by a computer, in order to carry out the method steps described here, when the said program code is run on computer.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided directly stored in an internal memory of a computer, comprising a computer program comprising program code arranged to carry out the method steps named in the current application, when the said computer program is run on an electronic control unit.
Further advantages of the invention are made clear by the following detailed description of embodiments given as examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described as examples below with reference to attached drawings, of which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle;
Figure 2 shows schematically a system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3a shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3b shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 illustrates schematically a computer according to one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In this document, the term "link" refers to a communication link that may be a physical line, such as an opto-electronic communication line, or a non-physical line, such as a wireless connection, for example a radio link or microwave link. Figure 1 shows a side view of a motor vehicle 100 comprising a drawing vehicle 1 10 and a trailer 1 12. The motor vehicle 100 comprises further a system 200 to make possible autonomous operation and/or the external control of the motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. The motor vehicle may be a heavy vehicle, such as a lorry, bus, wheel loader, forestry machine, dumper, mining machine, tracked vehicle or tank. Alternatively, the motor vehicle may be a car. The motor vehicle 100 may be, according to one design, a hybrid vehicle. The motor vehicle 1 00 may be, according to one design, an electrical vehicle with an electric motor. The invention is advantageously applied to vehicles in association with mining.
Figure 2 shows schematically a system 200 to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system 200 comprises an external control system 205, a computer interface 21 0, and a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. The external control system 205 may be manufactured by a third-party supplier and comprises a control system for autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle.
The external control system 205 comprises, according to one embodiment, sensors such as cameras, radar devices, and similar (not shown in the drawing). The said sensors may be located at the motor vehicle 100 and/or external to the motor vehicle 100. The external control system 205 comprises, according to one embodiment, at least one control unit (not shown in the drawings). The said control unit processes signals from the relevant sensors. The said control unit can further be arranged in communicative connection with external units such as an electronic map database or other similar systems that can contribute information that can influence the autonomous operation and/or the external control of the said vehicle. The external control system 205 is arranged to generate continuously a signal S1 , comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or the external control of the said motor vehicle 100.
The external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle can communicate with each other in that the computer interface is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. The external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 are arranged for communication over a link L205, and the computer interface 210 and the control system 210 that is internal to the vehicle are arranged for communication over a link L21 0. The control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle comprises a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250. The control unit 220 is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over a link L220, and with the computer interface over the link L210. It is appropriate that the operating systems 230, 240, 250 are constituted by systems that through the control unit 220 of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle influence, among other things, the speed and direction of the motor vehicle 100. The operating systems 230, 240, 250 are, in this execution given as an example, a system for change of gear 230, a brake-control system 240, and an engine-control system 250. The external control system 205 is arranged to transmit the signal S1 over the link L205 to the computer interface 21 0. The interface is further arranged to transmit the signal S1 onwards to the control unit 220 over the link L21 0. The control unit 220 is arranged to communicate with a power supply 280 and an operator regulator 290 at the motor vehicle 100. The said power supply 280 controls functions at the motor vehicle 100, such as tipping of a loading bed, raising a gripper, control of a crane, etc. The operator regulator 290 constitutes a regulator that can be operated manually by the operator when the operator is located inside the drawing vehicle 1 10 of the motor vehicle 100. Examples of operator regulators 290 are steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, gear change stick or paddle, indicators, etc. The control unit 220 is arranged in communicative connection with the power supply 280 over a link L280. The control unit 220 is further arranged in communicative connection with the operator regulators 290 over a link L290. The operator regulators are arranged to transmit on activation a signal S4 to the control unit 220 over the link L290. The signal S4 comprises control parameters that correspond to the wishes of the operator with respect to operation of the motor vehicle 100.
The control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 1 00 is satisfied, whereby the predetermined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control. It is appropriate that the pre-determined criterion is that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally during a period that does not exceed a pre-determined period of time. The pre-determined criterion comprises, according to one embodiment, that the motor vehicle 100 is to be located within a pre-determined geographical region, and/or that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally a distance that does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance. It is preferable that the control unit 220 comprise a positioning unit. Alternatively, the control unit 220 can receive information from a positioning unit. The pre-determined criterion comprises, according to one embodiment, that the control unit 220 is not to be receiving a signal S4 from the operator regulators 290.
The control unit 220 is further arranged to process or convert, when the criterion is satisfied, the signal S1 from the external control system 205, such that the processed signal S1 b demonstrates a format that can be interpreted by the operating systems 230, 240, 250. The control unit 220 transmits the processed signal S1 b to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over the link L220. The control unit 220 may transmit the processed signal S1 b also over the link L280 to the power supply 280. The said signal S1 b comprises at least one control parameter for the control of said operating systems 230, 240, 250 and/or the power supply 280. Autonomous operation and/or external operation of the motor vehicle 100 is in this way achieved. The control unit 220 is further arranged to stop, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, the signal S1 from the external control system 205 and in this way to not allow either autonomous operation or external control of the motor vehicle 100. The control unit 220 is arranged also to generate, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transmit the said signal S2 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 over the link L220 and/or the power supply 280 over the link L280.
The control unit 220 is arranged to generate, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, a signal S3 comprising information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100. The control unit 220 is further arranged to transmit the said signal S3 to the computer interface 210 over the link L210. The computer interface 210 is arranged to transmit continuously, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, the signal S3 over the link L205 to the external control system 205.
The control unit 220 is further arranged to transmit, on reception of the signal S4 from the operator regulator 290, the said signal S4 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and/or the power supply 280 for manual operation of the motor vehicle 100.
Figure 3a shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or the external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises the step s301 of transferring over a computer interface 210 a signal S1 from the external control system 205 to a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250. The computer interface 21 0 is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. It is appropriate that the transfer between the external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 be carried out over a link L205. It is appropriate that the transfer between the computer interface 210 and the external control system be carried out over a link L210. The step s301 further comprises to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, pre- determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control. The method is terminated after the method step s301.
Figure 3b shows a flow diagram for a method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises the step s310 of generating by means of an external control system 205 a signal S1 comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle 100. A method step s320 is carried out after the method step s310.
The method step s320 comprises transferring over a computer interface 210 the said signal S1 from the external control system 205 to a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit 220 and operating systems 230, 240, 250, whereby the computer interface 210 is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system 205 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle. It is appropriate that the transfer between the external control system 205 and the computer interface 210 be carried out over a link L205. It is appropriate that the transfer between the computer interface 210 and the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle be carried out over a link L21 0. A method step s330 is carried out after the method step s320.
The step s330 comprises to determine by means of the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied. The criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period of use of autonomous operation and/or external control and may be, for example, that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously and/or externally during a period of time that does not exceed a predetermined period of time. The pre-determined criterion may comprise also that the motor vehicle 1 00 is to be located within a pre-determined geographical region, and/or that the motor vehicle 100 is to have been driven autonomously along a distance that does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance. The, at least one, pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100 is preferably stored at the control unit 220. The control unit 220 is further updated with, for example, relevant information with respect to the position of the motor vehicle position and/or the distance driven and/or the duration of driving and/or the licence or certificate in order to be able to compare the said information with the pre-determined criterion and in this way to be able to determine whether the criterion is satisfied. A method step s340 or s350 is carried out after the method step s330.
The method s340 is carried out solely if it is determined in method step s330 that the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is satisfied. The method step s340 comprise to process or convert the signal S1 by means of the control unit 220 and to transfer the processed signal S1 b to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and in this way to drive the motor vehicle 100 autonomously and/or externally. It is appropriate that the transfer of the processed signal S1 b between the control unit 220 and the operating systems 230, 240, 250 be carried out over a link L220. The method is terminated after the method step s340.
The method s350 is carried out solely if it is determined in method step s330 that the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is not satisfied. The method step s350 comprises to generate, by means of the control unit 220, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S2 from the control unit 220 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250. It is appropriate that the transfer be carried out over the link L220. The method step s350 is carried out after the method step s360.
The method step s360 comprises to generate by means of the control unit 220 a signal S3 comprising information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100, and transferring the said signal S3 from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system 205 over the computer interface 210. It is appropriate that the transfer from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to the computer interface 210 be carried out over the link L21 0 and that the transfer from the computer interface 210 to the external control system be carried out over the link L205. The method is terminated after the method step s360. Figure 4 shows a drawing of a design of an arrangement 400. The external control system 205 and/or the control unit 220 that have been described with reference to Figure 2 may, in one design, comprise the arrangement 400. The arrangement 400 comprises a non-transient memory 420, a data processing unit 410 and a read/write memory 450. The non-transient memory 420 has a first section of memory 430 in which a computer program, such as an operating system, is stored in order to control the function of the arrangement 400. Furthermore, the arrangement 400 comprises a bus controller, a serial communication port, I/O means, an A D converter, a unit for the input and transfer of time and date, an event counter and an interrupt controller (not shown in the drawing). The non-transient memory 420 has also a second section of memory 440.
A computer program P, which may comprise routines to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle 1 00, is provided at the arrangement 400. The computer program P may comprise routines to generate a signal S1 comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle 100, and routines to transmit and receive the signal S1 over a computer interface 210. The computer program P may comprise routines to validate the signal S1 . The computer program P may comprise routines to modify the signal S1 . The computer program P may comprise routines to determine whether a pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied. The computer program P may comprise routines to transfer, in the event that the criterion is satisfied, the said signal S1 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250 and in this way to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100. The computer program P may comprise routines to generate, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, a signal S2 for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S2 to the operating systems 230, 240, 250. The computer program P may comprise routines to generate, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, a signal S3 comprising information that a control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100, and to transfer the said signal S3 from the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle to an external control system 205 over the computer interface 210.
The computer program P may comprise routines to determine whether the motor vehicle is located within a pre-determined geographical region. The computer program P may comprise routines to determine the period of time that the motor vehicle has been driven autonomously and/or externally, and to determine whether the said period of time does not exceed a pre-determined period of time. The computer program may comprise routines to determine the distance along which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously, and to determine whether the said distance does not exceed a pre-determined maximum distance. The computer program P may be stored in an executable form or in a compressed form in at least one of a memory 460 and a read/write memory 450. When it is described that the data processing unit 410 carries out a certain function, it is to be understood that the data processing unit 410 carries out a certain part of the program that is stored in the memory 460, or a certain part of the program that is stored in the read/write memory 450. The data processing arrangement 410 can communicate with a data port 499 over a data bus 415. The non-transient memory 420 is intended for communication with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 41 2. The separate memory 460 is intended to communicate with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 41 1 . The read/write memory 450 is arranged to communicate with the data processing unit 410 over a data bus 414. The links L205, L210, L220, L280, and L290, for example, can be connected to the data port 499 (see Figure 2).
When data is received at the data port 499 it is temporarily stored in the second section of memory 440. When the data that has been received has been temporarily stored, the data processing unit 410 is prepared for the execution of code in a manner that has been described above.
According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise parameters for autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle 100. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise parameters for the internal control of the motor vehicle 100. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information from an operator regulator 290. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information from a power supply 280. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information that the control system 270 that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle 100. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the geographical location of the motor vehicle 100. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the period during which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously and/or externally. According to one design, signals received at the data port 499 comprise information about the distance along which the motor vehicle 100 has been driven autonomously and/or externally. The signals that have been received at the data port 499 can be used by the arrangement 400 to determine whether the said motor vehicle 100 is to be driven autonomously, externally or manually.
Parts of the methods described here may be carried out by the arrangement 400 with the aid of the data processing unit 410, which runs the program stored in the memory 460 or in the read/write memory 450. When the arrangement 400 runs the program, the method described here is executed.
The previous description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description of the invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the variants that have been described. Many modifications and variations will be obvious for one skilled in the arts. The embodiments were selected and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, and thus to make it possible for those skilled in the arts to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications that are appropriate for the intended use.

Claims

Claims
1. A system to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising:
- an external control system (205) arranged to generate a signal (S1 ) comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle, and
- a control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle comprising a control unit (220) and operating systems (230; 240; 250), in which the control unit (220) is arranged in communicative connection with the operating systems (230; 240; 250), characterised in that:
- a computer interface (210) is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system (205) and the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the computer interface (210) is arranged to transfer the signal (S1 ) from the external control system (205) to the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, and whereby the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle is arranged to determine whether at least one predetermined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the duration of the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
2. The system according to claim 1 , in which the computer interface (210) is arranged in communicative connection with the control unit (220).
3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, in which the control unit (220) is arranged in communicative connection with the operating means over a communication bus (L220).
4. The system according to any one of claims 1 -3, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to geographical region and/or a driven distance.
5. The system according to any one of claims 1 -4, in which the control unit (220) is arranged to process, in the event that the criterion is satisfied, the signal (S1 ) from the external control system (205) and to transfer the processed signal (S1 b) to the operating systems (230; 240; 250) in order to control the motor vehicle at least one of autonomously and externally.
6. The system according to any one of claims 1 -4, in which the control unit (220) is arranged to generate, in the event that the criterion is not satisfied, a signal (S2) for the internal control of the motor vehicle and to transfer the said signal (S2) to the operating systems (230; 240; 250).
7. The system according to any one of claims 1 -4 or 6 in which the control unit (220) is arranged to generate, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied, a signal (S3) comprising information that the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle, and to transfer the said signal (S3) from the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system (205) over the computer interface (210).
8. A method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle comprising the steps:
- to generate a signal (S1 ) comprising at least one control parameter for autonomous operation and/or external control of the said motor vehicle by means of an external control system (205) characterised by the steps:
- to transfer over a computer interface (210) the signal (S1 ) from the external control system (205) to a control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, comprising a control unit (220) and operating systems (230; 240; 250), whereby the computer interface (210) is arranged in communicative connection with the external control system (205) and the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle; and
- to determine whether at least one pre-determined criterion to allow autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle is satisfied, by means of the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle, whereby the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to the period for the use of autonomous operation and/or external control.
9. The method according to claim 8, in which the, at least one, pre-determined criterion is associated with a limitation with respect to geographical region and/or a driven distance.
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising the steps, in the event that a criterion is satisfied:
- to process the signal (S1 ) from the external control system (205) by means of the control unit (220); and
- to transfer the processed signal (S1 b) from the control unit (220) to the operating systems (230; 240; 250) for autonomous operation and/or external control of the motor vehicle.
1 1 . The method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising the steps, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied:
- to generate a signal (S2) for the internal control of the motor vehicle by means of the control unit (220); and
- to transfer the said signal (S2) from the control unit (220) to the operating systems (230; 240; 250).
12. The method according to claim 8, 9 or 1 1 , further comprising the step, in the event that a criterion is not satisfied:
- to generate a signal (S3) comprising information that the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle is controlling the motor vehicle by means of the control unit (220) and,
- to transfer the said signal (S3) from the control system (270) that is internal to the vehicle to the external control system (205) over the interface (210).
13. A motor vehicle (100; 1 1 0) comprising a system according to any one of claims 1 -7.
14. The motor vehicle (100, 1 10) according to claim 13, whereby the motor vehicle is any one of a lorry, bus, forestry machine, mining machine, wheel loader or car.
15. A computer program (P), where the said computer program (P) comprises program code to carry out the method steps according to any one of claims 8- 12, when the said computer program is run on a computer (205; 220).
16. A computer program product comprising a program code to carry out the method steps according to any one of claims 8-12, when the said program code is run on a computer (205; 220).
PCT/SE2014/051372 2013-11-21 2014-11-19 System and method to make possible autonomous operation and/or external control of a motor vehicle WO2015076734A1 (en)

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