Automated guidance system

Abstract

A guidance system, for use on an automated vehicle includes a camera, a vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver, and a controller. The camera detects a lane-marking on a roadway and detects a lead-vehicle traveling ahead of a host-vehicle. The vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver receives a future-waypoint from the lead-vehicle, wherein the future-waypoint defines a future-route of the lead-vehicle along the roadway. The controller is in communication with the camera and the vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver. The controller determines a projected-path for the host-vehicle based on the lane-marking. The controller also determines a lead-path of the lead-vehicle based on the camera. The controller steers the host-vehicle according to the lead-path when the lane-marking is not detected and the lead-path corresponds to the projected-path. The controller steers the host-vehicle according to the projected-path while the lane-marking is not detected and the future-waypoint does not correspond to the projected-path.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a guidance system, comprising:
 operating a host-vehicle in travel in a lane of a roadway, wherein operating the host-vehicle comprises determining, with a controller in communication with a camera, a host-vehicle path based on one or more lane-markings associated with the lane of the roadway;   determining, with the controller, that the one or more lane-markings are no longer detectable;   
       in response to determining that the one or more lane-markings are no longer detectable:
 detecting, with a ranging-sensor in communication with the controller, a forward vehicle travelling ahead of the host-vehicle; 
 determining, with the controller, a projected-path associated with the forward vehicle based on the ranging-sensor; and 
 if the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle corresponds to the host-vehicle path previously determined based on the one or more lane-markings, operating the host-vehicle, with the controller, to follow the forward vehicle. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle does not correspond to the host-vehicle path determined based on the one or more lane-markings, operating the host-vehicle, with the controller, to travel according to the host-vehicle path previously determined based on the one or more lane-markings. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle includes receiving, with a vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver, a future-route from the forward vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the future-route includes travel into a left-turn-lane. 
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the future-route includes travel into a right-turn-lane. 
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the future-route is a future-route-polynomial based on the future-route. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle includes tracking the forward vehicle, with the controller, based on signals received by the ranging-sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the ranging-sensor is a radar. 
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the ranging-sensor is a lidar. 
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the projected-path is a lane-polynomial based on the one or more lane-markings. 
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the controller stores the lane-polynomial in a memory. 
     
     
         12 . A guidance system, comprising:
 operating a host-vehicle in travel in a lane of a roadway, wherein operating the host-vehicle comprises determining, with a controller in communication with a camera, a host-vehicle path based on one or more lane-markings associated with the lane of the roadway;   determining, with the controller, that the one or more lane-markings are no longer detectable;   in response to determining that the one or more lane-markings are no longer detectable:
 detecting, with a ranging-sensor in communication with the controller, a forward vehicle travelling ahead of the host-vehicle; 
 determining, with the controller, a projected-path associated with the forward vehicle based on the ranging-sensor; and 
 if the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle corresponds to the host-vehicle path previously determined based on the one or more lane-markings, operating the host-vehicle, with the controller, to follow the forward vehicle. 
   
     
     
         13 . The guidance system of  claim 12 , wherein if the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle does not correspond to the host-vehicle path determined based on the one or more lane-markings, operating the host-vehicle, with the controller, to travel according to the host-vehicle path previously determined based on the one or more lane-markings. 
     
     
         14 . The guidance system of  claim 12 , wherein the step of determining the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle includes receiving, with a vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver, a future-route from the forward vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the future-route includes travel into a left-turn-lane. 
     
     
         16 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the future-route includes travel into a right-turn-lane. 
     
     
         17 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the future-route is a future-route-polynomial based on the future-route. 
     
     
         18 . The guidance system of  claim 12 , wherein the step of determining the projected-path associated with the forward vehicle includes tracking the forward vehicle, with the controller, based on signals received by the ranging-sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the ranging-sensor is a radar. 
     
     
         20 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the ranging-sensor is a lidar. 
     
     
         21 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the projected-path is a lane-polynomial based on the one or more lane-markings. 
     
     
         22 . The guidance system in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the controller stores the lane-polynomial in a memory.