EP-4739566-A2 - VEHICLE TRAJECTORY CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A control system (10) for controlling the trajectory of a vehicle (300), the control system (10) comprising one or more controller (12), the control system (10) being configured to: receive an operator control input, the operator control input comprising a signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface (14); determine, in dependence on the operator control input, an intent of an operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle (300); select, in dependence on the determined intent of the operator, a vehicle trajectory adjustment system (20) from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems (20-2), (20-2), (20-3), (20-4), (20-5), (20-6); determine, in dependence on the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system (20), a vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system (20) so as to cause the vehicle (300) to follow an adjusted vehicle trajectory; and output the vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system (20) to cause the vehicle (300) to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory.

Inventors

• VRHUNC, Jure
• DAWSON, MARK
• ATWAL, Tharnjit
• DUNN, JOHN
• LESBIREL, Robbie
• Matthias, Rebecca
• SAUNDERS, Rebecca
• JARAMILLO-MOSCOSO, Gustavo

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240704

Claims (15)

1. 1. A control system for controlling the trajectory of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controller, the control system being configured to: receive an operator control input, the operator control input comprising a signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface; determine, in dependence on the operator control input, an intent of an operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle; select, in dependence on the determined intent of the operator, a vehicle trajectory adjustment system from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems; determine, in dependence on the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system, a vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system so as to cause the vehicle to follow an adjusted vehicle trajectory; and output the vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory.
2. 2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface is independent of a signal indicative of a steering input interface position.
3. 3. A control system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the operator control input is provided by one of a human driver or an autonomous driver system.
4. 4. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems comprises two or more of: steering system; a braking system; a suspension system; a traction control system; an active aerodynamic control system; a motive torque delivery system.
5. 5. A control system according to claim 4, wherein the steering system comprises one or more of: a front wheel steering system; a rear wheel steering system; an all wheel steering system.
6. 6. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface comprises a signal indicative of a rate of change of the steering input interface position, and optionally, wherein the operator control input comprises a signal indicative of one or more of: a steering input interface position; an accelerator control position; a rate of change of an accelerator control position; a decelerator control position; the rate of change of a decelerator control position; and a driving mode of the vehicle.
7. 7. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the intent of the operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle is further determined in dependence on a vehicle speed input.
8. 8. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein a predicted trajectory of the vehicle is determined from the operator control input.
9. 9. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the adjusted vehicle trajectory is of the form of a mathematical function, and optionally, wherein the mathematical function is a clothoid.
10. 10. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle performance is limited when it is determined that the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system is not capable of operating to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory, and optionally, wherein the vehicle is caused to decelerate when it is determined that the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system is not capable of operating to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory.
11. 11. A control system according to claim 10, the control system being configured to: provide feedback to an operator of the vehicle that the adjusted vehicle trajectory cannot be followed, and optionally, wherein the feedback to the operator comprises one or more of physical feedback, audible warnings and visual warnings.
12. 12. A control system according to claim 3, wherein, when the operator control input is provided by a human driver, the operator control input is determined by sensors operably coupled to the steering input interface, or by analysis of the motion of the steering input interface, or the human driver operating the steering input interface, detected via a camera.
13. 13. A vehicle comprising the control system of claims 1 to 12.
14. 14. A method for controlling a control system of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving an operator control input, the operator control input comprising a signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface; determining, in dependence on the operator control input, an intent of the operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle; selecting, in dependence on the determined intent of the operator, a vehicle trajectory adjustment system from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems; determining, in dependence on the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system, a vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system so as to cause the vehicle to follow an adjusted vehicle trajectory; and outputting the vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory.
15. 15. Computer readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, are arranged to perform a method according claim 14.

Description

VEHICLE TRAJECTORY CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a vehicle trajectory control system and method. Aspects of the invention relate to a control system, to a system, to a vehicle, and to a method. BACKGROUND It is known to provide vehicle trajectory control systems having a steering wheel which is mechanically linked to a steering rack and the road wheels of the vehicle, such that the angular position of the steering wheel directly translates into an angular position of the road wheels. Therefore, for any given steering wheel angle, the vehicle would drive along a circular path defined by the geometry of the vehicle including the wheelbase of the vehicle and the road wheel angle associated with the steering wheel angle, in a repeatable manner, assuming driving conditions, such as road surface friction, do not change. It is also known to provide steer-by wire systems, where the steering wheel is not mechanically linked to the steering rack and the road wheels of the vehicle, that mimic the behaviour of a mechanical coupling between the steering wheel and the road wheels of the vehicle. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a control system, a system, a vehicle, and a method, as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a control system for controlling the trajectory of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controller, the control system being configured to: receive an operator control input, the operator control input comprising a signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface; determine, in dependence on the operator control input, an intent of an operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle; select, in dependence on the determined intent of the operator, a vehicle trajectory adjustment system from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems; determine, in dependence on the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system, a vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system so as to cause the vehicle to follow an adjusted vehicle trajectory; and output the vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory. An advantage of the invention is that the intent of an operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle can be fulfilled by the selection of a trajectory adjustment system from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems, thereby providing for flexibility of control over a vehicle trajectory when compared to systems where the trajectory of the vehicle is controlled through a direct translation of the position of a steering input interface to a steering system of the vehicle. The control system comprises one or more controllers collectively comprising at least one electronic processor having an electrical input for receiving an input signal; and at least one memory device electrically coupled to the at least one electronic processor and having instructions stored therein; and wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to access the at least one memory device and execute the instructions thereon so as to: receive an operator control input, the operator control input comprising a signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface; determine, in dependence on the operator control input, an intent of the operator to adjust a trajectory of the vehicle; select, in dependence on the determined intent of the operator, a vehicle trajectory adjustment system from a plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems; determine, in dependence on the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system, a vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system so as to cause the vehicle to follow an adjusted vehicle trajectory; and output the vehicle control signal to operate the selected vehicle trajectory adjustment system to cause the vehicle to follow the adjusted vehicle trajectory. The signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface may be independent of a signal indicative of a steering input interface position. The operator control input may be provided by one of a human driver or an autonomous driver system. The plurality of available vehicle trajectory adjustment systems may comprise two or more of: a steering system; a braking system; a suspension system; a traction control system; an active aerodynamic control system; a motive torque delivery system. The steering system may comprise one or more of: a front wheel steering system; a rear wheel steering system; an all-wheel steering system. The signal indicative of an input to a steering input interface may comprise a signal indicative of a rate of change o