Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Andrew Fairgrieve

James Kelly

Daniel Woolliscroft

Elliot Hemes

Dan Dennehy

Sam Anker

Paul John King

Nick Brockley

Paul Beever

Saleem Zuberi

Jon Parr

Jonathan Woodley

Jan Pieter Prins

Navid Shamshiri

Roxana Ciovnicu

Simon Gilling

Charlotte Cooke

Rebecca Matthias

Adam Southgate

John Simlett

Nicolas Iacovou

Diana Franganillo

Robert Burford

Jithesh Kotteri

Jithin Jayaraj

Krishna Jayaprakash

Jim Kelly

Bineesh Ravi

Alex Bean

Arun Raveendran

Hadric Khanu

Hongshi Yan

Charlotte Cook

Aaron Ward

Mark Stanton

Daniel Woolliscoft

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a control system for a vehicle, the control system comprising at least one controller and being configured to: obtain image data relating to terrain to be traversed by the vehicle, and for each of a plurality of sub-regions of the image data: determine probability data relating to whether the respective sub-region relates to a path region or a non-path region of the terrain; and determine a cost for the vehicle to traverse a portion of the terrain to which the sub-region relates depending on the probability data meeting one or more path probability criteria indicating that the sub-region relates to the path region, one or more non-path probability criteria indicating that the sub-region relates to the non-path region or neither the path probability criteria nor the non-path probability criteria; and determining a vehicle path in dependence on the determined costs.

Control system for a vehicle

Apparatus for controlling movement of a vehicle, a system and vehicle comprising the apparatus, and a method for controlling the movement of a vehicle are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a controller configured to receive first signals from a receiving means in dependence on received transmitted signals from a remote control device indicating a requested motion of a vehicle and to receive second signals indicative of a value of traction of the vehicle. A maximum speed value for the vehicle is determined in dependence on the value of traction of the vehicle and/or on one or both of the detected pitch and roll angles of the vehicle. The controller provides an output signal for controlling speed of the vehicle based on the requested motion. The output signal is limited dependent upon the maximum speed value determined by the controller.

Controlling movement of a vehicle

A control system (C) for a vehicle (), the system comprising a processing means (10, 19) arranged to receive, from terrain data capture means (C) arranged to capture data in respect of terrain ahead of the vehicle by means of one or more sensors, terrain information indicative of the topography of an area extending ahead of the vehicle (), wherein the terrain information comprises data defining at least one 2D image of the terrain ahead of the vehicle, wherein the processing means (10, 19) is configured to: perform a segmentation operation on image data defining one said at least one 2D image and identify in the image data edges of a predicted path of the vehicle; calculate a 3D point cloud dataset in respect of the terrain ahead of the vehicle based on the terrain information; determine the 3D coordinates of lateral edges of the predicted path of the vehicle by reference to the point cloud dataset, based on the coordinates of edges of the predicted path identified in the 2D image, to determine a 3D predicted path of the vehicle; and control the direction of travel of the vehicle in dependence at least in part on the 3D predicted path.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system for a vehicle, the vehicle () being operable in an at least partly autonomous mode and a manual mode, the control system comprising input means () for receiving a gaze signal () indicative of a direction of a gaze of an occupant of the vehicle (), and a contact signal () indicative of physical contact between the occupant and a control of the vehicle, control means () configured to determine an estimate of the occupant's attention to a driving task in the at least partly autonomous mode in dependence on the gaze signal () and to determine when the occupant is at least partly obscured relative to the at least one imaging means (), wherein the control means () is configured to determine the estimate of the occupant's attention to the driving task in dependence on the contact signal when it is determined that the occupant is at least partly obscured.

Apparatus and method for monitoring vehicle operation

A speed control system () for a vehicle (), the speed control system () being configured to: automatically cause application of positive and negative torque, as required, to one or more wheels of a vehicle () to cause a vehicle to travel in accordance with a target speed value, the target speed value being stored in a memory of the control system (); and detect a crest of a slope ahead of the vehicle (); wherein the speed control system () is configured automatically to attempt to adjust a speed of the vehicle () to cause the vehicle () to travel at a predetermined crest speed value when a crest of a slope is detected ahead of the vehicle (), the predetermined crest speed value being determined in dependence at least in part on terrain gradient information respect of terrain prior to the crest.

Vehicle speed control

A controller can include an electronic processor unit configured to control the driving direction of a vehicle within a lane based on a first trajectory. The controller can be operable to receive a user input for directing the vehicle along a second trajectory that is different from the first trajectory, determine third trajectory data by at least comparing data associated with the first trajectory to data associated with the second trajectory, and output a control signal for controlling, using the electronic processor unit, the driving direction of the vehicle. The control signal can be based at least on the third trajectory data.

Controller and method for controlling the driving direction of a vehicle

Apparatus () for controlling movement of a vehicle (), a system () and vehicle() comprising the apparatus (), and a method () for controlling the movement of a vehicle () are disclosed. The apparatus () comprises a controller () configured to receive first signals from a receiving means () in dependence on received transmitted signals from a remote control device () indicating a requested motion of a vehicle and to receive second signals indicative of a value of traction of the vehicle. A maximum speed 10 value for the vehicle is determined in dependence on the value of traction of the vehicle and/or on one or both of the detected pitch and roll angles of the vehicle (). The controller () provides an output signal for controlling speed of the vehicle () based on the requested motion. The output signal is limited dependent upon the maximum speed value determined by the controller ().

Some embodiments of the invention provide a speed control system () for a vehicle (), comprising: torque control means () for automatically causing application of positive and negative torque, as required, to one or more wheels () of a vehicle () to cause a vehicle () to travel in accordance with a target speed value; path prediction means () for predicting a path PP of the vehicle () in a direction of travel; detection means () for detecting one or more objects () ahead of the vehicle (); determining means () to determine whether one or more objects () detected by the detection means () lie outside the predicted path (PP); and control means () configured to, if said one or more detected objects () are determined to lie outside the predicted path (PP), automatically temporarily reduce the vehicle speed in dependence at least in part on a distance of the one or more detected objects () from the predicted path (PP).

A speed control system operable to control a motor vehicle to operate in accordance with a set-speed value, the control means being operable to allow a user to adjust the set-speed value by user actuation of a vehicle brake control or a vehicle accelerator control.

Vehicle speed control system

A vehicle speed control system for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, the vehicle speed control system comprising one or more electronic control units configured to carry out a method that includes applying torque to at least one of the plurality of wheels, detecting a slip event between any one or more of the wheels and the ground over which the vehicle is travelling when the vehicle is in motion and providing a slip detection output signal in the event thereof. The method carried out by the one or more electronic control units further includes receiving a user input of a target speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel and maintaining the vehicle at the target speed independently of the slip detection output signal by adjusting the amount of torque applied to the at least one of the plurality of wheels.

A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises detecting an occurrence of a slip event, of a step encounter event, or of both events at a leading wheel of the vehicle. The method also comprises predicting that the occurrence of the detected event(s) will occur at a following wheel of the vehicle. The method yet further comprises automatically controlling vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, or both vehicle speed and acceleration in response to the detection, the prediction, or both the detection and prediction. A speed control system comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

System and method for controlling vehicle speed

A speed control system for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle. The system operates according to a method that includes: causing automatically a vehicle to travel at a predetermined speed value at least in part by controlling an amount of torque applied to one or more wheels of a vehicle; determining a recommended transmission gear ratio for a transmission of the powertrain at a given moment in time; providing an indication of the recommended transmission gear ratio to a user; and receiving a clutch actuation signal indicative of an actuation state of a clutch that is configured to connect the transmission to a torque drive source. The system is configured automatically to control a speed of the torque drive source to achieve a speed determined in dependence at least in part on at least one predetermined parameter when a predetermined one or more conditions are met.

Control system and method

A method for operating an off-road speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises identifying a pattern or change in at least one component of vehicle drag. The method further comprises monitoring vehicle speed to predict where a change in the at least one component of vehicle drag may result in a speed overshoot event or a speed undershoot event. The method still further comprises, in response to the predicted speed overshoot event or speed undershoot event, automatically commanding the application of an appropriate opposing torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle to counteract the predicted speed overshoot or undershoot. An off-road speed control system for a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.

Speed control system and method of operating the same

A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the system being operable to cause the vehicle to accelerate from a first speed to a second speed in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of acceleration profiles, the profile being selected in dependence on a selected one of a plurality of vehicle operating modes.

Growing community of inventors

Rugby, United Kingdom

Andrew Fairgrieve