Abstract: A teleoperated surgical system is provided comprising: a first robotic surgical instrument; an image capture; a user display; a user input command device coupled to receive user input commands to control movement of the first robotic surgical instrument; and a movement controller coupled to scale a rate of movement of the first robotic surgical instrument, based at least in part upon a surgical skill level at using the first robotic surgical instrument of the user providing the received user input commands, from a rate of movement indicated by the user input commands received at the user input command device.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a drivers driving style based on vehicle headway control. The system reads sensor signals to identify the range and range rate between a subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, where the range rate is close to zero if the distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle is relatively steady, the range rate is negative when the subject vehicle is closing in on the preceding vehicle and the range rate is positive when the subject vehicle is falling behind the preceding vehicle. The range rate, the subject vehicle speed and other signals are used to classify the drivers driving style based on how fast the subject vehicle closes in on the preceding vehicle or falls behind, and the following distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The system can then classify the headway-control maneuver using selected discriminant features.

Abstract: A vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic maneuvers. The system includes a plurality of vehicle sensors that detect various vehicle parameters. A maneuver identification processor receives the sensor signals to identify a characteristic maneuver of the vehicle and provides a maneuver identifier signal of the maneuver. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic and road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic curve-handling maneuvers and road and traffic conditions. The system includes a plurality of vehicle sensors that detect various vehicle parameters. A maneuver identification processor receives the sensor signals to identify a characteristic maneuver of the vehicle and provides a maneuver identifier signal of the maneuver. The system also includes a traffic and road condition recognition processor that receives the sensor signals, and provides traffic condition signals identifying traffic conditions and road condition signals identifying road conditions. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic and road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for improving energy efficient operation of a vehicle includes monitoring vehicle operating characteristics, modeling operation of the vehicle by utilizing the vehicle operating characteristics to estimate energy consumption rates of the vehicle across an allowable vehicle operating range, and generating a control output to the vehicle on the basis of the energy consumption rates.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a drivers driving style based on highway on/off ramp maneuvers. Once the maneuver has been determined to be an on-ramp maneuver or an off-ramp maneuver, a style characterization processor can classify the maneuver using selected discriminant features obtained or derived from the maneuver.

Abstract: A system and method for providing autonomous and remote vehicle maintenance and repair. The system employs an on-board diagnosis and prognosis module that monitors one or more vehicle buses to identify trouble codes and other information indicating a vehicle problem. The on-board module causes a telematic device on the vehicle to broadcast a message including a problem code that identifies the problem the vehicle is having. A remote repair center may receive the message and may identify a software upgrade patch associated with the problem that can be transmitted to the vehicle to upgrade its software to correct the problem. Also, the message may be received by another vehicle that is part of a broadcast network that has previously received the software upgrade patch to fix a problem on that vehicle, where the receiving vehicle may transmit the software upgrade patch to the vehicle having the problem.

Abstract: A system that classifies driver driving skill based on on-ramp or off-ramp maneuvers. The system reads sensor signals for vehicle speed and vehicle yaw rate. The system determines that the vehicle has made an on-ramp or off-ramp maneuver using the vehicle speed signal and the yaw-rate signal and then classifies the driver's driving skill using selected discriminant features obtained or derived from the on-ramp or off-ramp maneuver.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a drivers driving style based on vehicle launching maneuvers. A process determines whether the vehicle speed signal during a predetermined time window is greater than a speed threshold, whether the vehicle speed signal before the time window is less than the speed threshold and whether the average of the vehicle longitudinal acceleration during the time window is greater than a first longitudinal acceleration threshold and, if so, determines if the vehicle is in a vehicle launching maneuver. The process then determines that the vehicle launching maneuver has ended if the average of the vehicle longitudinal acceleration during a second time window is less than the longitudinal acceleration threshold. The style characterization processor can then classify the vehicle launching maneuver using selected discriminant features.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on vehicle passing maneuvers. A process determines whether the vehicle has started a lane change from a first lane to a second lane as a first phase of the passing maneuver. If so, the process determines whether the lane change to the second lane has been completed as a second phase of the passing maneuver. If the lane change to the second lane has been completed, the process determines whether there has been a lane change back to the first lane to complete the passing maneuver as a third phase of the passing maneuver. Further, the process determines whether a time threshold has been exceeded after the passing maneuver is in a second phase, but no lane change back to the first lane has occurred.

Abstract: A method for estimating the maximum tire/road surface coefficient of friction for a vehicle that includes actively inducing a small amount of acceleration or deceleration to the front wheels or the rear wheels of the vehicle and inducing a corresponding and opposite amount of acceleration or deceleration to the other of the front wheels or the rear wheels of the vehicle so that the acceleration and deceleration cancel each other and the perceived speed of the vehicle does not change. The tire/road surface coefficient of friction and a wheel-slip ratio can be used to determine a road surface condition.

Abstract: An adaptive control VGR steering system that varies the steering gear ratio between a vehicle hand-wheel angle and the road wheel angle based on vehicle speed and one or more of hand-wheel angle, driver attentiveness and a driver's driving style and skill.

Abstract: A vehicle stability enhancement system that is adapted for an estimated driver workload. The system includes a driver workload estimation processor that estimates the driver workload based on certain factors, such as the vehicle speed or driver-behavior factors. The driver workload estimation is used to adjust the damping ratio and natural frequency in dynamic filters in a command interpreter to adjust a desired yaw rate signal and a desired side-slip signal. The driver workload estimation is also used to generate a yaw rate multiplication factor and a side-slip multiplication factor that modify a yaw rate stability signal and a side-slip stability signal in a feedback control processor that generates a stability control signal.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a person as an authorized driver of a vehicle based on settings of the vehicle. The system includes a sensor for detecting a presence of a driver in the vehicle. The system also includes one or more control modules corresponding to the parameters of the vehicle. The parameters can be controlled by the control modules. The system also includes a driver ID controller coupled to the control modules and the sensor. The driver ID controller is configured to recognize the driver as an authorized driver based on inputs from the sensor and the control modules. The driver ID controller can also command the control units to adjust the parameters to predefined one or more attributes corresponding to the authorized driver.

Abstract: Brake pedal input is modulated to produce a consistent relationship between the brake pedal input and a deceleration of the vehicle.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on vehicle U-turn maneuvers. A process determines if the vehicle has started a turn if the yaw rate is greater than a first yaw rate threshold, and determines a vehicle heading angle based on the yaw rate and a sampling time if the vehicle has started a turn. The process then determines whether the vehicle maneuver has been completed by determining if the yaw rate is less than a second yaw rate threshold. The process then determines that the completed maneuver was a U-turn maneuver if the yaw rate is less than a third yaw rate threshold during the maneuver, the final vehicle heading angle is within a heading angle range and the duration of the maneuver is less than a predetermined time threshold. In one non-limiting embodiment, the heading angle range is between 165° and 195°.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time traffic information using a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communications network. A vehicle includes a plurality of sensors that detect other vehicles around the vehicle. The wireless communications system on the vehicle uses the sensor signals to calculate a traffic condition index that identifies traffic information around the vehicle. The vehicle broadcasts the traffic condition index to other vehicles and/or road side infrastructure units that can present the information to the vehicle driver, such as in a navigation system, and/or rebroadcast the traffic information to other vehicles. The traffic condition index can be calculated using the speed of the surrounding vehicles, posted speed limits, the distance between the surrounding vehicles and the traffic density of the surrounding vehicles.

Abstract: A system and method for providing integrated driver skill recognition. The system includes an input switch that receives maneuver identifier signals that identify a plurality of different vehicle maneuvers and data that represents the identified maneuvers. The system also includes a plurality of skill classification processors that selectively receive the data from the input switch depending on the maneuver identifier signals, where a separate skill classification processor is provided for each separate type of maneuver. The skill classification processors classifying the maneuver to determine the driver's driving skill based on the data and provide skill classification signals. An output switch responsive to the skill classification signals from the skill classification processors.

Abstract: A system and method that classify a driver's driving skill based on a characteristic passing maneuver. The system reads vehicle speed and vehicle yaw rate signals and the maneuver identification processor determines whether the vehicle has made a characteristic passing maneuver. The skill characterization processor then uses the sensor information and the passing information to characterize the driver's driving skill based on the passing maneuver.

Abstract: A method for determining a driver's driving skill of a vehicle based on straight-line driving behavior. The method can classify driver skill based on three straight-line approaches, namely, a lane-position approach, a steering characteristic approach and a traffic-environment reaction approach.