Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's 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 obtain or derived from the maneuver.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic 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. 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 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: 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: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic 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 characteristic 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. In one embodiment, the style characterization processor generates a maneuver model for the characteristic maneuvers and compares it with driver input data in the frequency domain to generate the driver style classification.

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: 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 left/right-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 left/right-turn maneuver if the yaw rate is less than a third yaw rate threshold over the sampling time and the vehicle heading angle is within a heading angle range for a time period less than a predetermined time threshold. In one non-limiting embodiment, the heading angle range is between 75° and 105°.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic 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 condition recognition processor that receives the sensor signals, and provides traffic condition signals identifying traffic conditions. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic 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 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 road condition recognition processor that receives the sensor signals, and provides road condition signals identifying road conditions. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle.

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 lane-change maneuvers. A maneuver identification classification process reads sensor signals for vehicle speed, vehicle yaw rate and vehicle heading angle. The process determines if the vehicle is turning based on whether the yaw rate signal is greater than a yaw rate threshold and whether the heading angle is greater than a heading angle threshold. The process then determines whether the maneuver is an ordinary curve-handling maneuver or a lane-change maneuver by determining whether the yaw rate signal is greater than another yaw rate threshold, the difference between the heading angle and an initial heading angle is greater than another heading angle threshold and the lateral deviation is greater than a lateral deviation threshold. If the curve-handling maneuver is a lane-change maneuver, a maneuver identifier signal is provided to a style characterization processor.

Abstract: An on-board information system is provided, including a help facility, which is operable to provide information to a requester. The information comprises audio or audio-visual descriptions for operating various systems and control devices, using on-board or off-board devices. An information system is provided, comprising a requestor-initiated information inquiry device, an information storage system, and, an information communications center. The information storage system communicates information to the communications center based upon a request for information initiated by the requester to the information inquiry device. The request for information can be canceled during delivery. The system is applicable to vehicles and other systems wherein operators may have limited knowledge of functioning of all aspects of the system.

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 determining the root cause of a fault in a vehicle system, sub-system or component using models and observations. In one embodiment, a hierarchical tree is employed to combine trouble or diagnostic codes from multiple sub-systems and components to get a confidence estimate of whether a certain diagnostic code is accurately giving an indication of problem with a particular sub-system or component. In another embodiment, a hierarchical diagnosis network is employed that relies on the theory of hierarchical information whereby at any level of the network only the required abstracted information is being used for decision making. In another embodiment, a graph-based diagnosis and prognosis system is employed that includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by information pathways. The nodes are fault diagnosis and fault prognosis nodes for components or sub-systems, and contain fault and state-of-health diagnosis and reasoning modules.

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: 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: A selectable lane departure detection system (10) adapted for use by an operator, and with a vehicle (12) traveling upon a thoroughfare having lane-markings (16), and including at least one vehicle condition sensor (22 through 28), a tracking sensor (20) or differential global positioning system (38) configured to determine the location and configuration of the lane-markings (16), and a controller (32) communicatively coupled to the sensors (20 through 28), and configured to determine a spatial relationship between the vehicle (12) and lane-markings (16), determine a sporty driving maneuver by or preference of the operator, modify a predefined warning threshold when so determined, compare the relationship to the adjusted threshold, and issue a warning when the relationship does not exceed the threshold.

Abstract: An active front steering (AFS) system that provides hand-wheel damping. The AFS system includes a damping control sub-system that determines a hand-wheel angular velocity based on the rate of change of a hand-wheel angle signal. The damping control sub-system determines the damping control signal by multiplying the angular velocity of the hand-wheel angle signal with a control gain. The damping control signal is added to a steering signal from a variable gear ratio control sub-system to generate a steering command signal. The damping control sub-system sets to the damping control signal to zero if a signal from a vehicle stability enhancement sub-system is activated.

Abstract: A vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) system that is adapted for driver skill level. The system includes a driver skill recognition processor that determines the driver skill level based on a driver model that uses certain parameters, such as a steering gain factor and a time delay factor. The driver skill level is used to adjust the damping ratio and natural frequency in dynamic filters in a dynamic command generator to adjust a desired yaw rate signal and a desired side-slip signal. The driver skill level 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 dynamic control computation processor that generates a stability control signal.