Method of controlling a vehicle relative to a border within a geographic region

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for controlling a vehicle relative to a border within a geographic region. The method, executed by a processor of the vehicle, includes the steps of determining a predicted trajectory path of the vehicle; determining a trajectory position of the vehicle, the trajectory position corresponding to a point of interest related to a distance between the vehicle and the border on the predicted trajectory path; determining a separation distance between the border and the trajectory position; and in response to the separation distance being less than a distance threshold, controlling a speed of the vehicle.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a vehicle relative to a border within a geographic region, the method being executed by a processor of the vehicle, the method comprising:
 determining a predicted trajectory path of the vehicle;   determining a trajectory position of the vehicle, the trajectory position of the vehicle corresponding to a point of interest related to a distance between the vehicle and the border on the predicted trajectory path;   determining a separation distance between the border and the trajectory position; and   in response to the separation distance being less than a distance threshold, controlling a speed of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the speed of the vehicle comprises limiting the speed of the vehicle, such that when the vehicle reaches the trajectory position, the speed of the vehicle is equal to a speed limit which is based at least in part on the separation distance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein limiting the speed of the vehicle increases as the separation distance decreases. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining the predicted trajectory path, determining the trajectory position, and determining the separation distance are recursive and occurs at at least one sampling rate.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a trajectory speed of the vehicle at the trajectory position; and   in response to the trajectory speed being greater than a speed threshold, limiting the speed of the vehicle such that when the vehicle reaches the trajectory position, the speed of the vehicle is less than the speed threshold; and   wherein:
 the speed threshold is based on a speed limit, and 
 the speed limit is based at least in part on the separation distance. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from at least one sensor, the vehicle including the at least one sensor for detecting at least one of: a current orientation of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle, a user input and a current position of the vehicle; and   wherein determining the trajectory speed of the vehicle comprises:
 using a prediction algorithm and the signal from the at least one sensor to determine the trajectory speed. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein receiving the signal from the at least one sensor comprises receiving a signal from at least one of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a steering angle sensor, a user input sensor, and a global positioning system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from at least one sensor, the vehicle including the at least one sensor for detecting at least one of: a current orientation of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle, a user input, and a current position of the vehicle; and   wherein determining the predicted trajectory path of the vehicle comprises:
 using a prediction algorithm and the signal from the at least one sensor. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the predicted trajectory path of the vehicle comprises determining at least one of: a magnitude of steering the vehicle, a rate of change of steering the vehicle, a magnitude of throttle, a rate of change of throttle, a magnitude of braking, and a rate of change of braking. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving the signal from the at least one sensor comprises receiving the signal from at least one of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a steering angle sensor, a user input sensor, and a global positioning system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an input regarding the border of the geographic region. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising defining, by a rider of the vehicle, the border of the geographic region, and wherein receiving the input includes receiving the defined border. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the speed of the vehicle comprises limiting the speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to limiting the speed of the vehicle, in response to the separation distance being greater than the distance threshold, reducing the limitation of the speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving at least one speed limit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising triggering at least one of a visual and audible alert to a driver to indicate that the vehicle speed is being limited. 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling a vehicle relative to a border within a geographic region, the method being executed by a processor of the vehicle, the method comprising:
 determining a predicted trajectory path of the vehicle;   determining a trajectory position of the vehicle, the trajectory position corresponding to a point of interest related to the distance between the vehicle and the border on the predicted trajectory path;   determining a separation distance between the border and the trajectory position;   in response to the separation distance being less than a distance threshold:
 determining a trajectory speed of the vehicle at the trajectory position; and 
 in response to the trajectory speed being greater a speed threshold, controlling the speed of the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein controlling the speed of the vehicle comprises limiting the speed of the vehicle, such that when the vehicle reaches the trajectory position, the speed of the vehicle is less than a speed threshold, and wherein the speed threshold is based on a speed limit, and the speed limit is based at least in part on the separation distance. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from at least one sensor, the vehicle including the at least one sensor for detecting at least one of: a current orientation of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle, a user input, and a current position of the vehicle; and   wherein determining the trajectory speed of the vehicle comprises:
 using a prediction algorithm and the signal from the at least one sensor. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving the signal from the at least one sensor comprises receiving the signal from at least one of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a steering angle sensor, a user input sensor, and a global positioning system.