Shape detecting autonomous vehicle

• US 10,025,318 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Srivastava, Aditya Narain
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/274,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

According to various embodiments, there is provided a method for controlling a vehicle, the method including detecting a triggering event. The method further includes, in response to detecting the triggering event, determining updated dimensions of the vehicle. The method further includes adjusting operation of the vehicle based on the updated dimensions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor, a triggering event;

determining updated dimensions of the vehicle in response to detecting the triggering event; and

adjusting, by control electronics, at least one operation of the vehicle, wherein the at least one operation of the vehicle comprises an adjustment of at least one of a speed, a turn radius, a navigation path, a clearance allowance, or a parking behavior of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated dimensions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises a changed shape event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the changed shape event comprises detecting a parameter associated with the vehicle and determining whether the parameter exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the parameter corresponds to one or more of a weight parameter, a wind parameter, a drag parameter, or an engine torque value.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining one or more surrounding conditions of the vehicle; and

detecting the changed shape event of the vehicle based at least in part on the one or more surrounding conditions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more surrounding conditions comprises at least one of a wind force, a road slope, a radius of curvature of a road, or road terrain conditions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the updated dimensions of the vehicle comprises:

sending a scan request to one or more proximate vehicles;

receiving one or more at least partial scans of at least one of the one or more proximate vehicles; and

constructing the updated dimensions of the vehicle based at least in part on at least one of the one or more at least partial scans.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the scan request is sent via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more at least partial scans comprises at least one Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) scan.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation of the vehicle serves to control braking, to perform wireless communication, or to perform environment scanning.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring at least one of an engine sensor, a weight sensor, a wind sensor, or a cargo sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the updated dimensions of the vehicle comprises:

sending a scan request to one or more scanning devices of the vehicle;

receiving an at least partial scan from at least one of the one or more scanning devices; and

constructing the updated dimensions of the vehicle based on at least one of the at least partial scan.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least partial scan is received from another vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least partial scan is received from an unmanned aerial vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least partial scan is received from a camera arranged on a fixed object.

16. A controller in a vehicle, the controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle to;

detect a triggering event;

determine updated dimensions of the vehicle in response to detection of the triggering event; and

adjust at least one operation of the vehicle, wherein the at least one operation of the vehicle comprises an adjustment of at least one of a speed, a turn radius, a navigation path, a clearance allowance, or a parking behavior of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated dimensions.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the triggering event comprises detecting a changed shape event.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions causes the vehicle to:

detect a parameter associated with the vehicle; and

determine whether the parameter exceeds a threshold.

19. The controller of claim 18, wherein the parameter corresponds to one or more of a weight parameter, a wind parameter, a drag parameter, or an engine torque parameter.

20. The controller of claim 17, wherein execution of the instructions causes the vehicle to further:

determine one or more surrounding conditions of the vehicle; and

detect the changed shape event of the vehicle based at least in part on the one or more surrounding conditions.

21. The controller of claim 20, wherein the one or more surrounding conditions comprises at least one of a wind force, a road slope, a radius of curvature of a road, or road terrain conditions.

22. The controller of claim 16, wherein execution of the instructions for determining the updated dimensions further causes the vehicle to:

send a scan request to one or more proximate vehicles;

receive one or more at least partial scan of at least one of the one or more proximate vehicles; and

construct the updated dimensions of the vehicle based at least in part on at least one of the one or more at least partial scans.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the one or more at least partial scans comprises at least one Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) scan.

24. The controller of claim 16, wherein execution of the instructions causes the vehicle to control braking, to perform wireless communication, or to perform environment scanning.

25. The controller of claim 16, wherein execution of the instructions causes the vehicle to:

send a scan request to one or more scanning devices of the vehicle;

receive an at least partial scan from at least one of the one or more scanning devices; and

construct the updated dimensions of the vehicle based on the at least partial scan.

26. The controller of claim 25, wherein at least a partial scan is received from another vehicle.

27. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a triggering event;

means for determining updated dimensions of the vehicle in response to detecting the triggering event; and

means for adjusting at least one operation of the vehicle, wherein the at least one operation of the vehicle comprises an adjustment of at least one of a speed, a turn radius, a navigation path, a clearance allowance, or a parking behavior of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated dimensions.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the triggering event comprises a changed shape event.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the changed shape event comprises detecting a parameter associated with the vehicle and determining whether the parameter exceeds a threshold.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the parameter corresponds to one or more of a weight parameter, a wind parameter, a drag parameter, or an engine torque value.