Specifying unavailable locations for autonomous vehicles

• US 10,088,326 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Aula, Anne Kristiina, Cullinane, Brian Douglas, Switkin, Daniel Jules, Arden, Jennifer, Hubert, Renaud-Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/427,449
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50, 701400-541, 340988-996
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/40 Dynamic objects, e.g. animals, windblown objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0025 specially adapted for specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00253 Taxi operations
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/426 against unauthorised use, e.g. keys
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 : Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 : Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 : using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 : Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 : of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 : indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices that receive a request for a vehicle from a client computing device. The request identifies a first location. The one or more computing devices also determine whether the first location is within a threshold outside of a service area of the vehicle. When the location is within the threshold distance outside of the service area of the vehicle, the one or more computing devices identify a second location within the service area of the vehicle where the vehicle is able to stop for a passenger and based on the first location. The one or more computing devices then provide a map and a marker identifying the position of the second location on the map for display on the client computing device.

Claims

1. A method for requesting a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, user input indicating first meeting information identifying a first location and first time of a first meeting, the first time identifying an ending time of the first meeting;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, user input indicating second meeting information identifying a second location and second time of a second meeting, the second time identifying a starting time of the second meeting;

calculating, by the one or more computing devices, a distance between the first location and the second location;

calculating, by the one or more computing devices, a time difference between the ending time of the first meeting and the starting time of the second meeting;

analyzing, by the one or more computing devices, the calculated distance between the first and second locations and the calculated time different between the ending time of the first meeting and the starting time of the second meeting to determine that the first meeting and second meeting are physically too far apart to walk between during the time difference;

upon determining that the distance cannot be walked within the time difference, sending, by the one or more computing devices to one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, a request for the vehicle, wherein the request identifies the first location and the second location;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the first location; and

upon determining that the vehicle is within the predetermined distance, establishing communication with the vehicle, by the one or more computing devices, for authentication of the request for the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in response to the request, map information corresponding to the first location; and

displaying, on a display of a client computing device, the map information with a street level image.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, in response to the request, a street level image corresponding to the first location; and

displaying on the display the street level image of the first location.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying a marker identifying an area around the first location corresponding to a likely location that the vehicle will stop for a passenger.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating that a user has moved the marker to a different position on the map information;

sending, to the one or more dispatching server computing devices, a notification of the different position; and

in response to sending the notification, receiving information identifying a third location for picking up a user in order to take the user to the second location.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to the user input indicating that the user has moved the marker to a different position on the map information, receiving a second street level image corresponding to the third location; and

displaying the second street level image.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the marker includes geographical information about the first location.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising confirming the third location by saving, by the one or more computing devices, the third location for picking up the user in order to take the user to the second location.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the map information includes a map including aerial imagery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after sending the request, receiving user input confirming the first location as a pick up location for a user.

11. A system for requesting a vehicle comprising one or more computing devices having one or more processors configured to:

receive user input indicating first meeting information identifying a first location and a first time of a first meeting, the first time identifying an ending time of the first meeting;

receive user input indicating second meeting information identifying a second location and second time of a second meeting, the second time identifying a starting time of the second meeting;

calculate a distance between the first location and the second location;

calculate a time difference between the ending time of the first meeting and the starting time of the second meeting;

analyze the calculated distance between the first and second locations and the calculated time different between the ending time of the first meeting and the starting time of the second meeting to determine that the first meeting and second meeting are physically too far apart to walk between during the time difference;

upon determining that the distance cannot be walked within the time difference, send to one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, a request for the vehicle, wherein the request identifies the first location and the second location;

determine that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the first location; and

upon determining that the vehicle is within the predetermined distance, establish communication with the vehicle for authentication of the request for the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive, in response to the request, map information corresponding to the first location; and

display, on a display of a client computing device, the map information with a street level image.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive, in response to the request, a street level image corresponding to the first location; and

display on the display the street level image of the first location.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to display a marker identifying an area around the first location corresponding to a likely location that the vehicle will stop for a passenger.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the marker includes geographical information about the first location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to save, by the one or more computing devices, the third location for picking up the user in order to take the user to the second location.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the map information includes a map including aerial imagery.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive user input indicating that a user has moved the marker to a different position on the map information;

send to the one or more dispatching server computing devices, a notification of the different position; and

in response to sending the notification, receive information identifying a third location for picking up a user in order to take the user to the second location.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

in response to the user input indicating that the user has moved the marker to a different position on the map information, receive a second street level image corresponding to the third location; and

display the second street level image.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

after sending the request, receive user input confirming the first location as a pick up location for a user.