Planning trips on a road network using traction information for the road network

• US 10,119,827 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rander, Peter, Bradley, David McAllister, Wood, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jos, Basil T.
• Application Number:
  US15/376,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20170167888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A computer system maintains, for a given geographic region, a data structure that identifies a traction value for each of a plurality of locations of a road network within a geographic region. At least of a start or destination location is determined for the trip. The computer system may plan the trip, including selecting at least one of a route or a vehicle to use for the trip, based on the traction values of one or more of the plurality of locations.

Claims

1. A method for providing transport for a trip, the method comprising:

maintaining, for a given geographic region, a data structure that identifies a traction value for each location in a plurality of locations of a road network within a geographic region;

identifying, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, at least one of a start or destination location for the trip;

planning the trip, including selecting, by the computing system, at least one of a route or a vehicle to use for the trip, based on the traction values of one or more of the plurality of locations; and

directing the vehicle to operate along the planned trip from the start to the destination location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes selecting one or more road segments in order to avoid one or more locations in which the traction value is less than a threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes selecting a first route based on at least one of trip time or trip distance, and determining the route as a deviation to the first route to avoid a road segment that includes one or more locations in which the traction value is less than a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes determining multiple candidate routes for the trip, and determining an overall safety value for each of the multiple candidate routes based on a traction value of individual locations on each of the multiple candidate routes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein planning the trip includes selecting the route based on the overall safety value of each of the multiple candidate routes and one or more of a trip time or trip distance associated with each of the multiple candidate routes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes selecting the vehicle based on a capability of the vehicle with respect to handling road segments that have traction values that are below a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes selecting vehicle based on a capability of the vehicle with respect to handling road segments that have accumulated precipitation of a type that is indicated by the traction value of one or more locations on the selected route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the vehicle includes selecting a vehicle type, from multiple possible vehicle types, based on the traction value of one or more locations on the selected route.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multiple possible vehicle types include a human driven vehicle type and an autonomous vehicle type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle type includes a sports utility vehicle or a sedan.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein planning the trip includes selecting a candidate route between the start location and the destination location, the route being selected to exclude one or more road segments which, based on the data structure, include one or more locations which have traction values that are less than a threshold traction value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the data structure includes receiving sets of sensor data from vehicles of the geographic region, the sets of sensor data being associated with locations within the geographic region where corresponding sensor data was obtained using sensor devices of individual vehicles.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor data sets are correlative to a coefficient of friction on a road surface at a corresponding location.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein maintaining the data structure includes determining the traction value for one or more locations by extrapolating the traction value determined for one or more other locations using sensor data of the sets of sensor data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein maintaining the data structure includes determining the traction value for one or more locations by applying a timing function that accounts for an effect of one or more environmental conditions over time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more environmental conditions include a condition selected from presence of shading, presence of wind, time of day, ambient temperature, and slope of road segment.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include:

maintaining, for a given geographic region, a data structure that identifies a traction value for each location in a plurality of locations of a road network within a geographic region;

identifying at least one of a start or destination location for a trip;

planning the trip, including selecting at least one of a route or a vehicle to use for the trip, based on the traction values of one or more of the plurality of locations; and

directing the vehicle to operate along the planned trip from the start to the destination location.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein planning the trip includes:

selecting one or more road segments in order to avoid one or more locations in which the traction value is less than a threshold value.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein planning the trip includes:

selecting a first route based on at least one of trip time or trip distance, and determining the route as a deviation to the first route to avoid a road segment that includes one or more locations in which the traction value is less than a threshold value.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein planning the trip includes:

determining multiple candidate routes for the trip, and determining an overall safety value for each of the multiple candidate routes based on a traction value of individual locations on each of the multiple candidate routes.