Visual communication system for autonomous driving vehicles (ADV)

• US 10,139,818 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baidu USA LLC (Baidu Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Baidu USA LLC (Baidu Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tao, Jiaming, Hu, Jiangtao, Jiang, Yifei, Li, Dong, Li, Liyun, Yang, Guang, Wang, Jingao
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/353,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20180136643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• 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 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

Described is a system that provides the ability for an autonomous driving vehicle to visually communicate with other traffic entities such as other autonomous driving vehicles, non-autonomous driving vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and the like. To provide such an ability, the system allows autonomous driving vehicles to communicate using a lighting mechanism. For example, the lighting mechanism may include one or more specialized lights that are provided in addition to any mandated lighting systems required for a vehicle (e.g. brake lights, headlights, turn signals, etc.). Accordingly, the autonomous driving vehicle may communicate with traffic entities to provide additional cues such as intended driving maneuvers, and to provide a mechanism for two-way communication with other autonomous driving vehicles.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing autonomous driving control for a first autonomous vehicle, comprising:

determining an initial driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle in response to the first autonomous driving vehicle perceiving a second vehicle;

initiating a first visual communication signal provided by the first autonomous driving vehicle, wherein the first visual communication signal represents the initial driving maneuver;

detecting a second visual communication signal that is provided by the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, including emitting light according to a predetermined lighting pattern using a lighting mechanism mounted on the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, the predetermined lighting pattern representing the second visual communication signal;

identifying a type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal based on the predetermined lighting pattern; and

determining a subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle based on the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second visual communication signals are provided by a lighting mechanism of the first and second vehicles respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal is a driving maneuver for the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a second autonomous driving vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes modifying the initial driving maneuver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal is an acknowledgement of the first visual communication signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes maintaining the initial driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising initiating, in response to the second visual communication signal being identified as an acknowledgement, a third visual communication signal provided by the first autonomous driving vehicle, wherein the third visual communication signal represents a confirmation that the subsequent driving maneuver will conform to the initial driving maneuver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the third visual communication signal updates a decision system that provides driving control for the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a second autonomous driving vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes updating a probability for a decision system used for providing the autonomous driving control, wherein updating the probability is based on the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor coupled to a first autonomous vehicle, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

determining an initial driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle in response to the first autonomous driving vehicle perceiving a second vehicle;

initiating a first visual communication signal provided by the first autonomous driving vehicle, wherein the first visual communication signal represents the initial driving maneuver;

detecting a second visual communication signal provided by the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, including emitting light according to a predetermined lighting pattern using a lighting mechanism mounted on the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, the predetermined lighting pattern representing;

the second visual communication signal;

identifying a type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal based on the predetermined lighting pattern; and

determining a subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle based on the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the first and second visual communication signals are provided by a lighting mechanism of the first and second vehicles respectively.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal is a driving maneuver for the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a second autonomous driving vehicle.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes modifying the initial driving maneuver.

14. The medium of claim 10, wherein the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal is an acknowledgement of the first visual communication signal.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes maintaining the initial driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle.

16. The medium of claim 14, further comprising initiating, in response to the second visual communication signal being identified as an acknowledgement, a third visual communication signal provided by the first autonomous driving vehicle, wherein the third visual communication signal represents a confirmation that the subsequent driving maneuver will conform to the initial driving maneuver.

17. An autonomous driving control system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations including

determining an initial driving maneuver for a first autonomous driving vehicle in response to the first autonomous driving vehicle perceiving a second vehicle;

initiating a first visual communication signal provided by the first autonomous driving vehicle, wherein the first visual communication signal represents the initial driving maneuver;

detecting a second visual communication signal provided by the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, including emitting light according to a predetermined lighting pattern using a lighting mechanism mounted on the second vehicle in response to the first visual communication signal, the predetermined lighting pattern representing the second visual communication signal;

identifying a type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal based on the predetermined lighting pattern; and

determining a subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle based on the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second visual communication signals are provided by a lighting mechanism of the first and second vehicles respectively.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the identified type of communication represented by the second visual communication signal is a driving maneuver for the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is a second autonomous driving vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein determining the subsequent driving maneuver for the first autonomous driving vehicle includes modifying the initial driving maneuver.