Guidance of autonomous vehicles in destination vicinities using intent signals

• US 10,372,132 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Herz, Scott M., Cohen, Sawyer I., Gooch, Samuel B., Kienzle, Wolf, Bark, Karlin Y., Wanderman, Jack J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/826,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20180164817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• 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 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• 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 1/0276 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

Signals usable to determine a path of a vehicle towards a particular stopping point in a vicinity of a destination are detected from an individual authorized to provide guidance with respect to movements of the vehicle. Based at least in part on the signals and a data set pertaining to the external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the path are identified. A directive is transmitted to a motion control subsystem of the vehicle to initiate one of the vehicular movements.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

performing, at one or more computing devices;

obtaining a first indication of a destination of a vehicle, wherein a vicinity of the destination comprises a plurality of vehicle stopping points;

detecting, using one or more sensors, one or more signals generated by an individual authorized to provide guidance with respect to movements of the vehicle, wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine a path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of the plurality of vehicle stopping points;

identifying, based at least in part on (a) the one or more signals and (b) a data set pertaining to an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the path; and

transmitting a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one signal of the one or more signals is detected using a sensor which is mechanically decoupled from a steering subsystem of the vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vicinity comprises a parking area, wherein individual ones of the plurality of vehicle stopping points comprise respective parking spaces within the parking area, and wherein the particular vehicle stopping point comprises a particular parking space within the parking area.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more signals include a particular signal indicating an intended task of the individual.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a particular signal of the one or more signals indicates one or more of:

(a) a landmark object, (b) a sign, or (c) a particular feature of a building.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a particular sensor of the one or more sensors comprises one or more of:

(a) a component of a portable computing device, (b) a component of a phone, (c) a touch-sensitive interface, (d) a microphone, (e) a camera, (f) a remote control device, or (g) a depth sensor.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting the one or more signals comprises detecting one or more displacements of an icon on a graphical user interface.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the graphical user interface defines a grid representing a plurality of discrete path segments which can be traversed within the destination vicinity, wherein the one or more displacements include a first displacement corresponding to a particular discrete path segment of the plurality of path segments.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing, by the one or more computing devices:

providing, prior to said transmitting the first directive, an indication of the first vehicular movement to the individual; and

obtaining, from the individual, an indication that the first vehicular movement is acceptable.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing, by the one or more computing devices:

populating one or more elements of a multi-option menu with respective options, wherein a particular option of the respective options indicates an intended task, wherein said detecting the one or more signals comprises determining that the particular option has been selected from the multi-option menu.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more sensor devices; and

a navigation manager implemented at least in part at a computing device;

wherein the navigation manager is configured to;

detect, using the one or more sensor devices, one or more signals generated by an individual permitted to provide guidance with respect to movements of a vehicle, wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine a path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of a plurality of vehicle stopping points in a vicinity of a destination;

identify, based at least in part on (a) the one or more signals and (b) a data set pertaining to an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the path; and

transmit a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the navigation manager is configured to:

indicate a request for input regarding a selection of a stopping point of the vehicle.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the navigation manager is configured to indicate the request for input in response to determining that the vicinity of the destination has been reached.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more signals include a particular signal indicating an intended task of the individual.

15. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the navigation manager is configured to:

provide, prior to transmitting the first directive, an indication of the first vehicular movement to the individual; and

obtain, from the individual, an indication that the first vehicular movement is acceptable.

16. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions that when executed on one or more processors:

detect, using one or more sensor devices, one or more signals generated by an individual permitted to provide guidance with respect to movements of a vehicle, wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine a path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of a plurality of vehicle stopping points in a vicinity of a destination;

identify, based at least in part on (a) the one or more signals and (b) a data set pertaining to an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the path; and

transmit a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

17. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more signals include a particular signal indicating an intended task of the individual.

18. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed on the one or more processors:

cause, prior to transmitting the first directive, an indication of the first vehicular movement to be provided to the individual; and

determine that the first vehicular movement is acceptable to the individual.

19. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed on the one or more processors:

in response to determining that the vicinity of the destination has been reached, cause a request for input regarding a stopping point to be provided to the individual.

20. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed on the one or more processors:

detect one or more signals indicative of a command to adjust a position of the vehicle, wherein the command is issued by the individual while the individual is outside the vehicle; and

transmit another directive to the one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate a different vehicular movement in response to the command.