Autonomous vehicle logic to identify permissioned parking relative to multiple classes of restricted parking

• US 10,423,162 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NIO Technology Company Limited (NIO, Inc. (China))
• Original Assignee: Nio Usa Inc. (NIO, Inc. (China))
• Inventors: Yalla, Veera Ganesh, Bacchet, Davide
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US15/589,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20180321685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• 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 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/149 coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights

Abstract

Various embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware, computing software, including autonomy applications, image processing applications, cloud storage, cloud computing applications, etc., and computing systems, and wired and wireless network communications to facilitate autonomous control of vehicles, and, more specifically, to systems, devices, and methods configured to identify permissioned parking relative to multiple classes of restricted and privileged parking. In some examples, a method may include determining a parking area for an autonomous vehicle; based at least in part on the parking area, determining a parking place for the autonomous vehicle; determining a parking duration for the autonomous vehicle in the parking place; based at least in part on the parking duration, determining a classification of the parking place; and based at least in part on the classification, initiating a command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a parking area for an autonomous vehicle;

based at least in part on the parking area, determining a parking place for the autonomous vehicle comprising capturing an image of a parking place sign;

determining a parking duration for the autonomous vehicle in the parking place;

based at least in part on the parking duration and on the image, determining a classification of the parking place; and

based at least in part on the classification, initiating a command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the parking place sign is captured using at least one image sensor of the autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the parking place for the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on analyzing location data related to the parking place.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location data is captured using at least one location device of the autonomous vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the classification of the parking place is based at least in part on:

receiving data related to the parking place from at least one sensor of the autonomous vehicle;

sending the data related to the parking place to an external application;

updating the external application with the data related to the parking place;

receiving additional data related to the parking place from the updated external application; and

analyzing the additional data related to the parking place.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional data related to the parking place is a permission to park the autonomous vehicle in the parking place.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place is based at least in part on:

receiving identification data related to a passenger from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle;

sending the identification data related to the passenger to an external application;

based at least in part on the identification data related to the passenger, receiving parking data related to the passenger from the external application; and

analyzing the parking data related to the passenger.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the parking data related to the passenger is a permission to park in the parking place.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place is based at least in part on:

determining a charge state of the autonomous vehicle; and

determining a location of a charging station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the parking place for the autonomous vehicle is based at least part on identifying a passenger of the autonomous vehicle and wherein the method further comprises:

analyzing scheduling data related to the passenger; and

coordinating position of the autonomous vehicle with the scheduling data.

11. A method, comprising:

determining a parking area for an autonomous vehicle;

based at least in part on the parking area, determining a parking place for the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the parking place for the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on identifying a passenger of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the passenger is identified as requiring a parking space for disabled persons;

determining a parking duration for the autonomous vehicle in the parking place;

based at least in part on the parking duration, determining a classification of the parking place; and

based at least in part on the classification, initiating a command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place, wherein the command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place comprises positioning the autonomous vehicle to provide a maximum exit area for the passenger identified as requiring the parking space for disabled persons.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the passenger of the autonomous vehicle is based on a facial recognition of the passenger.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the passenger of the autonomous vehicle is based on biometric sensing of the passenger.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory including executable instructions; and

a processor, responsive to executing the instructions, the processor configured to;

determine a parking area for an autonomous vehicle;

based at least in part on the parking area, determine a parking place for the autonomous vehicle comprising capturing an image of a parking place sign;

determine a parking duration for the autonomous vehicle in the parking place;

based at least in part on the parking duration and on the image, determine a classification of the parking place; and

based at least in part on the classification, initiate a command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein determining the parking duration for the autonomous vehicle comprises analyzing scheduling data of a passenger.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one image sensor, and wherein the image of the parking place sign is captured using the at least one image sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein determining the parking space for the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on identifying a passenger of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein initiating the command to position the autonomous vehicle in the parking place is based at least in part on:

determining a charge state of the autonomous vehicle; and

determining a location of a charging station.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one location device that captures location data related to the parking place.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining the parking place for the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on analyzing the location data related to the parking place.