Occupant aware braking system

• US 10,471,953 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoox Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zoox Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Askeland, Jacob Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US16/051,116
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/08 responsive to conditions relating to the cargo, e.g. overload
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0026 for distinguishing between humans, animals or objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/30 Environment conditions or position therewithin
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/107 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/109 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 : Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vehicle control system includes variable maneuvering limits based at least in part on whether the vehicle is carrying cargo (i.e., passengers or other cargo). The system can include a cargo classification system comprising one or more internal sensors, an imager, and an image interpreter. The cargo classification system can determine if the vehicle is carrying cargo and classify the cargo (e.g., passengers or other cargo). Based at least in part on this classification, the vehicle control system can set various vehicle maneuvering limits. When the vehicle is empty, the vehicle control system can maneuver the vehicle at, or near, the actual maneuvering limits for the vehicle (e.g., maximum longitudinal acceleration, braking and lateral acceleration that can be generated by the vehicle). When the vehicle is carrying cargo, the vehicle control system can maneuver the vehicle at a lower threshold to prevent passenger discomfort and/or cargo damage or discomfort.

Claims

1. A method for platooning vehicles comprising:

determining a first maximum acceleration of a first vehicle;

receiving, at the first vehicle, data related to a second maximum acceleration for a second vehicle;

determining the first maximum acceleration is greater than the second maximum acceleration; and

maneuvering, with an operation control system, the first vehicle into a position behind the second vehicle to form a first platoon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first maximum acceleration or the second maximum acceleration is based at least in part on whether the first vehicle or the second vehicle is carrying cargo.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first maximum acceleration or the second maximum acceleration is based at least in part on a classification of the cargo in the first vehicle or the second vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first vehicle, data related to a third maximum acceleration for a third vehicle;

determining that the first maximum acceleration is greater than the third maximum acceleration; and

maneuvering, with the operation control system, the first vehicle into a position behind the second vehicle and the third vehicle to form a second platoon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first vehicle, sensor data from the second vehicle indicating an object in a path of the first platoon; and

maneuvering the first vehicle at an acceleration greater than or equal to the second maximum acceleration to avoid the object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle is empty and the second vehicle contains one or more passengers.

7. A first vehicle comprising:

a transceiver to send and receive at least one of wireless communications or wired communications;

a vehicle control system configured to maneuver the first vehicle at, or below, a first maximum acceleration; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors on the first vehicle, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

receive, at the transceiver, second vehicle data related to a second vehicle, the second vehicle data comprising at least a second maximum acceleration for the second vehicle;

determine a first platooning order for the first vehicle and the second vehicle based at least in part on the first maximum acceleration and the second maximum acceleration; and

send, with the transceiver, a first signal to the second vehicle, the first signal comprising one or more of the first maximum acceleration or the first platooning order and configured to cause the second vehicle to form a first platoon with the first vehicle based at least in part on the first platooning order.

8. The first vehicle of claim 7, wherein the first maximum acceleration is lower than the second maximum acceleration;

and

wherein the first platooning order comprises the first vehicle positioned in front of the second vehicle in the first platooning order with respect to a direction of travel.

9. The first vehicle of claim 8, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive, at the transceiver, third vehicle data related to a third vehicle, the third vehicle data comprising at least a third maximum acceleration for the third vehicle;

determine a difference between the first maximum acceleration and the third maximum acceleration;

determine that the difference meets or exceeds a threshold value; and

determine, based at least in part on the difference meeting or exceeding the threshold value, that the third vehicle cannot be included in the first platoon.

10. The first vehicle of claim 7, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive, from a sensor on the first vehicle, sensor data associated with an area proximate the first vehicle;

determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, that an object is in a path of the first vehicle;

send a second signal to the vehicle control system to cause the first vehicle to maneuver in response to the object; and

send, with the transceiver, a third signal to the second vehicle configured to cause the second vehicle to maneuver in response to the object.

11. The first vehicle of claim 10, wherein:

the first vehicle maneuvers at, or below, the first maximum acceleration; and

the second vehicle maneuvers at, or below, the second maximum acceleration.

12. The first vehicle of claim 10, wherein:

the first vehicle maneuvers at, or below, the first maximum acceleration; and

the second vehicle maneuvers at, or below, the first maximum acceleration.

13. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

receive first vehicle data related to a first vehicle, the first vehicle data comprising at least a first maximum acceleration for the first vehicle;

receive second vehicle data related to a second vehicle, the second vehicle data comprising at least a second maximum acceleration for the second vehicle;

determine a first platooning order for the first vehicle and the second vehicle based at least in part on the first maximum acceleration and the second maximum acceleration; and

send a first signal to the second vehicle, the first signal comprising one or more of the first platooning order or the first maximum acceleration and configured to cause the first vehicle and the second vehicle to form a first platoon based at least in part on the first platooning order.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive a second signal from the first vehicle indicating the first vehicle is braking; and

send a third signal to the second vehicle configured to cause the second vehicle to brake.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein:

the first maximum acceleration is higher than the second maximum acceleration; and

the first platooning order comprises the first vehicle following the second vehicle.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive third vehicle data related to a third vehicle, the third vehicle data comprising a third maximum acceleration for the third vehicle;

determine, based at least in part on the first maximum acceleration, the second maximum acceleration, and the third maximum acceleration, a second platooning order for the first vehicle, the second vehicle, and the third vehicle; and

send a second signal to the first vehicle, the second vehicle, and the third vehicle, the second signal comprising the second platooning order and configured to cause the first vehicle, the second vehicle, and the third vehicle to form a second platoon based at least in part on the second platooning order.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the third maximum acceleration is higher than the second maximum acceleration;

the second maximum acceleration is higher than the first maximum acceleration; and

the second platooning order comprises the first vehicle first in the second platoon, the second vehicle second in the second platoon, and the third vehicle third in the second platoon.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receive a second signal from the first vehicle indicating the first vehicle is braking; and

send a third signal to the second vehicle and the third vehicle, the third signal configured to cause the second vehicle and the third vehicle to brake.

19. The electronic device of claim 13, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

determine that the first maximum acceleration is lower than the second maximum acceleration,

wherein the first platooning order comprises the second vehicle following the first vehicle, and

wherein the first signal is configured to cause the second vehicle to set the second maximum acceleration equal to the first maximum acceleration.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the first vehicle comprises cargo and the second vehicle is empty.