Navigation unit and method for providing navigation instructions for an autonomous vehicle

• US 10,504,052 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Sugioka, Ichiro, Dromi, Aric, Kauppi, Kari
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Ana D
• Application Number:
  US14/991,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]

Abstract

Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a navigation unit, and corresponding method therein, for providing navigation instructions for an autonomous vehicle configured to be in an autonomous driving mode while in a certified autonomous road. The navigation unit is first configured to determine the autonomous vehicle is driving in an unplanned route or that the autonomous vehicle is deviating from a planned route. Thereafter, a trigger for routing the autonomous vehicle to a certified autonomous road is identified. The trigger is based on at least one of a current location, a time and date, a driving history or a calendar event. After the determination and identification previously described is performed, the vehicle is navigated to the certified autonomous road. Upon entering the road, and therefore being in an autonomous driving mode, a display screen will engage the driver so that the driver may input route planning information. Therefore, the navigation unit only interacts with the driver once the vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode. The example embodiments have the advantage of providing navigation without requiring an interaction with a driver operating a vehicle in a manual driving mode.

Claims

1. A navigation unit for providing navigation instructions for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle capable of operating alternatively in an autonomous driving mode in which the autonomous vehicle operates without human input and a manual driving mode in which the operation of the autonomous vehicle requires human input, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to operate in the autonomous driving mode while on a certified autonomous road, the certified autonomous road being approved for autonomous driving, the navigation unit comprising:

a processing unit configured to determine, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, that the autonomous vehicle is driving on an unplanned route or the autonomous vehicle is deviating from a planned route;

a trigger unit configured to identify, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, a trigger for navigating the autonomous vehicle to a selected certified autonomous road, the trigger being based on at least one of a current location, a time and date, a driving history, or a calendar event;

the processing unit configured to navigate, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, the autonomous vehicle to the selected certified autonomous road based on at least (i) the determination that the autonomous vehicle is driving on the unplanned route or is deviating from the planned route and (ii) the identified trigger; and

a display screen configured to display a navigation menu upon entering the selected certified autonomous road and as a result of the autonomous vehicle entering the autonomous driving mode, the navigation menu being where a driver inputs route planning information, wherein the driver is only prompted to provide navigation input in response to the vehicle having entered the autonomous driving mode.

2. The navigation unit of claim 1, wherein the trigger unit is configured to identify the trigger based on the current location via an identification that the current location has been visited a number of times that is below a visit threshold.

3. The navigation unit of claim 1, wherein the trigger unit is configured to identify the trigger based on the current location via an identification that the current location is located within a predetermined distance to a frequent location that has been visited a number of times above a visit threshold.

4. The navigation unit of claim 1, wherein the trigger unit is configured to identify the trigger based on the driving history via an identification that a current driving path is not an expected driving path given the driving history on a given time and day.

5. The navigation unit of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to halt the navigation to the certificated autonomous road if the autonomous vehicle does not follow the provided navigation for a period of time greater than a navigation threshold time period.

6. The navigation unit of claim 5, wherein upon halting navigation to the certified autonomous road, processing unit is configured to predict a new route for navigation based a current location, a time and date, a driving history, or a calendar event.

7. The navigation unit of claim 5, wherein the processing unit is further configured to re-navigate the autonomous vehicle to the certified autonomous road upon the trigger unit identifying the trigger after a time period above a re-navigation threshold time period.

8. The navigation unit of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to predict a certified autonomous road or a direction on the certified autonomous road to navigate the autonomous vehicle based on the trigger or at least one predefined rule.

9. The navigation unit of claim 8, wherein the at least one predefined rule is based on a certified autonomous road or direction on the certified autonomous road which provides a longest uninterrupted amount of autonomous driving time to a destination with acceptable added distance, a fastest route to a destination, or a route that has been designated as being preferred by the driver.

10. A vehicle comprising the navigation unit of claim 1.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for providing navigation instructions for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle capable of operating alternatively in an autonomous driving mode in which the autonomous vehicle operates without human input and a manual driving mode in which an operation of the autonomous vehicle requires human input, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to operate in the autonomous driving mode while on a certified autonomous road, the certified autonomous road being approved for autonomous driving, wherein execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

determining, with a processing unit, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, that the autonomous vehicle is driving on an unplanned route or the autonomous vehicle is deviating from a planned route;

identifying a trigger for navigating the autonomous vehicle to a selected certified autonomous road while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, the trigger being based on at least one of a current location, a time and date, a driving history, or a calendar event;

navigating the autonomous vehicle to the selected certified autonomous road based on at least the determining and the identifying; and

displaying, on a display screen, a navigation menu upon entering the selected certified autonomous road and as a result of the autonomous vehicle entering the autonomous driving mode, the navigation menu being where a driver inputs route planning information, wherein the driver is only prompted to provide navigation input in response to the vehicle having entered the autonomous driving mode.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system further causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

halting the navigation to the certificated autonomous road if the autonomous vehicle does not follow the provided navigation for a period of time above a navigation threshold time period.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system further causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

re-navigating the autonomous vehicle to the certified autonomous road upon identifying the trigger and after a time period above a re-navigation threshold time period.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system further causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

predicting a certified autonomous road or a direction on the certified autonomous road to navigate the autonomous vehicle based on the trigger and/or at least one predefined rule.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one predefined rule is based on a certified autonomous road or direction on the certified autonomous road which provides a longest uninterrupted amount of autonomous driving time to a destination with acceptable added distance, a fastest route to a destination, or a route that has been designated as being preferred by the driver.

16. A method for providing navigation instructions for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle capable of operating alternatively in an autonomous driving mode in which the autonomous vehicle operates without human input and a manual driving mode in which an operation of the autonomous vehicle requires human input, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to operate in the autonomous driving mode while on a certified autonomous road, the certified autonomous road being approved for autonomous driving, the method comprising:

determining, with a processing unit, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, that the autonomous vehicle is driving on an unplanned route or the autonomous vehicle is deviating from a planned route;

identifying a trigger for navigating the autonomous vehicle to a selected certified autonomous road while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, the trigger being based on at least one of a current location, a time and date, a driving history, or a calendar event;

navigating the autonomous vehicle to the selected certified autonomous road, while the autonomous vehicle is in the manual driving mode, based on at least the determining and the identifying; and

displaying, on a display screen, a navigation menu upon entering the certified autonomous road and as a result of the autonomous vehicle entering the autonomous driving mode, the navigation menu being where a driver inputs route planning information, wherein the driver is only prompted to provide navigation input in response to the vehicle having entered the autonomous driving mode.