METHODS FOR DENSE PARKING OF REMOTELY CONTROLLED OR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

• US 20150149022A1
• Filed: 02/01/2015
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Thomas Danaher Harvey
• Inventors: Harvey, Thomas Danaher
• Granted Patent: US 9,139,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/422 Automatically operated car-parks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

A method of moving autonomous or driverless vehicles being parked or accessed in a parking area is disclosed. The vehicles are parked in columns spaced too closely to allow drivers to enter or exit. The movements of the vehicles are coordinated by a central computer which computes a set of movements, transmits them to the vehicles, and commands and controls the execution. Multiple vehicles are moved sequentially or simultaneously to the computed locations for access, storage or exit. Sensors in the vehicles can transmit relative location information to the central computer to be used in the computations. Vehicles can be shuffled from column to column or from the front to the rear of a column to allow access. Temporary aisles can be formed for exit by vehicles or for access for loading or unloading.

Claims

1. A method of moving autonomous vehicles in a parking area wherein the vehicles comprise a plurality of columns, at least two columns are spaced too closely to allow access to a vehicle by a driver, and at least two vehicles are in a tandem arrangement in a column;

comprising;

computing a set of movements of a plurality of vehicles with a computing device,

transmitting a plurality of movements from the set of movements to at least two vehicles to be moved, and

moving at least two vehicles in a coordinated manner in accordance with the transmitted movements.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between two vehicles; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between a vehicle and a marker; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting the presence of a marker with a sensor in a vehicle; and

employing data from the sensor in computing the movements in the set of movements.

5. A method of accessing a particular vehicle in an array of autonomous vehicles with a plurality of columns of vehicles wherein the columns are spaced too closely to access at least one vehicle in the array and a plurality of vehicles are in a tandem arrangement in at least one column;

comprising;

receiving a request to access the particular vehicle;

computing a set of movements of a plurality of vehicles with a computing device;

transmitting movements from the set of movements to at least one vehicle to be moved; and

executing the movements in the set wherein a plurality of vehicles are moved in a coordinated sequence determined by the set of movements.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

moving a plurality of vehicles simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 5;

further comprising;

performing a cyclical shuffle of the vehicles in a plurality of columns.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between two vehicles; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

9. The method of claim 5;

further comprising;

performing an open shuffle of the vehicles in a plurality of columns.

10. The method of claim 5;

further comprising;

accessing the particular vehicle from a temporary aisle.

11. The method of claim 5;

further comprising;

accessing a plurality of vehicles from a temporary aisle.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between two vehicles; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between a vehicle and a marker; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

14. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

detecting the presence of a marker with a sensor in a vehicle; and

employing data from the sensor in computing the movements in the set of movements.

15. A method of parking a plurality of autonomous vehicles comprising:

computing a set of locations in a parking area employing;

the dimensions of the vehicles and

the dimensions of the parking area;

computing a set of movements of the vehicles;

transmitting a movement from the set of movements to at least one vehicle; and

executing the movements in the set of movements wherein a plurality of vehicles are moved in a coordinated sequence determined by the set of movements;

wherein the set of locations designates a plurality of columns of vehicles too closely spaced to discharge a driver from a vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

a plurality of vehicles are parked in a tandem arrangement in at least one column.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between two vehicles; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

producing a measurement with a sensor in a vehicle of one of a relative distance between a vehicle and a marker; and

employing the measurement in computing the movements in the set of movements.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting the presence of a marker with a sensor in a vehicle; and

employing data from the sensor in computing the movements in the set of movements.