SYSTEMS TO DYNAMICALLY GUIDE A USER TO AN AUTONOMOUS-DRIVING VEHICLE PICK-UP LOCATION BY AUGMENTED-REALITY WALKING DIRECTIONS

• US 20170343375A1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kamhi, Gila, Degani, Asaf
• Application Number:
  US15/606,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343375A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A system, implemented at a mobile or portable user device having a display to present augmented-reality walking directions from a present user location to an autonomous-vehicle pickup location. The system includes an augmented-reality walking-directions module that, when executed, dynamically generates or obtains walking-direction artifacts for presentation, by a portable user device display, with real-time camera images to show a recommended walking path from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location, yielding real-time augmented-reality walking directions changing as the user moves with a portable user device. The system also includes an augmented-reality directions-presentation module that, when executed, initiates displaying the real-time augmented-reality walking directions from the present user location toward the vehicle pickup location. The system may also include or be in communication with an autonomous-vehicle-service application to allow the user to reserve an autonomous-vehicle ride, to be met by the user at the pickup location.

Claims

1. A system, implemented at a portable user device having a display to present augmented-reality walking directions from a present user location to an autonomous-vehicle pickup location, comprising:

a hardware-based processing unit; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage component comprising;

an augmented-reality walking-directions module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, dynamically generates or obtains walking-direction artifacts for presentation, by a portable user device display, with real-time camera images to show a recommended walking path from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location, yielding real-time augmented-reality walking directions changing as a user moves with the portable user device; and

an augmented-reality directions-presentation module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, initiates displaying the real-time augmented-reality walking directions from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the non-transitory computer-readable storage component comprises an autonomous-vehicle-service application configured to allow the user to reserve an autonomous-vehicle ride, to be met by the user at the autonomous-vehicle pickup location; and

the augmented-reality walking-directions module and the augmented-reality directions-presentation module are part of the autonomous-vehicle-service application.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the display in communication with the hardware-based processing unit to, in operation of the system, present said real-time augmented-reality walking directions from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location; and

the camera in communication with the hardware-based processing unit to, in operation of the system, generate said real-time camera images.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the autonomous-vehicle pickup location differs from a present autonomous-vehicle location.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise:

a first vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the present autonomous-vehicle location; and

a second vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the first vehicle-indicating artifact or the second vehicle-indicating artifact is configured, and arranged with the real-time camera images, to indicate that the present autonomous-vehicle pickup location or the autonomous-vehicle pickup location is behind a structure or object visible in the camera images.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise a vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the artifacts include a vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location; and

the vehicle-indicating artifact is configured, and arranged with the real-time camera images, to indicate that the autonomous-vehicle pickup location is behind a structure or object visible in the camera images.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the walking-direction artifacts indicate a path by footprints.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage, for use in presenting, by way of a portable user device, augmented-reality walking directions from a present user location to an autonomous-vehicle pickup location, comprising:

an augmented-reality walking-directions module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, dynamically generates or obtains walking-direction artifacts for presentation, by a portable user device display, with real-time camera images to show a recommended walking path from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location, yielding real-time augmented-reality walking directions changing as a user moves with the portable user device; and

an augmented-reality directions-presentation module that, when executed by the hardware-based processing unit, initiates displaying the real-time augmented-reality walking directions from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the autonomous-vehicle pickup location differs from a present autonomous-vehicle location.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise:

a first vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the present autonomous-vehicle location; and

a second vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first vehicle-indicating artifact or the second vehicle-indicating artifact is configured, and arranged with the real-time camera images, to indicate that the present autonomous-vehicle pickup location or the autonomous-vehicle pickup location is behind a structure or object visible in the camera images.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise a vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the artifacts include a vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location; and

the vehicle-indicating artifact is configured, and arranged with the real-time camera images, to indicate that the autonomous-vehicle pickup location is behind a structure or object visible in the camera images.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the walking-direction artifacts indicate a path by footprints.

17. A process, for presenting, by way of a portable user device, augmented-reality walking directions from a present user location to an autonomous-vehicle pickup location, comprising:

generating or obtaining, dynamically, by a hardware-based processing unit executing an augmented-reality walking-directions module stored at a non-transitory computer-readable storage, walking-direction artifacts for presentation, by a portable user device display, with real-time camera images to show a recommended walking path from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location, yielding real-time augmented-reality walking directions changing as a user moves with the portable user device; and

initiating displaying, by the hardware-based processing unit executing an augmented-reality directions-presentation module stored at the non-transitory computer-readable storage, the real-time augmented-reality walking directions from the present user location toward the autonomous-vehicle pickup location by way of the portable user device.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the autonomous-vehicle pickup location differs from a present autonomous-vehicle location.

19. The process of claim 17 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise:

a first vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the present autonomous-vehicle location; and

a second vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein the walking-direction artifacts comprise a vehicle-indicating artifact positioned dynamically with the camera image to show the autonomous-vehicle pickup location.