SELF-DRIVING VEHICLE SENSOR FAULT REMEDIATION

• US 20180040171A1
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kundu, Ashish, Nanavati, Amit A., Pickover, Clifford A., Weldemariam, Komminist S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,940,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/032 Fixing failures by repairing failed parts, e.g. loosening a sticking valve
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for self-driving vehicle sensor fault remediation are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes detecting a fault in one or more sensors of a self-driving vehicle; determining a remedial action in response to the detected fault, wherein said determining comprises (i) comparing the fault to a database comprising (a) historical sensor fault information and (b) sensor fault remedy information, and (ii) analyzing one or more items of contextual information pertaining to the location of the self-driving vehicle; generating a signal comprising one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action; and outputting the generated signal to one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices configured to remotely carry out the determined remedial action on the self-driving vehicle.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

detecting a fault in one or more sensors of a self-driving vehicle;

determining a remedial action in response to the detected fault, wherein said determining comprises (i) comparing the fault to a database comprising (a) historical sensor fault information and (b) sensor fault remedy information, (ii) analyzing one or more items of contextual information pertaining to the location of the self-driving vehicle, and (iii) generating an estimated risk associated with the detected fault being dangerous to at least one of the self-driving vehicle, a passenger of the self-driving vehicle, and a pedestrian proximate to the self-driving vehicle;

generating a signal comprising one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action; and

outputting the generated signal to one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices configured to remotely carry out the determined remedial action on the self-driving vehicle;

wherein the steps are carried out by at least one computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more LIDAR sensors, one or more radar sensors, one or more ultrasonic sensors, and/or one or more image sensors.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises performing a diagnostic test on the one or more sensors.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises performing a repair of the one or more sensors.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises replacing the one or more sensors.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises cleaning the one or more sensors.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises deicing the one or more sensors.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises providing a sensor by proxy to the self-driving vehicle.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises physically connecting the one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices to the self-driving vehicle.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises wirelessly connecting the one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices to the self-driving vehicle.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items of contextual information comprises the width of the road on which the self-driving vehicle is currently located.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items of contextual information comprises weather-related information pertaining to the location of the self-driving vehicle.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the historical sensor fault information comprises the age of the one or more sensors and/or the date of any previous replacements for the one or more sensors.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the historical sensor fault information comprises a history of expected sensor lifetimes for each of one or more classes of sensors.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action comprises an instruction to switch the self-driving vehicle from self-driving mode to human-operated mode.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action comprises an instruction to alter the route of the self-driving vehicle.

11. (canceled)

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to:

detect a fault in one or more sensors of a self-driving vehicle;

determine a remedial action in response to the detected fault, wherein said determining comprises (i) comparing the fault to a database comprising (a) historical sensor fault information and (b) sensor fault remedy information, (ii) analyzing one or more items of contextual information pertaining to the location of the self-driving vehicle, and (iii) generating an estimated risk associated with the detected fault being dangerous to at least one of the self-driving vehicle, a passenger of the self-driving vehicle, and a pedestrian proximate to the self-driving vehicle;

generate a signal comprising one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action; and

output the generated signal to one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices configured to remotely carry out the determined remedial action on the self-driving vehicle.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said determining further comprises generating an estimated risk associated with the detected fault being dangerous to the self-driving vehicle, a passenger of the self-driving vehicle, and/or a pedestrian proximate to the self-driving vehicle.

20. A system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured for;

detecting a fault in one or more sensors of a self-driving vehicle;

determining a remedial action in response to the detected fault, wherein said determining comprises (i) comparing the fault to a database comprising (a) historical sensor fault information and (b) sensor fault remedy information, (ii) analyzing one or more items of contextual information pertaining to the location of the self-driving vehicle, and (iii) generating an estimated risk associated with the detected fault being dangerous to at least one of the self-driving vehicle, a passenger of the self-driving vehicle, and a pedestrian proximate to the self-driving vehicle;

generating a signal comprising one or more instructions pertaining to carrying out the determined remedial action; and

outputting the generated signal to one or more remote-controlled pilotless airborne devices configured to remotely carry out the determined remedial action on the self-driving vehicle.