Vehicle Route Control

• US 20180299283A1
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Published: 10/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Bo, Ma, Jiaqi, Liu, Yimin, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Granted Patent: US 10,571,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096708 where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096805 where the transmitted instructions are used to compute a route
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

An apparatus includes a processor configured to send detour instructions defining a travel path that avoids a location of the traffic event. The detour instructions may be sent responsive to receiving notification of a traffic event. The processor is further configured to update the detour instructions to alter the travel path based on the proposed vehicle routes such that autonomous vehicles operate to follow the altered travel path. The update may be responsive to proposed vehicle routes different than the travel path received from vehicles in a vicinity of the location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to,

responsive to receiving notification of a traffic event, send detour instructions defining a travel path that avoids a location of the traffic event, and

responsive to proposed vehicle routes different than the travel path received from vehicles in a vicinity of the location, update the detour instructions to alter the travel path based on the proposed vehicle routes such that autonomous vehicles operate to follow the altered travel path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detour instructions are based on a recognized gesture of a responder to the event.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gesture is recognized from sensors worn by the responder.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gesture is indicative of a turn.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the update is further responsive to an aggregate rejection rate based on the proposed vehicle routes being above a predetermined value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the proposed vehicle routes include an explicit rejection of the travel path.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the aggregate rejection rate is derived from differences between the proposed vehicle routes and the travel path.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predetermined value is 20%.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proposed vehicle routes are same.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the proposed vehicle routes shorten overall travel time with respect to the travel path.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the altered travel path is based on a statistical mode of the proposed vehicle routes received from vehicles in a vicinity of the location.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic event is an accident.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic event is a roadway hazard.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the travel path that avoids a location of the traffic event is a lane change.

15. A method comprising:

by a processor of an apparatus,

responsive to receiving notification of a traffic event, sending detour instructions defining a travel path that avoids a location of the traffic event, and

responsive to proposed vehicle routes different than the travel path received from vehicles in a vicinity of the location, updating the detour instructions to alter the travel path based on the proposed vehicle routes such that autonomous vehicles operate to follow the altered travel path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the detour instructions are based on a recognized gesture of a responder to the event.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the update is further responsive to an aggregate rejection rate based on the proposed vehicle routes being above a predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the proposed vehicle routes include an explicit rejection of the travel path.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the aggregate rejection rate is derived from differences between the proposed vehicle routes and the travel path.

20. A method comprising:

by a processor of an apparatus,

responsive to receiving notification of a traffic event, sending detour instructions, based on a recognized gesture of a responder to the event, defining a travel path that avoids a location of the traffic event, and

responsive to proposed vehicle routes different than the travel path received from vehicles in a vicinity of the location, updating the detour instructions to alter the travel path based on the proposed vehicle routes such that autonomous vehicles operate to follow the altered travel path and establishing an audible connection between the responder and the vehicles.