SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VALIDATION OF OPERATIONAL REGULATIONS TO AUTONOMOUSLY OPERATE A VEHICLE DURING TRAVEL

• US 20200133263A1
• Filed: 08/13/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Toyota Research Institute, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Toyota Research Institute, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: DECASTRO, JONATHAN, Liebenwein, Lucas, Vasile, Cristian-Ioan, Tedrake, Russell Louis, Karaman, Sertac, Rus, Daniela
• Application Number:
  US16/539,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20200133263A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00276 for two or more other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/048 with provision for compensation of environmental or other condition, e.g. snow, vehicle stopped at detector
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

System and method to autonomously operate a vehicle during travel are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: generate, by sensors, output signals conveying contextual information and operational information, the contextual information characterizing a contextual environment surrounding the vehicle; obtain a current set of operational regulations; implement the current set of operational regulations to operate the vehicle autonomously; assess the validity of the current set of operational regulations within the updated contextual environment; responsive to the determining that the current set of operational regulations are valid within the updated contextual environment, return to implementation; responsive to the determining that the current set of operational regulations are invalid within the updated contextual environment, generate an updated set of operational regulations that are valid within the updated contextual environment; and responsive to generation, replace the current set of operational regulations with the updated set of operational regulations.

Claims

1. A vehicle configured to autonomously operate during travel, the vehicle comprising:

sensors configured to generate output signals conveying contextual information and operational information, the contextual information characterizing a contextual environment surrounding the vehicle, and the operational information specifying operational settings of the vehicle during travel; and

one or more processors configured by machine readable instructions to;

(a) obtain a current set of operational regulations, the current operational regulations specifying restrictions on operation of the vehicle, the current set of operational regulations being specific to a present contextual environment;

(b) implement the current set of operational regulations to operate the vehicle autonomously;

(c) subsequent to operation (a), receive the contextual information conveyed by the output signals and determine an updated contextual environment based on the contextual information;

(d) assess the validity of the current set of operational regulations within the updated contextual environment, wherein assessing the validity of the current set of operational regulations includes determining whether the updated contextual environment includes an obstacle to avoid such that the position and/or motion of the obstacle is a variant of a previous position and/or motion of the obstacle;

(e) responsive to determining at operation (d) that the current set of operational regulations are valid within the updated contextual environment, return to operation (b);

(f) responsive to determining at operation (d) that the current set of operational regulations are invalid within the updated contextual environment, generate an updated set of operational regulations that are valid within the updated contextual environment;

(g) responsive to performance of operation (f), replace the current set of operational regulations with the updated set of operational regulations; and

(h) subsequent to operation (g), return to operation (b).

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the contextual environment includes direction of travel of the vehicle, number of lanes on a roadway, lane position of the vehicle on the roadway, topography of the roadway, position and motion of other vehicles, obstacles in the roadway, traffic conditions, and/or weather conditions.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the operational settings of the vehicle include throttle position, brake engagement, and/or degree of steer.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the restrictions on the operation of the vehicle control speed, turn angle, braking speed, and/or position of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the updated contextual environment includes variants of the contextual information conveyed by the output signals.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the obstacle includes one or more of another vehicle, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and/or a motorcyclist.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the updated set of operational regulations adjusts the restrictions on the operation of the vehicle and/or permits circumvention on a set of road regulations.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the updated set of operational regulations includes enablement of a collision to avoid a worse collision.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the set of road regulations include utilizing turn signals, staying between lane markings, following an established speed limit, and/or other traffic rules.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the circumvention of the set of road regulations includes ignoring utilization of turn signals, maneuvering over the lane markings, and/or exceeding the established speed limit.

11. A method to autonomously operate a vehicle during travel, the method comprising:

Generating, by sensors, output signals conveying contextual information and operational information, the contextual information characterizing a contextual environment surrounding the vehicle, and the operational information specifying operational settings of the vehicle during travel;

(a) obtaining a current set of operational regulations, the current operational regulations specifying restrictions on operation of the vehicle, the current set of operational regulations being specific to a present contextual environment;

(b) implementing the current set of operational regulations to operate the vehicle autonomously;

(c) subsequent to operation (a), receiving the contextual information conveyed by the output signals and determine an updated contextual environment based on the contextual information;

(d) assessing the validity of the current set of operational regulations within the updated contextual environment, wherein assessing the validity of the current set of operational regulations includes determining whether the updated contextual environment includes an obstacle to avoid such that the position and/or motion of the obstacle is a variant of a previous position and/or motion of the obstacle;

(e) responsive to determining at operation (d) that the current set of operational regulations are valid within the updated contextual environment, returning to operation (b);

(f) responsive to determining at operation (d) that the current set of operational regulations are invalid within the updated contextual environment, generating an updated set of operational regulations that are valid within the updated contextual environment;

(g) responsive to performance of operation (f), replacing the current set of operational regulations with the updated set of operational regulations; and

(h) subsequent to operation (g), returning to operation (b).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the contextual environment includes direction of travel of the vehicle, number of lanes on a roadway, lane position of the vehicle on the roadway, topography of the roadway, position and motion of other vehicles, obstacles in the roadway, traffic conditions, and/or weather conditions.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the operational settings of the vehicle include throttle position, brake engagement, and/or degree of steer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the restrictions on the operation of the vehicle control speed, turn angle, braking speed, and/or position of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated contextual environment includes variants of the contextual information conveyed by the output signals.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the obstacle includes one or more of another vehicle, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, and/or a motorcyclist.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated set of operational regulations adjusts the restrictions on the operation of the vehicle and/or permits circumvention on a set of road regulations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the updated set of operational regulations includes enablement of a collision to avoid a worse collision.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of road regulations include utilizing turn signals, staying between lane markings, following an established speed limit, and/or other traffic rules.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the circumvention of the set of road regulations includes ignoring utilization of turn signals, maneuvering over the lane markings, and/or exceeding the established speed limit.