Systems and methods for vehicles with limited destination ability

• US 8,688,306 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Nemec, Philip, Urmson, Christopher Paul, Templeton, Bradley, Fairfield, Nathaniel, Levandowski, Anthony Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US13/218,756
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/23, 701/35, 701/36, 701/103, 701/201, 701/202, 701/210, 701/213, 701/420, 705/6, 180/24.12, 180/24.13, 180/165, 180/271, 180/272, 340/3.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.72, 340/5.82, 340/471, 455/411, 455/457, 474/135, 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 104/250, 606/02, 114/107, 235/384, 303/149, 192/85.R, 125/12, 290/40.C, 379/201.06
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/32 Vehicle surroundings
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17 Using electrical or electronic regulation means to control braking detecting or indicating faulty operation B60T8/885
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0292 Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/42 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/52 Radar, Lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 : Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/186 : excessive wear or burn out of friction elements, e.g. clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 : Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 : Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 : using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 : Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 : Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 : Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 : Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 : with safety arrangements
• 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 1/021 : specially adapted to land vehicles
• 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 1/0214 : in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 : in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 : using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 : using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 : using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 : using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 : Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 : Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 : Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 : Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 : Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 : Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 : Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 : Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/223 : using block-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/231 : using full search
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 : from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 : involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 : Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• 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: G06V 20/64 : Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 : using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to limiting the use of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle by particular occupants based on permission data. More specifically, permission data may include destinations, routes, and/or other information that is predefined or set by a third party. The vehicle may then access the permission data in order to transport the particular occupant to the predefined destination, for example, without deviation from the predefined route. The vehicle may drop the particular occupant off at the destination and may wait until the passenger is ready to move to another predefined destination. The permission data may be used to limit the ability of the particular occupant to change the route of the vehicle completely or by some maximum deviation value. For example, the vehicle may be able to deviate from the route up to a particular distance from or along the route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information identifying a user;

accessing stored profile data, the profile data having at least one user profile, the at least one user profile including user identification information, a permissible destination, at least one of a date and a time restriction, and a predefined route between a current location of a vehicle and the permissible destination;

identifying the at least one user profile based on the stored user identification information and the received information identifying the user;

receiving a destination;

comparing, by a processor associated with the vehicle, the received destination to the permissible destination to determine whether the received destination is the same as the permissible destination; and

when the received destination is the same as the permissible destination, enabling the user to use the vehicle to travel to the received destination;

before receiving the received destination, determining whether the user presently has permission to use the vehicle based on the at least one of the date and the time restriction;

when the user does not presently have permission, denying the user permission to use the vehicle; and

when the user does not presently have permission, enabling the user to use the vehicle in an emergency mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one profile further includes a maximum deviation value, and the method further comprises:

determining whether the at least one user profile includes permission to deviate from the predefined route;

when the at least one profile includes permission to deviate from the predefined route, calculating an alternate route between a current location of the vehicle and the received destination;

calculating a deviation value for the alternate route based on a comparison of the alternate route to the predefined route; and

comparing the deviation value to the maximum deviation value to determine whether the user has permission to follow the alternate route.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is given permission to follow the alternate route when the deviation value is less than the maximum deviation valve, and the method further comprises:

receiving a selected route of either the alternate route or the predefined route; and

enabling the user to choose the selected route to the received destination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user profile further includes a restricted destination, and the method further comprises, when the received destination is not the same as the permissible destination, comparing the received destination to the restricted destination to determine whether the received destination is the same as the restricted destination.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, when the received destination is the same as the restricted destination, denying the user permission to use the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, when the received destination is the same as the restricted destination, enabling the user to use the vehicle in an emergency mode.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising when the received destination is the same as the restricted destination, requesting the user to provide a new destination.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

comparing the new destination to the permissible destination to determine whether the received destination is the same as the permissible destination; and

when the new destination is the same as the permissible destination, enabling the user to use the vehicle to travel to the new destination.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, as the vehicle travels to the received destination, monitoring whether the vehicle is deviating from the predefined route.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, when the vehicle deviates from the predefined route, presenting a warning to the user on a display of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, when the vehicle deviates from the predefined route, recording a log of the vehicle'"'"'s movements and the user'"'"'s actions in controlling the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising, switching from a manual mode, where the user is able to control the movement of the vehicle, to an autonomous mode where a processor of the vehicle controls the movements of the vehicle without input from the user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one profile further includes a maximum deviation value, and the method further comprises:

when the vehicle is deviating the predefined route, calculating a deviation value by comparing deviation of the vehicle with respect to the predefined route; and

comparing the deviation value to the maximum deviation value to determine whether the user has permission to continue to deviate from the predefined route.

14. A device comprising:

memory profile data, the profile data having at least one user profile, the at least one user profile including user identification information, a permissible destination, at least one of a date and a time restriction, and a predefined route between a current location of a vehicle and the permissible destination;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being operable to;

receive information identifying a user;

identify the at least one user profile based on the stored user identification information and the received information identifying the user;

receive a destination;

compare the received destination to the permissible destination to determine whether the received destination is the same as the permissible destination;

when the received destination is the same as the permissible destination, enabling the user to use the vehicle to travel to the received destination;

before receiving the received destination, determine whether the user presently has permission to use the vehicle based on the at least one of the date and the time restriction;

when the user does not presently have permission, deny the user permission to use the vehicle; and

when the user does not presently have permission, enable the user to use the vehicle in an emergency mode.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one profile further includes a maximum deviation value, and the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the at least one user profile includes permission to deviate from the predefined route;

when the at least one profile includes permission to deviate from the predefined route, calculate an alternate route between a current location of the vehicle and the received destination;

calculate a deviation value for the alternate route based on a comparison of the alternate route to the predefined route; and

compare the deviation value to the maximum deviation value to determine whether the user has permission to follow the alternate route.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the user is given permission to follow the alternate route when the deviation value is less than the maximum deviation valve, and the processor is further operable to:

receive a selected route of either the alternate route or the predefined route; and

enable the user to choose the selected route to the received destination.

17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving information identifying a user;

accessing stored profile data, the profile data having at least one user profile, the at least one user profile including user identification information, a permissible destination, at least one of a date and a time restriction, and a predefined route between a current location of a vehicle and the permissible destination;

identifying the at least one user profile based on the stored user identification information and the received information identifying the user;

receiving a destination;

comparing the received destination to the permissible destination to determine whether the received destination is the same as the permissible destination;

when the received destination is the same as the permissible destination, enabling the user to use the vehicle to travel to the received destination;

before receiving the received destination, determining whether the user presently has permission to use the vehicle based on the at least one of the date and the time restriction;

when the user does not presently have permission, denying the user permission to use the vehicle; and

when the user does not presently have permission, enabling the user to use the vehicle in an emergency mode.

18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises, as the vehicle travels to the received destination, monitoring whether the vehicle is deviating from the predefined route.

19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises, when the vehicle deviates from the predefined route, presenting a warning to the user on a display of the vehicle.

20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises, when the vehicle deviates from the predefined route, recording a log of the vehicle'"'"'s movements and the user'"'"'s actions in controlling the vehicle.

21. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises, switching from a manual mode, where the user is able to control the movement of the vehicle, to an autonomous mode where a processor of the vehicle controls the movements of the vehicle without input from the user.

22. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one profile further includes a maximum deviation value, and the method further comprises:

when the vehicle is deviating the predefined route, calculating a deviation value by comparing the deviation of the vehicle with respect to the predefined route; and

comparing the deviation value to the maximum deviation value to determine whether the user has permission to continue to deviate from the predefined route.