Safely navigating on roads through maintaining safe distance from other vehicles
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- obtaining, by a computer system, lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling, wherein the computer system is configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode;
determining, by the computer system, that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; and
in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable;
(i) using at least one sensor to monitor at least a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle at a first time and the second distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and the neighboring vehicle at a second time,(ii) based on the first distance, determining a first relative position of the neighboring vehicle,(iii) based on the second distance, determining a second relative position of the neighboring vehicle,(iv) based on the first relative position and the second relative position, determining an estimated path of the neighboring vehicle,(v) based on the estimated path, determining an updated estimated location of the lane, and(vi) controlling the vehicle based on the updated estimated location of the lane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous mode are disclosed. In one aspect, an example method is disclosed that includes obtaining lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling. The example method further includes determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable and, in response, using a sensor to monitor a first distance and a second distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle, determining first and second relative positions of the neighboring vehicle based on the first and second distances, respectively, and, based on the first and second relative positions, determining an estimated path of the neighboring vehicle. The example method further includes, based on the estimated path, determining an updated estimated location of the lane, and controlling the vehicle based on the updated estimated location of the lane.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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obtaining, by a computer system, lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling, wherein the computer system is configured to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode; determining, by the computer system, that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; and in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; (i) using at least one sensor to monitor at least a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle at a first time and the second distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and the neighboring vehicle at a second time, (ii) based on the first distance, determining a first relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iii) based on the second distance, determining a second relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iv) based on the first relative position and the second relative position, determining an estimated path of the neighboring vehicle, (v) based on the estimated path, determining an updated estimated location of the lane, and (vi) controlling the vehicle based on the updated estimated location of the lane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode, the vehicle comprising:
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at least one sensor; at least one processor; and data storage comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to; obtain lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling; determine that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; and in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; (i) use the at least one sensor to monitor at least a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle at a first time and the second distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and the neighboring vehicle at a second time, (ii) based on the first distance, determine a first relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iii) based on the second distance, determine a second relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iv) based on the first relative position and the second relative position, determine an estimated path of the neighboring vehicle, (v) based on the estimated path, determine an updated estimated location of the lane, and (vi) control the vehicle based on the updated estimated location of the lane. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
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obtaining lane information that provides an estimated location of a lane of a road on which a vehicle is traveling; determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; and in response to determining that the lane information has become unavailable or unreliable; (i) using at least one sensor to monitor at least a first distance and a second distance, wherein the first distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle at a first time and the second distance comprises a distance between the vehicle and the neighboring vehicle at a second time, (ii) based on the first distance, determining a first relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iii) based on the second distance, determining a second relative position of the neighboring vehicle, (iv) based on the first relative position and the second relative position, determining an estimated path of the neighboring vehicle, (v) based on the estimated path, determining an updated estimated location of the lane, and (vi) controlling the vehicle based on the updated estimated location of the lane. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification