Data selection by an autonomous vehicle for trajectory modification

• US 8,849,494 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fairfield, Nathaniel, Herbach, Joshua Seth, Colijn, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US13/835,448
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/301
• US Class Current: 701/24
• 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 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0011 involving control alternatives for a single driving scenario, e.g. planning several paths to avoid obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0015 specially adapted for safety
• 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 1/0214 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 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle may determine to seek assistance navigating using a first trajectory. The autonomous vehicle may be configured to receive and store data about a plurality of obstacles. A particular obstacle in the plurality of obstacles may partially or wholly obstruct the first trajectory. The autonomous vehicle may select a portion of the stored data that includes data representing the particular obstacle. The selected portion of the stored data may be provided to an assistance center. A second trajectory may be received from the assistance center, where the second trajectory is not obstructed by the particular obstacle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that an autonomous vehicle seeks assistance, from an assistance center, to navigate in accordance with a first trajectory, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to receive and store data about a plurality of obstacles, and wherein a particular obstacle in the plurality of obstacles partially or wholly obstructs the first trajectory;

selecting, by the autonomous vehicle, a portion of the stored data, wherein the portion of the stored data is less than the totality of the stored data and includes data representing the particular obstacle;

providing, to the assistance center, the portion of the stored data; and

receiving, from the assistance center, a second trajectory, wherein the second trajectory is not obstructed by the particular obstacle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the portion of the stored data comprises:

transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, a request for navigational assistance;

receiving, from the assistance center, a request for information regarding obstacles; and

transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, the portion of the stored data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored data comprises video data about the plurality of obstacles, and wherein selecting the portion of the stored data comprises selecting at least some of the video data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored data comprises sensory data about the plurality of obstacles, and wherein the sensory data comprises representations of distances between the autonomous vehicle and at least some obstacles in the plurality of obstacles.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the portion of the stored data comprises:

determining a threshold distance D; and

for each obstacle O1 in the plurality of obstacles;

determining a distance D1 between the obstacle O1 and the autonomous vehicle,

determining whether the threshold distance D is greater than the distance D1, and

after determining that the threshold distance D is greater than the distance D1, identifying the obstacle O1 as a candidate obstacle for the portion of the stored data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting the portion of the stored data further comprises selecting stored data for each candidate obstacle.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting the portion of the stored data further comprises:

determining a number N of obstacles in the plurality of obstacles, wherein N>

0; and

for each candidate obstacle O2 in the plurality of obstacles;

determining whether the candidate obstacle O2 is one of N obstacles closest to the autonomous vehicle, and

after determining that the candidate obstacle O2 is one of the number N obstacles closest to the autonomous vehicle, selecting stored data about the candidate obstacle O2.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting the portion of the stored data about the plurality of obstacles comprises:

determining a threshold distance D2; and

for each obstacle O1 in the plurality of obstacles, determining a closest distance value D3 between the obstacle O1 and a closest point on the original trajectory to O1;

sorting the plurality of obstacles based on the closest distance values D3; and

selecting stored data about each obstacle in the sorted plurality of obstacles whose closest distance value D3 is less than the threshold distance D2.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second trajectory meets the first trajectory at two or more points.

10. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

one or more processors; and

data storage including program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the autonomous vehicle to perform functions comprising;

determining to seek assistance, from an assistance center, to navigate in accordance with a first trajectory, wherein the data storage is configured to receive and store data about a plurality of obstacles, and wherein a particular obstacle in the plurality of obstacles partially or wholly obstructs the first trajectory;

selecting a portion of the stored data, wherein the portion of the stored data is less than the totality of the stored data and includes data representing the particular obstacle;

providing, to the assistance center, the portion of the stored data; and

receiving, from the assistance center, a second trajectory, wherein the second trajectory is not obstructed by the particular obstacle.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the function of providing the portion of the stored data comprises:

transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, a request for navigational assistance;

receiving, from the assistance center, a request for information regarding obstacles; and

transmitting, by the autonomous vehicle, the portion of the stored data.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the stored data comprises video data about the plurality of obstacles, and wherein selecting the portion of the stored data comprises selecting at least some of the video data.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the stored data comprises sensory data about the plurality of obstacles, and wherein the sensory data comprises representations of distances between the autonomous vehicle and at least some obstacles in the plurality of obstacles.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the function of selecting the portion of the stored data comprises:

determining a threshold distance D; and

for each obstacle O1 in the plurality of obstacles;

determining a distance D1 between the obstacle O1 and the autonomous vehicle,

determining whether the threshold distance D is greater than the distance D1, and

after determining that the threshold distance D is greater than the distance D1, identifying the obstacle O1 as a candidate obstacle for the portion of the stored data.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the function of selecting the portion of the stored data further comprises selecting stored data for each candidate obstacle.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the function of selecting the portion of the stored data further comprises:

determining a number N of obstacles in the plurality of obstacles, wherein N>

0; and

for each candidate obstacle O2 in the plurality of obstacles;

determining whether the candidate obstacle O2 is one of N obstacles closest to the autonomous vehicle, and

after determining that the candidate obstacle O2 is one of the number N obstacles closest to the autonomous vehicle, selecting stored data about the candidate obstacle O2.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the function of selecting the portion of the stored data about the plurality of obstacles comprises:

determining a threshold distance D2;

for each obstacle O1 in the plurality of obstacles, determining a closest distance value D3 between the obstacle O1 and a closest point on the original trajectory to O1;

sorting the plurality of obstacles based on the closest distance values D3; and

selecting stored data about each obstacle in the sorted plurality of obstacles whose closest distance value D3 is less than the threshold distance D2.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second trajectory meets the first trajectory at two or more points.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform functions comprising:

determining to seek assistance, from an assistance center, to navigate an autonomous vehicle in accordance with a first trajectory, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to receive and store data about a plurality of obstacles, and wherein a particular obstacle in the plurality of obstacles partially or wholly obstructs the first trajectory;

selecting a portion of the stored data, wherein the portion of the stored data is less than the totality of the stored data and includes data representing the particular obstacle;

providing, to the assistance center, the portion of the stored data; and

receiving, from the assistance center, a second trajectory, wherein the second trajectory is not obstructed by the particular obstacle.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the stored data comprises sensory data about the plurality of obstacles, and wherein the sensory data comprises representations of distances between the autonomous vehicle and at least some obstacles in the plurality of obstacles.