Detecting that an autonomous vehicle is in a stuck condition

• US 8,996,224 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Herbach, Joshua Seth, Fairfield, Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US13/837,306
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/300, 701/301, 180/167, 180/116
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• 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: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• 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 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle may determine that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that the autonomous vehicle has not detected a traffic control signal. The autonomous vehicle may identify a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed. The autonomous vehicle may start a timer T that is based on the cause C. After the timer T expires, the autonomous vehicle may determine whether the cause C remains as a cause for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed. After determining that the cause C remains the cause for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, the autonomous vehicle may send an assistance signal indicating a stuck condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by an autonomous vehicle, that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that the autonomous vehicle has not detected a traffic control signal;

identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;

starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;

after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed; and

after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending, by the autonomous vehicle, an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to the threshold speed comprises determining that the autonomous vehicle is not increasing speed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after sending the assistance signal, determining that the speed of the autonomous vehicle is greater or equal to the threshold speed; and

based on determining that the speed of the autonomous vehicle is greater or equal to the threshold speed, determining that the autonomous vehicle is no longer stuck.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic control signal comprises at least one signal selected from the group consisting of a stop sign signal, a stop light signal, a warning sign signal, and a warning light signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cause C comprises at least one cause selected from the group consisting of a cause based on a pedestrian, a cause based on a vehicle other than the autonomous vehicle, and a cause based on an object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cause C comprises an obstruction of a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, by the autonomous vehicle, a response to the assistance signal, wherein the response specifies a second trajectory for the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the second trajectory avoids the obstruction of cause C; and

navigating, by the autonomous vehicle, according to the second trajectory.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after navigating according to the second trajectory, determining, by the autonomous vehicle, that the autonomous vehicle can safely return to navigating according to the trajectory; and

in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle can return to navigating according to the trajectory, switching, by the autonomous vehicle, from navigating according to the second trajectory to navigating according to the trajectory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold speed is between zero and three meters per second, inclusive.

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 that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that a traffic control signal has not been detected;

identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;

starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;

after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed; and

after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein determining that the speed is less than or equal to the threshold speed comprises determining that the autonomous vehicle is not increasing speed.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the functions further comprise:

after sending the assistance signal, determining that the speed is greater or equal to the threshold speed; and

based on determining that the speed is greater or equal to the threshold speed, determining that the autonomous vehicle is no longer stuck.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the traffic control signal comprises at least one signal selected from the group consisting of a stop sign signal, a stop light signal, a warning sign signal, and a warning light signal.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the cause C comprises at least one cause selected from the group consisting of a cause based on a pedestrian, a cause based on a vehicle other than the autonomous vehicle, and a cause based on an object.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the cause C comprises an obstruction of a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a response to the assistance signal, wherein the response specifies a second trajectory for the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the second trajectory avoids the obstruction of cause C; and

navigating according to the second trajectory.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 16, wherein the functions further comprise:

after navigating according to the second trajectory, determining that the autonomous vehicle can safely return to navigating according to the trajectory; and

in response to determining that the autonomous vehicle can return to navigating according to the trajectory, switching from navigating according to the second trajectory to navigating according to the trajectory.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the threshold speed is between zero and three meters per second, inclusive.

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 that a speed of an autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that a traffic control signal has not been detected;

identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;

starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;

after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed; and

after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the cause C comprises an obstruction of a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the functions further comprise:

receiving a response to the assistance signal, wherein the response specifies a second trajectory that avoids the obstruction of cause C; and

navigating according to the second trajectory.