Automated control of interactions between self-driving vehicles and animals
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- capturing, by one or more sensors on the self-driving vehicle (SDV), a description of an environment around the animal that the SDV is approaching;
capturing, by a camera, an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching;
determining, by an SDV on-board computer, a species of the animal based on the captured image of the animal;
predicting, by the SDV on-board computer, a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the determined species of the animal and the captured description of the environment around the animal;
determining, by the SDV on-board computer, a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the predicted direction of movement of the animal and a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV;
in response to determining, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal and the current speed and direction of the SDV, that E is greater than C, the SDV on-board computer instructing an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV, thereby reducing a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal;
predicting, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal, a length of time that the animal will block a pathway of the SDV; and
in response to the predicted length of time exceeding a predetermined value, stopping, by the SDV on-board computer, the SDV and turning off, by the SDV on-board computer, an engine in the SDV.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method causes a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal. One or more sensors on a self-driving vehicle (SDV) capture a description of an environment around an animal that the SDV is approaching. A camera captures an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching. An SDV on-board computer on the SDV determines an animal type of the animal based on the captured image of the animal, and then predicts a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the animal type of the animal and the captured description of the environment of the animal. The SDV on-board computer then determines a probability of a physical encounter between the SDV and the animal, and adjusts the speed and direction of the SDV accordingly in order to reduce a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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capturing, by one or more sensors on the self-driving vehicle (SDV), a description of an environment around the animal that the SDV is approaching; capturing, by a camera, an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching; determining, by an SDV on-board computer, a species of the animal based on the captured image of the animal; predicting, by the SDV on-board computer, a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the determined species of the animal and the captured description of the environment around the animal; determining, by the SDV on-board computer, a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the predicted direction of movement of the animal and a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; in response to determining, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal and the current speed and direction of the SDV, that E is greater than C, the SDV on-board computer instructing an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV, thereby reducing a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal; predicting, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal, a length of time that the animal will block a pathway of the SDV; and in response to the predicted length of time exceeding a predetermined value, stopping, by the SDV on-board computer, the SDV and turning off, by the SDV on-board computer, an engine in the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer program product for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
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capturing, by one or more sensors on the self-driving vehicle (SDV), a description of an environment around the animal that the SDV is approaching; capturing, by a camera on the SDV, an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching; determining, by an SDV on-board computer, a species of the animal based on the captured image of the animal; predicting, by the SDV on-board computer, a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the determined species of the animal and the captured description of the environment around the animal; determining, by the SDV on-board computer, a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the predicted direction of movement of the animal and a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; in response to determining, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal and the current speed and direction of the SDV, that E is greater than C, the SDV on-board computer instructing an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV, thereby reducing a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal; predicting, based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal, a length of time that the animal will block a pathway of the SDV; and in response to the predicted length of time exceeding a predetermined value, stopping, by the SDV on-board computer, the SDV and turning off, by the SDV on-board computer, an engine in the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with an animal, comprising:
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one or more sensors on the self-driving vehicle (SDV) that capture a description of an environment around the animal that the SDV is approaching; a camera on the SDV that captures an image of the animal that the SDV is approaching; and a processor coupled to a computer readable memory and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the processor retrieves program instructions from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium and stores the program instructions in the computer readable memory, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor via the computer readable memory, perform a method comprising; determining, by an SDV on-board computer, a species of the animal based on the captured image of the animal; predicting, by the SDV on-board computer, a direction and speed of movement of the animal based on the determined species of the animal and the captured description of the environment around the animal; determining, by the SDV on-board computer, a probability of a physical encounter (E) between the SDV and the animal exceeding a predefined confidence value (C) based on the predicted direction of movement of the animal and a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; in response to determining, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal and the current speed and direction of the SDV, that E is greater than C, the SDV on-board computer instructing an SDV control processor on the SDV to direct SDV vehicular physical control mechanisms on the SDV to adjust the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV, thereby reducing a likelihood of the SDV striking the animal; predicting, based on the predicted direction and speed of movement of the animal, a length of time that the animal will block a pathway of the SDV; and in response to the predicted length of time exceeding a predetermined value, stopping, by the SDV on-board computer, the SDV and turning off, by the SDV on-board computer, an engine in the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification