Automated control of interactions between self-driving vehicles and pedestrians
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for controlling a physical interaction between a self-driving vehicle (SDV) and a pedestrian, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, by an SDV on-board computer on the SDV, an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the SDV recognition signal indicates that the pedestrian observes a presence of the SDV moving on a roadway towards the pedestrian;
transmitting, by an SDV signal transceiver, a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian acknowledgement message indicates that the SDV on-board computer on the SDV has received the SDV recognition signal from the pedestrian;
receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the pedestrian as the pedestrian initiates movement towards a position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, and wherein the pedestrian movement signal is generated in response to the pedestrian signal receiver receiving the pedestrian acknowledgement message;
receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV, wherein the SDV movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV;
directing, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV;
transmitting, to the pedestrian signal receiver, a directive message notifying the pedestrian that the SDV will provide the pedestrian with the time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV;
adjusting, by the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV in order to avoid striking the pedestrian at the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV;
retrieving, by one or more processors, pedestrian profile information about the pedestrian;
assigning, by the one or more processors, the pedestrian to a cohort of pedestrians who have occupied the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, wherein the pedestrian shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of pedestrians;
retrieving, by the one or more processors, historical data describing movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV;
predicting, by the one or more processors, when the pedestrian will reach the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV based on the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; and
adjusting, by the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV according to the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An SDV on-board computer on an SDV receives an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by a pedestrian. An SDV signal transceiver on the SDV transmits a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian. The SDV on-board computer receives a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian. The SDV on-board computer receives an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV. The SDV on-board computer, based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, directs an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid the pedestrian being struck by the SDV, and notifies the pedestrian that this SDV movement modification will occur.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for controlling a physical interaction between a self-driving vehicle (SDV) and a pedestrian, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving, by an SDV on-board computer on the SDV, an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the SDV recognition signal indicates that the pedestrian observes a presence of the SDV moving on a roadway towards the pedestrian; transmitting, by an SDV signal transceiver, a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian acknowledgement message indicates that the SDV on-board computer on the SDV has received the SDV recognition signal from the pedestrian; receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the pedestrian as the pedestrian initiates movement towards a position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, and wherein the pedestrian movement signal is generated in response to the pedestrian signal receiver receiving the pedestrian acknowledgement message; receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV, wherein the SDV movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; directing, by the SDV on-board computer and based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; transmitting, to the pedestrian signal receiver, a directive message notifying the pedestrian that the SDV will provide the pedestrian with the time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; adjusting, by the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV in order to avoid striking the pedestrian at the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; retrieving, by one or more processors, pedestrian profile information about the pedestrian; assigning, by the one or more processors, the pedestrian to a cohort of pedestrians who have occupied the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, wherein the pedestrian shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of pedestrians; retrieving, by the one or more processors, historical data describing movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; predicting, by the one or more processors, when the pedestrian will reach the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV based on the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; and adjusting, by the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV according to the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product for controlling a physical interaction between a self-driving vehicle (SDV) and a pedestrian, 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 comprising:
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receiving an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the SDV recognition signal indicates that the pedestrian observes a presence of the SDV moving on a roadway towards the pedestrian; transmitting a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian acknowledgement message indicates that an SDV on-board computer on the SDV has received the SDV recognition signal from the pedestrian; receiving a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the pedestrian as the pedestrian initiates movement towards a position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, and wherein the pedestrian movement signal is generated in response to the pedestrian signal receiver receiving the pedestrian acknowledgement message; receiving an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV, wherein the SDV movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; directing, based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; transmitting, to the pedestrian signal receiver, a directive message notifying the pedestrian that the SDV will provide the pedestrian with the time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; adjusting, via the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV in order to avoid striking the pedestrian at the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; retrieving pedestrian profile information about the pedestrian; assigning the pedestrian to a cohort of pedestrians who have occupied the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, wherein the pedestrian shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of pedestrians; retrieving historical data describing movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; predicting when the pedestrian will reach the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV based on the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; and adjusting, via the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV according to the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer system for causing a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to avoid a physical encounter with a pedestrian, comprising:
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one or more processors; one or more computer readable memories, and one or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums, and wherein program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory storage mediums for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to perform a method, the method comprising; receiving an SDV recognition signal from a pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the SDV recognition signal indicates that the pedestrian observes a presence of the SDV moving on a roadway towards the pedestrian; transmitting a pedestrian acknowledgement message to the pedestrian signal transceiver worn by the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian acknowledgement message indicates that an SDV on-board computer on the SDV has received the SDV recognition signal from the pedestrian; receiving a pedestrian movement signal from a set of pedestrian sensors that monitor movement of the pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the pedestrian as the pedestrian initiates movement towards a position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, and wherein the pedestrian movement signal is generated in response to the pedestrian signal receiver receiving the pedestrian acknowledgement message; receiving an SDV movement signal from a set of SDV sensors on the SDV that track movement of the SDV, wherein the SDV movement signal describes a current speed and direction of movement of the SDV; directing, based on the SDV movement signal and the pedestrian movement signal, an SDV control processor on the SDV to modify the movement of the SDV in order to provide the pedestrian with time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; transmitting, to the pedestrian signal receiver, a directive message notifying the pedestrian that the SDV will provide the pedestrian with the time and space required to avoid being struck by the SDV as the pedestrian enters the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; adjusting, via the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV in order to avoid striking the pedestrian at the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; retrieving pedestrian profile information about the pedestrian; assigning the pedestrian to a cohort of pedestrians who have occupied the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV, wherein the pedestrian shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of pedestrians; retrieving historical data describing movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; predicting when the pedestrian will reach the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV based on the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV; and adjusting, via the SDV control processor on the SDV, the current speed and direction of movement of the SDV according to the historical data describing the movement by the members of the cohort of pedestrians when approaching the position on the roadway that is being approached by the SDV. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification