Autonomous vehicle operation in view-obstructed environments
First Claim
1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a view-obstructed environment comprising:
- acquiring, using one or more sensors, sensor data of at least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle;
detecting one or more objects located in the external environment based on the acquired sensor data;
determining, using one or more processors, an occupant viewable area of the external environment, the occupant viewable area being a portion of the external environment that is visible to a vehicle occupant, the occupant viewable area being determined based at least in part on a field of vision for the occupant and any obstructions located in the external environment;
determining whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area by comparing a location of the detected one or more objects to the determined occupant viewable area; and
responsive to determining that one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle indicating that one or more of the detected one or more objects is determined to be located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, the alert being presented while the autonomous vehicle continues to operate in a highly automated mode,wherein, in the highly automated mode, the autonomous vehicle is configured to navigate without receiving input from the vehicle occupant.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Arrangements related to operating an autonomous vehicle in view-obstructed environments are described. At least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be sensed to detect one or more objects located therein. An occupant viewable area of the external environment can be determined. It can be determined whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area. Responsive to determining that a detected object is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, one or more actions can be taken. For instance, the action can include presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the action can include causing a current driving action of the autonomous vehicle to be modified.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a view-obstructed environment comprising:
-
acquiring, using one or more sensors, sensor data of at least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle; detecting one or more objects located in the external environment based on the acquired sensor data; determining, using one or more processors, an occupant viewable area of the external environment, the occupant viewable area being a portion of the external environment that is visible to a vehicle occupant, the occupant viewable area being determined based at least in part on a field of vision for the occupant and any obstructions located in the external environment; determining whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area by comparing a location of the detected one or more objects to the determined occupant viewable area; and responsive to determining that one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle indicating that one or more of the detected one or more objects is determined to be located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, the alert being presented while the autonomous vehicle continues to operate in a highly automated mode, wherein, in the highly automated mode, the autonomous vehicle is configured to navigate without receiving input from the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for operating an autonomous vehicle in a view-obstructed environment, comprising:
-
a sensor system configured to acquire sensor data of at least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle; a processor operatively connected to the sensor system, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising; detecting one or more objects located in the external environment based on the acquired sensor data; determining an occupant viewable area of the external environment, the occupant viewable area being a portion of the external environment that is visible to a vehicle occupant, the occupant viewable area being determined based at least in part on a field of vision for the vehicle occupant and any obstructions located in the external environment; determining whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area by comparing a location of the detected one or more objects to the determined occupant viewable area; and responsive to determining that one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle indicating that one or more of the detected one or more objects is determined to be located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, the alert being presented while the autonomous vehicle continues to operate in a highly automated mode, wherein, in the highly automated mode, the autonomous vehicle is configured to navigate without receiving input from the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle in a view-obstructed environment comprising:
-
acquiring, using one or more sensors, sensor data of at least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle; detecting one or more objects located in the external environment based on the acquired sensor data; determining a human occupant physical measurement of at least a portion of a body of a current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle based on acquired data of the current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle; determining, using one or more processors, an occupant viewable area of the external environment, the occupant viewable area being a portion of the external environment that is visible to the current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle, the occupant viewable area being determined based at least in part on a field of vision for the current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle and the determined human occupant physical measurement; determining whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area by comparing a location of the detected one or more objects to the determined occupant viewable area; and responsive to determining that one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle indicating that one or more of the detected one or more objects is determined to be located outside of the determined occupant viewable area.
-
-
15. A system for operating an autonomous vehicle in a view-obstructed environment, comprising:
-
one or more sensors configured to acquire sensor data of at least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle; a processor operatively connected to the one or more sensors and the one or more sensors, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising; operating the autonomous vehicle in a highly automated mode, wherein, in the highly automated mode, the autonomous vehicle is configured to navigate without receiving input from a vehicle occupant; detecting one or more objects located in the external environment based on sensor data acquired by the one or more sensors; determining a human occupant physical measurement of a current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle; determining an occupant viewable area of the external environment, the occupant viewable area being a portion of the external environment that is visible to the current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle, the occupant viewable area being determined based at least in part on a field of vision for the current human occupant of the autonomous vehicle and the determined human occupant physical measurement; determining whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area by comparing a location of the detected one or more objects to the determined occupant viewable area; and responsive to determining that one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle indicating that one or more of the detected one or more objects is determined to be located outside of the determined occupant viewable area.
-
Specification