Detecting objects within a vehicle in connection with a service

• US 9,790,729 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Bradley, David McAllister, Valois, Jean-Sebastien
• Primary Examiner(s): ANTONUCCI, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US15/449,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20170175431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A system for monitoring a vehicle used in providing a service is disclosed. The system detects when the service is complete, and upon detecting that the service is complete, the system determines, from one or more sensors of the vehicle, that an object which should have been removed from the vehicle after completion of the transport service, remains in the vehicle. The system then automatically initiates performance of a remedial action.

Claims

1. A method for operating an autonomous vehicle, the method being implemented by one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle and comprising:

receiving instructions to transport a passenger from a start location to a destination;

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the start location, detecting that an object has been placed in a trunk of the autonomous vehicle based on a set of information from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle; and

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at or near the destination, automatically initiating performance of at least one action to have the object removed from the trunk, including opening the trunk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle include one or more of (i) a camera, (ii) a weighing device, (iii) a suspension sensor, (iv) a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, (v) a radio-frequency transceiver, or (vi) an ultrasound sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes detecting a position of the object inside the autonomous vehicle based on image information from one or more cameras positioned within the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes using a trunk sensor that detects when the trunk is opened and closed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk is based on compression information, detected by a set of sensors that are positioned to detect compression of a portion of the autonomous vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes determining that an electronic device is in the autonomous vehicle based on radio-frequency signals emitted by the object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes determining a first set of sensor information from a first sensor set of the autonomous vehicle when a transport service is being provided, and determining a second set of sensor information from the first sensor set of the autonomous vehicle after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the destination, and comparing the first set of sensor information to the second set of sensor information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically initiating performance of the at least one action includes communicating, over one or more networks, a message to a computing device associated with the passenger, the message notifying the passenger that the object is in the autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically initiating performance of the at least one action includes:

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the destination, causing the autonomous vehicle to remain stationary at a selected location until the object is detected as being removed from the autonomous vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically initiating performance of the at least one action includes causing the autonomous vehicle to travel to the selected location to await removal of the object by the passenger.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, from the one or more sensors, when the object is initially placed in the trunk by the passenger who enters the autonomous vehicle at the start location.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting when the object is initially placed in the trunk is performed in response to one of (i) detecting that the passenger has entered the autonomous vehicle, (ii) detecting that a predetermined duration of time has elapsed since detecting that the passenger has entered the autonomous vehicle, (iii) receiving, from a computing device associated with the passenger, a message indicating that service can begin as a result of an input being provided at the computing device associated with the passenger, (iv) receiving, from a computing device associated with the autonomous vehicle, a message indicating that the service can begin as a result of an input being provided at the computing device associated with the autonomous vehicle from the passenger within the autonomous vehicle, or (v) determining that the autonomous vehicle has been positioned within a predetermined distance of the start location for a predetermined duration of time based on location information of the autonomous vehicle.

13. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

one or more sensors generating a set of information; and

a control system to execute instructions that cause the control system to;

receive instructions to transport a passenger from a start location to a destination;

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the start location, detect that an object has been placed in a trunk of the autonomous vehicle based on the set of information from the one or more sensors; and

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at or near the destination, automatically initiate performance of at least one action to have the object removed from the trunk, including opening the trunk.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of (i) a camera, (ii) a weighing device, (iii) a suspension sensor, (iv) a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, (v) a radio-frequency transceiver, or (vi) an ultrasound sensor.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes detecting a position of the object inside the autonomous vehicle based on image information from one or more cameras positioned within the autonomous vehicle.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes using a trunk sensor that detects when the trunk is opened and closed.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk is based on compression information, detected by a set of sensors that are positioned to detect compression of a portion of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes determining that an electronic device is in the autonomous vehicle based on radio-frequency signals emitted by the object.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting that the object has been placed in the trunk includes determining a first set of sensor information from a first sensor set of the autonomous vehicle when a transport service is being provided, and determining a second set of sensor information from the first sensor set of the autonomous vehicle after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the destination, and comparing the first set of sensor information to the second set of sensor information.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an on-board computing system of an autonomous vehicle, causes the on-board computing system to:

receive instructions to transport a passenger from a start location to a destination;

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at the start location, detect that an object has been placed in a trunk of the autonomous vehicle based on a set of information from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle; and

after the autonomous vehicle arrives at or near the destination, automatically initiate performance of at least one action to have the object removed from the trunk, including opening the trunk.