Active safety mechanisms for an autonomous vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of deploying active safety mechanisms in an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
- identifying, by one or more computing devices having one or more processors, a projected future location of an object;
determining, by the one or more computing devices, that the projected future location of the object will intersect with a projected future location of the vehicle at a time T;
identifying, by the one or more computing devices, an impact point P corresponding to a three dimensional location in space where the vehicle and object will collide at the time T;
mapping the impact point P to a point on an exterior of the vehicle;
selecting, by the one or more computing devices, one of a plurality of active safety mechanisms of the vehicle that can be moved closest to point P before or at the time T based on the point on the exterior of the vehicle;
causing, by the one or more computing devices, the selected active safety mechanism to move from a first point on the vehicle to a second point on the vehicle along a rail such that the selected active safety mechanism moves towards the point P along the rail without the selected active safety mechanism being deployed; and
after the selected active safety mechanism has moved along the rail, deploying, by the one or more computing devices, the selected active safety mechanism based on the time T,wherein the selected active safety mechanism is configured to be deployable at the first point on the vehicle as well as at the second point on the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure relate to deploying safety mechanisms in an autonomous vehicle. A projected future location of an object may be identified. The projected future location of the object will intersect with a projected future location of the vehicle at a time T. An impact point P corresponding to a three dimensional location in space where the vehicle and object will collide at the time T may be identified. One of a plurality of safety mechanisms of the vehicle that can be moved closest to point P before or at the time T may be selected. The selected safety mechanism may be moved from a first point on the vehicle to a second point on the vehicle such that the safety mechanism moves towards the point P. After moving the selected safety mechanism, the safety mechanism is then deployed based on the time T.
77 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of deploying active safety mechanisms in an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
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identifying, by one or more computing devices having one or more processors, a projected future location of an object; determining, by the one or more computing devices, that the projected future location of the object will intersect with a projected future location of the vehicle at a time T; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, an impact point P corresponding to a three dimensional location in space where the vehicle and object will collide at the time T; mapping the impact point P to a point on an exterior of the vehicle; selecting, by the one or more computing devices, one of a plurality of active safety mechanisms of the vehicle that can be moved closest to point P before or at the time T based on the point on the exterior of the vehicle; causing, by the one or more computing devices, the selected active safety mechanism to move from a first point on the vehicle to a second point on the vehicle along a rail such that the selected active safety mechanism moves towards the point P along the rail without the selected active safety mechanism being deployed; and after the selected active safety mechanism has moved along the rail, deploying, by the one or more computing devices, the selected active safety mechanism based on the time T, wherein the selected active safety mechanism is configured to be deployable at the first point on the vehicle as well as at the second point on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27)
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10. A system comprising:
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a plurality of active safety mechanisms of a vehicle, each of the plurality of the plurality of active safety mechanisms being movable between different deployment points of the vehicle; one or more computing devices having one or more processors configured to; identify a projected future location of an object; determine that the projected future location of the object will intersect with a projected future location of the vehicle at a time T; identify an impact point P corresponding to a three dimensional location in space where the vehicle and object will collide at the time T; map the impact point P to a point on an exterior of the vehicle; select one of a plurality of active safety mechanisms of the vehicle that can be moved closest to point P before or at the time T based on the point on the exterior of the vehicle; cause the selected active safety mechanism to move from a first point on the vehicle to a second point on the vehicle along a rail such that the active safety mechanism moves towards the point P along the rail without the selected active safety mechanism being deployed; and after the selected active safety mechanism has moved along the rail, deploy the selected active safety mechanism based on the time T, wherein the selected active safety mechanism is configured to be deployable at the first point on the vehicle as well as at the second point on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification