Intention signaling for an autonomous vehicle

• US 9,969,326 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Ross, William Payne, Liu, Chenggang
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/050,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 340463
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/549 for expressing greetings, gratitude or emotions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable

Abstract

An intention signaling system for an autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor sensor information indicating a situational environment of the AV, and detect an external entity based, at least in part, on the sensor data. The intention signaling system can generate an output to signal one of an intent of the AV or an acquiescence of the AV to the external entity.

Claims

1. An intention signaling system for an autonomous vehicle (AV) comprising:

an output system;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the intention signaling system to;

monitor sensor information indicating a situational environment of the AV;

as the AV approaches an intersection, detect an external entity based, at least in part, on the sensor information;

based on detecting the external entity, determine a right-of-way for the intersection between the AV and the external entity;

when the AV has the right-of-way, generate an intention output using the output system to signal an intent of the AV to proceed through the intersection;

when the external entity has the right-of way;

generate a permissive output using the output system to signal acquiescence to the external entity;

monitor the external entity to determine when the external entity complies with the permissive output; and

when the external entity has complied with the permissive output, terminate the permissive output and generate a designated intention output to signal that the AV is to proceed through the intersection;

wherein the executed instructions cause the intention signaling system to generate the permissive output by progressively increasing urgency parameters of the permissive output until the external entity has complied with the permissive output, and wherein the urgency parameters comprise at least one of an audio volume, a brightness, a flash rate, or a scroll rate of the permissive output.

2. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the intention signaling system to:

while proceeding through the intersection, terminate the designated intention output, and generate a courtesy output.

3. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the output system comprises a set of display devices on an exterior of the AV.

4. The intention signaling system of claim 3, wherein the set of display devices comprise at least one of a forward display device visible from a forward direction the AV, a plurality of side panel display devices visible from sides of the AV, and a rear display device visible from a rear of direction of the AV.

5. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the output system comprises at least one projector device to project intention and permissive outputs onto a road surface proximate to the AV.

6. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the output system comprises one or more head-up display devices mounted within a passenger interior of the AV, wherein each of the one or more head-up display devices comprises a display screen to generate intention and permissive outputs, and a translucent mirror to reflect the intention and permissive outputs to be viewable from an exterior of the AV.

7. The intention signaling system of claim 6, wherein the display screen of each of the one or more head-up display devices is mounted on a ceiling of the passenger interior.

8. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the output system comprises a mechanical indicator that signals the intent or the acquiescence of the AV.

9. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the output system comprises an audio system that signals the intent or the acquiescence of the AV.

10. The intention signaling system of claim 1, wherein the external entity comprises at least one of a human driven vehicle, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist.

11. An autonomous vehicle (AV) comprising:

a sensor system to generate sensor data corresponding to a situational environment of the AV;

a data processing system to process the sensor data to dynamically identify potential hazards as the AV travels along a current route;

an acceleration, steering, and braking system;

a control system to utilize the processed sensor data to autonomously control the acceleration, steering, and braking system along the current route; and

an intention signaling system comprising;

an output system;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the intention signaling system to;

monitor the sensor data;

as the AV approaches an intersection, detect an external entity based, at least in part, on the sensor data;

based on detecting the external entity, determine a right-of-way for the intersection between the AV and the external entity;

when the AV has the right-of-way, generate an intention output using the output system to signal an intent of the AV to proceed through the intersection;

when the external entity has the right-of way;

generate a permissive output using the output system to signal acquiescence to the external entity;

monitor the external entity to determine when the external entity complies with the permissive output; and

when the external entity has complied with the permissive output, terminate the permissive output and generate a designated intention output to signal that the AV is to proceed through the intersection;

wherein the executed instructions cause the intention signaling system to generate the permissive output by progressively increasing urgency parameters of the permissive output until the external entity has complied with the permissive output.

12. The AV of claim 11, wherein the executed instructions further cause the intention signaling system to:

while proceeding through the intersection, terminate the designated intention output, and generate a courtesy output.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing intention signaling instructions for an autonomous vehicle (AV), wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

monitor sensor information indicating a situational environment of the AV;

as the AV approaches an intersection, detect an external entity based, at least in part, on the sensor information;

based on detecting the external entity, determine a right-of-way for the intersection between the AV and the external entity;

when the AV has the right-of-way, generate an intention output using an output system of the AV to signal an intent of the AV to proceed through the intersection;

when the external entity has the right-of way;

generate a permissive output using the output system to signal acquiescence to the external entity;

monitor the external entity to determine when the external entity complies with the permissive output; and

when the external entity has complied with the permissive output, terminate the permissive output and generate a designated intention output to signal that the AV is to proceed through the intersection;

wherein the executed instructions cause the one or more processors to generate the permissive output by progressively increasing urgency parameters of the permissive output until the external entity has complied with the permissive output.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the executed instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

while proceeding through the intersection, terminate the designated intention output, and generate a courtesy output.