Systems and methods for detecting and avoiding an emergency vehicle in the proximity of a substantially autonomous vehicle

• US 10,127,818 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonomous IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Clear Commute Ventures Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Mandeville-Clarke, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/626,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20180233047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 514 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4023 large-size vehicles, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0017 of other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00276 for two or more other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 : for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 : in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 : involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying that an emission received or captured from the external environment, or a received electromagnetic signal carrying a data, indicates an emergency vehicle in proximity to a substantially autonomous vehicle and that the emergency vehicle occupies a relative position and/or navigating a relative speed such that the substantially autonomous vehicle is a current or future obstruction for the emergency vehicle. A system comprising at least an aspect of the substantially autonomous vehicle is capable of causing the maneuver of the substantially autonomous vehicle to a position, such that substantially autonomous vehicle is not obstructing the emergency vehicle when at the position.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a processor and a non-transient computer-readable storage medium,

wherein the processor and the non-transient computer-readable storage medium are at least one of connected or communicatively coupled via a data channel,

the system comprising:

program instructions stored on the non-transient computer-readable storage medium, the non transitory program instructions operable to during a first time period;

process a first pre-determined location for the a substantially autonomous vehicle to navigate to,

wherein the first pre-determined location is retrieved at least in part from a first electromagnetic signal, and further wherein the first pre-determined location corresponds to an first input signal registered at a first user-interface of a first mobile communications device being physically separate to the substantially autonomous vehicle;

initiate a first path planning;

navigate the substantially autonomous vehicle towards the first pre-determined location;

process an interruption signal retrieved at least in part from a second electromagnetic signal,

wherein the interruption signal interrupts the substantially autonomous vehicle from navigating to the first pre-determined location; and

further wherein the interruption signal is processed

immediately prior to processing a first braking instruction and a first data decrypting instruction

and immediately consecutive to processing a control data packet;

recognize the interruption signal corresponds to a third party system foreign to the substantially autonomous vehicle; and

wherein the interruption signal is indicative of a cancellation of a requirement for the substantially autonomous vehicle to navigate to the first pre-determined location, and

further wherein the interruption signal corresponds to an second input signal registered at the first user-interface of the first mobile communications device;

immediately and ire direct response to the processing of the interruption signal,

process a second pre-determined location for the substantially autonomous vehicle to navigate to and perform a second path planning for the second pre determined location, wherein the second pre-determined location is retrieved at least in part from a third electromagnetic signal and further

wherein the second pre-determined location corresponds to a second input signal registered at a second user-interface of a second mobile communications device being physically separate to the substantially autonomous vehicle;

program instructions stored on the non-transient computer-readable storage medium, the non-transitory program instructions operable to during a second time-period;

process a third-predetermined location for the substantially autonomous vehicle to navigate to,

wherein the third predetermined location is retrieved at least M part from a fourth electromagnetic signal and further

wherein the third pre-determined location corresponds to a third input signal registered at a third user interface of a third mobile communications device being physically separate to the substantially autonomous vehicle;

initiate a third path planning;

navigate the substantially autonomous vehicle towards the third pre-determined location;

identify an emission that corresponds to an emergency vehicle from an aspect of a captured empirical data

manoeuvre the substantially autonomous vehicle to avoid obstructing a route of the emergency vehicle; and

wherein the manoeuvre occurs wherein the substantially autonomous vehicle is greater than 20.2 to 22.5 meters from the third pre-determined location, and wherein the manoeuvre is performed at a speed of between 0.0001 km/h and 130 km/hr.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the manoeuvre further comprises engaging at least in part a braking component and an indicating component.

3. The system of claim 1, further including storing the aspect of the captured empirical data in the non-transient computer-readable storage medium.