Self-driving vehicle systems and methods

• US 10,223,844 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2018
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Drivent LLC
• Original Assignee: Drivent LLC
• Inventors: Schwie, Wesley Edward, Wengreen, Eric John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis R
• Application Number:
  US16/148,940
• Time in Patent Office: 155 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• 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: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A maintenance system can be used with a self-driving vehicle. The maintenance system can include a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle. The maintenance system can include a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside the vehicle and a communication system configured to send wireless communications to a remote computing device in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke.

Claims

1. A maintenance system configured to be used with a self-driving vehicle, the maintenance system comprising:

a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside a cabin of the vehicle;

a communication system configured to send a first wireless communication to a remote computing device associated with a manager of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke;

a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle; and

a memory having an identification of a first rider of the vehicle, wherein the communication system is configured to send the identification of the first rider to the remote computing device of the manager in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

2. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the smoke detection system comprises a camera system and an image analysis system configured to detect the smoke inside the vehicle by comparing a first baseline image taken by the camera system of an interior of the vehicle to a second image taken by the camera system after the first baseline image.

3. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the smoke detection system comprises an ionization smoke detector configured to detect cigarette smoking and comprises an optical smoke detector configured to detect electronic cigarette aerosol by analyzing a particle size of the aerosol and determining that the particle size is indicative of electronic cigarette use.

4. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the smoke detection system comprises at least one optical smoke detector configured to analyze a particle size of the smoke, wherein the communication system is configured to send the first wireless communication identifying the smoke as an aerosol in response to the smoke detection system determining that the particle size is greater than a predetermined threshold, and the communication system is configured to send the first wireless communication identifying the smoke as cigarette smoking in response to the smoke detection system determining that the particle size is less than the predetermined threshold.

5. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication is configured to enable the remote computing device to display an indication of whether the smoke is due to aerosol or cigarette smoking.

6. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system comprises a motor configured to roll down a window of the vehicle, and the vehicle management system is configured to use the motor to automatically roll down the window in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

7. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system comprises a ventilation system having a fan to push air into the cabin, and the vehicle management system is configured to automatically increase a rate at which the ventilation system pushes the air into the cabin of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

8. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system comprises a temperature management system having a thermometer and having at least one of an air conditioner, a heater, and a ventilation system having a fan to circulate air in the cabin, and the vehicle management system is configured to at least one of increase and decrease an ambient temperature inside the cabin by at least ten degrees Fahrenheit in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle to decrease a comfort level of the first rider.

9. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to determine a local speed limit and is configured to automatically reduce a speed of the vehicle below the local speed limit in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

10. The maintenance system of claim 1,

wherein the vehicle management system comprises a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode the vehicle management system is configured to make the vehicle available to accept a pick-up request of a second rider, and in the second mode the vehicle management system is configured to make the vehicle unavailable to accept the pick-up request, and

the vehicle management system is configured to enter the second mode in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

11. The maintenance system of claim 1,

wherein the smoke detection system is configured to analyze a particle size of the smoke to determine if the particle size is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and

the vehicle management system is configured to drive the vehicle to a service area configured to clean the vehicle in response to determining that the particle size is smaller than the predetermined threshold.

12. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the smoke detection system is configured to analyze a particle size of the smoke to determine if the particle size is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and

in response to determining that the particle size is smaller than the predetermined threshold, the vehicle management system is configured to make the vehicle unavailable to pick up a second rider.

13. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system comprises a motor configured to roll down a window of the vehicle and a rain sensor configured to detect an indication of rain on the vehicle, and the vehicle management system is configured to use the motor to automatically roll down the window in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle and in response to the rain sensor not detecting the indication of the rain.

14. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the identification comprises a picture of the first rider.

15. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to automatically reduce a speed of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

16. The maintenance system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to make the vehicle unavailable to pick up a second rider in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke.

17. A maintenance system configured to be used with a self-driving vehicle, the maintenance system comprising:

a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside a cabin of the vehicle;

a communication system configured to send a first wireless communication to a remote computing device associated with a manager of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke;

a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle; and

a camera system coupled to an interior of the vehicle, wherein the camera system is configured to take a picture of a first rider smoking, and the communication system is configured to send the picture of the first rider smoking to the remote computing device.

18. The maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the camera system comprises a first camera, and the first camera is configured to take the picture in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

19. The maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle is configured to drive the first rider to a destination selected by the first rider, and the vehicle management system is configured to cease driving toward the destination in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

20. The maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle management system comprises a lighting system having at least one light coupled to the interior of the vehicle, the lighting system is configured to illuminate at least one of a seat of the vehicle and a majority of the cabin, and the vehicle management system is configured to use the lighting system to illuminate at least one of the seat and the majority of the cabin in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

21. The maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to make the vehicle unavailable to pick up a second rider in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke.

22. The maintenance system of claim 17, wherein the smoke detection system comprises the camera system and an image analysis system configured to detect the smoke inside the vehicle by comparing a first baseline image taken by the camera system of the interior of the vehicle to a second image taken by the camera system after the first baseline image.

23. A maintenance system configured to be used with a self-driving vehicle, the maintenance system comprising:

a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside a cabin of the vehicle;

a communication system configured to send a first wireless communication to a remote computing device associated with a manager of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke; and

a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle, wherein the maintenance system is configured to fine an account of a first rider of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

24. The maintenance system of claim 23, wherein the smoke detection system is configured to analyze a particle size of the smoke to determine if the particle size is larger than a predetermined threshold, the maintenance system is configured to fine the account a first amount if the particle size is larger than the predetermined threshold, the maintenance system is configured to fine the account a second amount if the particle size is smaller than the predetermined threshold, and the second amount is at least 20 percent larger than the first amount.

25. The maintenance system of claim 23, wherein the vehicle is configured to provide a ride to the first rider, the maintenance system is configured to fine the account of the first rider a first amount in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle, the maintenance system is configured to notify the first rider that the account will be fined a second amount if the smoke detection system detects the smoke at a later time during the ride, and the maintenance system is configured to fine the account the second amount in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke at the later time during the ride.

26. The maintenance system of claim 23, wherein the first wireless communication is configured to enable the remote computing device to display an indication of whether the smoke is due to aerosol or cigarette smoking.

27. A maintenance system configured to be used with a self-driving vehicle, the maintenance system comprising:

a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside a cabin of the vehicle;

a communication system configured to send a first wireless communication to a remote computing device associated with a manager of the vehicle in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke; and

a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to receive a first location of a service area configured to clean the vehicle, and the vehicle management system is configured to drive the vehicle to the service area in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle.

28. The maintenance system of claim 27, wherein the first wireless communication is configured to enable the remote computing device to display an indication of whether the smoke is due to aerosol or cigarette smoking.

29. The maintenance system of claim 27, wherein the smoke detection system is configured to detect the smoke emitted by the first rider while the vehicle is driving to a drop-off location of the first rider,

the maintenance system comprises a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode the maintenance system is configured to make the vehicle available to accept a pick-up request of a second rider, and in the second mode the maintenance system is configured to make the vehicle unavailable to accept the pick-up request,

the maintenance system is configured to enter the second mode in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle, and

the maintenance system is configured to exit the second mode and enter the first mode in response to at least one of receiving an indication that the vehicle has been cleaned and the vehicle leaving the service area.

30. The maintenance system of claim 27, wherein the smoke detection system is configured to analyze a particle size of the smoke to determine if the particle size is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and

the vehicle management system is configured to drive the vehicle to the service area in response to the smoke detection system detecting the smoke inside the vehicle and determining that the particle size is smaller than the predetermined threshold.