Autonomous vehicle mesh networking configuration

• US 10,243,604 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Ross, William, Aitken, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Abelson, Ronald B
• Application Number:
  US14/962,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20170164423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 370328, 370329, 370331, 370332, 370352
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle (AV) tracking and updating system tracks locations of AVs traveling throughout a given region. Using a stored network resource map, the system identifies a number of network-limited areas in the given region, and determines when respective AVs will enter one of the network-limited areas. In response, the system transmits a set of configuration commands to a number of proximate AVs to establish a mesh network with the respective AVs.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle (AV) tracking system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions for configuring communication systems of AVs, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the AV tracking system to;

manage routing of a plurality of AVs traveling throughout a given region;

store a network resource map for the given region, the network resource map indicating locations of base stations providing network connectivity for the plurality of AVs;

using the network resource map, identify a number of network-limited areas in the given region;

determine that a respective one of the plurality of AVs will enter one of the network-limited areas;

select one or more proximate AVs each having a current road route that will place the proximate AV within a proximity threshold of the respective AV at a time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area; and

based on determining that the respective AV will enter the network-limited area, transmit one or more configuration commands to the one or more proximate AVs to cause the one or more proximate AVs to establish a mesh network with the respective AV at the time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area;

wherein the communication system of each of the one or more proximate AVs includes a tunable antenna, and wherein the tunable antenna of each of the one or more proximate AVs comprises a conductive liquid metal.

2. The AV tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication system of each of the plurality of AVs is configured to communicate with (i) the AV tracking system via the base stations, and (ii) other AVs of the plurality of AVs to establish mesh networks to relay communications via the base stations.

3. The AV tracking system of claim 2, wherein the one or more configuration commands causes each of the one or more proximate AVs to configure its communication system to relay communications from the respective AV to the AV tracking system via a proximate base station.

4. The AV tracking system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the AV tracking system to:

using the network resource map and tracked locations for the respective AV and the one or more proximate AVs, identify one or more proximate base stations for communicating with the respective AV; and

transmit a configuration command to the respective AV to adjust its communication system to relay communications over the mesh network with the one or more proximate AVs to the one or more proximate base stations.

5. The AV tracking system of claim 4, wherein the one or more configuration commands causes each of the one or more proximate AVs to configure its communication system to establish the mesh network in order to relay communications from the respective AV to the one or more proximate base stations.

6. The AV tracking system of claim 1, wherein the one or more configuration commands comprise voltage commands that cause the conductive liquid metal to adjust at least one of a resonant frequency or a radiation pattern of the tunable antenna.

7. The AV tracking system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the AV tracking system to:

transmit one or more reroute commands to cause each of the one or more proximate AVs to operate its acceleration, braking, and steering systems to adjust at least one of a speed or a direction of travel to establish the mesh network with the respective AV.

8. The AV tracking system of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the AV tracking system to:

transmit one or more reroute commands to cause the one or more proximate AVs to make a detour from the current road route to establish the mesh network with the respective AV.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an autonomous vehicle (AV) tracking system, cause the AV tracking system to:

manage routing of a plurality of AVs traveling throughout a given region;

store a network resource map for the given region, the network resource map indicating locations of base stations providing network connectivity for the plurality of AVs;

using the network resource map, identify a number of network-limited areas in the given region;

determine that a respective one of the plurality of AVs will enter one of the network-limited areas;

select one or more proximate AVs each having a current road route that will place the proximate AV within a proximity threshold of the respective AV at a time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area; and

based on determining that the respective AV will enter the network-limited area, transmit one or more configuration commands to the one or more proximate AVs to cause the one or more proximate AVs to establish a mesh network with the respective AV at the time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area;

wherein a communication system of each of the one or more proximate AVs includes a tunable antenna, and wherein the tunable antenna of each of the one or more proximate AVs comprises a conductive liquid metal.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of AVs includes a communication system to communicate with (i) the AV tracking system via the base stations, and (ii) other AVs of the plurality of AVs to establish mesh networks to relay communications to the AV tracking system via the base stations.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more configuration commands causes each of the one or more proximate AVs to configure its communication system to relay communications from the respective AV to the AV tracking system via a proximate base station.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the executed instructions further cause the AV tracking system to:

using the network resource map and tracked locations for the respective AV and the one or more proximate AVs, identify one or more proximate base stations for communicating with the respective AV; and

transmit a configuration command to the respective AV to adjust its communication system to relay communications with the AV tracking system over the mesh network with the one or more proximate AVs to the one or more proximate base stations.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more configuration commands causes each of the one or more proximate AVs to configure its communication system to establish the mesh network in order to relay communications from the respective AV to the one or more proximate base stations.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more configuration commands comprise voltage commands that cause the conductive liquid metal to adjust at least one of a resonant frequency or a radiation pattern of the tunable antenna to establish the mesh network with the respective AV.

15. A computer-implemented method of establishing mesh networks, the method being performed by one or more processors of an autonomous vehicle (AV) tracking system and comprising:

managing routing of a plurality of AVs traveling throughout a given region;

storing a network resource map for the given region, the network resource map indicating locations of base stations providing network connectivity for the plurality of AVs;

using the network resource map, identifying a number of network-limited areas in the given region;

determining that a respective one of the plurality of AVs will enter one of the network-limited areas;

selecting one or more proximate AVs each having a current road route that will place the proximate AV within a proximity threshold of the respective AV at a time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area; and

based on determining that the respective AV will enter the network-limited area, transmitting one or more configuration commands to the one or more proximate AVs to cause the one or more proximate AVs to establish a mesh network with the respective AV at the time when the respective AV travels into the network-limited area;

wherein a communication system of each of the one or more proximate AVs includes a tunable antenna, and wherein the tunable antenna of each of the one or more proximate AVs comprises a conductive liquid metal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of AVs includes a communication system to communicate with (i) the AV tracking system via the base stations, and (ii) other AVs of the plurality of AVs to establish mesh networks to relay communications via the base stations.