Self-driving vehicle contextual lock control system

• US 10,363,893 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Michael S., Hobson, Stacy F., Pickover, Clifford A., Vukovic, Maja
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kelly D
• Application Number:
  US15/398,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20180187460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/01 Comfort closing, i.e. the locking action for a wing is combined with actuation of other vehicle functions, e.g. locking the doors and closing the windows simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit

Abstract

A computer-implemented method selectively controls locks on a self-driving vehicle. One or more processors receive sensor readings from sensors on a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that describe a vehicle context assessment of the SDV and a passenger context assessment of a passenger in the SDV. One or more processors transmit a signal to a lock controller mechanism on the SDV to selectively lock and unlock a lock in the SDV based on the vehicle context assessment and the passenger context assessment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, sensor readings from sensors on a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that describe a vehicle context assessment of the SDV and a passenger context assessment of a passenger in the SDV; and

transmitting, by one or more processors, a signal to a lock controller mechanism in the SDV to selectively lock or unlock a lock in the SDV based on the vehicle context assessment and the passenger context assessment;

directing the lock controller mechanism to, prior to locking or unlocking the door, request passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV; and

in response to receipt of the passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV, directing the lock controller mechanism to lock or unlock the lock in the SDV.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the lock controller mechanism in the SDV selectively locks and unlocks SDV components from a group consisting of a passenger door on the SDV, a trunk door on the SDV, a glove compartment door in the SDV, a hatchback door on the SDV, and a hood of the SDV.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the passenger context assessment is based on a risk aversion profile for the passenger in the SDV, wherein the risk aversion profile describes a psychological fear of the passenger.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the passenger context assessment is based on a risk profile for the passenger in the SDV, wherein the risk profile describes a physiological condition of the passenger.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle context assessment is based on a current degree of movement and location of the SDV.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the signal to the lock controller mechanism is received from a remote device that has been predetermined to be authorized to lock and unlock the lock in the SDV based on an identity and state of the passenger in the SDV.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by one or more processors, that the SDV has been involved in a collision;

in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, one or more processors directing the lock in the SDV to unlock; and

in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, one or more processors generating an audible set of directions to the passenger of the SDV for exiting the SDV.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented as a cloud-based service.

9. A non-transitory computer program product for selectively locking and unlocking locks in a self-driving vehicle (SDV), the non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receive sensor readings from sensors on the self-driving vehicle (SDV) that describe a vehicle context assessment of the SDV and a passenger context assessment of a passenger in the SDV;

transmit a signal to a lock controller mechanism in the SDV to selectively lock or unlock a lock in the SDV based on the vehicle context assessment;

direct the lock controller mechanism to, prior to locking or unlocking the door, request passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV; and

upon receipt of the passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV, direct the lock controller mechanism to lock or unlock the lock in the SDV.

10. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the lock controller mechanism in the SDV selectively locks and unlocks SDV components from a group consisting of a passenger door on the SDV, a trunk door on the SDV, a glove compartment door in the SDV, a hatchback door on the SDV, and a hood of the SDV.

11. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the passenger context assessment is based on a risk aversion profile for the passenger in the SDV, wherein the risk aversion profile describes a psychological fear of the passenger.

12. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the passenger context assessment is based on a risk profile for the passenger in the SDV, wherein the risk profile describes a physiological condition of the passenger.

13. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the vehicle context assessment is based on a current degree of movement and location of the SDV.

14. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the signal to the lock controller mechanism is received from a remote device that has been predetermined to be authorized to lock and unlock the locks in the SDV based on an identity and state of the passenger in the SDV.

15. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting that the SDV has been involved in a collision;

in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, directing the locks in the SDV to unlock; and

in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, generating an audible set of directions to the passenger of the SDV for exiting the SDV.

16. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions are provided as a service in a cloud environment.

17. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer readable memories operably coupled to the one or more processors;

one or more computer readable storage mediums operably coupled to the one or more computer readable memories; and

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage mediums for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions configured to receive sensor readings from sensors on a self-driving vehicle (SDV) that describe a vehicle context assessment of the SDV and a passenger context assessment of a passenger in the SDV;

program instructions configured to transmit a signal to a lock controller mechanism in the SDV to selectively lock or unlock a lock in the SDV based on the passenger context assessment;

program instructions configured to direct the lock controller mechanism to, prior to locking or unlocking the door, request passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV; and

program instructions configured to, upon receipt of the passenger confirmation from the passenger in the SDV, direct the lock controller mechanism to lock or unlock the lock in the SDV.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the lock controller mechanism in the SDV selectively locks and unlocks SDV components from a group consisting of a passenger door on the SDV, a trunk door on the SDV, a glove compartment door in the SDV, a hatchback door on the SDV, and a hood of the SDV.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions configured to detect that the SDV has been involved in a collision;

program instructions configured to, in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, direct the lock in the SDV to unlock; and

program instructions configured to, in response to detecting that the SDV has been involved in the collision, generate an audible set of directions to the passenger of the SDV for exiting the SDV.