Destination changes in autonomous vehicles

• US 10,495,471 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Sweeney, Matthew, Nix, Molly, Bartel, Emily, Rockmore, Logan, Levandowski, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US15/590,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20180326997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method can include obtaining data associated with a destination change request from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle. The destination change request can be indicative of a request to change a first destination to a second destination. In response to obtaining data associated with the destination change request, the method can include: obtaining data indicative of one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle; determining a feedback response for responding to the destination change request based at least in part on the one or more operating parameters; and providing data associated with the feedback response for presentation via the one or more interfaces to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle. The feedback response can include a suggested destination. The suggested destination can be different from the second destination.

Claims

1. A method of implementing one or more destination changes in an autonomous vehicle, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:

receiving, over one or more networks, a destination change request from the autonomous vehicle, the destination change request being inputted by a passenger of the autonomous vehicle and comprising a request to change a first destination of the passenger to a second destination;

in response to receiving the destination change request from the autonomous vehicle;

determining one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle;

based on the one or more operating parameters, determining a feasibility indicator for the autonomous vehicle to travel to the second destination;

based on the feasibility indicator, determining a suggested destination being different from the second destination;

transmitting, over the one or more networks, a first instruction to the autonomous vehicle, the first instruction causing the autonomous vehicle to reroute to the suggested destination;

transmitting, over the one or more networks, a second instruction to a computing device associated with a second vehicle, the second instruction comprising an instruction to rendezvous with the passenger at the suggested destination and transport the passenger to the second destination;

generating a feedback response to the destination change request, the feedback response identifying the suggested destination for the passenger; and

providing the feedback response for presentation via an interface of the autonomous vehicle to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise at least one of a travel time for the autonomous vehicle, a travel maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, a quantity of travel maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle, a breach of an operation rule for the autonomous vehicle, or a destination recognition for the autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the suggested destination is within a threshold distance of the second destination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors obtain the suggested destination from a database of known autonomous vehicle drop off locations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle comprises a non-autonomous vehicle, the method further comprising:

transmitting, over the one or more networks, data indicating the non-autonomous vehicle and the suggested destination to a computing device of the passenger in the autonomous vehicle to enable the passenger to switch to the non-autonomous vehicle at the suggested destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors receive the destination change request while the autonomous vehicle is traveling to the first destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors receive the destination change request based on a passenger input on the interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface is displayed on a display screen located in the autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface is displayed on a display screen of a computing device of the passenger.

10. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to;

receive, over one or more networks, a destination change request from an autonomous vehicle, the destination change request being inputted by a passenger of the autonomous vehicle and comprising a request to change a first destination of the passenger to a second destination;

in response to receiving the destination change request from the autonomous vehicle;

determine one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle;

based on the one or more operating parameters, determine a feasibility indicator for the autonomous vehicle to travel to the second destination;

based on the feasibility indicator, determine a suggested destination being different from the second destination;

transmit, over the one or more networks, a first instruction to the autonomous vehicle, the first instruction causing the autonomous vehicle to reroute to the suggested destination;

transmit, over the one or more networks, a second instruction to a computing device associated with a second vehicle, the second instruction comprising an instruction to rendezvous with the passenger at the suggested destination and transport the passenger to the second destination;

generate a feedback response to the destination change request, the feedback response identifying the suggested destination for the passenger; and

provide the feedback response for presentation via an interface of the autonomous vehicle to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the computing system received the destination change request while the autonomous vehicle is traveling to the first destination.

12. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the suggested destination comprises a drop off location within a threshold distance of the second destination.

13. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the feedback response comprises a notification that the autonomous vehicle cannot travel to the second destination.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to:

receive, over one or more networks, a destination change request from an autonomous vehicle, the destination change request being inputted by a passenger of the autonomous vehicle and comprising a request to change a first destination of the passenger to a second destination;

in response to receiving the destination change request from the autonomous vehicle;

determine one or more operating parameters for the autonomous vehicle;

based on the one or more operating parameters, determine a feasibility indicator for the autonomous vehicle to travel to the second destination;

based on the feasibility indicator, determine a suggested destination being different from the second destination;

transmit, over the one or more networks, a first instruction to the autonomous vehicle, the first instruction causing the autonomous vehicle to reroute to the suggested destination;

transmit, over the one or more networks, a second instruction to a computing device associated with a second vehicle, the second instruction comprising an instruction to rendezvous with the passenger at the suggested destination and transport the passenger to the second destination;

generate a feedback response to the destination change request, the feedback response identifying the suggested destination for the passenger; and

provide the feedback response for presentation via an interface of the autonomous vehicle to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise at least one of a travel time for the autonomous vehicle, a travel maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, a quantity of travel maneuvers for the autonomous vehicle, a breach of an operation rule for the autonomous vehicle, or a destination recognition for the autonomous vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the suggested destination is within a threshold distance of the second destination.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computing system obtains the suggested destination from a database of known autonomous vehicle drop off locations.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second vehicle comprises a non-autonomous vehicle, and wherein the executed instructions further cause the computing system to:

transmit, over the one or more networks, data indicating the non-autonomous vehicle and the suggested destination to a computing device of the passenger in the autonomous vehicle to enable the passenger to switch to the non-autonomous vehicle at the suggested destination.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computing system receives the destination change request while the autonomous vehicle is traveling to the first destination.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computing system receives the destination change request based on a passenger input on the interface.