Vehicle control device

• US 10,671,063 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Poeppel, Scott C., Letwin, Nicholas G., Kelly, Sean J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mustafa, Imran K
• Application Number:
  US15/378,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20180164798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle are provided. In one example embodiment, a control device for user control of an autonomous vehicle includes a communication interface configured to physically couple the control device to an autonomous vehicle to allow communication with the autonomous vehicle. The control device includes an input device configured to receive user input for controlling one or more features of the autonomous vehicle when the communication interface is coupled to the autonomous vehicle. The control device includes one or more computing devices configured to provide one or more control signals to the autonomous vehicle via the communication interface to allow a user to control the autonomous vehicle via the input device. The autonomous vehicle is in a control mode that allows the user to control the autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. A control device for user control of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a communication interface configured to physically couple to the autonomous vehicle to allow communication with the autonomous vehicle;

an input device configured to receive user input for controlling one or more features of the autonomous vehicle while the communication interface is coupled to the autonomous vehicle; and

one or more computing devices configured to

provide, via the communication interface, one or more first control signals, generated in response to a first user input, to cause the autonomous vehicle to change from an operational mode, in which the autonomous vehicle is configured to perform an autonomous navigation, to a user control mode, in which the autonomous vehicle is prohibited from performing the autonomous navigation, wherein the user control mode allows a user to issue one or more control signals from a set of second control signals that are associated with a specific geographic area; and

provide, via the communicate interface, one or more second control signals from the set of second control signals to cause the autonomous vehicle to perform one or more actions indicated by a second user input;

wherein the one or more actions are limited such that the autonomous vehicle remains within the specific geographic area while in user control mode.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to authenticate the control device with respect to the autonomous vehicle.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to authenticate that the user is permitted to control the autonomous vehicle.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to provide one or more services of a service provider, and wherein at least one of the one or more services is a transportation service.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more second control signals are to cause a movement of the autonomous vehicle within at least one of a speed limitation, a turn angle limitation, and an acceleration limitation.

7. The control device of claim 6, wherein the turn angle limitation is based, at least in part, on a speed of the autonomous vehicle.

2. The control device of claim I, wherein the autonomous vehicle is an autonomous ground-based vehicle.

8. A control device for user control of an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

one or more communication interfaces configured to communicatively couple to the autonomous vehicle;

one or more input devices; and

one or more computing devices comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising;

determining a control access associated with the autonomous vehicle based, at least in part, on a verification of at least one of the control device or a user of the control device;

providing, via one or more of the communication interfaces, one or more first control signals, in response to a first user input, to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to change from an operational mode, in which the autonomous vehicle is configured to perform an autonomous navigation, to a user control mode in which the autonomous vehicle is prohibited from performing the autonomous navigation wherein the user control mode allows a user to issue one or more control signals from a set of second control signals that are associated with a specific geographic area;

receiving, via one or more of the communication interfaces, data indicative of a second user input indicating one or more actions associated with one or more second control signals from the set of second control signals to be performed by the autonomous vehicle, the second user input being provided via one or more of the input devices;

wherein the one or more actions are limited such that the autonomous vehicle remains within the specific geographic area while in user control mode; and

providing, via one or more of the communication interfaces, the one or more second control signals to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to perform the one or more actions indicated by the second user input.

9. The control device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a level of access associated with at least one of the control device or the user of the control device, wherein the level of access defines one or more conditions associated with controlling the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle is controllable by the user based, at least in part, on the one or more conditions.

10. The control device of claim 9, wherein the conditions comprise a limitation on the features of the autonomous vehicle that are controllable by the user.

11. The control device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the control device is within a communication range with the autonomous vehicle.

12. The control device of claim 8, further comprising:

one or more positioning systems configured to determine a geographic location of the control device, and wherein the operations further comprise determining control access associated with the autonomous vehicle based, at least in part, on the geographic location of the control device.

13. The control device of claim 12, wherein determining control access associated with the autonomous vehicle based, at least in part, on the geographic location of the control device comprises:

determining that the geographic location of the control device is within one or more geographic boundaries associated with a maintenance location.

14. The control device of claim 8, further comprising:

a display device configured to display a user interface, wherein at least one of the input devices is a touchscreen associated with the display device.

15. The control device of claim 14, wherein the user interface is associated with a software application running on the control device.

16. A computer-implemented method of controlling an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, that a control device is communicatively coupled to the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is in an operational mode in which the autonomous vehicle is configured to perform an autonomous navigation;

providing, by the computing system, one or more first control signals to the autonomous vehicle, in response to a first user input, to cause the autonomous vehicle to change from an operational mode to a user control mode in which the autonomous vehicle is prohibited from performing the autonomous navigation, wherein the user control mode allows a user to issues one or more control signals from a second control signals that are associated with a specific geographic area

confirming, by the computing system, a control access associated with the autonomous vehicle based, at least in part, on a verification of at least one of the control device and a user of the control device;

receiving, by the computing system, data indicative of a second user input indicating one or more actions to be performed by the autonomous vehicle, the second user input being provided by the user via the control device and wherein the one or more actions are limited such that the autonomous vehicle remains within the specific geographic area while in user control mode; and

providing, by the computing system, one or more control signals to the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to perform the one or more actions indicated by the user input while the autonomous vehicle is in the user control mode.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the control device is communicatively coupled to the autonomous vehicle via a physical connection of the control device and the autonomous vehicle.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing, by the one or more computing devices, one or more control signals to cause the autonomous vehicle to re-enter the operational mode in which the autonomous vehicle is configured to perform the autonomous navigation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the control device is a mobile device configured to be handheld by the user.