Dynamic autonomous vehicle servicing and management

• US 10,679,312 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Inventors: Matthiesen, Taggart, Kelman, Jody
• Primary Examiner(s): Shudy, Angelina
• Application Number:
  US15/496,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20180308191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701 26, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• 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: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

Embodiments provide techniques for autonomous vehicle management. When a service request (e.g., ride request, maintenance request, idling request, etc.) is received, the service request may be matched with an appropriate service provider (e.g., an autonomous vehicle to a rider, a maintenance facility to an autonomous vehicle, etc.). An autonomous vehicle may be then be dispatched based on the service request. For example, the autonomous vehicle may be dispatched to a pickup location associated with a ride request. Similarly, the autonomous vehicle may be dispatched to a maintenance facility in response to receiving a maintenance request. The maintenance request may be triggered after applying one or more thresholds and/or rules to the autonomous ride data collected from the autonomous vehicle. As autonomous ride data is collected from various autonomous vehicles, it can be analyzed to determine traffic patterns, road conditions, or other data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting that route data for a route area is out of date based on a collection time associated with the route data;

determining, based on the route data for the route area being out of date, that at least one vehicle is to be instructed to collect updated route data for the route area;

identifying an autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area;

determining an autonomous route for the autonomous vehicle to travel along, wherein at least a portion of the route area is included within the autonomous route; and

instructing the autonomous vehicle to travel along the autonomous route, causing the autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area while travelling along the autonomous route.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the route data for the route area is out of date comprises:

determining, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less frequently collected relative to route data collected for another route area.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the route data for the route area is out of date comprises:

determining, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less recently updated than route data collected for another route area.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the route data for the route area comprises information collected as one or more vehicles traveled the route area.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the route data comprises one or more of:

traffic information;

road condition information;

or

weather information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the road condition information comprises:

a measurement of a road condition made by a multi-axis accelerometer of a vehicle or a multi-axis gyroscope of a vehicle;

or

a report of a road condition received from a passenger of a vehicle.

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

determining a second autonomous route that is outside of the route area; and

wherein instructing the autonomous vehicle to travel along the autonomous route, causing the autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area while travelling along the autonomous route comprises selecting the autonomous route instead of the second autonomous route for the autonomous vehicle to travel along based on the route area being at least partially within the autonomous route.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area comprises:

receiving autonomous ride data from an autonomous computing device associated with the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous ride data comprises status data and location data;

determining, based on the status data, that the autonomous vehicle is available to collect the updated route data; and

identifying a current location of the autonomous vehicle based on the location data of the autonomous vehicle.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the at least one vehicle is to be instructed to collect the updated route data for the route area is based at least on a dispatch cost associated with travel to the route area.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the dispatch cost is determined based at least in part on a probability that travelling along the autonomous route will position the autonomous vehicle for a ride request.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the at least one vehicle is to be instructed to collect the updated route data for the route area is further based on:

a frequency of use of the route area;

an indication of a previous time of when the updated route data for the route area was collected;

a likelihood that the route area will be traveled by another vehicle;

or

detecting that a vehicle is available to service a ride request.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous route for the autonomous vehicle to travel along is capable of being navigated by the autonomous vehicle and positions the autonomous vehicle in the route area to collect the updated route data for the route area.

13. An autonomous dispatch system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code, which when executed by the at least one processor, causes the autonomous dispatch system to;

detect that route data for a route area is out of date based on a collection time associated with the route data;

determine, based on the route data for the route area being out of date, that at least one vehicle is to be instructed to collect updated route data for the route area;

identify an autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area;

determine an autonomous route for the autonomous vehicle to travel along, wherein at least a portion of the route area is included within the autonomous route; and

instruct the autonomous vehicle to travel along the autonomous route, causing the autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area while travelling along the autonomous route.

14. The autonomous dispatch system of claim 13, wherein the code that causes the autonomous dispatch system to detect that the route data for the route area is out of date further causes the autonomous dispatch system to:

determine, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less frequently collected relative to route data collected for another route area.

15. The autonomous dispatch system of claim 13, wherein the code that causes the autonomous dispatch system to detect that the route data for the route area is out of date further causes the autonomous dispatch system to:

determine, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less recently updated than route data collected for another route area.

16. The autonomous dispatch system of claim 13, wherein the route data for the route area comprises information collected as one or more vehicles traveled the route area.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:

detect that route data for a route area is out of date based on a collection time associated with the route data;

determine, based on the route data for the route area being out of date, that at least one vehicle is to be instructed to travel to the route area to collect updated route data for the route area;

identify an autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area;

determine an autonomous route for the autonomous vehicle to travel along, wherein at least a portion of the route area is included within the autonomous route; and

instruct the autonomous vehicle to travel along the autonomous route, causing the autonomous vehicle to collect the updated route data for the route area while travelling along the autonomous route.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to detect that the route data for the route area is out of date further cause the computer system to:

determine, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less frequently collected relative to route data collected for another route area.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to detect that the route data for the route area is out of date further cause the computer system to:

determine, based on the collection time associated with the route data, that the route data for the route area is less recently updated than route data collected for another route area.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the route data for the route area comprises information collected as one or more vehicles traveled the route area.