Transport vehicle configuration for impaired riders

• US 10,720,059 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2019
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartel, Emily
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US16/260,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20190156679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 701 24
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system for an autonomous vehicle can receive profile data of a passenger of the autonomous vehicle, the profile data indicating a need of the passenger for audio assistance. Based on the profile data, the system can execute a set of configurations to assist the passenger over a trip duration between a pick-up location and a destination. Execution of the set of configurations can include dynamically monitoring the passenger to determine a state of the passenger, and based on the state of the passenger, output the audio assistance to at least aid the passenger in entering and exiting the autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

receive, over one or more networks, profile data of a passenger of the autonomous vehicle, the profile data indicating a need of the passenger for audio assistance; and

based on the profile data indicating the need for audio assistance, execute a set of configurations to assist the passenger over a trip duration between a pick-up location and a destination, wherein executing the set of configurations includes;

dynamically monitoring the passenger to determine a state of the passenger, and

based on the state of the passenger, output the audio assistance to aid the passenger in entering and exiting the autonomous vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein executing the set of configurations further causes the system to initiate a speech recognition control interface to enable the passenger to control a plurality of configurable components of the autonomous vehicle by providing voice input.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of configurable components comprises one or more of a seat adjustment component, an audio system, one or more windows of the autonomous vehicle, a locking system, a climate control system, or a network service system.

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

using one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, detect the passenger as the autonomous vehicle approaches the pick-up location.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the executed instructions further cause the system to:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, output an audio confirmation or greeting to the passenger using an audio output system of the autonomous vehicle.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the executed instructions further cause the system to:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, automatically open a curbside door of the autonomous vehicle.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the profile data identifies a name of the passenger, and wherein the audio confirmation or greeting includes the name of the passenger.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, over one or more networks, profile data of a passenger of an autonomous vehicle, the profile data indicating a need of the passenger for audio assistance; and

based on the profile data indicating the need for audio assistance, execute a set of configurations to assist the passenger over a trip duration between a pick-up location and a destination, wherein executing the set of configurations includes;

dynamically monitoring the passenger to determine a state of the passenger, and

based on the state of the passenger, output the audio assistance to aid the passenger in entering and exiting the autonomous vehicle.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein executing the set of configurations further causes the one or more processors to initiate a speech recognition control interface to enable the passenger to control a plurality of configurable components of the autonomous vehicle by providing voice input.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of configurable components comprises one or more of a seat adjustment component, an audio system, one or more windows of the autonomous vehicle, a locking system, a climate control system, or a network service system.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the executed instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

using one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, detect the passenger as the autonomous vehicle approaches the pick-up location.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the executed instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, output an audio confirmation or greeting to the passenger using an audio output system of the autonomous vehicle.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the executed instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, automatically open a curbside door of the autonomous vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the profile data identifies a name of the passenger, and wherein the audio confirmation or greeting includes the name of the passenger.

15. A computer-implemented method of assisting passengers of an autonomous vehicle, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:

receiving, over one or more networks, profile data of a passenger of the autonomous vehicle, the profile data indicating a need of the passenger for audio assistance; and

based on the profile data indicating the need for audio assistance, executing a set of configurations to assist the passenger over a trip duration between a pick-up location and a destination, wherein executing the set of configurations includes;

dynamically monitoring the passenger to determine a state of the passenger, and

based on the state of the passenger, output the audio assistance to aid the passenger in entering and exiting the autonomous vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein executing the set of configurations causes the one or more processors to initiate a speech recognition control interface to enable the passenger to control a plurality of configurable components of the autonomous vehicle by providing voice input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of configurable components comprises one or more of a seat adjustment component, an audio system, one or more windows of the autonomous vehicle, a locking system, a climate control system, or a network service system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

using one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle, detecting the passenger as the autonomous vehicle approaches the pick-up location.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, outputting an audio confirmation or greeting to the passenger using an audio output system of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

when the autonomous vehicle arrives at the pick-up location, automatically opening a curbside door of the autonomous vehicle.