AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20180224844A1
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: ZHANG, Jingyi, STAYTON, Erik, CEFKIN, Melissa
• Granted Patent: US 10,972,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• 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 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle communication method comprises sensing a condition associated with the autonomous vehicle, and initiating, by a controller in response to the sensing of the condition, communication pertaining to the autonomous vehicle between a vehicle manager remote to the autonomous vehicle and an external agent external to the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle communication method further comprises controlling the autonomous vehicle remotely in response to a command that is based on the condition associated with the autonomous vehicle and the communication between the vehicle manager and the external agent.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle communication method comprising:

sensing a condition associated with the autonomous vehicle;

initiating, by a controller in response to the sensing of the condition, communication pertaining to the autonomous vehicle between a vehicle manager remote to the autonomous vehicle and an external agent external to the autonomous vehicle; and

controlling the autonomous vehicle remotely in response to a command that is based on the condition associated with the autonomous vehicle and the communication between the vehicle manager and the external agent.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the initiating of the communication includes operating an interface at the autonomous vehicle to receive input to control the controller to initiate the communication.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the initiating is performed by the controller that is on-board the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the initiating is performed by the controller that is operated by the external agent.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the sensing includes operating at least one sensor on-board the autonomous vehicle to sense the condition.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the condition pertains to a person in the passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the condition pertains to an environment external to the autonomous vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the condition pertains to an item being provided to the autonomous vehicle from a location external to the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the initiating of the communication includes initiating at least one of an audio communication, a visual communication and a data communication between the vehicle manager and the external agent.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the initiating is performed by the controller that is operated by the vehicle manager.

11. An autonomous vehicle communication system comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a condition associated with the autonomous vehicle;

a controller configured to, in response to sensing of the condition, initiate communication pertaining to the autonomous vehicle between a vehicle manager remote to the autonomous vehicle and an external agent external to the autonomous vehicle; and

an autonomous vehicle controller configured to remotely control the autonomous vehicle in response to a command that is based on the condition associated with the autonomous vehicle and the communication between the vehicle manager and the external agent.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising

an interface disposed at the autonomous vehicle and configured to receive input to control the controller to initiate the communication.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is disposed on-board the autonomous vehicle.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is configured for operation by the external agent.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the sensor is disposed on-board the autonomous vehicle to sense the condition.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the condition pertains to a person in the passenger compartment of the autonomous vehicle.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the condition pertains to an environment external to the autonomous vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the condition pertains to an item being provided to the autonomous vehicle from a location external to the vehicle.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is further configured to initiate the communication as at least one of an audio communication, a visual communication and a data communication between the vehicle manager and the external agent.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is configured to initiate communication pertaining to the autonomous vehicle between the vehicle manager remote to the autonomous vehicle and the external agent external to the vehicle in response to sensing of the condition and an authorized communication initiation request from at least one of the vehicle manager, the external agent, and the autonomous vehicle.