Systems and Methods for Deploying an Autonomous Vehicle to Oversee Autonomous Navigation

• US 20190019416A1
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Published: 01/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Perko, Eric Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,818,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle to assist another autonomous vehicle are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining data representing a vehicle route of a first autonomous vehicle, wherein the first autonomous vehicle travels along the vehicle route from a first location to a second location. The method includes obtaining data representing an occlusion point that affects an operation of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route. The method includes selecting a second autonomous vehicle, based at least in part on (i) the vehicle route and (ii) the occlusion point, to assist the first autonomous vehicle. The method includes deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling an autonomous vehicle to assist another autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, data representing a vehicle route of a first autonomous vehicle, wherein the first autonomous vehicle travels along the vehicle route from a first location to a second location;

obtaining, by the computing system, data representing an occlusion point that affects an operation of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route;

selecting, by the computing system, and based at least in part on (i) the vehicle route and (ii) the occlusion point, a second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle; and

deploying, by the computing system, the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the data representing the occlusion point is determined based on (i) sensor data acquired by one or more sensors on-board the first autonomous vehicle or (ii) sensor data acquired by one or more sensors on-board the second autonomous vehicle or (iii) sensor data acquired by one or more sensors on-board another autonomous vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein obtaining the data representing the occlusion point comprises:

obtaining data representing the occlusion point identified by the second autonomous vehicle or one or more other autonomous vehicles.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein obtaining the data representing the occlusion point comprises:

obtaining, by the computing system, data indicative of the occlusion point from a memory accessible by the computing system, wherein the occlusion point is a predetermined occlusion point.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the occlusion point comprises one or more geographic locations along the vehicle route where the first autonomous vehicle is occluded by one or more objects in a surrounding environment of the first autonomous vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

deploying the second autonomous vehicle to determine the one or more objects in the surrounding environment.

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

determining, by the computing system, one or more occlusion points corresponding to the first autonomous vehicle, wherein the determining comprises;

obtaining data representing a motion plan of the first autonomous vehicle, the motion plan including one or more maneuvers that, when executed, cause the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route;

determining an occluded maneuver, among the one or more maneuvers in the motion plan of the first autonomous vehicle, that is occluded by one or more objects in a surrounding environment of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route; and

determining a geographic location corresponding to the occluded maneuver.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein selecting the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

selecting the second autonomous vehicle, from among one or more second autonomous vehicles located within a predetermined distance from the occlusion point; and

wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises;

providing a communication to cause the second autonomous vehicle to travel to a vicinity of the occlusion point, wherein the second autonomous vehicle travels to the vicinity of the occlusion point in response to receiving the communication; and

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle with respect to the occlusion point.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8,

wherein the second autonomous vehicle is selected based at least in part by prioritizing one or more of an unoccupied autonomous vehicle, a vehicle type different from a vehicle type of the first autonomous vehicle, or a time-to-deploy of the second autonomous vehicle from the one or more second autonomous vehicles located within the predetermined distance from the occlusion point.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8,

wherein controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to obtain data indicative of an occluded region at the occlusion point, the occluded region being occluded to the first autonomous vehicle at the occlusion point but not being occluded to the second autonomous vehicle.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8,

wherein controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle:

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to provide a leeway for the first autonomous vehicle at the occlusion point.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

providing a communication to cause the second autonomous vehicle to travel to a vicinity of the occlusion point, wherein the communication is provided to a remote computing system that provides a second communication to the second autonomous vehicle, and the second autonomous vehicle travels to the vicinity of the occlusion point in response to receiving the second communication.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

providing a communication to request the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle with respect to the occlusion point.

14. A computing system for controlling an autonomous vehicle to assist another autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining data representing a vehicle route of a first autonomous vehicle, wherein the first autonomous vehicle travels along the vehicle route from a first location to a second location;

obtaining data representing an occlusion point that affects an operation of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route;

selecting, based at least in part on (i) the vehicle route and (ii) the occlusion point, a second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle; and

deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route.

15. The computing system of claim 14,

wherein selecting the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

selecting the second autonomous vehicle, from among one or more second autonomous vehicles located within a predetermined distance from the occlusion point; and

;

wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises;

providing a communication to cause the second autonomous vehicle to travel to a vicinity of the occlusion point, wherein the second autonomous vehicle travels to the vicinity of the occlusion point in response to receiving the communication; and

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle with respect to the occlusion point.

16. The computing system of claim 15,

wherein controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to obtain data indicative of an occluded region at the occlusion point, the occluded region being occluded to the first autonomous vehicle at the occlusion point but not being occluded to the second autonomous vehicle.

17. The computing system of claim 15,

wherein controlling the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle comprises:

controlling the second autonomous vehicle to provide a leeway for the first autonomous vehicle at the occlusion point.

18. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the autonomous vehicle to perform operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining data representing a vehicle route of a first autonomous vehicle, wherein the first autonomous vehicle travels along the vehicle route from a first location to a second location;

obtaining data representing an occlusion point that affects an operation of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route;

selecting, based at least in part on (i) the vehicle route and (ii) the occlusion point, a second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle; and

deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, further comprising:

determining one or more occlusion points corresponding to the first autonomous vehicle, wherein the determining comprises;

obtaining data representing a motion plan of the first autonomous vehicle, the motion plan including one or more maneuvers that, when executed, cause the first autonomous vehicle to travel along the vehicle route;

determining a maneuver, among the one or more maneuvers in the motion plan of the first autonomous vehicle, that is occluded by one or more objects in the surrounding environment of the first autonomous vehicle along the vehicle route; and

determining a geographic location corresponding to the occluded maneuver.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein deploying the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle:

providing a communication to request the second autonomous vehicle to assist the first autonomous vehicle with respect to the occlusion point.