Redirecting self-driving vehicles to a product provider based on physiological states of occupants of the self-driving vehicles

• US 9,731,726 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kundu, Ashish, Gordon, Michael S., Pickover, Clifford A., Kozloski, James R., Malkin, Peter K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/842,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20170057516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/11 for measuring interpupillary distance or diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/007 Emergency override Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product redirects a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to a physical location of a product provider. A self-driving vehicle (SDV) on-board computer on an SDV receives a current location and a planned route to an initial destination of the SDV. The SDV on-board computer receives information describing real-time physiological states of one or more occupants of the SDV, and then identifies a physical location of a product provider that provides a solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV. The SDV on-board computer then alters the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to the physical location of the product provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for redirecting a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to a physical location of a product provider, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a self-driving vehicle (SDV) on-board computer on an SDV, a current location and a planned route to an initial destination of the SDV;

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, information describing a real-time physiological state of one or more occupants of the SDV;

identifying, by the SDV on-board computer, a physical location of a product provider that provides a solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological state of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

altering, by the SDV on-board computer, the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to the physical location of the product provider;

retrieving, by one or more processors, a physiological profile of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

assigning, by one or more processors, the one or more occupants of the SDV to a cohort of persons, wherein the one or more occupants of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of persons;

receiving, by one or more processors, a rating for multiple product providers that ameliorate the real-time physiological states for members of the cohort of persons, wherein the multiple product providers are within a predefined spatial distance from the SDV;

identifying, by one or more processors, a highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers; and

further altering, by the SDV on-board computer, the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to a physical location of the highest rated product provider.

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

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, the real-time physiological state of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a biometric sensor that monitors the one or more occupants.

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

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, a visual image from a camera in a cabin of the SDV, wherein the visual image depicts the one or more occupants; and

interpreting, by one or more processors, the visual image to generate the real-time physiological state of the one or more occupants of the SDV.

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

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, the real-time physiological state of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a user-selected input to an input device.

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

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, the real-time physiological state of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a profile database that describes an on-going physiological condition of the one or more occupants of the SDV.

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

receiving, by one or more processors, a rating for multiple product providers that ameliorate the real-time physiological states for members of a cohort of persons, wherein the multiple product providers are within a predefined spatial distance from the SDV;

identifying, by one or more processors, a highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers; and

further altering, by the SDV on-board computer, the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to a physical location of the highest rated product provider;

receiving, by the SDV on-board computer, a wait time message at the highest rated product provider, wherein the wait time message describes a current wait time for receiving the solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV at the highest rated product provider;

determining, by one or more processors, that the current wait time exceeds a predetermined level; and

in response to determining that the current wait time exceeds the predetermined level, further altering, by the SDV on-board computer, the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer retrieve a physical location of a second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers, and to autonomously drive the SDV to the second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers.

7. A computer program product for redirecting a self-driving vehicle (SDV) to a physical location of a product provider, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a current location and a planned route to an initial destination of a self-driving vehicle (SDV);

receiving information describing real-time physiological states of one or more occupants of the SDV;

identifying a physical location of a product provider that provides a solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

altering the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to the physical location of the product provider;

receiving a rating for multiple product providers that ameliorate the real-time physiological states for members of the cohort of persons, wherein the multiple product providers are within a predefined spatial distance from the SDV;

receiving a wait time message at a highest rated product provider, wherein the wait time message describes a current wait time for receiving the solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV at the highest rated product provider;

determining that the current wait time exceeds a predetermined level; and

in response to determining that the current wait time exceeds the predetermined level, further altering the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to retrieve a physical location of a second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers, and to autonomously drive the SDV to the second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a biometric sensor that monitors the one or more occupants.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a visual image from a camera in a cabin of the SDV, wherein the visual image depicts the one or more occupants; and

interpreting the visual image to generate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a user-selected input to an input device.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a profile database that describes an on-going physiological condition of the one or more occupants of the SDV.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving a physiological profile of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

assigning the one or more occupants of the SDV to a cohort of persons, wherein the one or more occupants of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of persons;

receiving a rating for multiple product providers that ameliorate the real-time physiological states for members of the cohort of persons, wherein the multiple product providers are within a predefined spatial distance from the SDV;

identifying a highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers; and

further altering the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to a physical location of the highest rated product provider.

13. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to receive a current location and a planned route to an initial destination of a self-driving vehicle (SDV);

second program instructions to receive information describing a real-time physiological states of one or more occupants of the SDV;

third program instructions to identify a physical location of a product provider that provides a solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

fourth program instructions to alter the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to the physical location of the product provider;

fifth program instructions to retrieve a physiological profile of the one or more occupants of the SDV;

sixth program instructions to assign the one or more occupants of the SDV to a cohort of persons, wherein the one or more occupants of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of persons;

seventh program instructions to receive a rating for multiple product providers that ameliorate the real-time physiological states for members of the cohort of persons, wherein the multiple product providers are within a predefined spatial distance from the SDV;

eighth program instructions to identify a highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers;

ninth program instructions to further alter the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to autonomously drive the SDV to a physical location of the highest rated product provider;

tenth program instructions to receive a wait time message at the highest rated product provider, wherein the wait time message describes a current wait time for receiving the solution to ameliorate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV at the highest rated product provider;

eleventh program instructions to determine that the current wait time exceeds a predetermined level; and

twelfth program instructions to, in response to determining that the current wait time exceeds the predetermined level, further alter the planned route of the SDV to redirect the SDV on-board computer to retrieve a physical location of a second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers, and to autonomously drive the SDV to the second highest rated product provider from the multiple product providers; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

thirteenth program instructions to receive the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a biometric sensor that monitors the one or more occupants; and

wherein

the thirteenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

15. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

thirteenth program instructions to receive a visual image from a camera in a cabin of the SDV, wherein the visual image depicts the one or more occupants; and

fourteenth program instructions to interpret the visual image to generate the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV; and

wherein

the thirteenth and fourteenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

thirteenth program instructions to receive the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a user-selected input to an input device; and

wherein

the thirteenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

17. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

thirteenth program instructions to receive the real-time physiological states of the one or more occupants of the SDV from a profile database that describes an on-going physiological condition of the one or more occupants of the SDV; and

wherein

the thirteenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.