Performing services on autonomous vehicles

• US 9,805,519 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Hyundai Motor Company Korea (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: Madhusoodhan Ramanujam
• Inventors: Ramanujam, Madhusoodhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US14/824,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20150348335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Technology is described for performing services on an autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may detect that a service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may select a service center to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may provide commands to drive the autonomous vehicle to the service center to enable performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon for performing services on an autonomous vehicle, the instructions when executed by one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle perform the following:

detecting that a service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle;

selecting a service center for performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle;

providing commands to drive the autonomous vehicle to the service center;

receiving, after the autonomous vehicle has arrived at the service center, a confirmation that indicates a service provider in the service center is authorized to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle; and

providing, in response to the confirmation, access to the autonomous vehicle to enable the service provider in the service center to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle, wherein the access to the autonomous vehicle is restricted at the service center and based on the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle.

2. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions which when executed by the one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle performs the following:

notifying a user associated with the autonomous vehicle of the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle and the service center selected to perform the service; and

receiving an authorization from the user to drive the autonomous vehicle to the service center to enable performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle.

3. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service includes at least one of:

refueling or recharging the autonomous vehicle, performing a repair on the autonomous vehicle, performing maintenance on the autonomous vehicle, or cleaning the autonomous vehicle.

4. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle is detected using a service schedule.

5. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle is detected when one or more internal systems of the autonomous vehicle generate an alert.

6. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service center selected for performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle has been previously used to perform services on the autonomous vehicle.

7. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the service center is selected based on at least one of:

a price, customer reviews, or a distance from a current location of the autonomous vehicle.

8. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions which when executed by the one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle performs the following:

scheduling an appointment with the service center in response to detecting that the service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle.

9. The at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions which when executed by the one or more processors of the autonomous vehicle performs the following:

verifying that the appointment scheduled with the service center does not conflict with a schedule of a user associated with the autonomous vehicle.

10. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device including a data store to store a plurality of data and instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

detect that a service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle;

select a service center for performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle;

send a notification to a user associated with the autonomous vehicle of the service and the service center selected for performance of the service;

receive an authorization from the user to drive to the service center to enable performance of the service on the autonomous vehicle;

provide commands to drive the autonomous vehicle to the service center;

receive, after the autonomous vehicle has arrived to the service center, a confirmation that indicates a service provider in the service center is authorized to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle; and

provide, in response to the confirmation, access to the autonomous vehicle to enable the service provider in the service center to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle, wherein the access to the autonomous vehicle is restricted at the service center and based on the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

select the service center based on services that were previously performed on the autonomous vehicle at the service center;

or

select the service center based on at least one of;

a price, customer reviews, or a distance from a current location of the autonomous vehicle.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

notify a user associated with the autonomous vehicle when the service has been performed and the autonomous vehicle has returned to a previous location.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect that the service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle according to a service schedule;

or

detect that the service is to be performed when one or more internal systems of the autonomous vehicle generate an alert.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the service includes at least one of:

refueling or recharging the autonomous vehicle, performing a repair on the autonomous vehicle, performing maintenance on the autonomous vehicle, or cleaning the autonomous vehicle.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

schedule an appointment with the service center in response to detecting that the service is to be performed on the autonomous vehicle.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

verify that the appointment scheduled with the service center does not conflict with a schedule of a user associated with the autonomous vehicle.

17. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device including a data store to store a plurality of data and instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive, from a mobile device, instructions for driving the autonomous vehicle to a service center to enable a service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle at the service center, wherein the instructions include a location of the service center and a time for the autonomous vehicle to arrive at the service center;

provide commands to drive the autonomous vehicle to the service center in accordance with the instructions received from the mobile device;

receive, after the autonomous vehicle has arrived at the service center, a confirmation from the mobile device that indicates a service provider in the service center is authorized to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle; and

provide, in response to the confirmation, access to the autonomous vehicle to enable the service provider in the service center to perform the service on the autonomous vehicle, wherein the access to the autonomous vehicle is restricted at the service center and based on the service to be performed on the autonomous vehicle.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

send a notification to the mobile device after the service is performed on the autonomous vehicle.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the service includes at least one of:

refueling or recharging the autonomous vehicle, performing a repair on the autonomous vehicle, performing maintenance on the autonomous vehicle, or cleaning the autonomous vehicle.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the plurality of data and instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

provide commands to drive the autonomous vehicle to a previous location after the service is performed on the autonomous vehicle at the service center.