Autonomous vehicle behavior when waiting for passengers

• US 9,910,438 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Arden, Jennifer, Aula, Anne Kristiina, Cullinane, Brian Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Berona, Kimberly S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Odeh, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US14/549,999
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/40 Dynamic objects, e.g. animals, windblown objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0025 specially adapted for specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00253 Taxi operations
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/426 against unauthorised use E05Y2400/51, E05Y2400/522 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 : Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 : Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• 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 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 : using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 : Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 : of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 : indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a location, determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the location, provide a first notification that the vehicle is within the first distance, and stop the vehicle. When the vehicle is stopped, the computing device may initiate a countdown. When a client computing device associated with the passenger has not been authenticated, the computing devices may provide a second notification based on a first amount of time remaining in the countdown and a third notification indicating that the trip is cancelled based on a second amount of time remaining in the countdown less than the first amount of time. Once the third notification is provided, the computing devices move the vehicle from the where the vehicle is stopped without the passenger.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices of an autonomous vehicle, instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location for a trip, the passenger being associated with a client computing device;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, when the vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location;

when the vehicle is within the first distance, providing, by the one or more computing devices, a first notification that the vehicle is within the first distance of the pickup location to the client computing device;

stopping, by the one or more computing devices, the vehicle at a given location based on the pickup location;

when the vehicle is stopped at the given location, initiating, by the one or more computing devices, a countdown;

attempting, by the one or more computing devices, to authenticate the client computing device during the countdown in order to establish a communication link between the client computing device and the vehicle;

when the one or more computing devices are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a first amount of time is remaining in the countdown, providing, by the one or more computing devices, a second notification to the client computing device based on the first amount of time remaining in the countdown;

after the second notification is provided, when the one or more computing devices are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a second amount of time is remaining in the countdown, providing, by the one or more computing devices, a third notification to the client computing device indicating that the trip is cancelled based on the second amount of time remaining in the countdown, wherein the second amount of time remaining in the countdown is less than the first amount of time remaining in the countdown; and

once the countdown has completed, moving, by the one or more computing devices, the vehicle from the given location without the passenger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first distance correlates to an amount of time for the vehicle to reach the pickup location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second notification indicates that the vehicle is preparing to leave the given location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before the countdown is completed, determining that the vehicle must leave the given location; and

moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown has completed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown is completed, stopping, by the one or more computing devices, the vehicle based on the pickup location; and

when the vehicle is stopped after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown is completed, restarting the countdown.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before starting the countdown, determining a length of time for the countdown based on a distance between the pickup location and the given location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for more time initiated by the client computing device; and

adjusting an amount of time remaining in the countdown based on the request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before moving the vehicle, waiting until second instructions to pick up a second passenger at a second pickup location for a second trip are received by the one or more computing devices.

9. A system comprising one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices being configured to:

receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a pick-up location for a trip, the passenger being associated with a client computing device;

determine when an autonomous vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location;

when the vehicle is within the first distance, provide a first notification that the vehicle is within the first distance of the pickup location to the client computing device;

stop the vehicle at a given location based on the pickup location;

when the vehicle is stopped at the given location, initiate a countdown;

attempt to authenticate the client computing device during the countdown in order to establish a communication link between the client computing device and the vehicle;

when the one or more computing devices are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a first amount of time is remaining in the countdown, provide a second notification to the client computing device based on the first amount of time remaining in the countdown;

after the second notification is provided, when the one or more computing devices are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a second amount of time is remaining in the countdown, provide a third notification to the client computing device indicating that the trip is cancelled based on the second amount of time remaining in the countdown, the second amount of time remaining in the countdown is less than the first amount of time remaining in the countdown; and

once the countdown has completed, move the vehicle from the given location without the passenger.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first distance correlates to an amount of time for the vehicle to reach the pickup location.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second notification indicates that the vehicle is preparing to leave the given location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

before the countdown is completed, determine that the vehicle must leave the given location; and

move the vehicle from the given location before the countdown has completed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown has completed, stop the vehicle based on the pickup location; and

when the vehicle is stopped the second time after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown has completed, restart the countdown.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to, before starting the countdown, determine a length of time for the countdown based on a distance between the pickup location and the given location.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive a request for more time initiated by the client computing device; and

adjust an amount of time remaining in the countdown based on the request.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices, before moving the vehicle, are further configured to wait until second instructions to pick up a second passenger at a second pickup location for a second trip are received by the one or more computing devices.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location for a trip, the passenger being associated with a client computing device;

determining when an autonomous vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location;

when the vehicle is within the first distance, providing a first notification to the client computing device that the vehicle is within the first distance of the pickup location;

stopping the vehicle at a given location based on the pickup location;

when the vehicle is stopped at the given location, initiating a countdown;

attempting to authenticate the client computing device during the countdown in order to establish a communication link between the client computing device and the vehicle;

when the one or more processors are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a first amount of time is remaining in the countdown, providing a second notification to the client computing device based on the first amount of time remaining in the countdown;

when the one or more processors are unable to authenticate the client computing device and only a second amount of time is remaining in the countdown, providing a third notification to the client computing device indicating that the trip is cancelled based on the second amount of time remaining in the countdown, wherein the second amount of time remaining in the countdown is less than the first amount of time remaining in the countdown; and

once the countdown has completed, moving the vehicle from the given location without the passenger.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

before the countdown is completed, determining that the vehicle must leave the given location; and

moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown has completed.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown is completed, stopping the vehicle based on the pickup location; and

when the vehicle is stopped after moving the vehicle from the given location before the countdown is completed, restarting the countdown.