Autonomous vehicle scheduling system for pickup and drop-off of passengers

• US 9,911,084 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bryson, Donald L., Kline, Eric, Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US15/013,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20170219362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701410, 701461, 701426, 701538, 705 13, 705 5, 700276, 3409322
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group

Abstract

An aspect of the disclosure includes a method, a system and a computer program product for scheduling a pickup of a passenger with an autonomous vehicle at a facility with a plurality of egress locations. The method includes receiving a pickup request for a passenger from a facility having a plurality of egress locations. A first pickup time is determined for each of the plurality of egress locations. A first egress location is selected from the plurality of egress locations based at least in part on the first pickup time at the first egress location, a position of the passenger and a queue time. A first signal is transmitted that includes a proposed pickup time and location to the passenger. An autonomous vehicle is moved from a first location to the first egress location. The passenger is picked up at the first egress location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor on a server, a pickup request from a passenger at a facility having a plurality of egress locations, wherein the server is in electronic communication with an autonomous vehicle;

determining, by the processor, a first pickup time for each of the plurality of egress locations;

selecting a first egress location from the plurality of egress locations based, at least in part, on the first pickup time at the first egress location, a position of the passenger, and a queue time;

transmitting to the passenger a first signal that includes a proposed pickup time and location;

providing instructions to the autonomous vehicle to proceed from a first location to the first egress location; and

receiving an indication from the autonomous vehicle that the passenger was picked up at the first egress location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second signal that includes an acceptance or denial of the proposed pickup time and location by the passenger.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a second pickup time at a second egress location of the plurality of egress locations and transmitting a second proposed pickup time and location to the passenger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the proposed pickup time further comprises:

determining a number of items for transport in the autonomous vehicle;

determining a time to deliver each of the number of items to each of the plurality of egress locations; and

wherein the selecting the first egress location from the plurality of egress locations is further based at least in part on the time to deliver each of the number of items to the first egress location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the number of items are purchases made by the passenger at retail establishments and the determining the time to deliver is based at least in part on an estimated delivery time by each of the retail establishments.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

moving the autonomous vehicle to a loading area prior to moving to the first egress location; and

loading the number of items into the autonomous vehicle at the loading area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the first egress location is further based in part on physical attributes of the passenger.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the physical attributes include a physical limitation and the first egress location is a closest egress location of the plurality of egress locations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the physical attributes include biometric data about an activity level of the passenger and the first egress location is an egress location that increases the activity level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third signal from a priority vehicle; and

determining a third pickup time based at least in part on the third signal and the proposed pickup time and location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the priority vehicle is one of a law enforcement vehicle, a fire engine and an ambulance.

12. A system comprising:

a memory having computer readable instructions; and

one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions comprising;

receiving a pickup request from a passenger at a facility having a plurality of egress locations;

determining a first pickup time for each of the plurality of egress locations;

selecting a first egress location from the plurality of egress locations based at least in part on the first pickup time at the first egress location, a position of the passenger and a queue time;

transmitting a first signal that includes a proposed pickup time and location to the passenger;

providing instructions to a first autonomous vehicle of the one or more autonomous vehicles to proceed from a first location to the first egress location; and

receiving an indication from the first autonomous vehicle that the passenger, in the autonomous vehicle, was picked up at the first egress location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise receiving a second signal that includes an acceptance or denial of the proposed pickup time and location by the passenger.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise determining a second pickup time at a second egress location of the plurality of egress locations and transmitting a second proposed pickup time and location to the passenger.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the determining the proposed pickup time further comprises:

determining a number of items for transport in the autonomous vehicle;

determining a time to deliver each of the number of items to each of the plurality of egress locations; and

wherein the selecting the first egress location from the plurality of egress locations is further based at least in part on the time to deliver each of the number of items to the first egress location.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the selecting the first egress location is further based in part on physical attributes of the passenger.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise:

receiving a third signal from a priority vehicle;

determining a third pickup time based at least in part on the third signal and the proposed pickup time and location; and

wherein the priority vehicle is one of a law enforcement vehicle, a fire engine and an ambulance.

18. A computer program product for scheduling a pickup of a passenger with an autonomous vehicle at a facility with a plurality of egress locations, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform:

receiving a pickup request from the passenger at the facility having a plurality of egress locations;

determining a first pickup time for each of the plurality of egress locations;

selecting a first egress location from the plurality of egress locations based at least in part on the first pickup time at the first egress location, a position of the passenger and a queue time;

transmitting a first signal that includes a proposed pickup time and location to the passenger;

providing instructions to the autonomous vehicle to proceed from a first location to the first egress location; and

receiving an indication from the autonomous vehicle that the passenger was picked up at the first egress location.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the processor further performs:

determining a number of items for transport in the autonomous vehicle;

determining a time to deliver each of the number of items to each of the plurality of egress locations; and

wherein the selecting the first egress location from the plurality of egress locations is further based at least in part on the time to deliver each of the number of items to the first egress location.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the processor further performs:

receiving a third signal from a priority vehicle;

determining a third pickup time based at least in part on the third signal and the proposed pickup time and location; and

wherein the priority vehicle is one of a law enforcement vehicle, a fire engine and an ambulance.