Route planning for an autonomous vehicle
AssigneenuTonomy Inc.
InventorKarl Iagnemma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Among other things, a determination is made of an ability of an autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel a road feature or a road segment or a route that is being considered for the autonomous vehicle as of a time or range of times. Route root conforms to properties of stored road network information. The road feature or road segment or route is eliminated from consideration if the computer has determined that the road feature or road segment or route cannot be safely or robustly traveled by the autonomous vehicle. The determination by the computer is based on properties of the environment in which the autonomous vehicle travels.
Claims35
A method for causing safe or robust travel of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising
- receiving signals from a sensor of the autonomous vehicle, the signals representing a sensed aspect of an environment in which the autonomous vehicle is to travel,
- by computer determining an ability of the autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel a road feature or a road segment or a route that is being considered for the travel of the autonomous vehicle as of a time or range of times, the road feature or road segment or route conforming to properties of stored road network information
- eliminating the road feature or road segment or route from consideration if the computer has determined that the road feature or road segment or route cannot be safely or robustly traveled by the autonomous vehicle,
- the determining of the ability of the autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel the road feature or road segment or route being based on properties of the environment in which the autonomous vehicle travels,
- the determining of the ability of the autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel the road feature or road segment or route based on an actual or estimated level of performance of the sensor with respect to the properties of the environment, and
- sending signals to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel and to avoid the road feature or road segment or route while traveling.
A method for causing safe or robust travel of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising
- receiving a signal from a motion-planning, decision-making, or motion-control process representing a trajectory for travel of the autonomous vehicle, a decision about a short-term course of action for travel of the autonomous vehicle, or control inputs for driving functions of the autonomous vehicle,
- by computer, determining an ability of the autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel a road feature or a road segment or a route that is being considered for the travel of the autonomous vehicle as of a time or range of times, the road feature or road segment or route conforming to properties of stored road network information,
- eliminating the road feature or road segment or route from consideration if the computer has determined that the road feature or road segment or route cannot be safely or robustly traveled by the autonomous vehicle,
- the determining of the ability of the autonomous vehicle to safely or robustly travel the road feature or road segment or route being based on a capability of the motion-planning, decision-making, or motion-control process with respect to the trajectory, decision, or control inputs, and
- sending signals to cause the autonomous vehicle, based on the trajectory, decision, or control inputs, to travel and to avoid the road feature or road segment or route while traveling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.