US 10,255,648 B2Granted

Self-driving vehicle systems and methods

OwnerEric John Wengreen, Wesley Edward Schwieinventors

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Abstract

Self-driving vehicles have unlimited potential to learn and predict human behavior and perform actions accordingly. Several embodiments described herein include a method of using a vehicle management system to operate a self-driving vehicle. Methods include coupling communicatively, by the vehicle management system, a remote computing device to the self-driving vehicle, and then determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system. Methods also include identifying, by the vehicle management system, a pick-up location of the user and sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location in response to determining that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method of using a vehicle management system to operate a self-driving vehicle, wherein the vehicle management system is configured to be communicatively coupled with a remote computing device configured to operate software adapted to enable a user to control behaviors of the self-driving vehicle, the method comprising:

coupling communicatively, by the vehicle management system, the remote computing device to the self-driving vehicle, and then determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
identifying, by the vehicle management system, a pick-up location of the user;
sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location in response to determining that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
sending, by the vehicle management system, a notification to an emergency contact in response to determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a most recent drop-off location of the user and location information of the self-driving vehicle;
and
receiving from the emergency contact, by the vehicle management system, at least one of a pick-up time and the pick-up location for the user in response to sending the notification.

3 more elements

coupling communicatively, by the vehicle management system, the remote computing device to the self-driving vehicle, and then determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
identifying, by the vehicle management system, a pick-up location of the user;
sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location in response to determining that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
sending, by the vehicle management system, a notification to an emergency contact in response to determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a most recent drop-off location of the user and location information of the self-driving vehicle;
and
sending the notification in response to determining, by the vehicle management system, that the user is not located at the pick-up location.

3 more elements

coupling communicatively, by the vehicle management system, the remote computing device to the self-driving vehicle, and then determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
identifying, by the vehicle management system, a pick-up location of the user;
sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location in response to determining that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
after sending the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location, determining that the user is not located at the pick-up location, and instructing, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to move away from the pick-up location and to return to the pick-up location after a first period of time;
determining that the user is not located at the pick-up location after the first period of time, and instructing, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to move away from the pick-up location and to return to the pick-up location after a second period of time;
and
determining that the user is not located at the pick-up location after the second period of time, and instructing, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to move away from the pick-up location and to return to the pick-up location after a third period of time, wherein the third period is greater than the second period, and the second period is greater than the first period.

4 more elements

coupling communicatively, by the vehicle management system, the remote computing device to the self-driving vehicle, and then determining, by the vehicle management system, that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
identifying, by the vehicle management system, a pick-up location of the user;
sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location in response to determining that the remote computing device is no longer communicatively coupled to the vehicle management system;
and
sending, by the vehicle management system, the self-driving vehicle to the pick-up location at a time determined, by the vehicle management system, based on analyzing past amounts of time from past drop-offs to past pick-ups.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/863,903Filed 6 Jan 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 14 Apr 2016
Published: US 2018/0130161 A110 May 2018
Granted: 9 Apr 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06Q 50/40
Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g.…:…
G05D 1/00
Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or
G05D 1/0022
Associated with a remote control arrangement: characterised by the communication link
G05D 1/0027
Associated with a remote control arrangement: involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling

Family

Application15/099,565Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Apr 2016
Application15/181,413Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jun 2016
Application15/248,910Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Aug 2016
Application15/589,619Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 May 2017
US 2018/0130161 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 May 2018
US 9,915,949 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,646,356 B1Parent of this continuation
Application15/248,910Parent of this continuation
US 9,429,947 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application15/181,413Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2017/0300053 A1Published application
US 2017/0357258 A1Published application
US 10,255,648 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.