# US 10,310,505 B1 · Seamless vehicle entry

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- Number: US 10,310,505 B1
- Document ID: US10310505B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/877,689
- Filed: 2018-01-23
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01
- Assignees: Uber Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Uber Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric James Hanson; Molly Castle Nix; Sean Chin; Dennis Zhao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310505B1

## CPC

- B60W 60/00253: {Taxi operations}
- B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/0274: {using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30)}
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- H04B 17/318: Received signal strength
- B60R 2325/205: Mobile phones
- G08B 7/06: using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources}
- H04B 17/336: Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

Systems, methods, tangible non-transitory computer-readable media, and devices for autonomous vehicle operation are provided. For example, a method can include receiving trip data that includes information associated with a request for the autonomous vehicle at a pick-up location. The autonomous vehicle can then travel to the pick-up location. The autonomous vehicle can detect one or more signals associated with the trip data. In response to determining that the one or more signals satisfy one or more broadcast criteria associated with authorizing access to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle can activate one or more vehicle systems associated with fulfilling the request for the autonomous vehicle at the pick-up location. The one or more broadcast criteria can be based in part on one or more properties of the one or more signals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method of autonomous vehicle operation, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by an autonomous vehicle comprising one or more computing devices, trip data comprising information associated with a request for the autonomous vehicle at a pick-up location;
travelling, by the autonomous vehicle, based in part on the trip data, to the pick-up location;
determining, by the autonomous vehicle, a location of the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the autonomous vehicle, a signal disruption value based in part on the location of the autonomous vehicle and map data comprising an indication of one or more features that disrupt detection of one or more autonomous vehicle signals;
broadcasting, by the autonomous vehicle, one or more autonomous vehicle signals comprising information associated with the location of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the one or more autonomous vehicle signals are broadcast using a protocol based in part on the signal disruption value;
detecting, by the autonomous vehicle, one or more signals associated with the trip data;
determining, by the autonomous vehicle, based in part on one or more properties of the one or more signals, a proximity of the autonomous vehicle to a source of the one or more signals;
generating, by the autonomous vehicle, based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals, one or more indications, wherein a frequency of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals; and
responsive to determining that the one or more signals satisfy one or more broadcast criteria associated with authorizing access to the autonomous vehicle, activating, by the autonomous vehicle, one or more vehicle systems associated with fulfilling the request for the autonomous vehicle at the pick-up location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the satisfying the one or more broadcast criteria comprises the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals being within a threshold distance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more properties of the one or more signals comprise a received signal strength of the one or more signals or a signal to noise ratio of the one or more signals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1,
wherein a type, or a magnitude of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the type of the one or more indications comprises one or more haptic indications, one or more light indications, one or more color indications, one or more audio indications, one or more pictorial indications, one or more pictographic indications, or one or more textual indications.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further-comprising:
wherein the one or more broadcast criteria are based in part on the location associated with the autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more features comprise buildings, tunnels, vegetation, weather conditions, or sources of electromagnetic transmissions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating, by the autonomous vehicle, a trip identifier to identify the autonomous vehicle; and
broadcasting, by the autonomous vehicle, one or more signals comprising the trip identifier.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the trip identifier comprises information associated with one or more symbols and is based in part on a randomly generated trip identifier generated through use of a pseudorandom number generator and a random seed, or selected from a plurality of trip identifiers that have not been used for a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the activating the one or more vehicle systems one or more vehicle systems associated with fulfilling the request for the autonomous vehicle at the pick-up location comprises unlocking an entrance to the autonomous vehicle, locking the entrance to the autonomous vehicle, opening the entrance to the autonomous vehicle, unlocking a cargo area of the autonomous vehicle, opening the cargo area of the autonomous vehicle, slowing the autonomous vehicle to a stop, or generating an availability indicator of the autonomous vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the protocol comprises Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

### Claim 12

One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving trip data comprising information associated with a request for an autonomous vehicle at a pick-up location;
controlling, based in part on the trip data, the autonomous vehicle to travel to the pick-up location;
determining a location of the autonomous vehicle;
determining a signal disruption value based in part on the location of the autonomous vehicle and map data comprising an indication of one or more features that disrupt detection of one or more autonomous vehicle signals;
broadcasting one or more autonomous vehicle signals comprising information associated with the location of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the one or more autonomous vehicle signals are broadcast using a protocol based in part on the signal disruption value;
detecting one or more signals associated with the trip data;
determining, based in part on one or more properties of the one or more signals, a proximity of the autonomous vehicle to a source of the one or more signals;
generating, based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals, one or more indications, wherein a frequency of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals; and
responsive to determining that the one or more signals satisfy one or more broadcast criteria associated with authorizing access to the autonomous vehicle, activating one or more vehicle systems associated with fulfilling the request for the autonomous vehicle at the pick-up location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the satisfying the one or more broadcast criteria comprise the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals being within a threshold distance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, further comprising:
generating, based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals, one or more indications, wherein a type, or a magnitude of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the protocol comprises Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

### Claim 16

A computing system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory comprising one or more computer-readable media, the memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving trip data comprising information associated with a request for an autonomous vehicle at a pick-up location;
controlling, based in part on the trip data, the autonomous vehicle to travel to the pick-up location;
determining a location of the autonomous vehicle;
determining a signal disruption value based in part on the location of the autonomous vehicle and map data comprising an indication of one or more features that disrupt detection of one or more autonomous vehicle signals;
broadcasting one or more autonomous vehicle signals comprising information associated with the location of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the one or more autonomous vehicle signals are broadcast using a protocol based in part on the signal disruption value;
detecting one or more signals associated with the trip data;
determining, based in part on one or more properties of the one or more signals, a proximity of the autonomous vehicle to a source of the one or more signals;
generating, based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals, one or more indications, wherein a frequency of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals; and
responsive to determining that the one or more signals satisfy one or more broadcast criteria associated with authorizing access to the autonomous vehicle, activating one or more vehicle systems associated with fulfilling the request for the autonomous vehicle at the pick-up location.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The computing system of claim 16, wherein the satisfying the one or more broadcast criteria comprises the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals being within a threshold distance.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The computing system of claim 16, further comprising:
generating, based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals, one or more indications, wherein a type, or a magnitude of the one or more indications is based in part on the proximity of the autonomous vehicle to the source of the one or more signals.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The computing system of claim 16, wherein the protocol comprises Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.