# US 10,479,375 B2 · Autonomously performing default operations based on current operating contexts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,375 B2 - Document ID: US10479375B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/434,987 - Filed: 2017-02-16 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-16 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Regan Towal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479375B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/02: Ensuring safety in case of control system failures, e.g. by diagnosing, circumventing or fixing failures - G05D 1/0027: {involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00)} - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 30/165: Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar" - B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling} - B60W 50/087: {where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver} - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant} - B60W 60/0059: {Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity} - 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 1/0055: {with safety arrangements} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2400/00: Indexing codes relating to detected, measured or calculated conditions or factors - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2540/22: Psychological state; Stress level or workload - B60W 2540/221: Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs - B60W 2540/223: Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined - B60W 2540/225: Direction of gaze - B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping - B60W 2540/24: Drug level, e.g. alcohol - B60W 2540/26: Incapacity - B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects - B60W 2554/4041: Position - B60W 2554/406: Traffic density - B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain - 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 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract In general, techniques are described for autonomously performing default operations. A vehicle comprising a processor and a memory may be configured to perform the techniques. The processor may determine, while currently operating autonomously, a current context in which the vehicle is operating autonomously. The memory may store the current context. The processor may further determine, while currently operating autonomously and based on the current context, one of a plurality of operations to perform when the vehicle is unable to continue to operate autonomously, and unable to transfer control of the vehicle to an occupant, and perform the determined one of the plurality of operations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of autonomous operation of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, by the vehicle currently operating autonomously, a current context in which the vehicle is operating autonomously; determining, by the vehicle currently operating autonomously and based on the current context, one of a plurality of operations to perform when the vehicle is unable to continue to operate autonomously and unable to transfer control of the vehicle to an occupant, wherein the determined one of the plurality of operations includes selecting, from a plurality of companion vehicles, and based at least in part on a safety profile associated with each of the plurality of companion vehicles, a companion vehicle traveling along with the vehicle that is available to take control of the vehicle and transferring control to the companion vehicle; and performing, by the vehicle, the determined one of the plurality of operations to select the companion vehicle and transfer control to the companion vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current context comprises determining the current context based on one or more of a state of the vehicle, a state of other vehicles traveling with the vehicle, and a state of an occupant of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current context comprises determining a state of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant based on the determined state of the occupant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein determining the state of the occupant comprises determining an alertness level of the occupant, and wherein determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant comprises determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant when the alertness level is below a threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the companion vehicle comprises selecting the companion vehicle from the plurality of companion vehicles that also has a destination that is closest to a destination of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a state of the vehicle; determining, when the state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not in motion and not blocking traffic, to stop in the road on which the vehicle is currently operating autonomously. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a state of the vehicle; determining, when a state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is in motion and cannot stop at the current location, or is not in motion but blocking traffic, to identify a safe location at which to come to a stop, and drive to and stop at the safe location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: means for determining a state of the vehicle; and means for determining, when a state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is in motion and cannot stop at the current location, or is not in motion but blocking traffic, to identify the safe location at which to come to a stop, and drive to and stop at the safe location. ### Claim 9 A vehicle configured to operate autonomously, the vehicle comprising: a processor configured to determine, while currently operating autonomously, a current context in which the vehicle is operating autonomously; and a memory configured to store the current context, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine, while currently operating autonomously and based on the current context, one of a plurality of operations to perform when the vehicle is unable to continue to operate autonomously, and unable to transfer control of the vehicle to an occupant, wherein the determined one of the plurality of operations includes selecting, from a plurality of companion vehicles, and based at least in part on a safety profile associated with each of the plurality of companion vehicles, a companion vehicle traveling along with the vehicle that is available to take control of the vehicle and transferring control to the companion vehicle; and perform the determined one of the plurality of operations to select the companion vehicle and transfer control to the companion vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine the current context based on one or more of a state of the vehicle, a state of other vehicles traveling with the vehicle, and a state of an occupant of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine a state of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant based on the determined state of the occupant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine an alertness level of the occupant, and wherein the processor is configured to determine that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant when the alertness level is below a threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to select the companion vehicle from the plurality of companion vehicles that also has a destination that is closest to a destination of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a state of the vehicle; and determine, when the state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not in motion and not blocking traffic, to stop in the road on which the vehicle is currently operating autonomously. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a state of the vehicle; and determine, when a state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is in motion and cannot stop at the current location, or is not in motion but blocking traffic, to identify the safe location at which to come to a stop, and drive to and stop at the safe location. ### Claim 16 A vehicle configured to operate autonomously, the vehicle comprising: means for determining, while the vehicle is currently operating autonomously, a current context in which the vehicle is operating autonomously; means for determining, while the vehicle is currently operating autonomously and based on the current context, one of a plurality of operations to perform when the vehicle is unable to continue to operate autonomously, and unable to transfer control of the vehicle to an occupant, wherein the determined one of the plurality of operations includes selecting, from a plurality of companion vehicles, and based at least in part on a safety profile associated with each of the plurality of companion vehicles, a companion vehicle traveling along with the vehicle that is available to take control of the vehicle and transferring control to the companion vehicle; and means for performing the determined one of the plurality of operations to select the companion vehicle and transfer control to the companion vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the means for determining the current context comprises means for determining the current context based on one or more of a state of the vehicle, a state of other vehicles traveling with the vehicle, and a state of an occupant of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the means for determining the current context comprises means for determining a state of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle further comprises means for determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant based on the determined state of the occupant. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the means for determining the state of the occupant comprises means for determining an alertness level of the occupant, wherein the means for determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant comprises means for determining that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant when the alertness level is below a threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the means for selecting the companion vehicle comprises means for selecting the companion vehicle from the plurality of companion vehicles that also has a destination that is closest to a destination of the vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising: means for determining a state of the vehicle; and means for determining, when the state of the vehicle indicates the vehicle is not in motion and not blocking traffic, to stop in the road on which the vehicle is currently operating autonomously. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a vehicle to: determine, while the vehicle is currently operating autonomously, a current context in which the vehicle is operating autonomously; determine, while the vehicle is currently operating autonomously and based on the current context, one of a plurality of operations to perform when the vehicle is unable to continue to operate autonomously, and unable to transfer control of the vehicle to an occupant, wherein the determined one of the plurality of operations includes selecting, from a plurality of companion vehicles, and based at least in part on a safety profile associated with each of the plurality of companion vehicles, a companion vehicle traveling along with the vehicle that is available to take control of the vehicle and transferring control to the companion vehicle; and perform the determined one of the plurality of operations to select the companion vehicle and transfer control to the companion vehicle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the current context based on one or more of a state of the vehicle, a state of other vehicles traveling with the vehicle, and a state of an occupant of the vehicle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: determine an alertness level of the occupant, and determine that the vehicle is unable to transfer the control of the vehicle to the occupant when the alertness level is below a threshold.