# US 10,501,085 B2 · Early object detection for unprotected turns > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,085 B2 - Document ID: US10501085B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/834,535 - Filed: 2017-12-07 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-07 - Assignees: Waymo LLC - Applicants: Waymo LLC - Inventors: Brandon Douglas Luders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501085B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60W 30/18009: {related to particular drive situations} - B60W 30/18145: {Cornering} - B60W 30/18159: {Traversing an intersection} - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - B60W 60/0015: {specially adapted for safety} - B60W 60/0016: {of the vehicle or its occupants} - G05D 1/43: Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] - G05D 1/81: Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control - G08G 1/00: Traffic control systems for road vehicles (arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 {; automatic vehicle control B62D}) - A01B 69/00: Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track - B60W 30/12: Lane keeping - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2554/4029: Pedestrians - B62D 15/02: Steering position indicators {; Steering position determination; Steering aids} - B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)} - G01S 17/93: for anti-collision purposes - 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 1/02: Control of position or course in two dimensions - G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80) - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - 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 - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system and method is provided for early detection of objects by a perception system of a vehicle, and triggering a precautionary action by the vehicle in response without waiting for a more precise detection. The vehicle has a multi-level sensor range, wherein a first level of the sensor range is adjacent an outer bounds of the sensor range and has a first confidence value, and a second level of the sensor range is within the first range and has a second higher confidence value. In situations when oncoming traffic is traveling at a high rate of speed, the vehicle responds to noisier detections, or objects perceived with a lower degree of confidence, rather than waiting for verification which may come too late. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for maneuvering a vehicle, the method comprising: defining, for an autonomous vehicle having one or more sensors, a first sensor range having a first associated confidence value, the first sensor range adjacent an outer bound of reach of the one or more sensors; defining a second sensor range, the second sensor range having a second associated confidence value that is higher than the first confidence value, the second sensor range being within the first sensor range and closer to the one or more sensors than the first sensor range; receiving, at one or more processors, input from the one or more sensors; detecting, by the one or more processors based on the input received from the one or more sensors, an object within the first sensor range of the vehicle; and causing the vehicle to take a first action in response to detecting the object within the first sensor range, prior to the object being detected within the second sensor range, wherein the first action comprises at least one of yielding, ceasing acceleration, decelerating, or switching lanes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting, by the one or more processors based on further input received from the one or more sensors, that the object has moved into the second sensor range of the vehicle; and validating the detection of the object within the first sensor range based on the detection of the object within the second sensor range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising causing the vehicle to take a second action in response to detecting the object in the second sensor range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the second action is different from the first action. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, with the one or more processors, a signal to noise ratio associated with the input received from the one or more sensors; filtering the input received from the one or more sensors to ignore signals with a signal to noise ratio below a threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input from the one or more sensors comprises receiving a first type of input and receiving a second type of input, and further comprising: cross-validating the first type of input and the second type of input. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein first type of input is from a first sensor and the second type of input is from a second sensor being of a different sensor type than the first sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is waiting to merge onto a roadway having a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or higher; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling on the roadway; and the first action comprises continuing to wait to merge onto the roadway. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is traveling in a first lane of a roadway having a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or higher; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling in the first or a second lane on the roadway, and approaching the vehicle from behind; and the first action comprises avoiding the lane in which the second vehicle is traveling. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is making an unprotected turn onto a roadway; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling along the roadway towards the vehicle; and the first action comprises waiting to make the unprotected turn until the first and second sensor ranges are clear. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: one or more sensors, the one or more sensors having: a first defined range adjacent an outer bound of reach of the one or more sensors, the first defined range having a first associated confidence value; and a second defined range within the first sensor range and closer to the one or more sensors than the first sensor range, the second defined range having a second associated confidence value that is higher than the first confidence value; one or more processors in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive input from the one or more sensors; detect, based on the input received from the one or more sensors, an object within the first sensor range of the vehicle; and cause the vehicle to take a first action in response to detecting the object within the first sensor range, prior to the object being detected within the second sensor range, wherein the first action comprises at least one of yielding, ceasing acceleration, decelerating, or switching lanes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the vehicle to take a second action in response to detecting the object in the second sensor range. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect, based on further input received from the one or more sensors, that the object has moved into the second sensor range of the vehicle; and validate the detection of the object within the first sensor range based on the detection of the object within the second sensor range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a signal to noise ratio associated with the input received from the one or more sensors; and filter the input received from the one or more sensors to ignore signals with a signal to noise ratio below a threshold value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the one or more sensors comprise at least a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second type different than the first type. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein receiving the input from the one or more sensors comprises receiving a first type of input from the first sensor and receiving a second type of input from the second sensor, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cross-validate the first type of input and the second type of input. ### Claim 17 A vehicle, comprising: a driving system including at least an acceleration system, a braking system, and a steering system; a perception system including at least one or more sensors, the one or more sensors having: a first defined range adjacent an outer bound of reach of the one or more sensors, the first defined range having a first associated confidence value; and a second defined range within the first sensor range and closer to the one or more sensors than the first sensor range, the second defined range having a second associated confidence value that is higher than the first confidence value; a control system including at least one or more processors in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive input from the one or more sensors; detect, based on the input received from the one or more sensors, an object within the first sensor range of the vehicle; and cause the vehicle to take a first action in response to detecting the object within the first sensor range, prior to the object being detected within the second sensor range, wherein the first action comprises at least one of yielding, ceasing acceleration, decelerating, or switching lanes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle is autonomous. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is waiting to merge onto a roadway having a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or higher; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling on the roadway; and the first action comprises continuing to wait to merge onto the roadway. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is traveling in a first lane of a roadway having a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or higher; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling in the first or a second lane on the roadway, and approaching the vehicle from behind; and the first action comprises avoiding the lane in which the second vehicle is traveling. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein: the vehicle, when receiving the input from the one or more sensors, is making an unprotected turn onto a roadway; the object detected within the first sensor range is a second vehicle traveling along the roadway towards the vehicle; and the first action comprises waiting to make the unprotected turn until the first and second sensor ranges are clear.