# US 11,305,782 B2 · Monitoring system for autonomous vehicle operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,782 B2 - Document ID: US11305782B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/245,621 - Filed: 2019-01-11 - Published: 2019-07-11 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-11 - Assignees: Tusimple, Inc. - Applicants: TuSimple, Inc. - Inventors: Lindong Sun; Liu Liu; Xiaoling Han; Yi Wang; Ruiliang Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305782B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models} - G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) - G05B 23/00: Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof (monitoring of program-control systems G05B19/048, G05B19/406) - 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 1/0011: {associated with a remote control arrangement} - 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)} - G05D 1/0055: {with safety arrangements} - G05D 1/0282: {generated in a local control room} - G05D 1/223: Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens - G05D 1/227: Handing over between remote control and on-board control; Handing over between remote control arrangements - 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) - G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)} - G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)} - G05B 2219/2637: Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair - 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 - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for a monitoring system for autonomous vehicle operation. In some embodiments, a vehicle may perform self-tests, generate a report based on the results, and transmit it to a remote monitor center over one or both of a high-speed channel for regular data transfers or a reliable channel for emergency situations. In other embodiments, the remote monitor center may determine that immediate intervention is required, and may transmit a control command with high priority, which when received by the vehicle, is implemented and overrides any local commands being processed. In yet other embodiments, the control command with high priority is selected from a small group of predetermined control commands the remote monitor center may issue. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring and controlling a vehicle, implemented at the vehicle, the method comprising: performing self-tests for each of a plurality of electronic control units of the vehicle; analyzing data from the self-tests to make a determination on a status of the vehicle as one of predetermined statuses, each predetermined status being associated with a corresponding status indicator and a corresponding information to be included in a report; periodically generating, with a first period, the report, wherein the report comprises a first status indicator corresponding to a determined status and results corresponding to the self-tests, the report having a size dependent on the first status indicator; periodically transmitting, with a second period, the report to a remote monitor center, the second period having a duration dependent on the first status indicator; receiving a control command from the remote monitor center, wherein the control command is received in response to the remote monitor center receiving the periodically transmitted report; and implementing, upon a determination that the control command has a high priority, the control command from the remote monitor center, wherein an implementation of the control command from the remote monitor center overrides an implementation of a local control command, wherein the control command is from a predetermined set of control commands. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the report further comprises a plurality of status indicators that includes the first status indicator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the self-tests are performed for a plurality of sensors, at least one hardware system, and at least one software system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or a camera. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating environment and driving information based on the analysis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the report is periodically transmitted over at least one of a first channel for regular data transfers or a second channel for emergency situations, wherein the first channel employs a protocol selected from the group consisting of Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Communication Air-interface Long and Medium range (CALM), and a transmission protocol designed for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementations, and wherein the second channel employs at least one of a low-rate forward error correcting code, one or more retransmission, or a protocol that uses frequency diversity, time diversity, space diversity, or code diversity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second period is longer than or equal to the first period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing a copy of the report on a local storage device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of control commands comprises procedures for defensive driving or bringing the vehicle to a stop. ### Claim 10 A method for monitoring and controlling a vehicle, implemented at a remote monitor center, the method comprising: periodically receiving, from the vehicle, a report, wherein the report comprises (1) at least one status indicator corresponding to a status of the vehicle that is determined as one of predetermined statuses and (2) information based on self-tests implemented in the vehicle, each predetermined status being associated with a corresponding status indicator and a corresponding information included in the report; determining whether the at least one status indicator included in the report corresponds to at least one immediately actionable status indicator, wherein a presence of the at least one immediately actionable status indicator corresponds to the vehicle issuing a local control command to mitigate a situation; selecting a control command from a predetermined set of control commands; and transmitting, to the vehicle, the control command with a high priority when the report comprises the at least one immediately actionable status indicator, wherein an implementation of the control command with the high priority at the vehicle overrides an implementation of the local control command at the vehicle, wherein the report further comprises results of self-tests that were performed for each of a plurality of electronic control units in the vehicle, wherein the report has a size dependent on the at least one status indicator, and wherein a rate at which the report is periodically received is dependent on the at least one status indicator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the self-tests are performed for a plurality of vehicular sensors, at least one vehicular hardware system, and at least one vehicular software system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the rate at which the report is periodically received is variable, and wherein the rate is based on a presence of the at least one immediately actionable status indicator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the report is periodically received over at least one of a first channel for regular data transfers or a second channel for emergency situations, and wherein the first channel employs a protocol selected from the group consisting of Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Communication Air-interface Long and Medium range (CALM), and a transmission protocol designed for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementations, and wherein the second channel employs at least one of a low-rate forward error correcting code, one or more retransmission, or a protocol that uses frequency diversity, time diversity, space diversity, or code diversity. ### Claim 14 A method for monitoring a vehicle, implemented at the vehicle, the method comprising: collecting, based on performing a plurality of self-tests for each of one or more systems implemented in the vehicle, status information from the one or more systems; classifying the status information by a plurality of status indicators including one or more critical status indicators and one or more uncritical status indicators, each of the plurality of status indicator indicating a corresponding status of the vehicle and associated with corresponding information to be included in a corresponding report; generating a critical status report based on the status information associated with the one or more critical status indicators immediately upon receipt of such status information; generating an uncritical status report based on the status information associated with the one or more uncritical status indicators with a period that varies with the one or more uncritical status indicators, wherein the uncritical status report has a size smaller than that of the critical status report; transmitting, to a remote monitor center, the critical status report and the uncritical status report, wherein the critical status report is transmitted after first predetermined time after the generating of the critical status report and the uncritical status report is transmitted after second predetermined time from the generating of the uncritical status report, the second predetermined time being greater than the first predetermined time; and receiving a control command from the remote monitor center, wherein the control command is received in response to the remote monitor center receiving the critical status report and the uncritical status report. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: wherein the uncritical status report is transmitted, to the remote monitor center, over a first channel for regular data transfers, wherein the first channel employs a protocol selected from the group consisting of Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Communication Air-interface Long and Medium range (CALM), and a transmission protocol designed for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementations, wherein the critical status report is transmitted, to the remote monitor center, over a second channel for emergency situations, and wherein the second channel employs at least one of a low-rate forward error correcting code, one or more retransmission, or a protocol that uses frequency diversity, time diversity, space diversity, or code diversity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more uncritical status indicators include a status indicator concerning vehicle basic dynamic information and warning messages from the one or more systems implemented in the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the basic dynamic information includes a location of the vehicle, a fuel level of the vehicle, and an engine temperature of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more critical status indicators include a status indicator concerning one or more of a hazardous weather condition, an unknown environment condition, and a lost communication with a monitor center. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more critical status indicators include a status indicator concerning a condition that renders an operation of the vehicle unsafe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: initiating an emergency parking function implemented in the vehicle; and sending, to a remote monitor center, a report indicating that the emergency parking function has been initiated. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more systems include at least one sensor, at least one hardware system, and at least one software system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or a camera. ### Claim 23 A method for monitoring and controlling a vehicle, implemented at the vehicle, the method comprising: collecting, based on performing a plurality of self-tests for each of one or more systems implemented in the vehicle, status information from the one or more systems; classifying the status information by a plurality of status indicators including a warning status indicator, an error status indicator, and a fatal status indicator, each of the plurality of status indicator indicating a corresponding status of the vehicle and associated with corresponding information to be included in a corresponding report; generating periodically a first status report based on the status information associated with the warning status indicator; generating, upon receipt of status information associated with the fatal status indicator, a second status report based on the status information associated with the fatal status indicator immediately, wherein the second status report has a size greater than that of the first status report; performing, upon receipt of status information associated with the error status indicator, a recovering process on a corresponding system, and, if the recovering process is unsuccessful, generating a third status report based on the status information associated with the error status indicator, wherein the third status report has a size greater than that of the first status report; and sending the first status report, the second status report, or the third status report to an external monitoring system, wherein the second status report or the third status report is sent after first predetermined time after the generating of the second status report or the third status report and the first status report is sent after second predetermined time after the generating of the first status report, the second predetermined time being greater than the first predetermined time. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the first status report associated with the warning status indicator is transmitted over a first channel for regular data transfers and the second status report associated with the fatal status indicator is transmitted over a second channel for emergency situations, and wherein the first channel employs a protocol selected from the group consisting of Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Communication Air-interface Long and Medium range (CALM), and a transmission protocol designed for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementations, and wherein the second channel employs at least one of a low-rate forward error correcting code, one or more retransmission, or a protocol that uses frequency diversity, time diversity, space diversity, or code diversity. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the fatal status indicator includes a status indicator concerning one or more of a hazardous weather condition, an unknown environment condition, and a lost communication with a monitor center. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the unknown environment condition comprises a construction zone or a scene of an accident. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the fatal status indicator includes a status indicator concerning a condition that renders an operation of the vehicle unsafe. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: initiating an emergency parking function implemented in the vehicle; and sending a report indicating that the emergency parking function has been initiated. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more systems include at least one sensor, at least one hardware system, and at least one software system. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or a camera.