US 11,378,981 B2Granted

Methods to operate autonomous vehicles to pilot vehicles in groups or convoys

AssigneeLyft, Inc.

InventorThomas Danaher Harvey

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method, by a computing device of a first autonomous escort vehicle of a convoy that includes multiple autonomous escort vehicles, that includes: receiving, from a central computing device associated with the convoy, an instruction to prevent one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with movements of the convoy, wherein the instruction is determined by the central computing device based on first sensor data from one or more autonomous escort vehicles in the convoy and the movements of the convoy; determining, based on second sensor data from one or more sensors of the first autonomous escort vehicle, a set of movements for preventing the one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with the movements of the convoy; and performing the set of movements.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising, by a computing device of a first autonomous escort vehicle of a convoy that comprises a plurality of autonomous escort vehicles:

receiving, from a central computing device associated with the convoy, a computer-generated instruction to prevent one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with one or more movements of the convoy in an environment, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated for instructing one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated by the central computing device based on:
first sensor data received from the one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles in the convoy, the first sensor data indicating a presence of the one or more environmental vehicles in the environment;
and
the one or more movements of the convoy;
determining a set of movements for navigating in the environment with the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles to prevent the one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with the one or more movements of the convoy;
and
performing the set of movements.

4 more elements

One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media, onboard a first autonomous escort vehicle of a convoy comprising a plurality of autonomous escort vehicles, embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive, from a central computing device associated with the convoy, a computer-generated instruction to prevent one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with one or more movements of the convoy in an environment, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated for instructing one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated by the central computing device based on:
first sensor data received from the one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles in the convoy, the first sensor data indicating a presence of the one or more environmental vehicles in the environment;
and
the one or more movements of the convoy;
determine a set of movements for navigating in the environment with the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles to prevent the one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with the one or more movements of the convoy;
and
perform the set of movements.

4 more elements

A system comprising:

one or more processors onboard a first autonomous escort vehicle of a convoy comprising a plurality of autonomous escort vehicles;
and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media in communication with the one or more of the processors, the one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform:
receive, from a central computing device associated with the convoy, a computer-generated instruction to prevent one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with one or more movements of the convoy in an environment, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated for instructing one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles, wherein the computer-generated instruction is generated by the central computing device based on:
first sensor data received from the one or more autonomous escort vehicles of the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles in the convoy, the first sensor data indicating a presence of the one or more environmental vehicles in the environment;
and
the one or more movements of the convoy;
determine a set of movements for navigating in the environment with the plurality of autonomous escort vehicles to prevent the one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with the one or more movements of the convoy;
and
perform the set of movements.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/567,915Filed 11 Sep 2019 · continuation
Priority: 1 Feb 2015
Published: US 2020/0004270 A12 Jan 2020
Granted: 5 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

G05D 1/0297
Fleet control: by controlling means in a control room
B60Q 1/5035
Using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text: electronic displays
B60Q 1/507
For indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking: specific to autonomous vehicles
B60Q 1/508
For indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking: specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys

Family

Application14/611,253Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Feb 2015
Application14/837,114Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Aug 2015
US 9,139,199 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Sep 2015
Application62/276,895Us provisional application · filed 10 Jan 2016
Application15/047,781Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Feb 2016
Application62/306,678Us provisional application · filed 11 Mar 2016
US 9,298,186 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 29 Mar 2016
Application15/171,119Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Jun 2016
US 9,384,666 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Jul 2016
Application15/296,155Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Oct 2016
US 9,494,943 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Nov 2016
Application16/014,711Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Jun 2018
US 10,216,196 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Feb 2019
US 2020/0004270 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Jan 2020
US 10,452,079 B2Parent of this continuation
Application15/296,155Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application15/171,119Parent of this continuation
Application15/047,781Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2015/0149022 A1Published application
US 2015/0370255 A1Published application
US 2016/0171894 A1Published application
US 2016/0274590 A1Published application
US 2017/0038777 A1Published application
US 2018/0074513 A9Published application
US 2018/0307252 A1Published application
US 11,378,981 B2This patent

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