US 11,635,757 B2 · Methods and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for making autonomous vehicle handover decisions are described. A handover decision involves deciding if an autonomous vehicle should be handed off from one worker to another worker. The methods allow for decisions to be made in real or near real time shortly before an autonomous vehicle changes location. Worker time, if a handover is not implemented, is considered including the amount of worker time involved with the worker moving with the autonomous vehicle to the new location as compared to a new worker meeting the autonomous vehicle at the new location or on the way to the new location. Handover decisions can consider worker distribution and/or order priority. Such factors can be used to weight one or more time based cost values with a cost value representation of the cost if a handover is not implemented vs implementing a handover being compared to make the handover decision.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method operating a control system including a processor to control one or more autonomous vehicles, the method comprising:

accessing information indicating a first location at which a first operation associated with a first autonomous vehicle is to be performed and a second location where a second operation associated with the first autonomous vehicle is to be performed;
determining whether a worker handover for the second operation should be implemented based on a first estimated time cost for a first worker associated with the first autonomous vehicle at said first location of the first operation for performing the second operation with the first autonomous vehicle and a second estimated time cost for a second worker not associated with the first autonomous vehicle at said first location of the first operation for performing the second operation with the first autonomous vehicle;
and
controlling the first autonomous vehicle to take an action based on said determination.

1 more element

A control system comprising:

memory including a task list;
and
a processor configured to control one or more autonomous vehicles based on task list information, said processor being configured to:
access information in said task list indicating a first location at which a first operation associated with a first autonomous vehicle is to be performed and a second location where a second operation associated with the first autonomous vehicle is to be performed;
determine whether a worker handover for the second operation should be implemented based on a first estimated time cost for a first worker associated with the first autonomous vehicle at said first location of the first operation for performing the second operation with the first autonomous vehicle and a second estimated time cost for a second worker not associated with the first autonomous vehicle at said first location of the first operation for performing the second operation with the first autonomous vehicle;
and
control the first autonomous vehicle to take an action based on said determination.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22