# US 11,897,515 B2 · Reducing pathogen transmission in autonomous vehicle fleet > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,515 B2 - Document ID: US11897515B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/174,797 - Filed: 2023-02-27 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-15 - Assignees: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Applicants: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Inventors: Jennifer Devar McKnew - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897515B2 ## CPC - B60W 60/00253: {Taxi operations} - G01C 21/3438: {Rendezvous; Ride sharing} - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation - A61L 2/18: Liquid substances - A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation - B60S 1/62: Other vehicle fittings for cleaning - B60S 1/64: for cleaning vehicle interiors, e.g. built-in vacuum cleaners - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 60/0016: {of the vehicle or its occupants} - G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents} - G05D 1/0011: {associated with a remote control arrangement} - G05D 1/0297: {by controlling means in a control room} - G05D 1/223: Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens - G05D 1/225: operated by off-board computers - G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) - G06V 20/59: inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions - G08G 1/123: indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; {Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, trams}(transmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968) - G08G 1/22: {Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles} - A61B 2503/22: Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains - A61L 2103/75: Room floors or walls - A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs - A61L 2202/16: Mobile applications, e.g. portable devices, trailers, devices mounted on vehicles - B60W 2040/0872: {Driver physiology} - B60W 2420/40: Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2540/043: Identity of occupants - B60W 2540/049: Number of occupants - B60W 2540/215: Selection or confirmation of options - B60W 2540/221: Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs - B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data - B60W 2556/65: Data transmitted between vehicles - G08G 1/202: {Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching} - 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 - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - 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}) ## Abstract An autonomous vehicle (AV) implements a health protocol that may reduce pathogen transmission between users of the AV. The AV is equipped with a thermal sensor that captures a body temperature of a user. The AV compares the user's temperature to a threshold temperature, and if the user's temperature exceeds the threshold temperature, the AV performs checks to ensure that the user's planned trip follows current regulations or recommendations. For example, the AV confirms that the user is traveling between the user's home and a healthcare facility. If the trip is permitted, the AV enables the user to enter the AV. The AV may include a disinfectant system for disinfecting the passenger compartment or surfaces after the user exits the AV. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a passenger compartment having at least one passenger seat; a sensor to detect a passenger in the vehicle; a disinfecting system to distribute a disinfecting material to the passenger compartment the disinfecting system comprising a plurality of nozzles; and an onboard computer to: determine, based on data from the sensor, a portion of the passenger compartment that the passenger contacted; determine that the passenger has exited the passenger compartment; and instruct the disinfecting system to distribute the disinfecting material in the passenger compartment in response to determining that the passenger has exited the passenger compartment, wherein distributing the disinfecting material comprises distributing the disinfecting material from a first nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, the first nozzle directed at the portion of the passenger compartment that the passenger contacted, and not spraying the disinfecting material from a second nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, the vehicle further comprising a thermal sensor, the onboard computer to instruct the disinfecting system to distribute the disinfecting material in response to determining, based on a measurement from the thermal sensor, that a body temperature of the passenger exceeds a threshold temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, the sensor comprising at least one camera in the passenger compartment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the disinfecting system is arranged to apply the disinfecting material to interior door handles of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the disinfecting system is arranged to apply the disinfecting material to a touch screen mounted inside the passenger compartment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the disinfecting system is further to distribute the disinfecting material to an exterior door handle of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the disinfecting system is further to distribute the disinfecting material to an exterior portion of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: determining that a passenger of an autonomous vehicle (AV) may be exhibiting symptoms of an illness; instructing the AV to drive the passenger to a destination location; determining that the passenger has exited the AV at the destination location; and in response to the passenger exiting the AV, and prior to picking up a second passenger, instructing the AV to perform an action for disinfecting the AV according to a health protocol, the action comprising autonomously driving to an AV facility for cleaning. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the action method further comprises performing a second action according to the health protocol, the second action comprising distributing a disinfecting material in a passenger compartment of the AV. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises performing a second action according to the health protocol, the second action comprising turning on a sterilizing lamp in a passenger compartment of the AV. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises performing a second action according to the health protocol, the second action comprising changing a temperature of a passenger compartment of the AV to a sterilizing temperature using the vehicle's heating, ventilation, and air cooling (HVAC) system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises performing a second action according to the health protocol, the second action comprising removing the AV from passenger service for a duration of time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the passenger may be exhibiting symptoms of an illness comprises detecting a temperature of the passenger using a thermal sensor of the AV. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the passenger may be exhibiting symptoms of an illness comprises analyzing an image of the passenger captured by an on-board camera to identify a physical symptom. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining that the second passenger of the AV has exited the AV at a second destination location; and performing an on-board disinfecting action in response to determining that the second passenger of the AV is not exhibiting symptoms of an illness. ### Claim 16 A method for cleaning a vehicle comprising: receiving sensor data from at least one vehicle sensor, the vehicle sensor to detect a person in a passenger compartment of the vehicle; determining, based on the sensor data, a portion of the passenger compartment that a first passenger contacted; determining, based on the sensor data, that the first passenger has exited the passenger compartment of the vehicle; distributing a disinfecting material inside the passenger compartment in response to determining that the first passenger has exited the passenger compartment, wherein distributing the disinfecting material comprises spraying the disinfecting material from a first nozzle of a plurality of nozzles, the first nozzle directed at the portion of the passenger compartment that the first passenger contacted, and not spraying the disinfecting material from a second nozzle of the plurality of nozzles; and subsequent to distributing the disinfecting material, enabling a second passenger to enter the passenger compartment of the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the at least one vehicle sensor comprising a thermal sensor, the method further comprising: determining, based on a measurement from the thermal sensor, that a body temperature of the first passenger exceeds a threshold temperature; and distributing the disinfecting material further in response to determining that the body temperature of the first passenger exceeds the threshold temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the at least one vehicle sensor comprising a camera in the passenger compartment, the method further comprising: identifying the portion of the passenger compartment that the first passenger contacted based on an image from the camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method further comprising: distributing the disinfecting material to an exterior door handle of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method further comprising: distributing the disinfecting material to an exterior portion of the vehicle.