Back to results
US 11,898,856 B2Granted
Autonomous vehicle long distance rides
AssigneeGM Cruise Holdings LLC
InventorsAlexander Willem Gerrese, Aakanksha Mirdha, Yifei Zhang, Jeremy Stephen Juel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for long distance trips in an autonomous vehicle fleet. In particular, systems and methods are provided for autonomous vehicle trips that are a longer distance than a vehicle can travel without recharging. In some implementations, a user is provided an option between stopping to recharge the autonomous vehicle and switching from a first autonomous vehicle to a second autonomous vehicle at a selected stopping location.
Claims20
A method for long distance rides in a fleet of autonomous vehicles, comprising:
- receiving a route request including a pick-up location and a destination;
- assigning the route request to a first autonomous vehicle;
- determining that the first autonomous vehicle has insufficient charge to complete the route request;
- providing a user interface for the route request for selection between a price-optimization preference and a time-optimization preference, wherein the price-optimization includes pausing a corresponding ride for a selected period of time to recharge the first autonomous vehicle and wherein the time-optimization preference includes switching to a second autonomous vehicle;
- determining that the route request includes the price-optimization preference;
- identifying a plurality of charging station waypoints;
- identifying a plurality of stop locations, each of the plurality of stop locations near at least one of the plurality of charging station waypoints, and wherein the plurality of stop locations each include one of a restaurant, a shopping center, a playground, a park, and a beach;
- providing a ride incentive for routes to a first city in order to rebalance the fleet of autonomous vehicles, wherein providing the ride incentive includes providing, via the user interface, for each of the plurality of stop locations, a coupon for an associated activity at or near the respective stop location;
- receiving a stop location selection for a first stop location of the plurality of stop locations;
- identifying a first charging station waypoint of the plurality of charging station waypoints, wherein the first charging station waypoint corresponds to the stop location selection;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle to the stop location for passenger drop-off;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle from the stop location to the charging station waypoint for recharging;
- charging the first autonomous vehicle at the charging station waypoint;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle from the charging station waypoint back to the stop location for passenger pick-up;
- and
- routing the first autonomous vehicle to the destination.
13 more elements
A system for long distance rides in a vehicle fleet, comprising:
- a fleet of autonomous vehicles including a first autonomous vehicle and a second autonomous vehicle;
- and
- a central computing system including a routing coordinator configured to:
- receive a route request for a passenger ride including pick-up location and a destination;
- determine that a distance associated with the route request is further than an autonomous vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles can drive without recharging;
- provide a user interface for the route request for selection between a price-optimization preference and a time-optimization preference, wherein the price-optimization includes pausing the passenger ride for a selected period of time to recharge a vehicle battery and wherein the time-optimization preference includes switching to a second autonomous vehicle;
- receive a user selection to pause the ride for the selected period of time to recharge the vehicle battery;
- identify a plurality of charging station waypoints for pausing the ride;
- identify a plurality of stop locations, each of the plurality of stop locations near at least one of the plurality of charging station waypoints, wherein the plurality of stop locations include one of a restaurant, a shopping center, a playground, a park, and a beach;
- provide a ride incentive for routes to a first city in order to rebalance the fleet of autonomous vehicles, wherein providing the ride incentive includes providing, via the user interface, for each of the plurality of stop locations, a coupon for an associated activity at or near the respective stop location;
- receive a user stop location selection including one of the plurality of stop locations;
- identify a selected charging station waypoint of the plurality of charging station waypoints, wherein the selected charging station waypoint corresponds to the stop location selection;
- identify a first autonomous vehicle from the fleet of autonomous vehicles that has sufficient charge to drive to the pick-up location, from the pick-up location to the selected stop location, and from the stop location to the selected charging station waypoint;
- assign the route request to the first autonomous vehicle;
- route the first autonomous vehicle to the pick-up location for passenger pick-up;
- route the first autonomous vehicle to the stop location for passenger drop-off;
- route the first autonomous vehicle from the stop location to the selected charging station waypoint for recharging;
- route the first autonomous vehicle back from the selected charging station waypoint to the stop location for passenger pick-up;
- and
- route the first autonomous vehicle to the destination.
17 more elements
A method for long distance rides, comprising:
- receiving a route request at a routing coordinator, including a pick-up location and a destination, wherein the routing coordinator coordinates a fleet of autonomous vehicles;
- determining that a distance associated with the route request is further than an autonomous vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles can drive without recharging;
- providing a user interface for the route request for selection between a price-optimization preference and a time-optimization preference, wherein the price-optimization includes pausing a ride for a selected period of time to recharge a vehicle battery and switching to a second autonomous vehicle;
- receiving a user selection to pause the ride for the selected period of time to recharge the vehicle battery;
- determining a plurality of charging station waypoints for pausing the ride;
- identifying a plurality of stop locations, each of the plurality of stop locations near at least one of the plurality of charging station waypoints, wherein the plurality of stop locations include one of a restaurant, a shopping center, a playground, a park, and a beach;
- providing a ride incentive for routes to a first city in order to rebalance the fleet of autonomous vehicles, wherein providing the ride incentive includes providing, via the user interface, for each of the plurality of stop locations, a coupon for an associated activity at or near the respective stop location;
- receiving a stop location selection via the user interface;
- identifying a selected charging station waypoint of the plurality of charging station waypoints that is near the selected stop location;
- identifying a first autonomous vehicle from the fleet of autonomous vehicles that has sufficient charge to drive to the pick-up location, from the pick-up location to the selected stop location, and from the stop location to the selected charging station waypoint;
- assigning the route request to the first autonomous vehicle;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle to the pick-up location for passenger pick-up;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle to the stop location for passenger drop-off;
- routing the first autonomous vehicle from the stop location to the selected charging station waypoint for recharging;
- and
- routing the first autonomous vehicle from the selected charging station waypoint to the stop location for passenger pick-up.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.