# US 12,117,833 B2 · Client control for an autonomous vehicle ridesharing service > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,833 B2 - Document ID: US12117833B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/407,954 - Filed: 2019-05-09 - Published: 2020-11-12 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-09 - Assignees: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Applicants: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Inventors: Divya Thakur - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117833B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - G05D 1/0061: {for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/265: {Voice} - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - B60W 50/08: Interaction between the driver and the control system - B60W 50/087: {where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver} - B60W 60/00253: {Taxi operations} - G01C 21/3438: {Rendezvous; Ride sharing} - G05D 1/81: Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control - G06V 20/58: Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads - B60K 2360/566: Mobile devices displaying vehicle information - B60K 2360/573: Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2540/215: Selection or confirmation of options - B60W 2555/60: Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way - B60W 2556/40: High definition maps - B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data - 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 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - 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) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract Systems and methods systems provide for client control over an Autonomous Vehicle (AV). The AV can determine sets of mechanical operations that it can take at a future time. The AV can determine a ranking for each of the sets of mechanical operations, including a first ranked set and at least one second ranked set. Client or user selection can be given a certain score, weight, or other value. The AV can apply the value to the second ranked set to determine an adjusted ranking. If the adjusted ranking outranks a ranking of the first ranked set, then the AV can expose the first ranked set and the second ranked set to a client interface. If the AV receives a selection of the second ranked set, the AV can perform that set of mechanical operations. Otherwise, the AV can perform the first ranked set of mechanical operations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: determining, by an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), multiple sets of one or more mechanical operations of mechanical systems of the AV that the AV can alternately perform at a future time; determining, by the AV, a first ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time and a second ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time from among the multiple sets; determining, by the AV, that the first ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the second ranked set of mechanical operations in an initial ranking, wherein the initial ranking is based on one or more AV ridesharing objectives that include at least one of a fuel efficiency objective, a battery efficiency objective, and an AV fleet utilization objective; evaluating, by the AV, whether a score associated with a passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking; in response to a determination that the score associated with the passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking, presenting the initial ranking on a client interface; receiving, via the client interface, a client selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations; based on the client selection of the second ranked set, adjusting the initial ranking to generate an adjusted ranking, wherein the adjusted ranking indicates to the AV that the second ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the first ranked set of mechanical operations; and performing, by the AV, the second ranked set of mechanical operations at the future time in response to receiving the client selection within a specified time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining second multiple sets of mechanical operations the AV can perform at a second future time; determining a first ranked set and a second ranked set from among the second multiple sets; exposing the first ranked set of the second multiple sets and the second ranked set of the second multiple sets to the client interface; and performing, at the second future time, the first ranked set of the second multiple sets in response to a second specified time elapsing without the client interface receiving a selection of the second ranked set of the second multiple sets. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the client interface is presented on a touchscreen of the AV. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the client interface is presented on a touchscreen of a user's mobile computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising: configuring at least one of the AV or the user's mobile computing device to receive the selection of the second ranked set via a local connection between the AV and the user's mobile computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the client interface is a voice user interface executing on one of a user's mobile computing device or a computing device of the AV. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a driving blockage; determining the multiple sets of one or more mechanical operations the AV can perform at the future time in response to the driving blockage; determining an environmental state around the AV from a sensor of the AV; and eliminating at least one set of the multiple sets based on the environmental state around the AV. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple routes to a pick-up or drop-off location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: determining one or more undriveable areas to the pick-up or drop-off location; and eliminating at least one route from the multiple routes based on the one or more undriveable areas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple pick-up or drop-off locations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising: determining traffic laws associated with a geographic area of the multiple pick-up or drop-off locations; and eliminating at least one pick-up or drop-off location from the multiple pick-up or drop-off locations based on the traffic laws. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the AV excludes at least one of a steering wheel, a foot brake pedal, a foot accelerator pedal, or a turn signal lever. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one set of the multiple sets of one or more mechanical operations includes a turn and wherein the one or more mechanical operations includes turning on a blinker of the AV, decelerating, and turning. ### Claim 14 An Autonomous Vehicle (AV), comprising: one or more processors; one or more mechanical systems; and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the AV to: determine multiple sets of one or more mechanical operations of the one or more mechanical systems that the AV can control to alternately perform at a future time; determine a first ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time and a second ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time from among the multiple sets; determine that the first ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the second ranked set of mechanical operations in an initial ranking, wherein the initial ranking is based on one or more AV ridesharing objectives that include at least one of a fuel efficiency objective, a battery efficiency objective, and an AV fleet utilization objective; evaluate whether a score associated with a potential passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking if selected by a passenger based on application of a weight to the score associated with the potential passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations; in response to a determination that the score associated with the potential passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking, present the initial ranking on a client interface; receive, via the client interface, a client selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations; based on the client selection of the second ranked set, adjusting the initial ranking to generate an adjusted ranking, wherein the adjusted ranking indicates to the AV that the second ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the first ranked set of mechanical operations; and perform the second ranked set of mechanical operations at the future time in response to receiving the client selection within a specified time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The AV of claim 14, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple lanes of a road on which the AV is currently traveling. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The AV of claim 15, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple dwell times at a pick-up or drop-off location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The AV of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the AV to: determine second multiple sets of one or more operations, of the one or more mechanical systems that the AV can control, to perform at a second future time; determine a first ranked set from among the second multiple sets; determine that no adjusted ranking of a client selection of each set of the second multiple sets outranks a ranking of the first ranked set of the second multiple sets; and disable selection of each of the second multiple sets from the client interface for the second future time. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, upon being executed by one or more processors of an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), cause the AV to: determine multiple sets of one or more mechanical operations for mechanical systems of the AV that the AV can alternately perform at a future time; determine a first ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time and a second ranked set of mechanical operations that the AV can perform at the future time from among the multiple sets; determine that the first ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the second ranked set of mechanical operations in an initial ranking, wherein the initial ranking is based on one or more AV ridesharing objectives that include at least one of a fuel efficiency objective, a battery efficiency objective, and an AV fleet utilization objective; evaluate whether a score associated with a passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking; in response to a determination that the score associated with the passenger selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations can override the initial ranking, present the initial ranking on a client interface; receive, via the client interface, a client selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations; based on the client selection of the second ranked set of mechanical operations, adjust the initial ranking to generate an adjusted ranking, wherein the adjusted ranking indicates to the AV that the second ranked set of mechanical operations outranks the first ranked set of mechanical operations; and perform the second ranked set of mechanical operations at the future time in response to receiving the client selection within a specified time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple routes to a pick-up or drop-off location. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple sets correspond to multiple pick-up or drop-off locations.