# US 12,190,726 B2 · Autonomous vehicle maneuver system for emergency vehicles and non-standard traffic flow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,190,726 B2 - Document ID: US12190726B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/225,436 - Filed: 2023-07-24 - Published: 2023-11-16 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-17 - Assignees: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Applicants: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Inventors: Matthew L. Floyd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190726B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/0282: {generated in a local control room} - G08G 1/0965: responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle - G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)} - G05D 1/0214: {in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13)} - G05D 1/0276: {using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058)} - G05D 1/221: Remote-control arrangements - G05D 1/2272: {in response to remote override by external entities, e.g. authorities} - G05D 1/247: using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons - G08G 1/096725: {where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control} - G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - 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 Systems and methods are provided that may to cause autonomous navigation of autonomous vehicles in the case of non-standard traffic flows such as police stops, emergency vehicle passing, construction sites, vehicle collision sites, and other non-standard road conditions. An entity associated with the non-standard traffic flow (e.g., an emergency vehicle, road sign, barrier, etc.) may transmit or broadcast a control signal to be received (or otherwise detected) at one or more autonomous vehicles. Each autonomous vehicle, upon receiving the control signal, may autonomously navigate in accordance with the control signal, thus mitigating or eliminating dangers associated with non-standard traffic flows. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for automatically navigating a first autonomous vehicle, the method comprising: receiving or otherwise detecting, at a computing device of the first autonomous vehicle via one or more processors or sensors, one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; identifying, at the computing device of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; obtaining, at the computing device of the first autonomous vehicle, (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and controlling, via the one or more processors, an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein controlling the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprises determining the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: via the one or more processors, continuing to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals; determining, via the one or more processors, that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, ceasing the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second entity is a second vehicle. ### Claim 7 A computer system of a first autonomous vehicle, the system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more computer memories storing a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the computer system to: receive or otherwise detect one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; identify, via based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; obtain (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and control an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer system of claim 7, wherein the instructions to control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprise instructions to determine the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer system of claim 7, wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer system of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to: continue to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals; determine that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, cease the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The computer system of claim 7, wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The computer system of claim 7, wherein the second entity is a second vehicle. ### Claim 13 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing non-transitory computer-executable instructions that, when executed via one or more processors, cause one or more computers associated with a first autonomous vehicle to: receive or otherwise detect one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; identify, via based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle; obtain (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and control an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the instructions to control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprise instructions to determine the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more computers to: continue to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals; determine that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, cease the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the second entity is a second vehicle.