# US 12,191,032 B2 · Control of semi-autonomous vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,032 B2 - Document ID: US12191032B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/346,774 - Filed: 2023-07-03 - Published: 2023-11-16 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-20 - Applicants: Jeffrey A Matos - Inventors: Jeffrey A Matos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191032B2 ## CPC - G16H 40/63: for local operation - A61B 5/33: specially adapted for cooperation with other devices - A61M 5/1723: {using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood sugar or pressure} - A61N 1/3621: {for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate} - A61N 1/37235: {Aspects of the external programmer} - A61N 1/37247: {User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means} - A61N 1/37252: {Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data} - A61N 1/3727: {characterised by the modulation technique} - A61N 1/37282: {characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network} - A61N 1/3956: {Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion} - A61N 1/3962: {in combination with another heart therapy} - A61N 1/39622: {Pacing therapy} - B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour - G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)} - A61B 5/0836: {Measuring rate of CO2 production} - A61B 5/1171: based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof - A61B 5/14542: {for measuring blood gases (A61B5/14551 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/18: for vehicle drivers {or machine operators} - A61B 5/686: {Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips (A61B5/6861 takes precedence)} - A61M 5/14276: {specially adapted for implantation} - A61M 2205/3553: remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office - A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2230/201: Glucose concentration - A61N 1/37217: {characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile} - A61N 1/37258: {Alerting the patient} - A61N 1/37264: {Changing the program; Upgrading firmware} - A61N 1/37288: {Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient} - A61N 1/3906: {characterised by the form of the shockwave} - B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver} - B60W 2040/0872: {Driver physiology} - G16H 50/70: for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients - H04B 1/40: Circuits - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - 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 - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Semi-autonomous vehicle apparatus which is controlled by a plurality of control sources includes a vehicle which may function autonomously and apparatus for control of the vehicle by either an onboard driver or a driver not situated onboard. The vehicle may also be controlled by an off-vehicle computational device. Hierarchy setting apparatus determines which one or combination of the possible control entities take priority. Persons using the apparatus are identified by either a password or, preferably by providing identification based on a biologic feature. Management of impaired vehicle operators is provided for. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling a semi-autonomous vehicle (“SAV”) by an internal source of control and two additional sources of control, comprising: (a) generating, by a priority processor, priority information comprising a selection of one of six operating states; (b) providing said priority information to a SAV processor; (c) receiving, by the SAV processor, said priority information; (d) receiving, by the SAV processor, vehicle sensor information; (e) based on the received sensor information, generating, by the vehicle processor, internal vehicle control information, said information representing an internal vehicle control choice; (f) providing, by the SAV processor, the sensor information to each of a first additional control source and a second additional control source; (g) receiving, by each of the first additional control source, and the second additional control source, the sensor information; (h) providing, by a first additional control source processor, first additional control information representing a first additional vehicle control choice; (i) providing, by the first additional control source, said first additional vehicle control choice to said SAV processor; (j) receiving, by the SAV processor, said first additional vehicle control choice; (k) providing, by a second additional control source processor, second additional control information representing a second additional vehicle control choice; (l) providing, by the second additional control source, said second additional vehicle control choice to said SAV processor; (m) receiving, by the SAV processor, said second additional vehicle control choice; (n) based on said received priority information, selecting, by said SAV processor, a control choice from among said internal vehicle control choice, said first additional vehicle control choice, and said second additional vehicle control choice, wherein: (1) in a first operating state: said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice; and said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice; (2) in a second operating state: said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice; and said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice; (3) in a third operating state: said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice; and said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice; (4) in a fourth operating state: said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said second additional vehicle control said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice; (5) in a fifth operating state: said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice; and said first additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice; and (6) in a sixth operating state: said second additional vehicle control choice, takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice; and said internal vehicle control choice, takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of receiving said first additional vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, a control choice from among said internal vehicle control choice and said second additional vehicle control choice, wherein: (1) in each of said first, second and third operating states, said internal vehicle control choice takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice; and (2) in each of said fourth, fifth and sixth operating states, said second additional vehicle control choice takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of receiving said second additional vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, a control choice from among said internal vehicle control choice and said first additional vehicle control choice, wherein: (1) in each of said first, second and sixth operating states, said internal vehicle control choice takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice; and (2) in each of said third, fourth and fifth operating states, said first additional vehicle control choice takes priority over said internal vehicle control choice. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of generating said internal vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, a control choice from among said first additional vehicle control choice and said second additional vehicle control choice, wherein: (1) in each of said first, third and fourth operating states, said first additional vehicle control choice takes priority over said second additional vehicle control choice; and (2) in each of said second, fifth and sixth operating states, said second additional vehicle control choice takes priority over said first additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of receiving both said first additional vehicle control choice and said second additional vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, said internal vehicle control choice, in each of said 6 operating states. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of generating said internal vehicle control choice, and in the absence of receiving said first additional vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, said second additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, in an absence of generating said internal vehicle control choice, and in the absence of receiving said second additional vehicle control choice, said step (n) further comprises: selecting, by said SAV processor, said first additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) further comprises: the sub-step of inputting, by a priority input device, said priority information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) further comprises: the sub-step of receiving, from a situational processor, a plurality of situational selections, each situational selection comprising one of said six operating states, and each situational selection associated with respective values of vehicle sensor information; and wherein said priority information comprises a choice of one of said plurality of situational selections; and said step (d) further comprises the sub-step of providing said values of vehicle sensor information to said priority processor; wherein said choice of one of six operating states is determined by said values of vehicle sensor information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of: (o) providing, by the SAV processor, first vehicle sensor information to said priority processor; (p) receiving, by the priority processor, said first vehicle sensor information; (q) based on said received first vehicle sensor information, generating, by said priority processor, first supplemental priority information comprising a first supplemental selection of one of said six operating states; (r) providing, by said priority processor, said first supplemental priority information to said SAV processor; (s) receiving, by said SAV processor, said first supplemental priority information; and (t) repeating said each of said step (d) through said step (n). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising iteratively repeating each of said step (o) through said step (t), each Nth repetition comprising: (u) providing, by the SAV processor, Nth vehicle sensor information to said priority processor; (v) receiving, by the priority processor, said Nth vehicle sensor information; (w) based on said received nth vehicle sensor information, generating, by said priority processor, Nth supplemental priority information comprising a Nth supplemental selection of one of said six operating states; (x) providing, by said priority processor, said Nth supplemental priority information to said SAV processor; (y) receiving, by said SAV processor, said Nth supplemental priority information; and (z) repeating said each of said step (d) through said step (n); wherein N is an integer which is at least the number 2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of: (o) providing, by the SAV processor, first vehicle sensor information to said priority processor; (p) receiving, by the priority processor, said first vehicle sensor information; (q) providing, by the priority processor, a representation of said vehicle sensor information to a display device; (r) based on said representation, inputting, via an input device, first additional inputted priority information, generating, by said priority processor, first additional priority information comprising a first additional selection of one of said six operating states; (s) providing, by said priority processor, said first additional priority information to said SAV processor; (t) receiving, by said SAV processor, said first additional priority information; and (u) repeating said each of said step (d) through said step (n). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: iteratively repeating each of said step (o) through said step (u), each Nth repetition comprising: (v) providing, by the SAV processor, Nth vehicle sensor information to said priority processor; (w) receiving, by the priority processor, said Nth vehicle sensor information; (x) providing, by the priority processor, a representation of said vehicle sensor information to a display device; (y) based on said representation, inputting, via an input device, first additional inputted priority information, and generating, by said priority processor, first additional priority information comprising a first additional selection of one of said six operating states; (z) providing, by said priority processor, said Nth additional priority information to said SAV processor; (aa) receiving, by said SAV processor, said Nth additional priority information; and (bb) repeating said each of said step (d) through said step (n); wherein N is an integer which is at least the number 2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step (g) further comprises the sub-steps of: displaying, by a display device of said first additional control source, a representation of the sensor information, and based on said displayed representation, inputting, by a first additional control source input device, said first additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said step (g) comprises the further sub-steps of: displaying, by a display device of said second additional control source, a representation of the sensor information, and based on said displayed representation, inputting, by a second additional control source input device, said second additional vehicle control choice. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said step (n) further comprises: providing, by the SAV processor, information representing said selected control choice to a vehicle management device.