Smart trailer intent signaling systems and methods
AssigneeTORC Robotics, Inc.
InventorsAkshay Pai Raikar, William Gray Davis, Joseph R. Fox-Rabinovitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for signaling intent of an autonomous vehicles. The system is comprised of a memory storing executable instructions representing a signaling display module on a trailer of an autonomous vehicle. The system also comprises a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the signaling display module. The processor is configured to receive data from an autonomy computing system descriptive of a condition near the autonomous vehicle, process the data to generate a message relating to the condition indicating a remedial action of the autonomous vehicle in response to the condition, and transmit the message to a signaling display on the trailer prior to executing the remedial action.
Claims20
A system for signaling intent on a trailer of an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one sensor disposed on the autonomous vehicle, the at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data descriptive of a condition sensed near the autonomous vehicle, the condition including a road condition of a road along which the autonomous vehicle is traveling, the road condition causing changes in navigation of vehicles traveling on the road;
- a processing system communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the processing system comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory storing executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, configure the processor to:
- receive data from an autonomy computing system of the autonomous vehicle corresponding to a remedial action of the autonomous vehicle in response to the condition;
- and
- process the sensor data and the data from the autonomy computing system to generate a message including the road condition and third-party data associated with the road condition and indicating the remedial action of the autonomous vehicle;
- and
- a signaling display attached to a trailer of the autonomous vehicle, the signaling display configured to display at least one of the sensor data or the message, wherein the signaling display is communicatively coupled to the processing system.
A processing system for signaling intent of an autonomous vehicle, the processing system comprising:
- a memory storing executable instructions representing a signaling display module on a trailer of an autonomous vehicle;
- a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the signaling display module, the processor, upon execution of the signaling display module, configured to:
- receive data from an autonomy computing system descriptive of a condition near the autonomous vehicle, the condition including a road condition of a road along which the autonomous vehicle is traveling, the road condition causing changes in navigation of vehicles traveling on the road;
- process the data to generate a message relating to the condition, the message including the road condition and third-party data associated with the road condition, wherein the message indicates a remedial action of the autonomous vehicle in response to the condition;
- transmit the message to a signaling display on the trailer prior to executing the remedial action of the autonomous vehicle;
- and
- cause, the signaling display, to display the message.
A method of signaling intent of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving data descriptive of a condition near the autonomous vehicle connected to a trailer, the condition including a road condition of a road along which the autonomous vehicle is traveling, the road condition causing changes in navigation of vehicles traveling on the road;
- receiving an indication from an autonomy computing system of a remedial action of the autonomous vehicle in response to the condition;
- generating, based on the indication, a message including the road condition and third-party data associated with the road condition and indicating the remedial action of the autonomous vehicle to the condition;
- transmitting the message to a signaling display on the trailer of the autonomous vehicle for display on the signaling display;
- causing, the signaling display, to display the message;
- and
- initiating the remedial action by the autonomous vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.