Detecting that an autonomous vehicle is in a stuck condition
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsJoshua Seth Herbach, Nathaniel Fairfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autonomous vehicle may determine that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that the autonomous vehicle has not detected a traffic control signal. The autonomous vehicle may identify a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed. The autonomous vehicle may start a timer T that is based on the cause C. After the timer T expires, the autonomous vehicle may determine whether the cause C remains as a cause for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed. After determining that the cause C remains the cause for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, the autonomous vehicle may send an assistance signal indicating a stuck condition.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- determining, by an autonomous vehicle, that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that the autonomous vehicle has not detected a traffic control signal;
- identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;
- after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- and
- after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending, by the autonomous vehicle, an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.
An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- data storage including program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the autonomous vehicle to perform functions comprising:
- determining that a speed of the autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that a traffic control signal has not been detected;
- identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;
- after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- and
- after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform functions comprising:
- determining that a speed of an autonomous vehicle is less than or equal to a threshold speed, and that a traffic control signal has not been detected;
- identifying a cause C for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- starting a timer T, wherein the timer T is based on the cause C;
- after the timer T expires, determining whether the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed;
- and
- after determining that the cause C remains for the speed to be less than or equal to the threshold speed, sending an assistance signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.