US 9,751,532 B2 · Controlling spacing of self-driving vehicles based on social network relationships

Abstract

A method and/or computer program product controls a physical spacing between self-driving vehicles (SDVs). One or more processors receive a social network node graph. The social network node graph describes a graphical distance between a first node on the social network node graph and a second node on the social network node graph. The first node represents a first passenger in a first SDV; the second node represents a second passenger in a second SDV; and the graphical distance between the first node and the second node describes a relationship level in a social network between the first passenger and the second passenger. An SDV on-board computer on at least one of the first SDV and the second SDV adjusts a physical spacing between the first SDV and the second SDV proportional to the graphical distance between the first node and the second node.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for controlling a physical spacing between self-driving vehicles (SDVs), the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a social network node graph, wherein the social network node graph describes a graphical distance between a first node on the social network node graph and a second node on the social network node graph, wherein the first node represents a first passenger in a first SDV, wherein the second node represents a second passenger in a second SDV, and wherein the graphical distance between the first node and the second node describes a relationship level in a social network between the first passenger and the second passenger;
and
adjusting, by an SDV on-board computer on at least one of the first SDV and the second SDV, a physical spacing between the first SDV and the second SDV proportional to the graphical distance between the first node and the second node.

A computer program product for controlling a physical spacing between self-driving vehicles (SDVs), the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a social network node graph, wherein the social network node graph describes a graphical distance between a first node on the social network node graph and a second node on the social network node graph, wherein the first node represents a first passenger in a first SDV, wherein the second node represents a second passenger in a second SDV, and wherein the graphical distance between the first node and the second node describes a relationship level in a social network between the first passenger and the second passenger;
and
adjusting, via an SDV on-board computer on at least one of the first SDV and the second SDV, a physical spacing between the first SDV and the second SDV proportional to the graphical distance between the first node and the second node.

A self-driving vehicle comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;
first program instructions to receive a social network node graph, wherein the social network node graph describes a graphical distance between a first node on the social network node graph and a second node on the social network node graph, wherein the self-driving vehicle is a first self-driving vehicle (SDV), wherein the first node represents a first passenger in a first SDV, wherein the second node represents a second passenger in a second SDV, and wherein the graphical distance between the first node and the second node describes a relationship level in a social network between the first passenger and the second passenger;
and
second program instructions to direct an SDV on-board computer on the first SDV to adjust a physical spacing between the first SDV and the second SDV proportional to the graphical distance between the first node and the second node;
and wherein the first and second program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Controlling spacing of self-driving vehicles based on social network relationships

Life of this patent

Controlling spacing of self-driving vehicles based on social network relationships

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20