Autonomous vehicle operation at multi-stop intersections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005464-B2
Application number	US-201514837351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2015
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle can operate with respect to other vehicles at a multi-stop intersection. One or more other objects (e.g., vehicles) approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle can be detected. An arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection can be determined. In response to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle can be determined. As an example, the driving maneuver can include stopping short of an originally intended stopping point and/or decelerating so that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle is not substantially the same as the other objects at the multi-stop intersection. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the determined driving maneuver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle with respect to other vehicles at a multi-stop intersection, the method comprising:
detecting one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle;
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, determining a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, the driving maneuver including stopping short of an originally intended stopping point in a current travel lane of the autonomous vehicle such that the detected one or more other objects arrive at the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver, whereby the autonomous vehicles indicates its intention to allow the one or more other objects to proceed through the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection includes predicting the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and at least one of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver is performed automatically.

4. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle with respect to other vehicles at a multi-stop intersection, the method comprising:
detecting one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle;
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, determining a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, the driving maneuver including decelerating so that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle is later than the determined arrival time of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver, whereby the autonomous vehicles indicates its intention to allow the one or more other objects to proceed through the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the driving maneuver includes decelerating so that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle is later than the determined arrival time of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection.

6. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle with respect to other vehicles at a multi-stop intersection, the method comprising:
detecting one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle;
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, determining a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, the driving maneuver including remaining stopped at the multi-stop intersection for a predetermined period of time; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver, whereby the autonomous vehicles indicates its intention to allow the one or more other objects to proceed through the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, if at least one of the detected one or more other objects does not move within the predetermined period of time, the driving maneuver further includes proceeding through the multi-stop intersection.

8. A system for an autonomous vehicle a multi-stop intersection comprising:
a sensor system configured to detect one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle; and
a processor operatively connected to the sensor system, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, determining a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, the driving maneuver including stopping short of an originally intended stopping point in a current travel lane of the autonomous vehicle such that the detected one or more other objects arrive at the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver whereby the autonomous vehicles indicates its intention to allow the one or more other objects to proceed through the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein determining the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection includes predicting the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and at least one of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection.

10. A system for an autonomous vehicle a multi-stop intersection comprising:
a sensor system configured to detect one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle; and
a processor operatively connected to the sensor system, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive to determining that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection is substantially the same, determining a driving maneuver for the autonomous vehicle, the driving maneuver including decelerating so that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle is later than the determined arrival time of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection; and
causing the autonomous vehicle to implement the determined driving maneuver whereby the autonomous vehicles indicates its intention to allow the one or more other objects to proceed through the multi-stop intersection before the autonomous vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the driving maneuver includes decelerating so that the arrival time of the autonomous vehicle is later than the determined arrival time of the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection.

12. A system for an autonomous vehicle a multi-stop intersection comprising:
a sensor system configured to detect one or more other objects approaching the multi-stop intersection from a different direction than the autonomous vehicle; and
a processor operatively connected to the sensor system, the processor being programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
determining an arrival time of the autonomous vehicle and the detected one or more other objects at the multi-stop intersection;
responsive t

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Toyoda Heishiro
• Domeyer Joshua

Classifications

• B60W30/18154 Primary

  Approaching an intersection · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B60W10/04

  including control of propulsion units · CPC title

• G08G1/0112

  from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD] · CPC title

• B60W2720/103

  Speed profile · CPC title