Autonomous vehicle notification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10152892-B2
Application number	US-201815960360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2018
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes detecting, by a computing device of an autonomous vehicle, one of multiple entities within a proximity of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes determining a location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle, determining a type of the one of the entities, and determining a predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities based on the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle and further based on the type of the one of the entities. The predefined message is specific to the type of the one of the entities. The method includes causing the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a computing device of an autonomous vehicle, one of a plurality of entities within a proximity of the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, a location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, a type of the one of the entities;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, a predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities based on the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle and further based on the type of the one of the entities, wherein the predefined message is specific to the type of the one of the entities; and
causing, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the type of the one of the entities comprises, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle:
identifying the one of the entities; and
determining the type of the one of the entities based on the identity of the one of the entities.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method further comprises, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle:
determining one or more characteristics of the one of the entities; and
determining a movement context for the one of the entities based on one or more of the characteristics; and

the predefined message is determined based on the movement context of the one of the entities, in addition to the location of the one of the entities and the type of the one of the entities.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the movement context comprises a predicted movement.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the one of the entities comprises a pedestrian, a vehicle, or a cyclist.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle:
determining a change in the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle; and
causing the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the change in location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle:
determining a change in the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle; and
determining a change in the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities based on the change in the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle; and
causing the change in the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the change in location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification device comprises one or more of a portable dash-mounted display device, a portable communication device, a window projector, a translucent display, or a speaker.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method further comprises, determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, that the one of the entities is associated with a ride request received from a ride matching system; and
the predefined message comprises an indication that the autonomous vehicle has been matched to the one of the entities in response to the ride request.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the computing device of an autonomous vehicle, another one of the plurality of entities within the proximity of the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, a location of the other one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, a type of the other one of the entities;
determining, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, another predefined message to be presented to the other one of the entities based on the location of the other one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle and further based on the type of the other one of the entities, wherein the other predefined message is specific to the type of the other one of the entities; and
causing, by the computing device of the autonomous vehicle, the other predefined message to be presented to the other one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the location of the other one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media of an autonomous vehicle, wherein the media comprise software that is operable when executed to:
detect one of a plurality of entities within a proximity of the autonomous vehicle;
determine a location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle;
determine a type of the one of the entities;
determine a predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities based on the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle and further based on the type of the one of the entities, wherein the predefined message is specific to the type of the one of the entities; and
cause the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein, to determine the type of the one of the entities comprises, the software is operable to:
identify the one of the entities; and
determine the type of the one of the entities based on the identity of the one of the entities.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein:
the software is further operable to:
determine one or more characteristics of the one of the entities; and
determine a movement context for the one of the entities based on one or more of the characteristics; and

the predefined message is determined based on the movement context of the one of the entities, in addition to the location of the one of the entities and the type of the one of the entities.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the movement context comprises a predicted movement.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the type of the one of the entities comprises a pedestrian, a vehicle, or a cyclist.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the software is further operable to:
determine a change in the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle; and
cause the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities by a notification device of the autonomous vehicle associated with the change in location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the software is further operable to:
determine a change in the location of the one of the entities relative to the autonomous vehicle; and
determine a change in the predefined message to be presented to the one of the entities based on the change in the location of the one of

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Matthiesen Taggart
• Guo Jisi
• Brannstrom Sebastian Rolf Johan
• Garms Jess

Classifications

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• G08G1/005

  including pedestrian guidance indicator · CPC title

• B60Q1/482

  for locating vehicle in parking lot · CPC title

• B60Q1/268

  on windscreens or windows (B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208) · CPC title

• B60Q1/346

  with automatic actuation · CPC title