Distributed computing among vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162357-B2
Application number	US-201715459334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2017
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for collaboratively determining an object. The method includes receiving sensor data indicating an object at a first vehicle of a group of vehicles communicating with each other, transmitting a first request including the sensor data and specifying a first task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a second vehicle of the group of vehicles, and transmitting a second request specifying a second task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a third vehicle of the group of vehicle. The first task is performed by the second vehicle to produce first intermediate data, and the second task is performed by the third vehicle based on the intermediate data produced by the second vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving sensor data indicating an object at a first vehicle of a group of vehicles communicating with each other;
when the first vehicle has insufficient computation resources to determine the object, the computation resources of the first vehicle are unavailable, or the first vehicle does not trust a determination of the object made by the computation resources of the first vehicle, transmitting a first request including the sensor data and specifying a first task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a second vehicle of the group of vehicles, the first task being performed by the second vehicle to produce first intermediate data; and
transmitting a second request specifying a second task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a third vehicle of the group, the second task being performed by the third vehicle based on the first intermediate data produced by the second vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a conclusion of determining the object from the third vehicle performing the second task to reach the conclusion of determining the object.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating vehicle profiles at the first vehicle corresponding to other members of the group of vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting vehicles for respective tasks for determining the object.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting vehicles for respective tasks for determining the object include:
selecting a vehicle having the most computation resources in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting vehicles for respective tasks for determining the object include:
selecting a vehicle whose communication channel to the first vehicle has the least delay in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting vehicles for respective tasks for determining the object include:
selecting a vehicle of the same make as the first vehicle in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

8. An autonomous driving system, comprising circuitry configured to:
receive sensor data indicating an object at a first vehicle of a group of vehicles communicating with each other;
when the first vehicle has insufficient computation resources to determine the object, the computation resources of the first vehicle are unavailable, or the first vehicle does not trust a determination of the object made by the computation resources of the first vehicle, transmit a first request including the sensor data and specifying a first task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a second vehicle of the group of vehicles, the first task being performed by the second vehicle to produce first intermediate data; and
transmit a second request specifying a second task for determining the object from the first vehicle to a third vehicle of the group, the second task being performed by the third vehicle based on the first intermediate data produced by the second vehicle.

9. The autonomous driving system of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive a conclusion of determining the object from the third vehicle performing the second task to reach the conclusion of determining the object.

10. The autonomous driving system of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to create vehicle profiles at the first vehicle corresponding to other members of the group of vehicles.

11. The autonomous driving system of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to select vehicles for respective tasks for determining the object.

12. The autonomous driving system of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to select a vehicle having the most computation resources in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

13. The autonomous driving system of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to select a vehicle whose communication channel to the first vehicle has the least delay in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

14. The autonomous driving system of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to select a vehicle of the same make as the first vehicle in a list of vehicles capable of performing a task to perform the task.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Michalakis Nikolaos
• Mason Julian M

Classifications

• G08G1/096791 Primary

  where the origin of the information is another vehicle · CPC title

• G05D1/0276

  using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058) · CPC title

• G05D1/0214 Primary

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title

• G08G1/162

  event-triggered · CPC title

• G08G1/096725

  where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control · CPC title