Door actuator adjustment for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10487564-B2
Application number	US-201715585898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 3, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for controlling an actuator for a door of an autonomous vehicle comprises obtaining data pertaining to a current ride of an autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous vehicle; identifying, via a processor using the data, whether one or more circumstances are present that would require an adjustment of a baseline instruction for an automatic opening of the door by the autonomous vehicle via the actuator based on instructions provided to the actuator by the processor; determining an adjustment of the baseline instruction when one or more of the circumstances are present; receiving a request to open the door; and, upon receiving the request: providing the baseline instruction for the actuator to open the door, when none of the circumstances are present; and providing an alternate instruction for the actuator, based on the adjustment, when one or more of the circumstances are present.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an actuator for a door of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining, via one or more sensors, data pertaining to a current ride of the autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous vehicle;
identifying, via a processor using the data, whether one or more circumstances are present that would require an adjustment of a baseline instruction for an automatic opening of the door by the autonomous vehicle via the actuator;
determining, via the processor, the adjustment of the baseline instruction when one or more of the circumstances are present;
receiving, via the processor, a request to open the door; and
upon receiving the request:
providing, via the processor, the baseline instruction for the actuator to open the door, when none of the circumstances are present; and
providing, via the processor, an alternate instruction for the actuator, based on the adjustment, when one or more of the circumstances are present.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in whether the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in a rate of speed in which the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in a distance to which the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtaining of the data comprises obtaining data as to a geographic location in which the autonomous vehicle is travelling; and
the determining of the adjustment comprises determining the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the geographic location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtaining of the data comprises obtaining data as to a status of the current ride for the autonomous vehicle; and
the determining of the adjustment comprises determining the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the status of the current ride.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtaining of the data comprises obtaining data as to one or more objects detected in proximity to the autonomous vehicle; and
the determining of the adjustment comprises determining the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the one or more detected objects.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtaining of the data comprises obtaining data as to an accessibility characteristic of an occupant of the autonomous vehicle; and
the determining of the adjustment comprises determining the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the accessibility characteristic of the occupant.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtaining of the data comprises obtaining data as to detected motion inside the autonomous vehicle; and
the determining of the adjustment comprises determining the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the detected motion inside the autonomous vehicle.

10. A system for controlling an actuator for a door of an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more sensors configured to:
generate data pertaining to a current ride of the autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous vehicle; and
receive a request to open the door; and

a processor coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to:
identify whether one or more circumstances are present that would require an adjustment of a baseline instruction for an automatic opening of the door by the autonomous vehicle via the actuator based on instructions provided to the actuator by the processor; and
determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction when one or more of the circumstances are present; and
upon receiving the request:
provide the baseline instruction for the actuator to open the door, when none of the circumstances are present; and
provide an alternate instruction for the actuator, based on the adjustment, when one or more of the circumstances are present.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in whether the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in a rate of speed in which the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment comprises a change in a distance to which the door is automatically opened by the autonomous vehicle upon receiving the request.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to obtain data as to a geographic location in which the autonomous vehicle is travelling; and
the processor is configured to determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the geographic location.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to generate data as to a status of the current ride for the autonomous vehicle; and
the processor is configured to determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the status of the current ride.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to generate data as to one or more objects detected in proximity to the autonomous vehicle; and
the processor is configured to determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the one or more detected objects.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to generate data as to an accessibility characteristic of an occupant of the autonomous vehicle; and
the processor is configured to determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the accessibility characteristic of the occupant.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the one or more sensors are configured to generate data as to detected motion inside the autonomous vehicle; and
the processor is configured to determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction based on the detected motion inside the autonomous vehicle.

19. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
a door;
an actuator configured to open the door;
one or more sensors configured to generate data pertaining to a current ride of the autonomous vehicle during operation of the autonomous vehicle; and
a processor coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to:
identify whether one or more circumstances are present that would require an adjustment of a baseline instruction for an automatic opening of the door by the autonomous vehicle via the actuator based on instructions provided to the actuator by the processor;
determine the adjustment of the baseline instruction when one or more of the circumstances are present;
receive a request to open the door; and
upon receiving the request:
provide the baseline instruction for the actuator to open the door, when none of the circumstances are present; and
provide an alternate instruction for the actuator, based on the adjustment, when one or more of the circumstances are present.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 19 , further comprising:
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store the baseline instruction and the alternate instruction.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Rust Ian

Classifications

• E05F15/73 Primary

  responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects · CPC title

• B60R25/2018

  Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking · CPC title

• B60R2325/207

  Satellites · CPC title

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title

• B60R25/01 Primary

  operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens · CPC title