Autonomous vehicle notification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10607491-B2
Application number	US-201816211131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2018
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a computing device of a first vehicle, a message, from a second vehicle, to be presented to an entity within proximity of the first vehicle. The method includes determining, by the computing device of the first vehicle, a location of the entity relative to the first vehicle. The method includes selecting, by the computing device of the first vehicle, a notification device of the first vehicle based on the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle. The method includes causing, by the computing device of the first vehicle, the message from the second vehicle to be presented to the entity by the selected notification device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device of a first vehicle, a message from a second vehicle to be presented to an entity within proximity of the first vehicle;
determining, by the computing device of the first vehicle, a location of the entity relative to the first vehicle;
selecting, by the computing device of the first vehicle, a notification device of the first vehicle based on the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle; and
causing, by the computing device of the first vehicle, the message from the second vehicle to be presented to the entity by the selected notification device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device of the first vehicle:
determining that a third vehicle is closer in proximity to the entity than the first vehicle; and
causing the message from the second vehicle to be sent to the third vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device of the first vehicle:
determining an entity type of the entity; and
modifying the message from the second vehicle based on the entity type of the entity prior to causing the message to be presented to the entity.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the entity type of the entity comprises a pedestrian, a vehicle, or a cyclist.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device of the first vehicle:
determining one or more characteristics of the entity;
determining a movement context for the entity based on one or more of the characteristics; and
modifying the message from the second vehicle based on the determined movement context prior to causing the message to be presented to the entity.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the movement context comprises a predicted movement.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, by the computing device of the first vehicle:
determining a change in the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle;
determining a change in the message based on the change in the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle;
selecting a second notification device of the first vehicle based on the change in the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle; and
causing the change in the message to be presented to the entity by the selected second notification device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device of the first vehicle, receiving a location of the entity from the second vehicle; and
wherein the notification device of the first vehicle is selected based further on the location of the entity received from the second vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message from the second vehicle comprises an indication that the second vehicle has been matched to the entity in response to a ride request received by a ride matching system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device of the first vehicle receives the message through communication with a computing device of the second vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device of the first vehicle receives the message through communication with a remote server.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media of a first vehicle, wherein the media comprise software that is operable when executed to:
receive a message from a second vehicle to be presented to an entity within a proximity of the first vehicle;
determine a location of the entity relative to the first vehicle;
select a notification device of the first vehicle based on the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle; and
cause the message from the second vehicle to be presented to the entity by the selected notification device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
determine that a third vehicle is closer in proximity to the entity than the first vehicle; and
cause the message from the second vehicle to be sent to the third vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
determine an entity type of the entity; and
modify the message from the second vehicle based on the entity type of the entity prior to causing the message to be presented to the entity.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein the entity type of the entity comprises a pedestrian, a vehicle, or a cyclist.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
determine one or more characteristics of the entity;
determine a movement context for the entity based on one or more of the characteristics; and
modify the message from the second vehicle based on the determined movement context prior to causing the message to be presented to the entity.

17. A system comprising:
one or more processors of a first vehicle; and
one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of the first vehicle coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising software operable when executed by one or more of the processors to:
receive a message from a second vehicle to be presented to an entity within proximity of the first vehicle;
determine a location of the entity relative to the first vehicle;
select a notification device of the first vehicle based on the location of the entity relative to the first vehicle; and
cause the message from the second vehicle to be presented to the entity by the selected notification device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the software is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:
determine that a third vehicle is closer in proximity to the entity than the first vehicle; and
cause the message from the second vehicle to be sent to the third vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the software is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:
determine an entity type of the entity; and
modify the message from the second vehicle based on the entity type of the entity prior to causing the message to be presented to the entity.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the type of the entity comprises a pedestrian, a vehicle, or a cyclist.

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

• B60Q1/268

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

• G08G1/005

  including pedestrian guidance indicator · CPC title

• B60Q1/482

  for locating vehicle in parking lot · CPC title

• B60Q1/346

  with automatic actuation · CPC title