Selecting a driving trajectory for a vehicle operating in an autonomous mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816983-B2
Application number	US-201815939559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2012
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for customizing driving operations of a vehicle based on occupant(s) of the vehicle. An autonomous vehicle that includes a passenger compartment can determine a presence of an occupant of the passenger compartment. The autonomous vehicle can determine a location of the occupant within the passenger compartment. Additional information about the occupant can be determined. A driving operation can be selected from among a plurality of driving operations based on the location and additional information about the occupant. The selected driving operation can be performed, perhaps by the autonomous vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a computing system of a vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a location of an occupant within the passenger compartment, wherein the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;
identifying a plurality of possible trajectories for the vehicle to traverse an intersection, wherein the possible trajectories comprise at least a first trajectory and a second trajectory;
determining, based on the first trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a first potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to potential collision between the vehicle and an object while traversing the intersection using the first trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the potential collision;
determining, based on the second trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a second potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to respective potential collision between the vehicle and the object while traversing the intersection using the second trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the respective potential collision; and
selecting, by the computing system, a trajectory from the first trajectory and the second trajectory based on identifying a lower potential collision risk of the first potential collision risk and the second potential collision risk; and
controlling, by the computing system, the vehicle in the autonomous mode to traverse the intersection following the selected trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory specify different directions of travel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different directions of travel comprise a sharp turn or a wide turn through the intersection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory specify different speeds of travel through the intersection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the trajectory comprises:
determining that the occupant is in a driver's seat of the vehicle; and
determining that a right turn at the intersection is to be performed; and
selecting a path for the right turn through the intersection that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first trajectory for the right turn comprises a sharp turn path for the right turn, and wherein the second trajectory comprises a wide turn path for the right turn.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the vehicle to traverse the intersection following the selected trajectory moves a location of a potential collision farther from the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the occupant is based on one or more images captured by an image-capture device disposed within the passenger compartment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the occupant is based on a weight sensor indicating presence of the occupant at a particular location within the passenger compartment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the occupant is based on determining a door from which the occupant entered the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining presence of the occupant of the passenger compartment, wherein determining the presence of the occupant is based on detecting an electronic device associated with the occupant.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a computer system controlling a vehicle in an autonomous mode of operation, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
determining, a location of an occupant within a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
identifying a plurality of possible trajectories for the vehicle to traverse an intersection, wherein the possible trajectories comprise at least a first trajectory and a second trajectory;
determining, based on the first trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a first potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to potential collision between the vehicle and an object while traversing the intersection using the first trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the potential collision;
determining, based on the second trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a second potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to respective potential collision between the vehicle and the object while traversing the intersection using the second trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the respective potential collision;
selecting a trajectory from the first trajectory and the second trajectory based on identifying a lower potential collision risk of the first potential collision risk and the second potential collision risk; and
controlling the vehicle to traverse the intersection following the selected trajectory.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein selecting the trajectory comprises:
determining that the occupant is in a driver's seat of the vehicle; and
determining that a right turn at the intersection is to be performed; and
selecting a path for the right turn through the intersection that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein selecting the path that enhances safety of the occupant in the driver's seat comprises:
determining that a right turn at the intersection enhances safety of the occupant, wherein the first trajectory for the right turn comprises a sharp turn path for the right turn and the second trajectory comprises a wide turn path for the right turn, and wherein selecting the trajectory comprises determining whether to make the sharp turn path or the wide turn path to enhance safety of the occupant.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein controlling the vehicle to traverse the intersection following the selected trajectory moves a location of a potential collision farther from the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment.

16. A vehicle operating in an autonomous mode of operation, the vehicle comprising:
a passenger compartment;
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining, a location of an occupant within a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
identifying a plurality of possible trajectories for the vehicle to traverse an intersection, wherein the possible trajectories comprise at least a first trajectory and a second trajectory;
determining, based on the first trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger compartment, a first potential collision risk that: (a) corresponds to potential collision between the vehicle and an object while traversing the intersection using the first trajectory, and (b) indicates a risk of harm to the occupant in the passenger compartment that is associated with the potential collision;
determining, based on the second trajectory and the location of the occupant within the passenger comp

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Cullinane Brian
• Hobbs Nicholas Kenneth

Classifications

• B60W30/095 Primary

  Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision · CPC title

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W30/0956

  the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters · CPC title

• G01S2013/93185

  Controlling the brakes · CPC title