Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles that provide a vehicle service to users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029703-B2
Application number	US-201916504034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2019
Priority date	May 24, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining autonomous vehicle user boarding times are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer implemented method includes obtaining location data associated with a user device associated with a user. The method includes determining an estimated time until the user starts boarding the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device. The method includes obtaining data associated with the user. The method includes determining an estimated time of boarding duration for the user based at least in part on the data associated with the user. The method includes determining an estimated time until the user completes boarding of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the estimated time until the user starts boarding the autonomous vehicle and the estimated time of boarding duration for the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining, by a computing system that comprises one or more computing devices onboard an autonomous vehicle, data indicative of a location associated a user that has requested a vehicle service, wherein the autonomous vehicle has been assigned to provide the user with the vehicle service;
controlling, by the computing system, the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location associated with the user;
obtaining, by the computing system, location data associated with a user device of the user;
determining, by the computing system, a heading of the user based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device;
determining, by the computing system, an estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device and the heading of the user;
determining, by the computing system, an unlock time at which to unlock a vehicle door of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle; and
issuing, by the computing system and based at least in part on the unlock time, a control signal to unlock the vehicle door.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the computing system, an identifier associated with the user device of the user; and
scanning, by the computing system, for the user device of the user based at least in part on the identifier as the autonomous vehicle approaches the location associated with the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle comprises:
determining, by the computing system, a distance between the user and the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device,
wherein the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on the distance between the user and the autonomous vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location associated with the user is a pick-up location, and wherein the vehicle service is a transportation service for which the autonomous vehicle is to transport the user from the pick-up location to a destination location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location associated with the user is a pick-up location, and wherein the vehicle service is a delivery service for which the autonomous vehicle is to transport an item from the pick-up location to a destination location.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, by the computing system, the autonomous vehicle to implement one or more vehicle settings associated with the user based at least in part on the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle door is unlocked in response to the one or more control signals.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the computing system, an altitude of the user based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device,
wherein the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on the altitude of the user.

9. A computing system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining data indicative of a location associated a user;
controlling an autonomous vehicle to travel to the location associated with the user, the autonomous vehicle being assigned to provide the user with a vehicle service;
obtaining location data associated with a user device of the user;
determining a heading of the user based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device;
determining an estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device and the heading of the user;
determining an unlock time at which to unlock a vehicle door of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle; and
issuing, based at least in part on the unlock time, a control signal to unlock the vehicle door.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , further comprising:
obtaining an identifier associated with the user device of the user, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to scan for the user device based at least in part on the identifier as the autonomous vehicle approaches the location associated with the user.

11. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein determining the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle comprises:
determining a distance between the user and the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device,
wherein the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on the distance between the user and the autonomous vehicle.

12. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the location associated with the user is a pick-up location, and wherein the vehicle service comprises at least one of a transportation service for which the autonomous vehicle is to transport the user from the pick-up location to a destination location or a delivery service for which the autonomous vehicle is to transport an item from the pick-up location to the destination location.

13. The computing system of claim 9 , further comprising:
causing, by the computing system, the autonomous vehicle to implement one or more vehicle settings associated with the user based at least in part on the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle.

14. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle door is unlocked in response to the one or more control signals.

15. The computing system of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining an altitude of the user based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device, wherein the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle is based at least in part on the altitude of the user.

16. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the autonomous vehicle to perform operations, the operations comprising:
obtaining data indicative of a location associated a user, wherein the autonomous vehicle has been assigned to provide the user with a vehicle service;
controlling the autonomous vehicle to travel to the location associated with the user;
obtaining location data associated with a user device of the user;
determining a heading of the user based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device;
determining an estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the location data associated with the user device and the heading of the user;
determining an unlock time at which to unlock a vehicle door of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the estimated time at which the user will arrive at the autonomous vehi

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Donnelly Richard Brian
• Aitken Michael

Classifications

• G01C21/3492 Primary

  employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical (traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G08G1/147

  where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre · CPC title

• G08G1/096725

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

• G08G1/096775

  where the origin of the information is a central station · CPC title

• G08G1/0129

  for creating historical data or processing based on historical data · CPC title