Automated vehicle operating system with driving-rule modification based on observation of another vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067984-B2
Application number	US-201716099169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A driving-rule system ( 10 ) suitable to operate an automated includes a vehicle-detector ( 16 ) and a controller ( 20 ). The vehicle-detector ( 16 ) is suitable for use on a host-vehicle ( 12 ). The vehicle-detector ( 16 ) is used to detect movement of an other-vehicle ( 14 ) proximate to the host-vehicle ( 12 ). The controller ( 20 ) is in communication with the vehicle-detector ( 16 ). The controller ( 20 ) is configured to operate the host-vehicle ( 12 ) in accordance with a driving-rule ( 22 ), detect an observed-deviation ( 24 ) of the driving-rule ( 22 ) by the other-vehicle ( 14 ), and modify the driving-rule ( 22 ) based on the observed-deviation ( 24 ).

First claim

We claim:

1. A driving-rule system to operate a host vehicle, wherein the system comprises:
a vehicle-detector for use on the host vehicle, wherein the vehicle-detector is to detect movement of another vehicle that is proximate to the host vehicle; and
a controller that is communicatively coupled with the vehicle-detector, wherein the controller is to:
identify an object;
identify, based on the object, a driving-rule related to operation of the host vehicle, wherein the driving-rule relates to a first action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object;
identify, based on application of the driving-rule to the movement of the other vehicle, that the other vehicle has deviated from the driving-rule;
identify, based on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving-rule, that the driving-rule is to be updated;
update the driving-rule, wherein the update includes a change to the driving-rule that is based at least in part on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving-rule such that the driving-rule relates to a second action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object, and wherein the first action and second action are different from one another; and
autonomously operate the host vehicle to take the second action with respect to the object in accordance with the updated driving-rule.

2. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a following-distance between the host vehicle and a vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle.

3. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a side of a vehicle on which the host-vehicle is allowed to pass.

4. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the driving-rule relates to an acceleration rate of the host vehicle.

5. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a waiting time at a stop sign or a yield sign.

6. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a steering-accuracy of the host vehicle.

7. The driving-rule system of claim 1 , wherein the host vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by a controller of an autonomous host vehicle, are to cause the controller to:
identify an object;
identify, based on the object, a driving-rule related to operation of the host vehicle,

wherein the driving-rule relates to a first action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object;
identify, based on application of the driving-rule to movement of another vehicle, that the other vehicle has deviated from the driving-rule;
identify, based on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving-rule, that the driving-rule is to be updated;
update the driving-rule, wherein the update includes a change to the driving-rule that is based at least in part on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving-rule such that the driving-rule relates to a second action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object, and wherein the first action and second action are different from one another; and
operate the autonomous host vehicle to take the second action with respect to the object in accordance with the updated driving-rule.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a following-distance between the host vehicle and a vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a side of a vehicle on which the host vehicle is allowed to pass.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the driving-rule relates to an acceleration rate of the host vehicle.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a waiting time at a stop sign or a yield sign.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a steering-accuracy of the host vehicle.

14. A host vehicle comprising:
a vehicle-detector that is to detect movement of another vehicle; and
a controller that is communicatively coupled with the vehicle-detector, wherein the controller is to:
identify an object;
identify, based on the object, a driving-rule related to operation of the host vehicle, wherein the driving-rule relates to a first action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object;
identify, based on application of the driving-rule to the movement of the other vehicle, that the other vehicle has deviated from the driving-rule;
identify, based on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving-rule, that the driving rule is to be updated;
update the driving-rule, wherein the update includes a change to the driving-rule that is based at least in part on the deviation of the other vehicle from the driving rule such that the driving-rule relates to a second action that the host vehicle is to take with respect to the object, and wherein the first action and second action are different from one another; and
operate the host vehicle to take the second action with respect to the object in accordance with the updated driving-rule.

15. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a following-distance between the host vehicle and a vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle.

16. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a side of a vehicle on which the host vehicle is allowed to pass.

17. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the driving-rule relates to an acceleration rate of the host vehicle.

18. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a waiting time at a stop sign or a yield sign.

19. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the driving-rule relates to a steering accuracy of the host-vehicle.

20. The host vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the host vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

Assignees

• Motional Ad Llc

Inventors

• Wei Junqing
• Xu Wenda
• Snider Jarrod M
• Lee Jong Ho

Classifications

• B60W30/16 Primary

  Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2554/802

  Longitudinal distance · CPC title

• B60W40/04 Primary

  Traffic conditions · CPC title

• B60Y2300/18166

  Overtaking, changing lanes · CPC title

• G05D1/0088 Primary

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title