Automated vehicle control strategy for pedestrian crowds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11087626-B2
Application number	US-201916532318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	May 10, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A system for operating an automated vehicle in a crowd of pedestrians includes an object-detector, optionally, a signal detector, and a controller. The object-detector detects pedestrians proximate to a host-vehicle. The signal-detector detects a signal-state displayed by a traffic-signal that displays a stop-state that indicates when the host-vehicle should stop so the pedestrians can cross in front of the host-vehicle, and displays a go-state that indicates when the pedestrians should stop passing in front of the host-vehicle so that the host-vehicle can go forward. The controller is in control of movement of the host-vehicle and in communication with the object-detector and the signal-detector. The controller operates the host-vehicle to stop the host-vehicle when the stop-state is displayed, and operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward after a wait-interval after the traffic-signal changes to the go-state when the pedestrians fail to stop passing in front of the host-vehicle.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for operating an automated vehicle in a crowd of pedestrians, said system comprising:
an object-detector that detects gaps in pedestrians proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein a gap is an opportunity to move through the pedestrians; and
a controller in control of movement of the host-vehicle and in communication with the object-detector, said controller operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward after a wait-interval when the pedestrians continue to pass in front of the host-vehicle, and wait for a gap in the pedestrians in response to the gap approaching the host vehicle after the wait-interval.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a warning-device detectable by the pedestrians, said warning-device activated when the controller operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the warning-device is an acoustic-transducer that emits an audible beep when activated.

4. The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the warning-device is a light-source that emits a flashing-light when activated.

5. A system for operating an automated vehicle in a crowd of pedestrians, said system comprising:
an object-detector that detects gaps in pedestrians proximate to a host-vehicle, wherein a gap is an opportunity to move through the pedestrians;
a signal-detector that detects a signal-state displayed by a traffic-signal, wherein the traffic-signal displays a go-state that indicates when the pedestrians should stop passing in front of the host-vehicle so that the host-vehicle can go forward on a path that is free from pedestrians; and
a controller in control of movement of the host-vehicle and in communication with the object-detector and the signal-detector, said controller operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward after a wait-interval after the traffic-signal changes to the go-state when the pedestrians fail to stop passing in front of the host-vehicle and wait for a gap in the pedestrians in response to the gap approaching the host-vehicle after the wait-interval.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the system includes a warning-device detectable by the pedestrians, said warning-device activated when the controller operates the host-vehicle to creep-forward.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the warning-device is an acoustic-transducer that emits an audible beep when activated.

8. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the warning-device is a light-source that emits a flashing-light when activated.

Assignees

• Motional Ad Llc

Inventors

• Wei Junqing
• Xu Wenda
• Lee Jong Ho

Classifications

• B60Q1/525

  automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data · CPC title

• G06V20/58 Primary

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• G06V40/103

  Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition · CPC title

• G06V20/584

  of vehicle lights or traffic lights · CPC title