Using unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11145043-B2
Application number	US-201616342761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to inspect autonomous vehicles. An autonomous vehicle carries a UAV (or “drone”) in a protected area, for example, in a glove compartment, trunk, etc. Between rides, the UAV can be deployed to inspect the autonomous vehicle. Images from the UAV can be sent to other components for image analysis. When an inspection is completed, the UAV can return to the protected area. The UAV can inspect both the interior and exterior of an autonomous vehicle. When an inspection is passed, the autonomous vehicle can begin a new ride. When an inspection is failed, the autonomous vehicle can report for repairs or summon a tow vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method, the method comprising:
detecting termination of a fare-based ride given to one or more passengers;
determining that an autonomous vehicle is to be inspected in accordance with inspection rules;
releasing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from a protected area within the autonomous vehicle to inspect the autonomous vehicle;
receiving images of one or more of: interior vehicle components and exterior vehicle components of the autonomous vehicle from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) inspecting the autonomous vehicle;
forwarding the images for image analysis; and
receiving instructions instructing the autonomous vehicle how to proceed based on the image analysis of the images.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the protected area after the inspection is completed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving images from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises receiving images from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flies around the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving images from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises receiving images captured by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the autonomous vehicle drives by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving images from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises receiving images captured by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the autonomous vehicle drives over the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

6. An autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising:
one or more processors;
system memory coupled to one or more processors, the system memory storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors;
an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) stored in a protected area within the autonomous vehicle; and
the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to use the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to inspect the autonomous vehicle, including the following:
detect termination of a fare-based ride given to one or more passengers;
determine that the autonomous vehicle is to be inspected in accordance with inspection rules;
release the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the protected area to inspect the autonomous vehicle;
receive images of one or more of: interior vehicle components and exterior vehicle components of the autonomous vehicle from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) inspects the autonomous vehicle;
forward the images to other computing resources for image analysis;
receive instructions from the other computing resources instructing the autonomous vehicle how to proceed based on image analysis of the images; and
capture the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the protected area.

7. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising a charging station in the protected area for wirelessly charging the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to capture the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the protected area comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to anchor the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to the charging station.

8. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to determine that the autonomous vehicle is to be inspected in accordance with inspection rules comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to determine that the autonomous vehicle is to be inspected based on a service level associated with the autonomous vehicle.

9. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive images from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive images indicative of the cleanliness of the interior of the autonomous vehicle.

10. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive images from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive images of one or more exterior components of the autonomous vehicle, the one or more exterior components selected from among: tires, brake pads, turning signals, and head lights.

11. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to forward the images to other computing resources for image analysis comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to forward the images to a neural network.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions from the other computing resources comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions from a neural network.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions from the other computing resources comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions instructing the autonomous vehicle to return to a repair facility.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions from the other computing resources comprises the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to receive instructions instructing the autonomous vehicle to electronically request a tow vehicle.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to instruct the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to perform a remedial maintenance operation on the autonomous vehicle.

16. A method for use at an autonomous vehicle, the method for using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to inspect an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting termination of a fare-based ride given to one or more passengers;
determining that the autonomous vehicle is to be inspected in accordance with inspection rules;
releasing the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from a protected area within the autonomous vehicle to inspect the autonomous vehicle;
receiving images of one or more of: interior vehicle components and exterior vehicle components of the autonomous vehicle from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) inspects the autonomous vehicle;
forwarding the images to other computing resources for image analysis;
receiving instructions from the other computing resources instructing the autonomous vehicle how to proceed based on image analysis of the images; and
capturing the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the protected area.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving images from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprises receiving images from the U

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Myers Scott Vincent
• Crawford Mark
• Banvait Harpreetsingh
• Gurghian Alexandru Mihai
• Nagraj Rao Nikhil
• Walsh Alexandro
• Scaria Lisa

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N23/661

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• G06N3/0464

  Convolutional networks [CNN, ConvNet] · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title