Guidance of autonomous vehicles in destination vicinities using intent signals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11226625-B2
Application number	US-201916530796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 12, 2016
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

Signals usable to determine a path of a vehicle towards a particular stopping point in a vicinity of a destination are detected from an individual authorized to provide guidance with respect to movements of the vehicle. Based at least in part on the signals and a data set pertaining to the external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the path are identified. A directive is transmitted to a motion control subsystem of the vehicle to initiate one of the vehicular movements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
performing, at one or more computing devices:
obtaining a first indication of a destination of a vehicle;
receiving user input for an intended path for navigating the vehicle within a vicinity of the destination, wherein the intended path is usable to determine a navigation path within the vicinity of the destination;
identifying, based at least in part on (a) the intended path and (b) a data set including information indicating an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the navigation path; and
transmitting a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the vicinity comprises a plurality of vehicle stopping points, and wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine the navigation path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of the plurality of vehicle stopping points.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the vicinity comprises a parking area, wherein individual ones of the plurality of vehicle stopping points comprise respective parking spaces within the parking area, and wherein the particular vehicle stopping point comprises a particular parking space within the parking area.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the parking area is associated with a building having a plurality of entrances, and wherein the particular parking space is near a particular entrance of the plurality of entrances.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the particular parking space is near an exit of the parking area.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said receiving the user input comprises detecting one or more displacements of an icon on a graphical user interface.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the graphical user interface defines a grid representing a plurality of discrete path segments which can be traversed within the vicinity, and wherein the one or more displacements include a first displacement corresponding to a particular discrete path segment of the plurality of path segments.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising performing, by the one or more computing devices:
populating one or more elements of a multi-option menu with respective options, wherein a particular option of the respective options indicates an intended task; and
determining that the particular option has been selected from the multi-option menu.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising performing, by the one or more computing devices:
detecting, using the one or more sensors, one or more additional signals indicative of a command to adjust a position of the vehicle, wherein the command is issued by an individual while the individual is outside the vehicle; and
transmitting another directive to the one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate a different vehicular movement in response to the command.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the command is issued by the individual using a portable computing device.

11. A system, comprising:
a navigation manager implemented at least in part at a computing device;
wherein the navigation manager is configured to:
receive user input for an intended path for navigating a vehicle within a vicinity of a destination, wherein the intended path is usable to determine a navigation path within the vicinity of the destination;
identify, based at least in part on (a) the intended path and (b) a data set including information indicating an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the navigation path; and
transmit a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the vicinity comprises a plurality of vehicle stopping points, and wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine the navigation path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of the plurality of vehicle stopping points.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the vicinity comprises a parking area, wherein individual ones of the plurality of vehicle stopping points comprise respective parking spaces within the parking area, and wherein the particular vehicle stopping point comprises a particular parking space within the parking area.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the navigation manager is configured to:
detect, using one or more sensor devices, one or more additional signals indicative of a command to adjust a position of the vehicle, wherein the command is issued by an individual while the individual is outside the vehicle; and
transmit another directive to the one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate a different vehicular movement in response to the command.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the command is issued by the individual using a portable computing device.

16. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions that when executed on one or more processors:
receive user input for an intended path for navigating a vehicle within a vicinity of a destination, wherein the intended path is usable to determine a navigation path within the vicinity of the destination;
identify, based at least in part on (a) the intended path and (b) a data set including information indicating an external environment of the vehicle, one or more vehicular movements to be implemented to proceed along the navigation path; and
transmit a first directive to one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate at least a first vehicular movement of the one or more vehicular movements.

17. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16 , wherein the vicinity comprises a plurality of vehicle stopping points, and wherein the one or more signals are usable to determine the navigation path towards a particular vehicle stopping point of the plurality of vehicle stopping points.

18. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 17 , wherein the vicinity comprises a parking area, wherein individual ones of the plurality of vehicle stopping points comprise respective parking spaces within the parking area, and wherein the particular vehicle stopping point comprises a particular parking space within the parking area.

19. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed on the one or more processors:
detect, using one or more sensor devices, one or more additional signals indicative of a command to adjust a position of the vehicle, wherein the command is issued by an individual while the individual is outside the vehicle; and
transmit another directive to the one or more motion control subsystems of the vehicle to initiate a different vehicular movement in response to the command.

20. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium storing program instructions as recited in claim 19 , wherein the command is issued by the individual using a portable computing device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Herz Scott M
• Cohen Sawyer I
• Gooch Samuel B
• Kienzle Wolf
• Bark Karlin Y
• Wanderman Jack J

Classifications

• G01C21/3685

  the POI's being parking facilities · CPC title

• G01C21/3664

  Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures · CPC title

• G01C21/362

  received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application · CPC title

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title

• B60W30/06 Primary

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title