Systems and methods for automatic sheltering in storms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11414101-B1
Application number	US-202017038001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for mitigating damage caused by hail storms to self-driving motor-vehicles. When a self-driving motor vehicle determines or learns that a hail storm or other severe weather event may be approaching, it may seek cover under a protective structure or some other location where it might not be as exposed to the severe weather event. Depending upon the availability of suitable shelters, the self-driving motor vehicle might, for example, obtain a list of such possible shelters and apply certain factors to develop a priority list as to which shelters to seek. The self-driving motor vehicle may then drive itself to the location and remain there at least for the duration of the hail storm or other event. In some cases, the self-driving motor vehicle may evaluate the adequacy of the protective structure or other location, and may decide to seek a better protective structure or location.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for mitigating damages caused by severe weather comprising:
a self-driving motor vehicle that comprises a self-driving system and a microprocessor;
the self-driving motor vehicle further comprising at least one of a video camera and a recording microphone;
wherein the self-driving motor vehicle is configured to drive itself to a potentially sheltered location upon learning of an arrival of severe weather;
wherein when the self-driving motor vehicle has arrived at the potentially sheltered location, the microprocessor is configured to analyze at least one of images captured by the camera and sounds recorded by the recording microphone and to determine whether the potentially sheltered location provides adequate shelter for the self-driving motor vehicle; and
wherein the microprocessor is configured to direct the self-driving system to drive the self-driving motor vehicle from the potentially sheltered location to a more protective shelter whenever the microprocessor determines that the potentially sheltered location provides inadequate shelter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the severe weather is hail.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video camera is pointing upwards from a roof of the self-driving motor vehicle to capture images of any shelter above the self-driving motor vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the recording microphone is positioned within a passenger compartment of the self-driving motor vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the recording microphone is mounted on the self-driving motor vehicle on an exterior surface of the self-driving motor vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine that hail is striking the self-driving motor vehicle by comparing sounds recorded by the recording microphone to previously recorded sounds.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the severe weather results in flooding, and wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine that the self-driving motor vehicle should drive itself to a more protective shelter whenever it determines that water is flowing towards the self-driving motor vehicle.

8. A method for mitigating damages from severe weather to self-driving motor vehicles comprising:
providing a self-driving motor vehicle equipped with a LIDAR unit and a navigation apparatus;
directing the self-driving motor vehicle to a first potentially sheltered location;
providing at least one of a camera configured to capture images of a view above the motor vehicle and a recording microphone associated with the self-driving motor vehicle configured to record sounds from around the self-driving motor vehicle;
providing an analysis unit configured to analyze at least one of the images captured by the at least one camera and the sounds recorded by the recording microphone, and to determine whether the self-driving motor vehicle is not being adequately sheltered at the first potentially sheltered location; and
wherein whenever the analysis unit is not being adequately protected at the first potentially sheltered location, the analysis unit directs the self-driving motor vehicle to drive to a second potentially sheltered location.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the severe weather is a hail storm.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the self-driving motor vehicle has arrived at the first potentially sheltered location prior to the arrival of a hail storm, and wherein the analysis unit determines that the motor vehicle is not being adequately sheltered at the first potentially sheltered location based at least in part upon an analysis of the images captured by the camera.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the self-driving motor vehicle has arrived at the first potentially sheltered location after the arrival of a hail storm, and wherein the analysis unit determines that the motor vehicle is not being adequately sheltered at the first potentially sheltered location based at least in part upon an analysis of the sounds recorded by the recording microphone.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the analysis unit determines that hail is impacting the vehicle by comparing the sounds recorded by the recording microphone to previously recorded and stored sounds of hail striking vehicles.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein after the severe weather is over, the self-driving motor vehicle notifies an owner of the self-driving motor vehicle of its final location.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the severe weather results in flooding, and wherein the analysis unit determines that the first potentially sheltered location is not adequate because it determines that flood water is approaching the first potentially sheltered location.

15. A system for mitigating damage caused by severe weather comprising:
a self-driving motor vehicle that comprises a LIDAR unit comprising lateral-facing cameras on its roof;
a microprocessor in communication with a navigation unit in the self-driving motor vehicle and with a database of potentially protective shelters;
the self-driving motor vehicle further comprising at least one of an upwards-facing camera mounted in the LIDAR unit and a recording microphone;
wherein the self-driving motor vehicle is configured to monitor at least one of weather reports and weather alerts and to drive itself to a potentially protective shelter whenever it learns of approaching severe weather;
wherein the microprocessor is configured to analyze at least one of images captured by the camera and sounds recorded by the recording microphone to determine whether the potentially protective shelter provides adequate protection from the severe weather; and
wherein when the microprocessor determines that the potentially protective shelter is not adequate, it retrieves information from the database of potentially protective shelters, identifies a specific protective shelter that would provide adequate protection, and instructs the self-driving motor vehicle to drive itself to that specific protective shelter.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the severe weather is hail.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the potentially protective shelter is a tree, and the microprocessor is configured to determine that the tree does not provide adequate shelter when the microprocessor identifies gaps between branches of the tree in at least one image captured by the upwards facing camera.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the microprocessor determines that the potentially protective shelter is inadequate based upon characteristics of sounds recorded by the recording microphone.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine whether hail is striking a surface of the self-driving vehicle by comparing the sounds recorded by the recording microphone to previously recorded sounds of hail striking a vehicle surface that are stored within a database of sounds associated with the microprocessor.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the severe weather is a flood, and the microprocessor is configured to determine that the potentially protective shelter is inadequate based upon images of water flowing into the potentially protective shelter captured by at least one of the lateral-facing cameras.

Assignees

• Uipco Llc
• Usaa

Inventors

• Hinojosa Cynthia Ann
• Contreras Andrew Jacob
• Williamson Lemont
• Gregorio Igor Alexandre
• Young Stephen Anthony
• Seaton Jonathan Edward
• Bodden Chris Aaron
• Bunton Shirley Elizabeth
• Dickson Shayna
• Pena Ric M

Classifications

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title

• B60W60/0025

  specially adapted for specific operations · CPC title

• B60W60/0016 Primary

  of the vehicle or its occupants · CPC title

• B60W2420/54

  Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound · CPC title

• B60W40/02

  related to ambient conditions · CPC title