Audible passenger announcements for autonomous vehicle services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738645-B2
Application number	US-202117506912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2021
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

Aspects of the technology relate to assisting a passenger in an autonomous vehicle without a driver. For instance, after a door of the vehicle is opened, a predetermined period of time may be waited by processors of computing devices of the vehicle. After waiting the predetermined period of time and when the vehicle's door remains open, a set of instructions for closing the vehicle's door may be played by the processors through a speaker of the vehicle. Once the door of the vehicle is closed, an announcement may be played by the processors through the speaker requesting that the passenger press a first button to initiate a ride to a destination. In response to the first button being pressed, the ride to the destination may be initiated by the processors by maneuvering the vehicle autonomously to the destination.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle assigned to a passenger without a driver, the method comprising:
controlling, by one or more processors, the vehicle to pick up the passenger and transport the passenger towards a first location;
while the vehicle is transporting the passenger towards the first location, receiving, by the one or more processors, a first user input from the passenger requesting that the vehicle pull over before the vehicle reaches the first location;
in response to receiving the first user input:
playing, by the one or more processors, a first announcement through a speaker of the vehicle confirming that a request for the pull over has been made;
looking, by the one or more processors, for a second location to pull over; and
controlling, by the one or more processors, the vehicle to pull over at the second location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input is generated by the passenger pressing a first button of a set of buttons a first time.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first announcement indicates that the passenger can cancel the request by pressing the first button a second time.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first announcement further indicates that the vehicle is looking for the second location to pull over.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle pulls over at the second location when the first button is not pressed a second time before the vehicle reaches the second location.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
while the vehicle is transporting the passenger to the second location, receiving, by the one or more processors, a second user input from the passenger requesting that the pull over request be cancelled.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second user input is generated by the passenger pressing the first button a second time.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the second user input, controlling, by the one or more processors, the vehicle to transport the passenger to the first location without pulling over at the second location.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the second user input, playing, by one or more processors, a second announcement through the speaker of the vehicle confirming that the pull over request has been cancelled.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input is provided via a touchscreen or a microphone.

11. A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode, the vehicle comprising:
a user input device;
at least one speaker; and
one or more processors coupled to the user input device and the speaker, wherein the one or more processor are configured to:
control the vehicle to pick up a passenger and transport the passenger towards a first location;
while the vehicle is transporting the passenger towards the first location, receive a first user input from the user input device requesting that the vehicle pull over before the vehicle reaches the first location; and
in response to receiving the first user input:
play a first announcement through the at least one speaker confirming that a request for the pull over has been made;
look for a second location to pull over; and
control the vehicle to pull over at the second location.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first user input is generated by the passenger pressing a first button of a set of buttons a first time.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first announcement indicates that the passenger can cancel the request by pressing the first button a second time.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first announcement further indicates that the vehicle is looking for the second location to pull over.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle pulls over at the second location when the first button is not pressed a second time before the vehicle reaches the second location.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:
while the vehicle is transporting the passenger to the second location, receive a second user input from the user input device requesting that the pull over request be cancelled.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the second user input from the user input device is generated by the passenger pressing the first button a second time.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the second user input, control the vehicle to transport the passenger to the first location without pulling over at the second location.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the second user input, play a second announcement through the at least one speaker confirming that the pull over request has been cancelled.

20. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the user input device is a touchscreen or a microphone.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Moon Maria
• Mercay Julien Charles
• Bechtel Kyle
• Powell Ryan
• Wright Clement

Classifications

• B60K35/28 Primary

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/85

  Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/265 Primary

  Voice · CPC title