System and method for real-time lane validation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12007786-B2
Application number	US-202318129659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to techniques for real-time lane validation. A process of the disclosed technologies can include steps for receiving a route from a remote computing system, the route indicating lanes on the route that an autonomous vehicle must traverse, traversing at least one lane of the lanes on the route, and sending sensor data to the remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, at least one lane of a route; and
sending sensor data to a remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane, wherein the at least one lane is in accordance with the virtual lane when the autonomous vehicle enters the at least one lane via an entry of the at least one lane and exits the at least one lane via an exit of the at least one lane.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a route request to the remote computing system; and
receiving a second route from the remote computing system in response to the route request, the second route based upon updated map data,
wherein the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the updated map data is further based upon additional sensor data received from at least one other autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
relinquishing control of the autonomous vehicle to a human driver; and
determining that the at least one lane is not in accordance with the virtual lane.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route indicates that the autonomous vehicle must traverse the at least one lane.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deviating from the route; and
sending a route request for a second route to the remote computing system; and
receiving the second route from the remote computing system, the second route providing waypoints to guide the autonomous vehicle back to a section of the route,
wherein the second route is based upon updated map data and the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes a timestamp.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions thereon, the instructions effective to cause at least one processor to:
traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, at least one lane of a route; and
sending sensor data to a remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane, wherein the at least one lane is in accordance with the virtual lane when the autonomous vehicle enters the at least one lane via an entry of the at least one lane and exits the at least one lane via an exit of the at least one lane.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the at least one processor to:
send a route request to the remote computing system; and
receive a second route from the remote computing system in response to the route request, the second route based upon updated map data,
wherein the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the updated map data is further based upon additional sensor data received from at least one other autonomous vehicle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the at least one processor to:
relinquish control of the autonomous vehicle to a human driver; and
determine that the at least one lane is not in accordance with the virtual lane.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the route indicates that the autonomous vehicle must traverse the at least one lane.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the at least one processor to:
deviate from the route; and
send a route request for a second route to the remote computing system; and
receive the second route from the remote computing system, the second route providing waypoints to guide the autonomous vehicle back to a section of the route,
wherein the second route is based upon updated map data and the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the sensor data includes a timestamp.

15. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-executable instructions effective to cause the processor to:
traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, at least one lane of a route; and
sending sensor data to a remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane, wherein the at least one lane is in accordance with the virtual lane when the autonomous vehicle enters the at least one lane via an entry of the at least one lane and exits the at least one lane via an exit of the at least one lane.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the processor to:
send a route request to the remote computing system; and
receive a second route from the remote computing system in response to the route request, the second route based upon updated map data,
wherein the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the updated map data is further based upon additional sensor data received from at least one other autonomous vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the processor to:
relinquish control of the autonomous vehicle to a human driver; and
determine that the at least one lane is not in accordance with the virtual lane.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the route indicates that the autonomous vehicle must traverse the at least one lane.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further effective to cause the processor to:
deviate from the route; and
send a route request for a second route to the remote computing system; and
receive the second route from the remote computing system, the second route providing waypoints to guide the autonomous vehicle back to a section of the route,
wherein the second route is based upon updated map data and the updated map data is based upon the sensor data.

Assignees

• Gm Cruise Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Antcliffe Erin
• Allan Jeremy
• Yang Robin
• Robinson Andrew
• Marchioro Rech Lucio Otavio
• Donohue Brian Joseph
• Sambana Kavya

Classifications

• G05D1/246

  using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] · CPC title

• G05D1/247

  using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons · CPC title

• G01C21/3691

  Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09) · CPC title

• G08G1/161

  Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication · CPC title

• B60W60/0053

  from vehicle to occupant · CPC title