Repositioning rooftop sensors for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043242-B2
Application number	US-202217750849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2022
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to repositioning a rooftop sensor of an autonomous vehicle when needed to reduce the overall height of the autonomous vehicle. For instance, while an autonomous vehicle is being controlled in an autonomous driving mode, a low clearance zone may be identified. An activation location may be determined based on the low clearance zone and a current speed of the autonomous vehicle. Once the activation location is reached by the autonomous vehicle, a motor may be caused to reposition the rooftop sensor. In addition, in some instances, after the autonomous vehicle has passed the low clearance zone, the motor may be caused to reposition the rooftop sensor again.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of repositioning a rooftop sensor, the method comprising:
while an autonomous vehicle is being controlled in an autonomous driving mode, identifying, by one or more processors, a low clearance zone;
determining, by the one or more processors, an activation location based on the low clearance zone and a current speed of the autonomous vehicle; and
once the activation location is reached by the autonomous vehicle, causing a motor to reposition the rooftop sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the low clearance zone is based on a current route of the autonomous vehicle and the low clearance zone is defined in map information stored at the autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the low clearance zone is based on a current trajectory of the autonomous vehicle and the low clearance zone is defined in map information stored at the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the activation location is further based on a current route of the autonomous vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the activation location is further based on a predefined amount of time for the rooftop sensor to be repositioned.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the activation location is further based on a buffer time.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the activation location includes adding the buffer time and the predefined amount of time and converting the time to a distance based on the current speed.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the activation location includes measuring the distance from the low clearance zone along a current route of the autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning the rooftop sensor reduces a total height of the autonomous vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning the rooftop sensor includes collapsing a support structure.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein repositioning the rooftop sensor includes swiveling a support structure.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the autonomous vehicle has passed the low clearance zone, causing the motor to reposition the rooftop sensor by deploying a support structure.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, determining a second activation location for deploying the support structure based on the low clearance zone, and wherein causing the motor to reposition the rooftop sensor is further based on the second activation location.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the second activation location is further based on a buffer time and current speed of the autonomous vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein deploying the support structure increases a total height of the autonomous vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, before deploying the support structure, using sensor data to verify that the autonomous vehicle has passed the low clearance zone.

17. A system comprising:
an autonomous vehicle;
a rooftop sensor arranged on a roof of the autonomous vehicle;
a motor; and
a controller including one or more processors configured to:
while autonomous vehicle is being controlled in an autonomous driving mode, identify a low clearance zone;
determine an activation location based on the low clearance zone and a current speed of the autonomous vehicle; and
once the activation location is reached by the autonomous vehicle, causing the motor to reposition the rooftop sensor.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a support structure, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to reposition the rooftop sensor by collapsing the support structure.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a support structure, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to reposition the rooftop sensor by swiveling the support structure.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, after the autonomous vehicle has passed the low clearance zone, cause the motor to reposition the rooftop sensor by deploying a support structure.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Kumar Atul

Classifications

• B60W2420/408

  Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar · CPC title

• B60W2420/403

  Image sensing, e.g. optical camera · CPC title

• B60R2011/0092

  with motorization · CPC title

• B60W2710/30

  Auxiliary equipments · CPC title

• B60W2530/201

  Dimensions of vehicle · CPC title