Systems for implementing fallback behaviors for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12197213-B2
Application number	US-202318196486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Nov 5, 2018
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. The system includes a plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data. The system also includes a first computing system configured to generate trajectories using the sensor data and send the generated trajectories to a second computing system. The second computing system is configured to cause the vehicle to follow a receive trajectory. The system also includes a third computing system configured to, when there is a failure of the first computer system, generate and send trajectories to the second computing system based on whether a vehicle is located on a highway or a surface street.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the control system comprising:
a first computing system configured to generate trajectories for the vehicle;
a second computing system including one or more processors configured to:
determine that an error in the first computing system has occurred; and
in response to determining that the error has occurred:
determine a type of road on which the vehicle is driving;
determine how to generate trajectories to control the vehicle based on the type of road; and
generate one or more trajectories based on the determination of how to generate trajectories to control the vehicle; and

a third computing system including one or more processors configured to:
receive the one or more trajectories from the second computing system; and
control the vehicle to maneuver based on the one or more trajectories.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more trajectories are generated based on a functionality for detecting traffic lights and traffic lights states.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first computing system or the second computing system includes a planner system.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first computing system or the second computing system includes a perception system.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first computing system or the second computing system includes a positioning system.

6. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a deceleration system, wherein
the third computing system is configured to interact with the deceleration system.

7. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an acceleration system, wherein
the third computing system is configured to interact with the acceleration system.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the third computing system is configured to receive messages from the first computing system and the second computing system.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the messages received from the first computing system include one or more error messages indicating the error in the first computing system.

10. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors of the second computing system are further configured to:
in response to receiving the one or more error messages, send a command message to the first computing system requesting the first computing system to shut down; and
send the one or more trajectories to the third computing system.

11. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the second computing system includes a memory, and the type of road is determined by comparing a current location of the vehicle to map information stored in the memory, and determining a road segment on which the vehicle is traveling based on the comparing.

12. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the type of road is one of a highway or a surface street.

13. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first computing system generates the trajectories for the vehicle based on sensor data generated by one or more sensors.

14. A method of controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors of a first computing system, that an error in a second computing system has occurred; and
in response to determining that the error has occurred:
determining, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, a type of road on which the vehicle is driving;
determining, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, how to generate trajectories to control the vehicle based on the type of road;
generating, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, one or more trajectories based on the determination of how to generate trajectories to control the vehicle;
receiving, by one or more processors of a third computing system, the one or more trajectories from the first computing system; and
controlling, by the one or more processors of the third computing system, the vehicle to maneuver based on the one or more trajectories.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more trajectories are generated based on a functionality for detecting traffic lights and traffic lights states.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, one or more error messages indicating the error in the second computing system.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
sending, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, a command message to the second computing system requesting the second computing system to shut down in response to receiving the one or more error messages.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors of the first computing system from the third computing system, one or more command messages to disregard trajectories received from the second computing system.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
comparing, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, a current location of the vehicle to map information stored in a memory of the first computing system; and
determining, by the one or more processors of the first computing system, a road segment on which the vehicle is traveling based on the comparing.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the type of road is one of a highway or a surface street.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Chi Emily
• Andrade Ryan Joseph
• James Michael
• Sucan Ioan-Alexandru
• Ludwick Christopher Kennedy
• Herbach Joshua Seth
• Balakhno Misha
• Barton-Sweeney Andrew

Classifications

• B60W2050/0292

  Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems · CPC title

• B60W2050/0215

  Sensor drifts or sensor failures · CPC title

• B60W50/023 Primary

  Avoiding failures by using redundant parts · CPC title

• B60W60/00186

  related to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2552/05

  Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads · CPC title