Human assisted live operations systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12418780-B2
Application number	US-202217946824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2022
Priority date	Sep 16, 2022
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of operating an autonomous vehicle (AV), including: detecting an alert condition within the AV via data from an electronic sensor suite of the AV; based at least in part on detecting the alert condition, automatically initiating a call with another party; and communicatively coupling a passenger of the AV to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the other party via the conference call.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an autonomous vehicle (AV) for a ride-hail service, comprising:
determining an alert condition within the AV via electronic sensor data of the AV;
initiating a conference call that only an operator of the ride-hail service can terminate;
communicatively coupling a passenger of the AV to the conference call;
communicably coupling a further party to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the further party via the conference call but cannot terminate the call at will; and
providing and filtering data of the AV and/or the passenger of the AV to the further party.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a graphical user interface to allow a human agent of an operator of the ride-hail service to add and remove parties to the conference call.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conference call is initiated by the operator.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data of the AV comprises a live video stream from an internal or external camera of the AV.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data of the AV comprises seat weight data from a weight sensor within cabin seats of the AV.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
terminating the conference call for all parties coupled to the conference call by the operator when the alert condition is resolved.

7. An autonomous vehicle (AV) operator for a ride-hail service, comprising a processor circuit, a memory, and instructions encoded within the memory to instruct the processor circuit to:
determine an alert condition within an AV in a fleet of AVs providing the ride-hail service via electronic sensor data of the AV;
initiate a conference call that only an operator of the ride-hail service can terminate;
communicatively couple a passenger of the AV to the conference call;
communicably couple a further party to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the further party via the conference call but cannot terminate the call at will; and
proxy and regulate data of the AV and/or the passenger of the AV being provided to the further party.

8. An autonomous vehicle (AV) operator for a ride-hail service, comprising a processor circuit, a memory, and instructions encoded within the memory to instruct the processor circuit to:
determine an alert condition within an AV in a fleet of AVs providing the ride-hail service via electronic sensor data of the AV;
initiate a conference call that only an operator of the ride-hail service can terminate;
communicatively couple a passenger of the AV to the conference call;
communicably couple a further party to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the further party via the conference call; and
proxy and regulate data of the AV and/or the passenger of the AV being provided to the further party.

9. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to further instruct the processor circuit to:
provide a graphical user interface to allow a human agent of an operator of the ride-hail service to add and remove parties to the conference call.

10. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the conference call is initiated without passenger intervention or initiation.

11. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the data of the AV comprises a live video stream from an internal or external camera of the AV.

12. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the data of the AV comprises seat weight data from a weight sensor within cabin seats in the AV.

13. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to further instruct the processor circuit to:
terminate the conference call for all parties coupled to the conference call by the AV operator when the alert condition is resolved.

14. The AV operator of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to further instruct the processor circuit to:
resume a previous conference call when the passenger requests assistance within a time threshold from a time that the previously conference call was terminated.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon executable instructions to cause a processor to:
determine an alert condition within an AV in a fleet of AVs providing a ride-hail service via electronic sensor data of the AV;
initiate a conference call that only an operator of the ride-hail service can terminate;
communicatively couple a passenger of the AV to the conference call;
communicably couple a further party to the conference call, whereby the passenger can communicate with the further party via the conference call but cannot terminate the call at will; and
control data of the AV and/or the passenger of the AV being provided to the further party.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the executable instructions are to further cause the processor to:
provide a graphical user interface to allow a human agent of an operator of the ride-hail service to add and remove parties to the conference call.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the executable instructions are to further cause the processor to:
terminate the conference call for all parties coupled to the conference call by the AV operator when the alert condition is resolved.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the executable instructions are to further cause the processor to:
resume a previous conference call when the passenger requests assistance within a time threshold from a time that the previously conference call was terminated.

Assignees

• Gm Cruise Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Foy Theresa
• Warren Christopher
• Johanna Livia
• Patel Bharatkumar
• Meyerholtz Leah
• Li Qingxuan
• Shuckerow David J
• Tong Minjie
• Dattatraya Vinayaka
• Sparks Kendal
• Morey Mckenna

Classifications

• H04N7/181

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• G06F3/0484

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

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