Enabling content playing in autonomous vehicles of a transportation service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466436-B2
Application number	US-202418655616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2024
Priority date	Dec 7, 2020
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to enabling playing of content at an autonomous vehicle. For example, a request to transport a user on a trip may be received. The autonomous vehicle may be assigned to the trip. Whether the user has enabled a content feature may be determined. In response to determining that the user has enabled the content feature a request for a device identifier is sent to the autonomous vehicle. The device identifier generated at the autonomous vehicle is received. The received device identifier may be sent to a content-enabling computing system including one or more processors in order to enable the user to play content from the client computing device at the autonomous vehicle during the trip.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for enabling playing of content at an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising a computing system having one or more processors, the computing system having one or more processors configured to:
receive from a client computing device, a request to transport a user on a trip; assign the autonomous vehicle to the trip; determine whether the user has enabled a content feature; in response to determining that the user has enabled the content feature, send a request for a device identifier to the assigned autonomous vehicle; receive the device identifier generated at the assigned autonomous vehicle; and send the device identifier to a content-enabling computing system including one or more processors in order to enable the user to play content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send credentials for the user to the content-enabling computing system in order to enable the user to play content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the client computing device, the credentials prior to receiving the request for the trip.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the client computing device, a signal indicating that the user has enabled the content feature; and save the indication with account information of the user in storage, and wherein the computing system is configured to determine whether the user has enabled a content feature by accessing the account information in the storage.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a signal indicating that the client computing device has been authenticated by one or more computing devices of the autonomous vehicle each having one or more processors, and wherein the device identifier is sent in response to receiving the signal.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a signal indicating that a door of the autonomous vehicle has been opened, and wherein the computing system is further configured to send the device identifier in response to receiving the signal.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a first signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle has reached a destination for the trip; and in response to receiving the first signal, send a second signal to the content-enabling computing system requesting that the device identifier be removed from an account of the user, and thereby prevent the user from being able to play content at the assigned autonomous vehicle.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, after sending the device identifier and during the trip:
receive a new device identifier from the assigned autonomous vehicle; and send the new device identifier to the content-enabling computing system in order to enable the user to play the content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to enable the playing of content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip without requiring a direct communication link between the client computing device and the assigned autonomous vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the assigned autonomous vehicle.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the content-enabling computing system.

12 . A system for enabling playing of content at an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive from a client computing device, a request to transport a user on a trip; assign the autonomous vehicle to the trip; determine whether the user has enabled a content feature; in response to determining that the user has enabled the content feature, identify a device identifier for the assigned autonomous vehicle; sending the device identifier to the client computing device; and relay content received from the client computing device to a computing device of the assigned autonomous vehicle.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive from the client computing device a signal indicating that the user has enabled the content feature; and save the indication with account information of the user in storage, and wherein determining whether the user has enabled a content feature includes accessing the account information in the storage.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the computing system is one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a first signal indicating that the autonomous vehicle has reached a destination for the trip; and in response to receiving the first signal, remove the device identifier from an account of the user, and thereby prevent the user from being able to play content at the assigned autonomous vehicle.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are is further configured to, after relaying the content and during the trip:
receive a new device identifier from the assigned autonomous vehicle; and send the new device identifier to the client computing device in order to enable the user to play the content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to enable the playing of content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip without requiring a direct communication link between the client computing device and the assigned autonomous vehicle.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein one or more processors are further configured to establish a communication link with the assigned autonomous vehicle, and to relay the content via the communication link.

18 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising the assigned autonomous vehicle.

19 . A non-transitory, computer readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for enabling playing of content at an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving from a client computing device, a request to transport a user on a trip; assigning the autonomous vehicle to the trip; determining whether the user has enabled a content feature; in response to determining that the user has enabled the content feature, sending a request for a device identifier to the assigned autonomous vehicle; receiving the device identifier generated at the assigned autonomous vehicle; and sending the device identifier to a content-enabling computing system including one or more processors in order to enable the user to play content from the client computing device at the assigned autonomous vehicle during the trip.

20 . A non-transitory, computer readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for enabling playing of content at an autonomous vehicle

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Hall Matthew Corey
• Moon Maria
• Smith Orlee
• Wolsheimer Erik
• Bechtel Kyle

Classifications

• B60W50/0098 Primary

  Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G06Q50/34

  Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting · CPC title

• G06Q10/02

  Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events · CPC title

• B60W2050/0088

  Adaptive recalibration · CPC title

• B60W60/00253

  Taxi operations · CPC title