Systems and methods for rapid deceleration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565199-B2
Application number	US-202217815994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 29, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

Systems and techniques for determining a trajectory for use in controlling a vehicle are described. A trajectory determination system may generate a variety of trajectories for potential use in controlling a vehicle, including a maximum braking trajectory that enables the maximum application of the vehicle's brakes. A vehicle computing system may determine a distance between vehicle and an obstacle and stopping distances for the various trajectories and implement the maximum braking trajectory after determining that the distance to stop for that trajectory is the same as, but not substantially greater than, the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a trajectory for a vehicle to traverse through an environment;
receiving sensor data;
detecting, based at least in part on the sensor data, an object proximate to the vehicle;
at a first time:
determining a first distance to stop and, based at least in part on a first braking application level configured in the trajectory, a first estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a first predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object;
determining that the first distance to stop is greater than the first estimated intersection distance;
determining, based at least in part on a first modification of the trajectory comprising a second braking application level greater than and distinct from the first braking application level, a second distance to stop and a second estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a second predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object;
determining that the second distance to stop is less than the second estimated intersection distance;
determining, based at least in part on a second modification of the trajectory comprising a third braking application level greater than and distinct from the first braking application level and the second braking application level, a third distance to stop and a third estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a third predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object; and
based at least in part on determining that the first distance to stop is greater than the first estimated intersection distance and the second distance to stop is less than the second estimated intersection distance, braking the vehicle based at least on part on the first modification of the trajectory using the second braking application level; and at a second time after the first time:
determining a fourth distance to stop, and based at least in part on the first braking application level, a fourth estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a fourth predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object;
determining that the fourth distance to stop is less than the fourth estimated intersection distance; and
based at least in part on determining that the fourth distance to stop is less than the fourth estimated intersection distance, braking the vehicle based at least on part on the trajectory using the first braking application level.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving additional sensor data at a third time after the second time; determining, based at least in part on the additional sensor data and the second modification of the trajectory, a fifth distance to stop and a fifth estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a fifth predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object; determining that the fifth distance to stop is greater than or equal to the fifth estimated intersection distance; and based at least in part on determining that the fifth distance to stop is greater than or equal to the fifth estimated intersection distance, braking the vehicle based at least on part on the second modification of the trajectory using the third braking application level.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving additional sensor data at a third time after the second time; determining, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, a fifth distance to stop and, based at least in part on the first modification of the trajectory, a fifth estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a fifth predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object; determining, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, a sixth distance to stop and, based at least in part on the second modification of the trajectory, a sixth estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and a sixth predicted intersection of the vehicle and the object; determining that the fifth distance to stop is greater than the fifth estimated intersection distance; determining that the sixth distance to stop is less than the fifth estimated intersection distance; and based at least in part on determining that the fifth distance to stop is greater than the fifth estimated intersection distance and the sixth distance to stop is less than the fifth estimated intersection distance, braking the vehicle based at least on part on the first modification of the trajectory using the second braking application level.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the trajectory is associated with a lateral trajectory profile; the first modification of the trajectory is associated with the lateral trajectory profile; and the second modification of the trajectory is associated with the lateral trajectory profile.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the vehicle is stationary; and based at least in part on determining that the vehicle is stationary and braking the vehicle based at least on part on one of the first modification of the trajectory or the second modification of the trajectory, transmitting a notification to a remote operator indicating that the vehicle is stationary.

6 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
determining, based at least in part on sensor data associated with an environment, data representing an object in a region of travel for a vehicle in the environment; receiving a trajectory for controlling the vehicle comprising a first distance to stop based at least in part on a first braking application level configured in the trajectory; determining a first modified trajectory based at least in part on the trajectory and comprising a second distance to stop associated with a second braking application level configured in the first modified trajectory and distinct from the first braking application level; determining a second modified trajectory based at least in part on the trajectory and comprising a third distance to stop associated with a third braking application level configured in the second modified trajectory and distinct from the first braking application level and the second braking application level; at a first time:
determining, based at least in part on determining that the first distance to stop is greater than a first estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and the object and that the second distance to stop is less than the first estimated intersection distance, to control the vehicle using the first modified trajectory; and
braking the vehicle based at least in part on the first modified trajectory; and
at a second time after the first time:
determining, based at least in part on determining that the first distance to stop is less than a second estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and the object, to control the vehicle using the trajectory; and
controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the trajectory.

7 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 6 , wherein:
the operations further comprise:
determining, based at least in part on second sensor data associated with the environment at a third time after the second time, second data representing the object in the region of travel for the vehicle in the environment;
determining a fourth distance to stop and a third estimated intersection distance between the vehicle and the object for the first modif

Assignees

• Zoox Inc

Inventors

• Agrawal Varun
• Boydston Jacob Daniel
• Clawson Taylor Scott
• Egbert Joshua Dean
• Filarsky Brian Michael
• Funke Joseph
• Hendy Noureldin Ehab
• Hsieh Richard
• Liem Glenn Xavier
• Lu David Benjamin
• Poubel Orenstein Leonardo

Classifications

• B60W2556/45

  External transmission of data to or from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2552/15

  Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction · CPC title

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W2520/04

  Vehicle stop · CPC title

• B60W2554/802

  Longitudinal distance · CPC title