Digital inspection of health of autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565221-B2
Application number	US-202318171222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2023
Priority date	Sep 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

Techniques are described for an autonomous vehicle to provide the autonomous vehicle's health-related information, identification information, and/or inspection information to a device that may be used by law enforcement or a government agency or a third-party so that the autonomous vehicle can comply with government regulations and can continue to operate on the road.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of performing an autonomous driving operation, comprising:
transmitting, by a transceiver associated with a first computer located in an autonomous vehicle, a data package to a second computer located outside the autonomous vehicle, wherein the data package is transmitted as the autonomous vehicle is driven on a road, and wherein the data package includes information that indicates that the autonomous vehicle is safe to operate on the road; receiving, by the transceiver and from the second computer, a message that indicates the autonomous vehicle is allowed to continue operating on the road; and causing the autonomous vehicle to continue to be driven on the road in response to the message.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package is transmitted upon determining that the autonomous vehicle is within a pre-determined distance of a location of the second computer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the pre-determined distance is set based on a reception range of a wireless transceiver associated with the second computer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package is transmitted without displaying a prompt to request whether to send the data package to the second computer.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first computer stores a database that includes information associated with a plurality of information categories, wherein the database includes a first set of information marked as identification information, wherein the database includes a second set of information marked as inspection information, and wherein the database includes a third set of information marked as confidential information, wherein the confidential information is stored in the database in the first computer.

6 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein prior to the transmitting, the data package is allowed to include at least some data from the first set of information or the second set of information that are respectively marked as the identification information or the inspection information, and wherein the data package is disallowed from including data from the third set of information that is marked as confidential information.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the autonomous vehicle, and a license plate number of the autonomous vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a weight of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the weight of the autonomous vehicle is determined using sensors located towards a rear portion of the autonomous vehicle where goods are located.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package comprises inspection information that indicates a year and a calendar quarter when an inspection was last performed on the autonomous vehicle.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data package does not include confidential information that is stored in a database in the first computer.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the confidential information includes information about a navigation route being taken from a starting address to a destination.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the confidential information includes maintenance history of the autonomous vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the confidential information includes content of goods being transported by the autonomous vehicle.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the confidential information includes a log or history of speed data of the autonomous vehicle over time.

15 . A first computer located in an autonomous vehicle for performing an autonomous driving operation, comprising:
a processor configured to:
transmit a data package to a second computer located outside the autonomous vehicle, wherein the data package is transmitted as the autonomous vehicle is driven on a road, and wherein the data package includes information that indicates that the autonomous vehicle is safe to operate on the road;
receive, from the second computer, a message that indicates the autonomous vehicle is allowed to continue operating on the road; and
cause the autonomous vehicle to continue to be driven on the road in response to the message.

16 . The first computer of claim 15 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a name of a carrier or an owner that operates the autonomous vehicle.

17 . The first computer of claim 15 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a weight of the autonomous vehicle.

18 . The first computer of claim 15 , wherein the data package comprises inspection information that indicates a year and a calendar quarter when an inspection was last performed on the autonomous vehicle.

19 . The first computer of claim 15 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the autonomous vehicle, and a license plate number of the autonomous vehicle.

20 . The first computer of claim 15 , wherein the data package comprises identification information that includes a weight of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the weight of the autonomous vehicle is determined using sensors located towards a rear portion of the autonomous vehicle where goods are located.

Assignees

• Tusimple Inc

Inventors

• Brown Robert Patrick
• Lau Jason Robert

Classifications

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G07C5/006

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title

• B60W2530/10

  Weight · CPC title

• B60W30/06

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• B60W60/001

  Planning or execution of driving tasks · CPC title