Autonomous vehicle local rules and constraints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12570327-B2
Application number	US-202217973451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2022
Priority date	Oct 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A processing system including at least one processor of an autonomous vehicle may detect that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in an unoccupied state after conveying at least one user to a location, obtain a set of local rules associated with the location, and obtain at least a first constraint associated with at least one third-party service provider associated with the location. The processing system may then execute at least one navigation action of the autonomous vehicle that is in compliance with the set of the local rules, the at least the first constraint, and at least a second constraint of the at least one user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a processing system including at least one processor of an autonomous vehicle, that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in an unoccupied state after conveying at least one user to a location; obtaining, by the processing system, a set of local rules for the location from a computing system associated with a governmental entity having jurisdiction over the location, wherein the set of local rules comprises at least one of: a rule for vehicular movement that is specific to a roadway at the location or a rule for vehicular parking that is specific to the roadway at the location; obtaining, by the processing system, at least a first constraint associated with at least one third-party service provider associated with the location, wherein the at least one third-party service provider comprises an entity that is different from the autonomous vehicle and from the governmental entity, wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained upon an occurrence of at least one trigger event, wherein the at least one trigger event comprises a weather event, and wherein the at least the first constraint comprises a time of need for a usage of a roadway at the location by the at least one third-party service provider; and executing, by the processing system, at least one navigation action of the autonomous vehicle that is in compliance with the set of the local rules, the at least the first constraint, and at least a second constraint of the at least one user, wherein the at least the second constraint comprises at least one of: a time of pickup, a duration of an event, or a cost preference, and wherein the at least one navigation action comprises navigating the autonomous vehicle to an alternate location.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining the at least the second constraint of the at least one user.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one third party service provider comprises at least one of:
an insurer of the autonomous vehicle; or a manufacturer of the autonomous vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one third party service provider comprises at least one of:
a school; a childcare center; a medical facility; or a place of worship.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the second constraint further comprises:
an environmental benefit preference.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained from the computing system associated with the governmental entity having jurisdiction over the location.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained from a computing system of the at least one third party service provider.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained in response to the detecting that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in the unoccupied state after conveying the at least one user to the location.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of local rules is obtained upon an arrival of the autonomous vehicle in an area of the location, wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained upon at least one of:
the arrival of the autonomous vehicle in the area of the location; or the detecting that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in the unoccupied state after conveying the at least one user to the location.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trigger event further comprises at least one of:
a traffic event; or a gathering event.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the governmental entity has designated the at least one third party service provider for generating constraints from a set of permitted constraints associated with the location, and wherein the at least the first constraint comprises at least one constraint from the set of permitted constraints.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of local rules comprises at least one of:
a time restriction for parking in at least a part of the location; or a vehicle type restriction for parking in the at least the part of the location.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of local rules comprises at least one of:
an idling vehicle restriction for at least a part of the location; or a standing vehicle restriction for the at least the part of the location.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one navigation action further comprises:
selecting the alternate location in compliance with the set of the local rules, the at least the first constraint, and the at least the second constraint of the at least one user.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system including at least one processor of an autonomous vehicle, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
detecting that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in an unoccupied state after conveying at least one user to a location; obtaining a set of local rules for the location from a computing system associated with a governmental entity having jurisdiction over the location, wherein the set of local rules comprises at least one of: a rule for vehicular movement that is specific to a roadway at the location or a rule for vehicular parking that is specific to the roadway at the location; obtaining at least a first constraint associated with at least one third-party service provider associated with the location, wherein the at least one third-party service provider comprises an entity that is different from the autonomous vehicle and from the governmental entity, wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained upon an occurrence of at least one trigger event, wherein the at least one trigger event comprises a weather event, and wherein the at least the first constraint comprises a time of need for a usage of a roadway at the location by the at least one third-party service provider; and executing at least one navigation action of the autonomous vehicle that is in compliance with the set of the local rules, the at least the first constraint, and at least a second constraint of the at least one user, wherein the at least the second constraint comprises at least one of: a time of pickup, a duration of an event, or a cost preference, and wherein the at least one navigation action comprises navigating the autonomous vehicle to an alternate location.

16 . An apparatus comprising:
a processing system including at least one processor; and a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system when deployed in an autonomous vehicle, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
detecting that the autonomous vehicle is or will be in an unoccupied state after conveying at least one user to a location;
obtaining a set of local rules for the location from a computing system associated with a governmental entity having jurisdiction over the location, wherein the set of local rules comprises at least one of: a rule for vehicular movement that is specific to a roadway at the location or a rule for vehicular parking that is specific to the roadway at the location;
obtaining at least a first constraint associated with at least one third-party service provider associated with the location, wherein the at least one third-party service provider comprises an entity that is different from the autonomous vehicle and from the governmental entity, wherein the at least the first constraint is obtained upon an occurrenc

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Zavesky Eric
• Chien Ginger
• Cui Zhi
• Dodwell Emily

Classifications

• B60W2555/20

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

• B60W2555/60

  Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way · CPC title

• B60W60/00253 Primary

  Taxi operations · CPC title