System and Method to Provide Valet Instructions for a Self-Driving Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016116293-A1
Application number	US-201414520382-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Oct 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote device. The vehicle computer system also includes a processor in communication with the wireless transceiver. The processor is configured to receive instructions from the remote device to initiate an automatic valet-mode, receive data from the remote device indicative of a user's pick-up location, and send instructions to a vehicle module instructing the vehicle to drive to the user's pick-up location.

First claim

1 . A vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a remote device; a processor in communication with the wireless transceiver, the processor configured to:
receive instructions from the remote device to initiate an automatic valet-mode;
receive data from the remote device indicative of a user's pick-up location;
determine a vehicle malfunction based upon vehicle data and the instructions;
output an error message to the remote device based upon the vehicle malfunction; and
send instructions to a vehicle module instructing the vehicle to drive to the user's pick-up location.

2 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive data from the remote device indicative of a user's pick-up time.

3 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a departure time of the vehicle, wherein the departure time is determined utilizing a travel time from a vehicle's current location to the user's pick-up location, and the user's pick-up time.

4 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize traffic data to calculate the departure time of the vehicle.

5 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the remote device is an off-board server or nomadic device.

6 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a status related to the automatic-valet mode and send a notification indicating the status to the remote device.

7 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive data indicative of a parking location of the vehicle and a drop-off location of the user.

8 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle module is an advanced driver assistance system.

9 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the pick-up time is an on-demand pick-up or a future time.

10 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send the data from the remote device indicating a vehicle's current location.

11 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send the remote device data indicating a vehicle's route based on the vehicle's current location and the user's pick-up location.

12 . A vehicle computer system, comprising:
an input-controller configured to receive instructions from a user-interface related to an automatic valet mode of an autonomous vehicle; a processor communicating with the input-controller configured to:
receive input from the input-controller activating the automatic valet mode and setting a pick-up location and a pick-up time;
output a vehicle failure in response to vehicle data indicating a vehicle malfunction;
send instructions to a vehicle module instructing the vehicle to drive to the pick-up location at or near the pick-up time.

13 . The vehicle computer system of claim 12 , wherein the input further includes setting a drop-off location of the user and a parking-location of the autonomous vehicle.

14 . The vehicle computer system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a departure time of the vehicle, wherein the departure time is determined utilizing a travel time from a vehicle's current location to the pick-up location, and the pick-up time.

15 - 18 . (canceled)

19 . A system in an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a processor, in response to instructions received from a remote-device indicating a pick-up location and time, configured to send instructions to a vehicle module instructing an autonomous vehicle to execute autonomous drive commands to drive to the pick-up location at or near the pick-up time; and output a vehicle failure to the remote-device in response to vehicle data indicating a vehicle malfunction.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein processor is further configured to receive data from an input-controller setting a drop-off location of the user and a parking-location of the autonomous vehicle.

21 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the error message is output near the vehicle's vicinity.

22 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle malfunction includes a vehicle battery level below a threshold to drive to the user's pick-up location.

23 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle malfunction includes a fuel level below a threshold to drive to the user's pick-up location.

24 . The vehicle computer system in an autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured output the error message to an off-board server indicating the vehicle malfunction.

Assignees

• Myine Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Grover Joey Ray
• Smereka Scott
• Fischer Joel J

Classifications

• G05B2219/23067

  Control, human or man machine interface, interactive, HMI, MMI · CPC title

• G06Q10/02

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

• G05B19/0423 Primary

  Input/output · CPC title

• G08G1/096827

  where the route is computed onboard · CPC title

• G08G1/147

  where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre · CPC title