Configuration-based sampling of run segments for simulating autonomous vehicle behavior

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025074462-A1
Application number	US-202318239168-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2023
Priority date	Aug 29, 2023
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to configuration-based sampling of run segments for simulating autonomous vehicle behavior. In at least one implementation, a method comprises: providing a set of run segments corresponding to scenarios for simulating operation of an autonomous vehicle; receiving a user-specified configuration comprising parameters for identifying target run segments within the set of run segments; applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments to identify the target run segments; and causing one or more simulations to be performed using the target run segments to generate a simulation output.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
providing, by a processing device, a set of run segments corresponding to scenarios for simulating operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV); receiving, by the processing device, a user-specified configuration comprising parameters for identifying target run segments within the set of run segments; applying, by the processing device, the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments to identify the target run segments; and causing, by the processing device, one or more simulations to be performed using the target run segments to generate a simulation output.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the set of run segments by identifying as the set a subset of run segments sampled from a repository of run segments, wherein the subset is sampled from the repository by selecting run segments comprising at least one agent object present in the corresponding simulation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises a target number of run segments to identify within the set of run segments.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters for identifying the target run segments comprise one or more of roadway type, roadway construction, number of vehicles present, number of cyclists present, number of pedestrians present, number of non-moving vehicles present near-collision event, or agent heading direction.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises weights associated with the parameters for identifying the target run segments, and wherein applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments comprises generating a normalized sampling distribution for the set of run segments by applying a minimization algorithm to the set of run segments based on the weights.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the target run segments are identified by selecting run segments from the set of run segments in accordance with the normalized sampling distribution.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulation output is used to validate updated decision logic by comparing simulated performance of the AV with the updated decision logic to simulated performance of the AV based on a prior decision logic version.

8 . A system comprising:
a memory device; and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device, to perform operations comprising:
providing a set of run segments corresponding to scenarios for simulating the operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV);
receiving a user-specified configuration comprising parameters for identifying target run segments within the set of run segments;
applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments to identify the target run segments; and
causing one or more simulations to be performed using the target run segments to generate a simulation output.

9 . The system of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
generating the set of run segments by identifying as the set a subset of run segments sampled from a repository of run segments, wherein the subset is sampled from the repository by selecting run segments comprising at least one agent object present in the corresponding simulation.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises a target number of run segments to identify within the set of run segments.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the parameters for identifying the target run segments comprise one or more of roadway type, roadway construction, number of vehicles present, number of cyclists present, number of pedestrians present, number of non-moving vehicles present near-collision event, or agent heading direction.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises weights associated with the parameters for identifying the target run segments, and wherein applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments comprises generating a normalized sampling distribution for the set of run segments by applying a minimization algorithm to the set of run segments based on the weights.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the target run segments are identified by selecting run segments from the set of run segments in accordance with the normalized sampling distribution.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the simulation output is used to validate updated decision logic by comparing simulated performance of the AV with the updated decision logic to simulated performance of the AV based on a prior decision logic version.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
providing a set of run segments corresponding to scenarios for simulating the operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV); receiving a user-specified configuration comprising parameters for identifying target run segments within the set of run segments; applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments to identify the target run segments; and causing one or more simulations to be performed using the target run segments to generate a simulation output.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
generating the set of run segments by identifying as the set a subset of run segments sampled from a repository of run segments, wherein the subset is sampled from the repository by selecting run segments comprising at least one agent object present in the corresponding simulation.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises a target number of run segments to identify within the set of run segments.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the parameters for identifying the target run segments comprise one or more of roadway type, roadway construction, number of vehicles present, number of cyclists present, number of pedestrians present, number of non-moving vehicles present near-collision event, or agent heading direction.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the user-specified configuration further comprises weights associated with the parameters for identifying the target run segments, wherein applying the user-specified configuration to the set of run segments comprises generating a normalized sampling distribution for the set of run segments by applying a minimization algorithm to the set of run segments based on the weights, and wherein the target run segments are identified by selecting run segments from the set of run segments in accordance with the normalized sampling distribution.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the simulation output is used to validate updated decision logic by comparing simulated performance of the AV with the updated decision logic to simulated performance of the AV based on a prior decision logic version.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Zou Qiwu
• Wang Menghui

Classifications

• B60W2050/0028

  Mathematical models, e.g. for simulation · CPC title

• B60W2540/043

  Identity of occupants · CPC title

• B60W50/10

  Interpretation of driver requests or demands · CPC title

• B60W30/025

  related to comfort of drivers or passengers · CPC title

• B60W2050/0075

  Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means · CPC title