Specifying unavailable locations for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9599477-B1
Application number	US-201514840515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices that receive a request for a vehicle from a client computing device. The request identifies a first location. The one or more computing devices also determine whether the first location is within a threshold outside of a service area of the vehicle. When the location is within the threshold distance outside of the service area of the vehicle, the one or more computing devices identify a second location within the service area of the vehicle where the vehicle is able to stop for a passenger and based on the first location. The one or more computing devices then provide a map and a marker identifying the position of the second location on the map for display on the client computing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices from one or more computing devices, information identifying that a user has requested a vehicle in conjunction with a calendar entry in a calendar of the user;
receiving, by the one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, information identifying a location associated with the calendar entry;
providing, to a client computing device associated with the user, information identifying a pickup location for the user;
receiving, by the one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, confirmation of the pickup location;
in response to receiving the confirmation, dispatching, by one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, a vehicle to pick up the user; and
providing, by the one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, the pickup location to the dispatched vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices include the client computing device associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes an email server system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pickup location corresponds to the location.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pickup location is the location associated with the calendar entry and the method further comprises, prior to providing the pickup location for the user, confirming that the location associated with the calendar entry is within a service area for the dispatched vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in conjunction with providing the pickup location for the user, providing to the client computing an image of the pickup location and a map that includes the pickup location for display to the user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the confirmation of the pickup location is received in response to providing the image and the map.

8. A system comprising one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices each having one or more processors configured to:
receive from one or more computing devices, information identifying that a user has requested a vehicle in conjunction with a calendar entry in a calendar of the user;
receive information identifying a location associated with the calendar entry;
provide, to a client computing device associated with the user, information identifying a pickup location for the user;
receive confirmation of the pickup location;
in response to receiving the confirmation, dispatch a vehicle to pick up the user; and
provide the pickup location to the dispatched vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more computing devices include the client computing device associated with the user.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes an email server system.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pickup location corresponds to the location.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the dispatched vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pickup location is the location associated with the calendar entry and the method further comprises, prior to providing the pickup location for the user, confirming that the location associated with the calendar entry is within a service area for the dispatched vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, in conjunction with providing the pickup location for the user, providing to the client computing an image of the pickup location and a map that includes the pickup location for display to the user.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the confirmation of the pickup location is received in response to providing the image and the map.

16. A non-transitory, computer readable recording medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when performed by one or more processors of one or more vehicle dispatching server computing devices, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving from one or more computing devices, information identifying that a user has requested a vehicle in conjunction with a calendar entry in a calendar of the user;
receiving information identifying a location associated with the calendar entry;
providing, to a client computing device associated with the user, information identifying a pickup location for the user;
receiving confirmation of the pickup location;
in response to receiving the confirmation, dispatching a vehicle to pick up the user; and
providing a pickup location to the dispatched vehicle.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more computing devices include the client computing device associated with the user.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more computing devices includes an email server system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the pickup location corresponds to the location.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the pickup location is the location associated with the calendar entry and the method further comprises, prior to providing the pickup location for the user, confirming that the location associated with the calendar entry is within a service area for the dispatched vehicle.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Aula Anne Kristiina
• Cullinane Brian Douglas
• Switkin Daniel Jules
• Arden Jennifer
• Hubert Renaud-Roland

Classifications

• B60W60/0025

  specially adapted for specific operations · CPC title

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• B60R25/24 Primary

  using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user · CPC title

• G01C21/26 Primary

  specially adapted for navigation in a road network · CPC title

• G08G1/14

  indicating individual free spaces in parking areas · CPC title