公开(公告)号：US10444754B2

公开(公告)日：2019-10-15

申请号：US15257021

申请日：2016-09-06

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Joshua Seth Herbach

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  H04L29/08 ,  B60W50/02

Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator when the vehicle's confidence in operation is low. One example method includes operating an autonomous vehicle in a first autonomous mode. The method may also include identifying a situation where a level of confidence of an autonomous operation in the first autonomous mode is below a threshold level. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including sensor data representative of a portion of an environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor, the response indicating a second autonomous mode of operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to operate in the second autonomous mode of operation in accordance with the response from the remote assistor.

公开(公告)号：US10377378B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-13

申请号：US15958365

申请日：2018-04-20

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann ,  Andreas Wendel ,  Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Dmitri A. Dolgov ,  Donald Jason Burnette

IPC: B60W30/09 ,  G08G1/0962 ,  G08G1/0967 ,  B60W30/18

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to determining whether a vehicle should continue through an intersection. For example, the one or more of the vehicle's computers may identify a time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red. The one or more computers may also estimate a location of a vehicle at the time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red. A starting point of the intersection may be identified. Based on whether the estimated location of the vehicle is at least a threshold distance past the starting point at the time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red, the computers can determine whether the vehicle should continue through the intersection.

公开(公告)号：US20190193733A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-27

申请号：US16238135

申请日：2019-01-02

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Jared Stephen Russell ,  Dmitri A. Dolgov ,  Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Laura Estelle Lindzey ,  Christopher Paul Urmson

IPC: B60W30/18 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G08G1/00 ,  G01C21/34 ,  G08G1/0962 ,  G08G1/0967 ,  G05D1/00

CPC classification number: B60W30/18 ,  B60W2400/00 ,  B60W2550/10 ,  B60W2550/20 ,  B60W2720/10 ,  G01C21/3407 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/0214 ,  G08G1/00 ,  G08G1/09623 ,  G08G1/09626 ,  G08G1/096725 ,  G08G1/167 ,  G08G1/202

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating a speed plan for an autonomous vehicle. As an example, the vehicle is maneuvered in an autonomous driving mode along a route using pre-stored map information. This information identifies a plurality of keep clear regions where the vehicle should not stop but can drive through in the autonomous driving mode. Each keep clear region of the plurality of keep clear regions is associated with a priority value. A subset of the plurality of keep clear regions is identified based on the route. A speed plan for stopping the vehicle is generated based on the priority values associated with the keep clear regions of the subset. The speed plan identifies a location for stopping the vehicle. The speed plan is used to stop the vehicle in the location.

公开(公告)号：US10241508B2

公开(公告)日：2019-03-26

申请号：US15618768

申请日：2017-06-09

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Joshua Seth Herbach ,  Vadim Furman

IPC: B60W30/00 ,  G05D1/00

Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.

公开(公告)号：US20190077397A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-14

申请号：US16134368

申请日：2018-11-30

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Vadim Furman

IPC: B60W30/09 ,  G08G1/16 ,  B60W30/18 ,  G05D1/02

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to testing predictions of an autonomous vehicle relating to another vehicle or object in a roadway. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the autonomous vehicle to complete an action and predict that the other vehicle will take a responsive action. The autonomous vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the autonomous vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously using the determination of whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.

公开(公告)号：US10095236B1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-09

申请号：US15828161

申请日：2017-11-30

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： David Franklin Ferguson ,  Wan-Yen Lo ,  Nathaniel Fairfield

IPC: G01C22/00 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G07C5/00 ,  G06K9/00

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.

公开(公告)号：US10042362B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-07

申请号：US15355658

申请日：2016-11-18

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Joshua Seth Herbach

IPC: G01C21/10 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G01C21/36 ,  G01C21/34 ,  G01C21/20

Abstract: A route for a trip to a destination is generated using map information. A set of no-go roadway segments, where the vehicle is not able to drive in an autonomous mode, relevant to the route from the plurality of no-go roadway segments is identified from the map information. A local region around a current location of the vehicle is determined. A local map region including roadway segments of the map information that correspond to locations within the local region is determined. The set of the plurality of no-go roadway segments is filtered from the roadway segments of the local map region. A cost value is assigned to each roadway segment of the filtered roadway segments of the local map region. Any assigned cost values are used to determining a plan for maneuvering the vehicle for a predetermined period into the future. The vehicle is maneuvered according to the plan.

公开(公告)号：US09964954B1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-08

申请号：US15384841

申请日：2016-12-20

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： David Harrison Silver ,  Jur Pieter Van Den Berg ,  Nathaniel Fairfield

IPC: G01C22/00 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G08G1/16

CPC classification number: G05D1/0231 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/0234 ,  G06K9/00812 ,  G08G1/015 ,  G08G1/052 ,  G08G1/09626 ,  G08G1/096725 ,  G08G1/096758 ,  G08G1/096783 ,  G08G1/165

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to an autonomous vehicle that may detected other nearby vehicles and identify them as parked or unparked. This identification may be based on visual indicia displayed by the detected vehicles as well as traffic control factors relating to the detected vehicles. Detected vehicles that are in a known parking spot may automatically be identified as parked. In addition, detected vehicles that satisfy conditions that are indications of being parked may also be identified as parked. The autonomous vehicle may then base its control strategy on whether or not a vehicle has been identified as parked or not.

公开(公告)号：US20180102001A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-12

申请号：US15288463

申请日：2016-10-07

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Aleksandra Faust ,  Nathaniel Fairfield

IPC: G07C5/08 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G06N7/00

CPC classification number: G07C5/0816 ,  B60K28/14 ,  B60R21/0132 ,  B60R2021/01252 ,  B60W2030/082 ,  B60W2520/105 ,  B60W2550/10 ,  B60W2550/402 ,  B60Y2302/05 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G06N7/005

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting vehicle collisions. In one example, one or more computing devices may receive acceleration data of a vehicle and the expected acceleration data of the vehicle over a period of time. The one or more computing devices may determine a change in the vehicle's acceleration over the period of time, where the change in the vehicle's acceleration over the period of time is the difference between the expected acceleration data and the acceleration data. The one or more computing devices may detect an occurrence when the change in the vehicle's acceleration is greater than a threshold value and assign the occurrence into a collision category. Based on the assigned collision category, the one or more computing devices may perform a responsive action.

公开(公告)号：US09911030B1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-06

申请号：US15587680

申请日：2017-05-05

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Jiajun Zhu ,  Christopher Paul Urmson ,  Dirk Haehnel ,  Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Russell Leigh Smith

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/223 ,  G06T7/231 ,  G06T7/20 ,  B60R1/00

CPC classification number: G06K9/00201 ,  B60R1/00 ,  B60R2300/30 ,  B60W30/08 ,  B60W30/186 ,  B60W2050/0292 ,  B60W2530/14 ,  B60W2550/22 ,  B62D6/00 ,  G01C21/3617 ,  G05D1/0055 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D1/021 ,  G05D1/0214 ,  G05D1/024 ,  G05D1/0246 ,  G05D1/0257 ,  G05D1/0274 ,  G05D1/0276 ,  G05D1/0278 ,  G05D2201/0213 ,  G06K9/00791 ,  G06K9/00798 ,  G06K9/00805 ,  G06K9/3241 ,  G06T7/0044 ,  G06T7/0057 ,  G06T7/20 ,  G06T7/223 ,  G06T7/231 ,  G06T2207/10004 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/30236 ,  G06T2207/30252 ,  G06T2207/30261

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for optimizing one or more object detection parameters used by an autonomous vehicle to detect objects in images. The autonomous vehicle may capture the images using one or more sensors. The autonomous vehicle may then determine object labels and their corresponding object label parameters for the detected objects. The captured images and the object label parameters may be communicated to an object identification server. The object identification server may request that one or more reviewers identify objects in the captured images. The object identification server may then compare the identification of objects by reviewers with the identification of objects by the autonomous vehicle. Depending on the results of the comparison, the object identification server may recommend or perform the optimization of one or more of the object detection parameters.