IP Library Granted Patent US 8,634,980
Granted Patent B1
US 8,634,980 · App. 13/248,582 · Granted Jan 21, 2014

Driving pattern recognition and safety control

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,634,980
App. No.
13/248,582
Granted
Jan 21, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicle. A safe envelope driving pattern is determined to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode. User identification data and sensor data are received from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle. A driver-specific driving pattern is determined based on the received sensor data and the user identification data. Operation of the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous mode based on the identification of the user in the driver's seat, the safe envelope driving pattern, and the user-specific driving pattern.

Claims (40)

1. A method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a processor, a set of safe driving requirements to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode, the set of safe driving requirements defining a lane changing limit;

receiving user identification data;

receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;

determining, by the processor, a driver specific pattern based on the received sensor data and the received user identification data; and

controlling, by the processor, operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode based on the driver specific pattern and the lane changing limit of the set of safe driving requirements.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of safe driving requirements indicates a minimum distance from the vehicle to a different vehicle positioned in front of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the received sensor data comprises data indicating an average distance to the different vehicle in front of the vehicle and changes in the distance over a time period.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein controlling operation of the vehicle further includes maintaining a distance within a range of the average distance and greater than a minimum distance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lane changing limit indicates a frequency of changing lanes.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information indicating a choice of a route from a starting point to a destination point and wherein controlling operation of the vehicle is further based on the received information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the river specific pattern further comprises processing the received sensor data using machine learning and wherein controlling the vehicle is further based on the processed received sensor data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling operation of the vehicle comprises controlling the vehicle in accordance with the set of safe driving requirements when there are conflicts between the set of safe driving requirements and the driver specific pattern.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a user preference of operation of the vehicle; and

determining the driver specific pattern based on the received user preference, the received sensor data, and the received user identification data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the user preference indicates a range of acceleration speed.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user interruption and controlling the vehicle based on the received user interruption.

12. A device for controlling a vehicle with an autonomous driving mode, the device comprising:

one or more sensors for detecting information surrounding the vehicle;

a processor coupled to the one or more sensors;

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor causing the processor to:

determine a set of safe driving requirements to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode, the set of safe driving requirements defining a lane changing limit;

receive user identification data;

receive sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;

determine a driver specific pattern based on the received sensor data and the received user identification data;

and

control operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode based on the driver specific pattern, and the limit of the set of safe driving requirements.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the set of safe driving requirements indicates a minimum distance from the vehicle to a different vehicle positioned in front of the vehicle.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the received sensor data comprises data indicating an average distance to the different vehicle in front of the vehicle and changes in the distance over a time period.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein controlling operation of the vehicle further includes maintaining a distance within a range of the average distance and greater than a minimum distance.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the received information comprises data indicating a frequency of changing lanes.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the received information comprises data indicating a choice of a route from a starting point to a destination point.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the driver specific pattern is determined by processing the received sensor data using machine learning.

19. The device of claim 12 , wherein control of operation of the vehicle comprises controlling the vehicle in accordance with the set of safe driving requirements when there are conflicts between the set of safe driving requirements and the driver specific pattern.

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein additional instructions executable by the processor cause the processor to:

receive a user preference of operation of the vehicle; and

determine the driver specific pattern based on the received user preference, the received sensor data, and the received user identification data.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the user preference indicates a range of acceleration speed.

22. The device of claim 12 , wherein additional instructions executable by the processor allow the processor to detect a user interruption and control the vehicle based on the received user interruption.

Assignments (7)
SUBMISSION TO CORRECT AN ERROR MADE IN A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED DOCUMENT THAT ERRONEOUSLY AFFECTS THE IDENTIFIED APPLICATIONS Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: WAYMO LLC
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 051093/0861 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECTIVE BY NULLIFICATIONTO CORRECT INCORRECTLY RECORDED APPLICATION NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 044142 FRAME 0357. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Nov 14, 2018
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 047837/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2018
From: WAYMO HOLDING INC.
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 047571/0274 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044142/0357 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2017
From: WAYMO HOLDING INC.
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 042108/0021 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: WAYMO HOLDING INC.
Reel/Frame 042099/0935 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2011
From: URMSON, CHRISTOPHER PAUL; DOLGOV, DMITRI A.; NEMEC, PHILIP
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 027106/0169 →