IP Library Granted Patent US 9,261,379
Granted Patent B1
US 9,261,379 · App. 14/640,734 · Granted Feb 16, 2016

Intersection completer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,261,379
App. No.
14/640,734
Granted
Feb 16, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to generating roadgraphs for use by autonomous vehicles. A computer may receive input defining aspects of a roadway including an intersection with another roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one traffic signal before entering the intersection. A user may identify the intersection, for example, by tracing a perimeter around the intersection. In response, for each particular location of the one or more locations, the computer may identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location and determine, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features must be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection. This information may then be used to generate a roadgraph.

Claims (45)

1. A method of generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the method comprising:

accessing information of a first roadway, the information including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

calculating a boundary of the intersection based at least on the information of the first roadway;

for each particular location of the one or more locations:

identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determining, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generating a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined set.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a traffic signal light.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a stop sign.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting at least one set of the determined sets based on received input;

wherein generating the roadgraph is further based on the adjusted at least one set.

8. A device for generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the device comprising:

a memory storing information of a first roadway, the information including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being operable to:

calculate a boundary of the intersection based at least on the information of the first roadway;

for each particular location of the one or more locations:

identify a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determine, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generate a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined set.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to transfer the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a traffic signal light.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more traffic control features includes a stop sign.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to:

adjust at least one set of the determined sets based on received input;

wherein the processor generates the roadgraph based on the adjusted at least one set.

15. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of generating a roadgraph graphically representing aspects of an intersection, the method comprising:

accessing, by a processor, information of a first roadway, the information including an intersection with a second roadway, one or more traffic control features, and one or more locations at which a vehicle is required to observe at least one of the one or more traffic control features before entering the intersection;

calculating a boundary of the intersection based at least on the information of the first roadway;

for each particular location of the one or more locations:

identifying a route through the intersection from the particular location; and

determining, based on the boundary of the intersection and the particular location, a set of the one or more traffic control features to be observed by the vehicle before entering the intersection; and

generating a roadgraph based on the user input, the boundary of the intersection, and the determined set.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising transferring the roadgraph to a vehicle in order to navigate the vehicle along the roadway.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the identified route includes making a turn from the first roadway to the second roadway.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the identified route includes crossing through the intersection from one section of the first roadway to another section of the first roadway.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more traffic control features includes at least one of a traffic signal light and a stop sign.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting at least one set of the determined sets based on received input;

wherein generating the roadgraph is further based on the adjusted at least one set.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE REMOVAL OF THE INCORRECTLY RECORDED APPLICATION NUMBERS 14/149802 AND 15/419313 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 44144 FRAME: 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 068092/0502 →
SUBMISSION TO CORRECT AN ERROR MADE IN A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED DOCUMENT THAT ERRONEOUSLY AFFECTS THE IDENTIFIED APPLICATIONS Recorded Nov 11, 2019
From: WAYMO LLC
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 050978/0359 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044144/0001 →
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 Mar 23, 2015
From: CHATHAM, ANDREW HUGHES; URMSON, CHRISTOPHER PAUL
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 035229/0447 →