IP Library Granted Patent US 11,175,654
Granted Patent B2
US 11,175,654 · App. 16/402,619 · Granted Nov 16, 2021

Virtual vehicle control system

Inventors: Lawrence Oliver Ryan (Menlo Park, CA); Usman Ghani (Pacifica, CA); Tobenna Arodigobu (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
G05D1/0022G05D1/0016G06T15/08H03M13/154H03M13/1515H03M13/6312H04L69/16H04N5/23238H04N19/46H04W4/40G05D1/0231G05D1/0255G05D1/0257H04W84/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,175,654
App. No.
16/402,619
Granted
Nov 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A remote vehicle control system includes a vehicle mounted sensor system including a video camera system for producing video data and a distance mapping sensor system for producing distance map data. A data handling system is used to compress and transmit both the video and distance map data over a cellular network using feed forward correction. A virtual control system acts to receive the video and distance map data, while providing a user with a live video stream supported by distance map data. Based on user actions, control instructions can be sent to the vehicle mounted sensor system and the remote vehicle over the cellular network.

Claims (27)

1. A remote vehicle control system comprising;

a vehicle mounted sensor system including a video camera system for producing video data and a distance mapping sensor system for producing distance map data;

a data handling system to compress and transmit both the video and distance map data over a cellular network using feed forward correction; and

a virtual control system to receive the video and distance map data, provide a user with a live video stream supported by distance map data; and transmit control instructions to the vehicle mounted sensor system and the remote vehicle over the cellular network.

2. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the video camera system further comprises a plurality of video cameras to provide a 360-degree video feed.

3. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the distance mapping sensor system further comprises at least one of a lidar system, a radar system, a stereo imaging system for distance determination, a monocular system for distance determination, and an ultrasonic sensing system.

4. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system further comprises a video prioritization module to order video data at least in part by priority.

5. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system further comprises a video prioritization module to interleave video frames prior to transmission.

6. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system compresses the video data using a forward error correction module.

7. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system compresses the video data using a maximum separable distance erasure code.

8. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system compresses the video data using Cauchy Reed-Solomon code.

9. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the data handling system transmits packets by a User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

10. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual control system has a voxel render module to create a distance map.

11. The remote vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual control system has a cubic projection viewer for virtual reality view and control.

12. A method for controlling a remote vehicle comprising the steps of;

providing video and distance map data from a vehicle mounted sensor system;

compressing and transmitting both the video and distance map data over a cellular network using feed forward correction;

receiving the video and distance map data and providing a user with a live video stream supported by distance map data; and

transmitting control instructions to the vehicle mounted sensor system and the remote vehicle over the cellular network.

13. The method for controlling a remote vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle mounted sensor system further comprises a plurality of video cameras to provide a 360-degree video feed.

14. The method for controlling a remote vehicle claim 12 , further comprising the step of prioritizing video data transmission.

15. The method for controlling a remote vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising the step of interleaving video frames prior to transmission.

16. The method for controlling a remote vehicle claim 12 , further comprising the step of compressing the video data using a forward error correction module.

17. The method for controlling a remote vehicle claim 12 , further comprising the step of compressing the video data using a maximum separable distance erasure code.

18. The method for controlling a remote vehicle claim 12 , further comprising the step of compressing the video data using Cauchy Reed-Solomon code.

19. The method for controlling a remote vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising the step of transmitting packets by a User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

20. The method for controlling a remote vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising the step of the rendering voxels using a distance map.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Oct 11, 2019
From: SCOTTY LABS, INC.
To: DOORDASH, INC.
Reel/Frame 050693/0800 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2019
From: RYAN, LAWRENCE OLIVER; GHANI, USMAN; ARODIGOBU, TOBENNA
To: SCOTTY LABS
Reel/Frame 049073/0034 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62666566 · May 3, 2018
Related Publication 20190339689A1 · Nov 7, 2019