IP Library Granted Patent US 11,022,973
Granted Patent B2
US 11,022,973 · App. 16/585,497 · Granted Jun 1, 2021

Systems and methods for communicating intent of an autonomous vehicle

Inventors: Molly Castle Nix (San Francisco, CA); Sean Chin (Pittsburgh, PA)
Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
G05D1/0212B60W50/0097B60W50/08B60W50/14G01C21/3676G05D1/0088B60K2370/119B60K2370/16B60K2370/166B60K2370/175B60K2370/186B60K2370/191B60K2370/193B60W2050/146B60W2554/80B60W2555/60G05D2201/0213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,022,973
App. No.
16/585,497
Granted
Jun 1, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods to communicate intent of an autonomous vehicle. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can receive, from an autonomy computing system of an autonomous vehicle, data indicating an intent of the autonomous vehicle to perform a driving maneuver. It can be determined that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to a passenger of the autonomous vehicle. Responsive to determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle, a graphical interface indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle can be generated and provided for display for viewing by the passenger.

Claims (37)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, data associated with a motion for an autonomous vehicle;

determining, by the computing system and based at least in part on the data associated with the motion for the autonomous vehicle, a plurality of intents of the autonomous vehicle indicating that the autonomous vehicle is planning motion actions in response to a plurality of events;

selecting, by the computing system, from amongst the plurality of intents, an intent of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined hierarchy that indicates a relationship between the plurality of events;

determining, by the computing system, that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and

responsive to determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger, providing, by the computing system for display via a graphical interface, data indicative of the intent of the autonomous vehicle for viewing.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining a frequency in a change of the intent.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining a degree of confidence of an event associated with the intent.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical interface indicates a current location of the autonomous vehicle and a graphic indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a map depicting the current location of the autonomous vehicle and a graphic overlay on the map indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical interface comprises one or more elements depicting an event associated with the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of intents of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining that the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping in response to at least a first event and a second event based at least in part on a signal determined from one or more of a map or environmental sensor data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a graphic indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping and indicates an event for which the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping based at least in part on the relationship between the first event and the second event in the predetermined hierarchy.

9. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving data associated with a motion for an autonomous vehicle;

determining, based at least in part on the data associated with the motion for the autonomous vehicle, a plurality of intents of the autonomous vehicle indicating that the autonomous vehicle is planning motion actions in response to a plurality of events;

selecting, from amongst the plurality of intents, an intent of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined hierarchy that indicates a relationship between the plurality of events;

determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and

responsive to determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger, providing, for display via a graphical interface, data indicative of the intent of the autonomous vehicle for viewing.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining a frequency in a change of the intent.

11. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining a degree of confidence of an event associated with the intent.

12. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the graphical interface indicates a current location of the autonomous vehicle and a graphic indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

13. The computing system of claim 12 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a map depicting the current location of the autonomous vehicle and a graphic overlay on the map indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

14. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the graphical interface comprises one or more elements depicting an event associated with the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

15. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein determining the plurality of intents of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining that the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping in response to at least a first event and a second event based at least in part on a signal determined from one or more of a map or environmental sensor data.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a graphic indicating that the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping and indicates an event for which the autonomous vehicle is stopped or stopping based at least in part on the relationship between the first event and the second event in the predetermined hierarchy.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media that collectively store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving data associated with a motion for an autonomous vehicle;

determining, based at least in part on the data associated with the motion for the autonomous vehicle, a plurality of intents of the autonomous vehicle indicating that the autonomous vehicle is planning motion actions in response to a plurality of events;

selecting, from amongst the plurality of intents, an intent of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined hierarchy that indicates a relationship between the plurality of events;

determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to a passenger of the autonomous vehicle; and

responsive to determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger, providing, for display via a graphical interface, data indicative of the intent of the autonomous vehicle for viewing.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle comprises determining at least one of a frequency in a change of the intent or a degree of confidence of an event associated with the intent.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the graphical interface indicates a current location of the autonomous vehicle and a graphic indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the graphical interface comprises a map depicting a current location of the autonomous vehicle, a graphic overlay on the map indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle, and one or more elements depicting an event associated with the intent of the autonomous vehicle.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 59692 FRAME: 345. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 4, 2025
From: UATC, LLC
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 070393/0307 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054940 FRAME: 0765. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 2, 2022
From: UATC, LLC
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059692/0345 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2021
From: UATC, LLC
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 054940/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2019
From: NIX, MOLLY CASTLE; CHIN, SEAN
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050623/0313 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2019
From: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: UATC, LLC
Reel/Frame 050623/0343 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15700211 · Sep 11, 2017
Provisional Application 62550796 · Aug 28, 2017
Related Publication 20200026298A1 · Jan 23, 2020