IP Library Granted Patent US 11,981,352
Granted Patent B2
US 11,981,352 · App. 17/190,631 · Granted May 14, 2024

System and method of predicting human interaction with vehicles

Inventors: Samuel English Anthony (Cambridge, MA); Kshitij Misra (Cambridge, MA); Avery Wagner Faller (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: Perceptive Automata, Inc.
B60W60/00274B60W30/00G05D1/0088G06F18/214G06F18/41G06N3/04G06N3/08G06N3/084G06V10/7784G06V20/41G06V20/58G06V40/20G08G1/04G08G1/166G05D2201/0213G06N5/01G06N20/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,981,352
App. No.
17/190,631
Granted
May 14, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for predicting user interaction with vehicles. A computing device receives an image and a video segment of a road scene, the first at least one of an image and a video segment being taken from a perspective of a participant in the road scene and then generates stimulus data based on the image and the video segment. Stimulus data is transmitted to a user interface and response data is received, which includes at least one of an action and a likelihood of the action corresponding to another participant in the road scene. The computing device aggregates a subset of the plurality of response data to form statistical data and a model is created based on the statistical data. The model is applied to another image or video segment and a prediction of user behavior in the another image or video segment is generated.

Claims (82)

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling a moveable device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of training images, wherein each image from the plurality of training images displays one or more persons;

for each of the plurality of training images:

sending the training image to one or more annotators via a user interface requesting user responses describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the training image; and

receiving user responses from the annotators, each user response describing the state of mind of the one or more persons displayed in the image;

generating training dataset comprising, for each of the plurality of training images, summary statistics of user responses received for the training image;

training, using the training dataset, a machine learning based model configured to receive an input image and predict summary statistics describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the input image;

receiving a new image of a new environment, the new image including a new person;

predicting, using the machine learning based model, summary statistics describing a state of mind of the new person in the new image; and

controlling the moveable device based on the predicted summary statistics describing the state of mind of the new person.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein sending the plurality of training images to the annotators via the user interface, further comprises:

selecting a set of questions to be presented to the annotators with the plurality of training images; and

sending the set of questions and the plurality of training images for display to the annotators via the user interface.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the set of questions are selected based on one or more of: features associated with the moveable device and features extracted a training image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the moveable device is a delivery robot and the state of mind predicted by the machine learning based model indicates a likelihood of the new person performing an action, the action including one of:

interact with the delivery robot to load an object to be delivered,

interact with the delivery robot to pick up an object delivered by the delivery robot, or

move into a path of motion of the delivery robot.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person interacting with the delivery robot to load the object or pick up the object being greater than a threshold, controlling the delivery robot to perform one or more of:

requesting credentials from the new person,

staying in place for the new person to approach,

moving toward the new person, or

opening a compartment configured to hold the object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person moving into the path of motion of the delivery robot, controlling the moveable device to perform one or more of:

stopping in place until the new person has passed by the delivery robot,

rerouting to move around the new person,

sounding an alarm, or

moving at a slower speed.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the moveable device is a forklift or a factory arm and the state of mind predicted by the machine learning based model indicates a likelihood of the new person being aware of the moveable device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person being aware of the forklift or the factory arm being less than a threshold, controlling the forklift or the factory arm to perform one of:

stop in place, or

sound an alarm.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the moveable device is a forklift or a factory arm and wherein the state of mind indicates a likelihood of the new person moving into a path of motion of the forklift or the factory arm.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person moving into the path of motion of the moveable device being greater than a threshold, controlling the forklift or the factory arm to perform one of:

stop in place, or

sound an alarm.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the moveable device is a drone and the state of mind predicted by the machine learning based model indicates a likelihood of the new person becoming aware of the drone.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person becoming aware of the drone being greater than a threshold, controlling the drone to perform one or more of:

sounding an alarm,

flying to a higher altitude, or

moving in a direction away from the new person.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the moveable device is a drone and the state of mind predicted by the machine learning based model indicates a likelihood of the new person acting interacting with the drone.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person interacting with the drone being greater than a threshold, controlling the drone to perform one or more of:

sounding an alarm,

flying to a higher altitude,

moving in a direction away from the new person, or

contacting a human operator.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the moveable device is a robot configured to perform hospitality functions or security functions and the state of mind predicted by the machine learning based model indicates a likelihood of the new person performing an action, the action including one of:

interacting with the robot, or

moving into a path of motion of the robot.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person interacting with the robot exceeding a threshold, controlling the robot to move toward the new person and initiate an interaction.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person interacting with the robot exceeding a threshold, controlling the robot to perform one or more of:

sounding an alarm,

blocking the new person, or

contacting security personnel.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein responsive to the likelihood of the new person moving into the path of motion of the robot, controlling the moveable device to perform one or more of:

stopping in place until the new person has passed by the robot,

rerouting to move around the new person,

sounding an alarm, or

moving at a slower speed.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform steps of a computer-implemented method for controlling a moveable device, the steps comprising:

receiving a plurality of training images, wherein each image from the plurality of training images displays one or more persons;

for each of the plurality of training images:

sending the training image to one or more annotators via a user interface requesting user responses describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the training image; and

receiving user responses from the annotators, each user response describing the state of mind of the one or more persons displayed in the image;

generating training dataset comprising, for each of the plurality of training images, summary statistics of user responses received for the training image;

training, using the training dataset, a machine learning based model configured to receive an input image and predict summary statistics describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the input image;

receiving a new image of a new environment, the new image including a new person;

predicting, using the machine learning based model, summary statistics describing a state of mind of the new person in the new image; and

controlling the moveable device based on the predicted summary statistics describing the state of mind of the new person.

20. A computer system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform steps of a computer-implemented method for determining an attribute of one or more persons, the steps comprising:

receiving a plurality of training images, wherein each image from the plurality of training images displays one or more persons;

for each of the plurality of training images:

sending the training image to one or more annotators via a user interface requesting user responses describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the training image; and

receiving user responses from the annotators, each user response describing the state of mind of the one or more persons displayed in the image;

generating training dataset comprising, for each of the plurality of training images, summary statistics of user responses received for the training image;

training, using the training dataset, a machine learning based model configured to receive an input image and predict summary statistics describing a state of mind of a person displayed in the input image;

receiving a new image of a new environment, the new image including a new person;

predicting, using the machine learning based model, summary statistics describing a state of mind of the new person in the new image; and

controlling a moveable device based on the predicted summary statistics describing the state of mind of the new person.

Assignments (3)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 25, 2025
From: PERCEPTIVE AUTOMATA LLC
To: PICCADILLY PATENT FUNDING LLC, AS SECURITY HOLDER
Reel/Frame 070614/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: PERCEPTIVE AUTOMATA, INC.
To: PERCEPTIVE AUTOMATA LLC
Reel/Frame 070267/0727 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2021
From: ANTHONY, SAMUEL ENGLISH; MISRA, KSHITIJ; FALLER, AVERY WAGNER
To: PERCEPTIVE AUTOMATA, INC.
Reel/Frame 055854/0170 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 16828823 · Mar 24, 2020
Continuation 16512560 · Jul 16, 2019
Continuation 15830549 · Dec 4, 2017
Provisional Application 62528771 · Jul 5, 2017
Related Publication 20210182605A1 · Jun 17, 2021