IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,787,417
Granted Patent B2
US 11,787,417 · App. 17/465,614 · Granted Oct 17, 2023

Assessing driver ability to operate an autonomous vehicle

Inventors: Brian Mark Fields (Phoenix, AZ); Leo Nelson Chan (Normal, IL); Kristopher Keith Gaudin (Bloomington, IL); Aaron Williams (Congerville, IL)
Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
B60W40/09B60W50/12B60W50/14G06Q40/08G06V20/597B60W2040/0809B60W2040/0818B60W2040/0872B60W2555/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,787,417
App. No.
17/465,614
Filed
Sep 2, 2021
Granted
Oct 17, 2023
Kind
B2
Examiner
LA, ANH V
Art Unit
2684
USPC
340/576
Abstract

A computer-implemented method of assessing driver capability for operating an autonomous vehicle includes identifying a human operator of the autonomous vehicle, the human operator being associated with a driving capability profile. The method further includes signaling to the human operator with the signal, the signal requesting a response from the human operator. The method also includes updating, based on the response from the human operator to the signal, the driving capability profile to indicate a level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal.

Claims (57)

1. A method of assessing driver capability for operating an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, a human operator of the autonomous vehicle, the human operator being associated with a driving capability profile;

signaling, by the one or more processors, to the human operator with a signal, the signal requesting a response from the human operator; and

updating, by the one or more processors, based on the response from the human operator to the signal, the driving capability profile to indicate a level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors prior to the signaling, human operator parameters associated with the human operator of the autonomous vehicle,

wherein updating the driving capability profile is further based on the human operator parameters.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the human operator parameters includes:

determining whether eyes of the human operator are focused on an object inside the autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, an alertness level of the human operator based on the human operator parameters,

wherein updating the driving capability profile includes updating the driving capability profile to indicate the level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal at the determined alertness level.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal is a first signal, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the one or more processors, than an autonomous capability of the autonomous vehicle is to change; and

in response to the detecting, signaling, by the one or more processors, based on the driving capability profile, to the human operator with a second signal.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, an alertness level of the human operator,

wherein the signaling to the human operator with the second signal is further based on the alertness level.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, an environmental profile of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental profile reflecting conditions surrounding the autonomous vehicle,

wherein updating the driving capability profile is further based on the environmental profile.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the environmental profile of the autonomous vehicle includes one or more of weather conditions or daylight conditions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the driving capability profile to indicate the level of skill comprises:

updating the driving capability profile to indicate an amount of time between the signaling operation and the response from the human operator.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the driving capability profile is further based on at least one of a type of response from the human operator or a type of signal used by the signaling operation.

11. A computer system for assessing driver capability for operating an autonomous vehicle, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:

identify a human operator of the autonomous vehicle, the human operator being associated with a driving capability profile;

signal to the human operator with a signal, the signal requesting a response from the human operator; and

update, based on the response from the human operator to the signal, the driving capability profile to indicate a level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

determine, prior to the signaling, human operator parameters associated with the human operator of the autonomous vehicle,

wherein updating the driving capability profile is further based on the human operator parameters.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the computer system to determine the human operator parameters by:

determining whether eyes of the human operator are focused on an object inside the autonomous vehicle.

14. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

determine an alertness level of the human operator based on the human operator parameters,

wherein updating the driving capability profile includes updating the driving capability profile to indicate the level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal at the determined alertness level.

15. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the signal is a first signal, and the instructions further cause the computer system to:

detect than an autonomous capability of the autonomous vehicle is to change; and

in response to the detecting, signal, based on the driving capability profile, to the human operator with a second signal.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

determine an alertness level of the human operator,

wherein the signaling to the human operator with the second signal is further based on the alertness level.

17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

determine an environmental profile of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental profile reflecting conditions surrounding the autonomous vehicle,

wherein updating the driving capability profile is further based on the environmental profile.

18. The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the environmental profile of the autonomous vehicle includes one or more of weather conditions or daylight conditions.

19. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the computer system to update the driving capability profile to indicate the level of skill by:

updating the driving capability profile to indicate an amount of time between the signaling operation and the response from the human operator.

20. A method of insuring an autonomous vehicle against loss, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a driving capability profile of a human operator of the autonomous vehicle;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a response from the human operator to a signal, the signal presented to the human operator and requesting a response from the human operator;

updating, by the one or more processors, based on the response from the human operator to the signal, the driving capability profile to indicate a level of skill of the human operator at responding to the signal;

determining, by the one or more processors, a risk of insuring the autonomous vehicle, the risk being based at least in part on the updated driving capability profile; and

transmitting, by the one or more processors, an insurance offer to an electronic device associated with the human operator, the insurance offer being based at least in part on the determined risk of insuring the autonomous vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2021
From: FIELDS, BRIAN MARK; CHAN, LEO NELSON; GAUDIN, KRISTOPHER KEITH; WILLIAMS, AARON
To: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 057376/0295 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16806708 · Mar 2, 2020
Continuation 15957723 · Apr 19, 2018
Related Publication 20210394767A1 · Dec 23, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,304,502 US 12,426,829