Autonomous vehicle maneuver system for emergency vehicles and non-standard traffic flow
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided that may to cause autonomous navigation of autonomous vehicles in the case of non-standard traffic flows such as police stops, emergency vehicle passing, construction sites, vehicle collision sites, and other non-standard road conditions. An entity associated with the non-standard traffic flow (e.g., an emergency vehicle, road sign, barrier, etc.) may transmit or broadcast a control signal to be received (or otherwise detected) at one or more autonomous vehicles. Each autonomous vehicle, upon receiving the control signal, may autonomously navigate in accordance with the control signal, thus mitigating or eliminating dangers associated with non-standard traffic flows.
1. A computer-implemented method for automatically navigating a first autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving or otherwise detecting, at a computing device of the first autonomous vehicle via one or more processors or sensors, one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
identifying, at the computing device of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
obtaining, at the computing device of the first autonomous vehicle, (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and
controlling, via the one or more processors, an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprises determining the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
via the one or more processors, continuing to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals;
determining, via the one or more processors, that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and
in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, ceasing the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second entity is a second vehicle.
7. A computer system of a first autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer memories storing a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
receive or otherwise detect one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
identify, via based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
obtain (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and
control an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition.
8. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions to control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprise instructions to determine the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals.
9. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road.
10. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:
continue to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals;
determine that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and
in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, cease the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals.
11. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors.
12. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the second entity is a second vehicle.
13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing non-transitory computer-executable instructions that, when executed via one or more processors, cause one or more computers associated with a first autonomous vehicle to:
receive or otherwise detect one or more control signals transmitted via a second entity, the one or more control signals indicating a command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
identify, via based upon the one or more control signals, the command to stop the first autonomous vehicle;
obtain (1) first information indicative of a lighting condition required for a location at which the first autonomous vehicle is to stop, and (2) second information indicative of lighting at locations on or adjacent to a path of travel of the first autonomous vehicle; and
control an autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle based upon the obtained first and second information to cause the first autonomous vehicle to stop at a particular location on or adjacent to the path of travel and satisfying the required lighting condition.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions to control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle comprise instructions to determine the particular location within a geographic area indicated by the one or more control signals.
15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the one or more control signals are received while the first autonomous vehicle is traveling on a first road, and wherein the control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle causes the first autonomous vehicle to stop at the particular location on or along a second road.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed via the one or more processors, further cause the one or more computers to:
continue to automatically control the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle to cause the first autonomous vehicle to remain stopped, while the first autonomous vehicle continues to receive or otherwise detect the one or more control signals;
determine that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded a predetermined distance from the second entity, the determination being based at least in part upon an observed frequency of the one or more control signals meeting or passing a predetermined frequency threshold; and
in response to the determination that the first autonomous vehicle has met or exceeded the predetermined distance from the second entity, cease the automatic control of the autonomous navigation of the first autonomous vehicle according to the one or more control signals.
17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the one or more control signals include one or more flashing lights detectable via one or more photosensors.
18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the second entity is a second vehicle.