IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,061,478
Granted Patent B2
US 12,061,478 · App. 18/345,564 · Granted Aug 13, 2024

Detection of active emergency vehicles shared within an autonomous vehicle fleet

Inventors: Sandra Lennie (San Mateo, CA); Jason Yun (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
G05D1/0088G05D1/0027G05D1/0291
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,061,478
App. No.
18/345,564
Filed
Jun 30, 2023
Granted
Aug 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3666
USPC
701/2
Abstract

Various technologies described herein pertain to sharing of detection of active emergency vehicles within an autonomous vehicle fleet. Information specifying detection of an active emergency vehicle at a first location in an environment is received. The active emergency vehicle is detected based upon sensor inputs of a first autonomous vehicle in an autonomous vehicle fleet. A second autonomous vehicle, at a second location, in the autonomous vehicle fleet is identified as being approached by the active emergency vehicle based on the information specifying the detection of the active emergency vehicle at the first location and the second location of the second autonomous vehicle. A remote assistance session for the second autonomous vehicle is caused to be initiated based on the second autonomous vehicle being identified as being approached by the active emergency vehicle. The second autonomous vehicle is controllable by a remote operator during the remote assistance session.

Claims (31)

1. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a processor; and

memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

receiving information specifying detection of a stopped school bus with an extended stop sign and illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle in an environment, the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being detected as being approached by the autonomous vehicle at least in part based on sensor inputs of a differing autonomous vehicle; and

controlling operation of the autonomous vehicle based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part on the sensor inputs of the differing autonomous vehicle, wherein controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle comprises causing the autonomous vehicle to stop based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part based on the sensor inputs of the differing autonomous vehicle,

wherein a remote assistance session for the autonomous vehicle is automatically initiated at least one of without or prior to the autonomous vehicle attempting to initiate a remote assistance session.

2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

initiating the remote assistance session at least in part based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part based on the sensor inputs from the differing autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is controllable by a remote operator during the remote assistance session.

3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein presence of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights is confirmed in the remote assistance session for the autonomous vehicle.

4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1 , wherein off-vehicle monitoring of sensor inputs of the autonomous vehicle is enabled responsive to the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle.

5. A computing system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

receiving information specifying detection of a stopped school bus with an extended stop sign and illuminated lights at a first location in an environment, the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being detected at least in part on sensor inputs of a first autonomous vehicle in an autonomous vehicle fleet;

identifying a second autonomous vehicle in the autonomous vehicle fleet approaching the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights, the second autonomous vehicle being at a second location in the environment, the second autonomous vehicle being identified as approaching the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights based on:

the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights at the first location in the environment; and

the second location in the environment of the second autonomous vehicle; and

transmitting the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights at the first location in the environment to the second autonomous vehicle responsive to the second autonomous vehicle being identified as approaching the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights.

6. The computing system of claim 5 , the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

automatically initiating a remote assistance session for the second autonomous vehicle responsive to the second autonomous vehicle being identified as approaching the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights, wherein the second autonomous vehicle is controllable by a remote operator during the remote assistance session.

7. The computing system of claim 5 , the memory further stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

enabling off-vehicle monitoring of sensor inputs of the second autonomous vehicle responsive to the second autonomous vehicle being identified as approaching the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights.

8. The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights at the first location in the environment is received responsive to the first autonomous vehicle detecting the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights from the sensor inputs of the first autonomous vehicle.

9. The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights at the first location in the environment is received responsive to confirmation of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being at the first location in the environment during a differing remote assistance session of the first autonomous vehicle.

10. A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

receiving information specifying detection of a stopped school bus with an extended stop sign and illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle in an environment, the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being detected as being approached by the autonomous vehicle at least in part based on sensor inputs of a differing autonomous vehicle;

controlling operation of the autonomous vehicle based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part on the sensor inputs of the differing autonomous vehicle, wherein controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle comprises causing the autonomous vehicle to stop based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part based on the sensor inputs of the differing autonomous vehicle; and

initiating a remote assistance session at least in part based on the information specifying the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle detected at least in part based on the sensor inputs from the differing autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is controllable by a remote operator during the remote assistance session.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the remote assistance session for the autonomous vehicle is automatically initiated at least one of without or prior to the autonomous vehicle attempting to initiate a remote assistance session.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein presence of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights is confirmed in the remote assistance session for the autonomous vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein off-vehicle monitoring of sensor inputs of the autonomous vehicle is enabled responsive to the detection of the stopped school bus with the extended stop sign and the illuminated lights being approached by the autonomous vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: LENNIE, SANDRA; YUN, JASON
To: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 064132/0078 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17364764 · Jun 30, 2021
Continuation 16288086 · Feb 27, 2019
Related Publication 20230341854A1 · Oct 26, 2023