IP Library Granted Patent US 12,638,852
Granted Patent B2
US 12,638,852 · App. 18/464,822 · Granted May 26, 2026

Autonomous vehicle collision mitigation systems and methods

Inventors: Matthew Shaw Wood (Pittsburgh, PA); William M. Leach (West Bloomfield, MI); Scott C. Poeppel (Pittsburgh, PA); Nicholas G. Letwin (Pittsburgh, PA); Noah Zych (Pittsburgh, PA)
Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.
G05D1/0297B60W30/09B60W60/00276B62D15/0265G01S13/931G01S15/931G01S17/931G05D1/021G05D1/0214G05D1/0257G05D1/0287B60W2420/403B60W2420/408B60W2554/4026B60W2554/4029B60W2554/4041B60W2554/4044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,638,852
App. No.
18/464,822
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining, from an autonomy system, data indicative of a planned trajectory of the autonomous vehicle through a surrounding environment. The method includes determining a region of interest in the surrounding environment based at least in part on the planned trajectory. The method includes controlling one or more first sensors to obtain data indicative of the region of interest. The method includes identifying one or more objects in the region of interest, based at least in part on the data obtained by the one or more first sensors. The method includes controlling the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more objects identified in the region of interest.

Claims (42)

1 . A vehicle control system for a vehicle, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media that store instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the vehicle control system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

monitoring, by an event response system that is separate from the vehicle control system on-board the vehicle and using one or more perception sensors controlled by a sensor steering system of the event response system, a surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein the one or more perception sensors are independent from sensors associated with the vehicle control system;

based on monitoring the surrounding environment, identifying, by the event response system, one or more objects;

detecting, by the event response system, one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects, wherein the one or more potential collisions are associated with a region of interest; and

adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system to obtain data indicative of the region of interest, the region of interest associated with a trajectory of the vehicle.

2 . The vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system comprises filtering data corresponding to the region of interest, wherein the data indicative of the region of interest is obtained by the one or more perception sensors.

3 . The vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein detecting one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects comprises:

receiving sensor data from at least one sensor associated with the vehicle control system, wherein the sensor data includes data associated with the one or more objects; and

determining, based on the sensor data, a movement of the one or more objects.

4 . The vehicle control system of claim 3 , the operations further comprising determining a predicted trajectory of at least one object of the one or more objects, the predicted trajectory indicative of a path along which the at least one object is predicted to travel over time.

5 . The vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous truck.

6 . The vehicle control system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising adjusting a trajectory of the vehicle based on detecting the one or more potential collisions.

7 . The vehicle control system of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the surrounding environment of the vehicle comprises iteratively detecting and tracking the one or more objects.

8 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

monitoring, by an event response system that is separate from a vehicle control system on-board a vehicle and using one or more perception sensors controlled by a sensor steering system of the event response system, a surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein the one or more perception sensors are independent from sensors associated with the vehicle control system;

based on monitoring the surrounding environment, identifying, by the event response system one or more objects;

detecting, by the event response system, one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects, wherein the one or more potential collisions are associated with a region of interest; and

adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system to obtain data indicative of the region of interest, the region of interest associated with a trajectory of the vehicle.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system comprises filtering data corresponding to the region of interest, wherein the data indicative of the region of interest is obtained by the one or more perception sensors.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein detecting one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects comprises:

receiving sensor data from at least one sensor associated with the vehicle control system, wherein the sensor data includes data associated with the one or more objects; and

determining, based on the sensor data, a movement of the one or more objects.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a predicted trajectory of at least one object of the one or more objects, the predicted trajectory indicative of a path along which the at least one object is predicted to travel over time.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous truck.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising adjusting a trajectory of the vehicle based on detecting the one or more potential collisions.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein monitoring the surrounding environment of the vehicle comprises iteratively detecting and tracking the one or more objects.

15 . A vehicle, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors cause the vehicle to perform operations, the operations comprising:

monitoring, by an event response system that is separate from a vehicle control system on-board the vehicle and using one or more perception sensors controlled by a sensor steering system of the event response system, a surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein the one or more perception sensors are independent from sensors associated with the vehicle control system;

based on monitoring the surrounding environment, identifying, by the event response system, one or more objects;

detecting, by the event response system, one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects, wherein the one or more potential collisions are associated with a region of interest; and

adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system to obtain data indicative of the region of interest, the region of interest associated with a trajectory of the vehicle.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the one or more perception sensors associated with the event response system comprises filtering data corresponding to the region of interest, wherein the data indicative of the region of interest is obtained by the one or more perception sensors.

17 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein detecting one or more potential collisions with the one or more objects comprises:

receiving sensor data from at least one sensor associated with the vehicle control system, wherein the sensor data includes data associated with the one or more objects; and

determining, based on the sensor data, a movement of the one or more objects.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , the operations further comprising determining a predicted trajectory of at least one object of the one or more objects, the predicted trajectory indicative of a path along which the at least one object is predicted to travel over time.

19 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous truck.

20 . The vehicle of claim 15 , the operations further comprising adjusting a trajectory of the vehicle based on detecting the one or more potential collisions.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2024
From: UATC, LLC
To: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 067733/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 11, 2024
From: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: UATC, LLC
Reel/Frame 067077/0243 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2024
From: WOOD, MATTHEW SHAW; LEACH, WILLIAM M.; POEPPEL, SCOTT C.; LETWIN, NICHOLAS G.; ZYCH, NOAH
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066917/0138 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17360599 · Jun 28, 2021
Continuation 16429437 · Jun 3, 2019
Continuation 15637539 · Jun 29, 2017
Related Publication 20230418307A1 · Dec 28, 2023
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