IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,161,476
Granted Patent B2
US 11,161,476 · App. 16/822,150 · Granted Nov 2, 2021

Automatic disabling of autonomous vehicles systems

Inventors: Rajat Basu (San Francisco, CA); Chase Kaufman (Fountain Hills, AZ); Jeffrey Brandon (Phoenix, AZ)
Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings, LLC
B60R25/2018B60R25/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,161,476
App. No.
16/822,150
Granted
Nov 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to techniques for enabling secured access to vehicles. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for determining, via at least one system status monitor, that at least one vehicle system of a vehicle is in a suboptimal operating condition, determining that the at least one vehicle system with the suboptimal operating condition is in control of at least one other vehicle system, and disabling automatically the at least one other vehicle system.

Claims (28)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a command, via a transceiver of an autonomous vehicle, from a remote server to operate at least one function of at least one vehicle system of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the at least one vehicle system comprises electronic locks without a mechanical backup, wherein the command from the remote server is operable when at least one other vehicle system of the autonomous vehicle is in an acceptable operating condition;

determining, via at least one system status monitor of the autonomous vehicle, that the at least one other vehicle system is in a suboptimal operating condition;

determining that the at least one other vehicle system with the suboptimal operating

condition is in control of the at least one vehicle system;

determining that the transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server; and

disabling automatically the at least one vehicle system based upon the determined suboptimal condition of the at least one other vehicle system or if the determined transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server, wherein disabling the at least one vehicle system comprises unlocking the electronic locks.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one other vehicle system is a battery, and the suboptimal condition indicates a low charge, wherein the autonomous vehicle unlocks the electronic locks while the battery still has power.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disabling of the at least one vehicle system comprises sending a command to the at least one vehicle system, the command effective to cause the at least one vehicle system to unlock the electronic locks disposed on the autonomous vehicle.

4. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

a transceiver for communicating with a remote server, the transceiver is configured to receive a command from the remote server to operate at least one function of at least one vehicle system of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the at least one vehicle system comprises electronic locks without a mechanical backup, wherein the command from the remote server is operable when at least one other vehicle system of the autonomous vehicle is in an acceptable operating condition;

at least one system status monitor, wherein the system status monitor is configured to determine that at least one other vehicle system is in a suboptimal operating condition;

at least one processor in communications with the at least one system status monitor, the transceiver, and the remote server;

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, the instructions are effective to cause the at least one processor to:

determine, via at least one system status monitor, that the at least one other vehicle system is in a suboptimal operating condition;

determine that the at least one other vehicle system with the suboptimal operating condition is in control of the at least one vehicle system;

determine that the transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server; and

automatically disable the at least one vehicle system based upon the determined suboptimal condition of the at least one other vehicle system or if the determined transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server, wherein disabling the at least one vehicle system comprises unlocking the electronic locks.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one other vehicle system is a battery, and the suboptimal condition indicates a low charge, wherein the autonomous vehicle unlocks the electronic locks while the battery still has power.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one other vehicle system is a battery, and the suboptimal condition is a battery charge below a threshold charge, wherein the autonomous vehicle unlocks the electronic locks while the battery still has power.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the automatic disabling of the at least one vehicle system comprises sending a command to the at least one vehicle system, the command effective to cause the at least one vehicle system to unlock electronic locks disposed on the autonomous vehicle.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions are effective to cause at least one processor to:

receive a command, via a transceiver, from a remote server to operate at least one function of at least one vehicle system of an autonomous vehicle, wherein the at least one vehicle system comprises electronic locks without a mechanical backup, wherein the command from the remote server is operable when at least one other vehicle system of the autonomous vehicle is in an acceptable operating condition;

determine, via at least one system status monitor, that the at least one other vehicle system is in a suboptimal operating condition;

determine that the at least one other vehicle system with the suboptimal operating condition is in control of the at least one vehicle system;

determine that the transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server; and

disable automatically the at least one vehicle system based upon the determined suboptimal condition of the at least one other vehicle system or if the determined transceiver is unable to communicate with the remote server, wherein disabling the at least one vehicle system comprises unlocking the electronic locks.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the at least one other vehicle system is a battery, and the suboptimal condition indicates a low charge, wherein the autonomous vehicle unlocks the electronic locks while the battery still has power.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2020
From: BASU, RAJAT; BRANDON, JEFFREY; KAUFMAN, CHASE
To: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 052149/0568 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210291785A1 · Sep 23, 2021