Communication system and method
A method, computer program product, and computing system for monitoring the interior of an autonomous vehicle for information being provided by a rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and processing the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle to generate a response based, at least in part, upon the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
1. A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:
monitoring, using at least one sensor, the interior of an autonomous vehicle for information being provided by a rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle;
processing, at an electronic control unit (ECU), the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle;
generating a response based, at least in part, upon the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the response comprises a unique light code; and
emitting light from a light source disposed at the top of the windshield of the autonomous vehicle based on the generated unique light code, wherein the light source comprises animated strip lighting.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a microphone assembly for obtaining the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for non-verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises an input device for obtaining the non-verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the non-verbal information comprises one or more of:
text-based information; and
encoded information.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying, on a display disposed within the autonomous vehicle, a message associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a verbal response associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises a speaker assembly for providing the verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises an output assembly for providing the non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein the non-verbal response comprises a text-based response.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle is verbal information.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein processing the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
processing the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle using Natural Language Understanding (NLU).
11. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
monitoring, using at least one sensor, the interior of an autonomous vehicle for information being provided by a rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
processing, at an electronic control unit (ECU), the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle,
generating a response based, at least in part, upon the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the response comprises a unique light code; and
emitting light from a light source disposed at the top of the windshield of the autonomous vehicle based on the generated unique light code, wherein the light source comprises animated strip lighting.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a microphone assembly for obtaining the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for non-verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises an input device for obtaining the non-verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the non-verbal information comprises one or more of:
text-based information; and
encoded information.
15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:
displaying, on a display disposed within the autonomous vehicle, a message associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
16. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a verbal response associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises a speaker assembly for providing the verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
17. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises an output assembly for providing the non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the non-verbal response comprises a text-based response.
19. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle is verbal information.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein processing the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
processing the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle using Natural Language Understanding (NLU).
21. A computing system comprising a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:
monitoring, using at least one sensor, the interior of an autonomous vehicle for information being provided by a rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle;
processing, at an electronic control unit (ECU), the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle;
generating a response based, at least in part, upon the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the response comprises a unique light code; and
emitting light from a light source disposed at the top of the windshield of the autonomous vehicle based on the generated unique light code, wherein the light source comprises animated strip lighting.
22. The computing system of claim 21 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a microphone assembly for obtaining the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
23. The computing system of claim 21 wherein monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring the interior of the autonomous vehicle for non-verbal information being provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the at least one sensor comprises an input device for obtaining the non-verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
24. The computing system of claim 23 wherein the non-verbal information comprises one or more of:
text-based information; and
encoded information.
25. The computing system of claim 21 further comprising:
displaying, on a display disposed within the autonomous vehicle, a message associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
26. The computing system of claim 21 , further comprising:
providing a verbal response associated with the unique light code to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises a speaker assembly for providing the verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
27. The computing system of claim 21 , further comprising:
providing a non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the interior of the autonomous vehicle comprises an output assembly for providing the non-verbal response to the rider of the autonomous vehicle.
28. The computing system of claim 27 wherein the non-verbal response comprises a text-based response.
29. The computing system of claim 21 wherein the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle is verbal information.
30. The computing system of claim 29 wherein processing the information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle comprises:
processing the verbal information provided by the rider of the autonomous vehicle to the autonomous vehicle using Natural Language Understanding (NLU).