IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,115,989
Granted Patent B1
US 12,115,989 · App. 18/110,650 · Granted Oct 15, 2024

Responding to input on a brake pedal of a brake by wire system for an autonomous vehicle

Inventors: Nolan McPeek-Bechtold (Belmont, CA); Kimberly Toth (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Waymo LLC
B60W30/18109B60W10/18B60W60/0018B60W2554/4041B60W2554/60B60W2710/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,115,989
App. No.
18/110,650
Granted
Oct 15, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode where vehicle has a drive by wire braking system. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, a signal corresponding to input at a brake pedal of the drive by wire braking system may be received. An amount of braking may be determined based on the received signal. The amount of braking may be used to determine a trajectory for the vehicle to follow. The vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode using the trajectory.

Claims (35)

1. A method of controlling a first vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:

while the first vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, receiving, by one or more processors, a signal corresponding to input at a brake pedal of the first vehicle;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a trajectory for the first vehicle to follow, the trajectory having a constraint associated with a threshold minimum amount of braking; and

controlling, by the one or more processors, the first vehicle in the autonomous driving mode based on the signal and a priority of the constraint, wherein the priority of the constraint can be adjusted in order to prevent unsafe situations associated with the first vehicle and a second vehicle in an environment of the first vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the priority of the constraint is adjusted to reduce or ignore the threshold minimum amount of braking.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the adjustment of the priority of the constraint causes deceleration of the first vehicle to change from the threshold minimum amount of braking.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the deceleration of the first vehicle is reduced when the second vehicle is driving at a particular speed within a predetermined distance behind the first vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

detecting and identifying the second vehicle and characteristics of the second vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the characteristics include at least one of location, orientation, heading or speed.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, a speed of the second vehicle relative to a speed of the first vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the first vehicle; and

adjusting, by the one or more processors based on the location of the first vehicle, the priority of the constraint to reduce or ignore the threshold minimum amount of braking.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the location corresponds to an intersection.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the location corresponds to a railroad crossing.

12. A first vehicle comprising:

a brake pedal; and

one or more processors configured to:

while the first vehicle is being controlled in an autonomous driving mode, receive a signal corresponding to input at the brake pedal;

receive a trajectory for the first vehicle to follow, the trajectory having a constraint associated with a threshold minimum amount of braking; and

control the first vehicle in the autonomous driving mode based on the signal and a priority of the constraint, wherein the priority of the constraint can be adjusted in order to prevent unsafe situations associated with the first vehicle and a second vehicle in an environment of the first vehicle.

13. The first vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the priority of the constraint is adjusted to reduce or ignore the threshold minimum amount of braking.

14. The first vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the adjustment of the priority of the constraint causes deceleration of the first vehicle to change from the threshold minimum amount of braking.

15. The first vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the deceleration of the first vehicle is reduced when the second vehicle is driving at a particular speed within a predetermined distance behind the first vehicle.

16. The first vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

17. The first vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a speed of the second vehicle relative to a speed of the first vehicle.

18. The first vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a location of the first vehicle; and

adjust, based on the location of the first vehicle, the priority of the constraint to reduce or ignore the threshold minimum amount of braking.

19. The first vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the location corresponds to an intersection.

20. The first vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the location corresponds to a railroad crossing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2023
From: MCPEEK-BECHTOLD, NOLAN; TOTH, KIMBERLY
To: WAYMO LLC
Reel/Frame 062783/0936 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 16877531 · May 19, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,434,694