IP Library Granted Patent US 12,475,786
Granted Patent B1
US 12,475,786 · App. 18/427,466 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Autonomous vehicle convergence avoidance systems and methods

Inventors: Yevgeniy Viatcheslavovich Khmelev (San Antonio, TX); Oscar Guerra (San Antonio, TX); Jeffrey Neal Pollack (San Antonio, TX); Janelle Denice Dziuk (Falls City, TX); Ashley Raine Philbrick (San Antonio, TX); Ryan Thomas Russell (San Antonio, TX); David Patrick Dixon (Boerne, TX)
Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
G08G1/096725B60W60/0011B60W60/0016G05D1/0214G07B15/02G08G1/0129G08G1/148G08G1/164
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,475,786
App. No.
18/427,466
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

A vehicle adjustment system includes one or more processors configured to receive data from one or more sensors coupled to a vehicle that is in a stationary position. The one or more processors are also configured to analyze the data to determine whether an object is within a buffer zone surrounding the vehicle while the vehicle is in the stationary position. In response to determining that the object is within the buffer zone while the vehicle is in the stationary position, the one or more processors are configured to provide control signals to one or more driving components of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle to an alternate position.

Claims (53)

1 . A vehicle adjustment system, comprising:

processing circuitry comprising one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions executable by the processing circuitry to cause the processing circuitry to:

analyze data from one or more sensors to identify an another vehicle in a vicinity of a vehicle;

access a collision history of the another vehicle;

determine an appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle, wherein the appropriate distance is adjustable based on the collision history of the another vehicle; and

control one or more driving components of the vehicle to move the vehicle to provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle.

2 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is coupled to the vehicle.

3 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

analyze the data from the one or more sensors to identify a make of the another vehicle, a model of the another vehicle, or both; and

determine the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle in combination with the make of the another vehicle, the model of the another vehicle, or both.

4 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

analyze the data from the one or more sensors to identify presence of a collision avoidance feature on the another vehicle; and

determine the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle and the presence of the collision avoidance feature on the another vehicle.

5 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

analyze the data from the one or more sensors to identify a velocity of the another vehicle, a direction of the another vehicle, or both; and

determine the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle in combination with the velocity of the another vehicle, the direction of the another vehicle, or both.

6 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

receive an input indicative of a preference of an occupant of the vehicle; and

determine the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle and the preference.

7 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to control the one or more driving components of the vehicle to move the vehicle without any occupants in the vehicle.

8 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

select an alternate position for the vehicle that would provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle; and

control the one or more driving components of the vehicle to move the vehicle from a current position to the alternate position to provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle.

9 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to select the alternate position for the vehicle based on respective characteristics of other vehicles in proximity to the alternate position.

10 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 9 , wherein the respective characteristics of the other vehicles comprise respective collision histories of the other vehicles.

11 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 8 , wherein the current position and the alternate position are different parking spaces in one or more parking lots.

12 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to provide a notification to a device of a person associated with the vehicle in response to the vehicle being moved to the alternate position.

13 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to determine the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle and weather conditions at the vehicle.

14 . The vehicle adjustment system of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an image, and the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to:

analyze the image to identify a license plate number of the another vehicle; and

access the collision history of the another vehicle based on the license plate number of the another vehicle.

15 . A method of operating a vehicle adjustment system, comprising:

receiving, at one or more processors, data from one or more sensors;

analyzing, using the one or more processors, the data to identify an another vehicle in a vicinity of a vehicle;

accessing, using the one or more processors, a collision history of the another vehicle;

determining, using the one or more processors, an appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle, wherein the appropriate distance is adjustable based on the collision history of the another vehicle; and

controlling, using the one or more processors, one or more driving components of the vehicle to provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle.

16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

analyzing, using the one or more processors, the data to identify presence of a collision avoidance feature on the another vehicle; and

determining, using the one or more processors, the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle and the presence of the collision avoidance feature on the another vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

selecting, using the one or more processors, an alternate position for the vehicle that would provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle; and

controlling, using the one or more processors, the one or more driving components of the vehicle to move the vehicle from a current position to the alternate position to provide the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

identifying, using the one or more processors, weather conditions in the vicinity of the vehicle; and

determining, using the one or more processors, the appropriate distance between the another vehicle and the vehicle based on the collision history of the another vehicle and the weather conditions.

19 . A method of operating a vehicle adjustment system, comprising:

accessing, using one or more processors, a respective collision history of a first other vehicle in a vicinity of a vehicle and a respective collision history of a second other vehicle in the vicinity of the vehicle;

determining, using the one or more processors, a first appropriate distance between the first other vehicle and the vehicle based on the respective collision history of the first other vehicle, wherein the first appropriate distance is adjustable based on the respective collision history of the first other vehicle;

determining, using the one or more processors, a second appropriate distance between the second other vehicle and the vehicle based on the respective collision history of the second other vehicle, wherein the second appropriate distance is adjustable based on the respective collision history of the second other vehicle, and wherein the first appropriate distance and the second appropriate distance are different from one another; and

controlling, using the one or more processors, one or more driving components of the vehicle to provide the first appropriate distance between the first other vehicle and the vehicle and to provide the second appropriate distance between the second other vehicle and the vehicle.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein accessing, using the one or more processors, the respective collision history of the first other vehicle in the vicinity of the vehicle comprises receiving, at the one or more processors, data indicative of the respective collision history of the first other vehicle from the first other vehicle.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2024
From: KHMELEV, YEVGENIY VIATCHESLAVOVICH; GUERRA, OSCAR; POLLACK, JEFFREY NEAL; DZIUK, JANELLE DENICE; PHILBRICK, ASHLEY RAINE; RUSSELL, RYAN THOMAS; DIXON, DAVID PATRICK
To: UIPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 066315/0721 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2024
From: UIPCO, LLC
To: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)
Reel/Frame 066315/0732 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17750897 · May 23, 2022
Continuation 16778911 · Jan 31, 2020
Provisional Application 62799446 · Jan 31, 2019
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