Search Patents
  • Predictive Reasoning for Controlling Speed of a Vehicle
    Publication number: 20140330479
    Abstract: Methods and systems for predictive reasoning for controlling speed of a vehicle are described. A computing device may be configured to identify a first and second vehicle travelling ahead of an autonomous vehicle and in a same lane as the autonomous vehicle. The computing device may also be configured to determine a first buffer distance behind the first vehicle at which the autonomous vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the first vehicle and a second buffer distance behind the second vehicle at which the first vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the second vehicle. The computing device may further be configured to determine a distance at which to adjust a speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the first and second buffer distances and the speed of the autonomous vehicle, and then provide instructions to adjust the speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • Method to Detect Nearby Aggressive Drivers and Adjust Driving Modes
    Publication number: 20140236414
    Abstract: A computing device may be configured to receive sensor information indicative of respective characteristics of vehicles on a road of travel of a first vehicle. The computing device may be configured to identify, based on the respective characteristics, a second vehicle that exhibits an aggressive driving behavior manifested as an unsafe or unlawful driving action. Also, based on the respective characteristics, the computing device may be configured to determine a type of the second vehicle. The computing device may be configured to estimate a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The computing device may be configured to modify a control strategy of the first vehicle, based on the aggressive driving behavior of the second vehicle, the type of the second vehicle, and the distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and control the first vehicle based on the modified control strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • Methods and Systems for Detecting Weather Conditions Including Sunlight Using Vehicle Onboard Sensors
    Publication number: 20140333468
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting weather conditions including sunlight using onboard vehicle sensors are described. In one example, a method is provided that includes receiving laser data collected for an environment of a vehicle. The method also includes associating laser data points with one or more objects in the environment, and determining given laser data points that are unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment as being representative of an untracked object at a given position with respect to the vehicle. The method also includes determining that the untracked object remains at a substantially same relative position with respect to the vehicle as the vehicle moves, and identifying by the computing device an indication that a weather condition of the environment of the vehicle is sunny.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • Systems and Methods for Transitioning Control of an Autonomous Vehicle to a Driver
    Publication number: 20140303827
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adaptive methods for transitioning control to the driver are described. A computing device controlling a vehicle autonomously may be configured to receive a request for a transition of the vehicle from autonomous mode to manual mode through an indication by the driver. The computing device may determine the state of the vehicle based on parameters related to the autonomous operation of the vehicle. Based on the state of the vehicle and the indication, the computing device may determine instructions corresponding to the transition of control, which may include a strategy for the transition and duration of time corresponding to the transition of control. The computing device may provide the instructions to perform the transition of control of the vehicle from autonomous mode to manual mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • Methods and Systems for Detecting Weather Conditions Including Wet Surfaces Using Vehicle Onboard Sensors
    Publication number: 20140307247
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for detecting weather conditions including wet surfaces using vehicle onboard sensors are provided. An example method includes receiving laser data collected for an environment of a vehicle. The method also includes determining laser data points that are associated with one or more objects in the environment, and based on laser data points being unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment, identifying an indication that a surface on which the vehicle travels is wet. The method may further include receiving radar data collected for the environment of the vehicle that is indicative of a presence of the one or more objects in the environment of the vehicle, and identifying the indication that the surface on which the vehicle travels is wet further based on laser data points being unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment indicated by the radar data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • MODIFYING BEHAVIOR OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES BASED ON SENSOR BLIND SPOTS AND LIMITATIONS
    Publication number: 20140214255
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to modeling a vehicle's view of its environment. This view need not include what objects or features the vehicle is actually seeing, but rather those areas that the vehicle is able to observe using its sensors if the sensors were completely un-occluded. For example, for each of a plurality of sensors of the object detection component, a computer may an individual 3D model of that sensor's field of view. Weather information is received and used to adjust one or more of the models. After this adjusting, the models may be aggregated into a comprehensive 3D model. The comprehensive model may be combined with detailed map information indicating the probability of detecting objects at different locations. A model of the vehicle's environment may be computed based on the combined comprehensive 3D model and detailed map information and may be used to maneuver the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • Methods and Systems for Detecting Weather Conditions Including Fog Using Vehicle Onboard Sensors
    Publication number: 20140324266
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting weather conditions including fog using vehicle onboard sensors are provided. An example method includes receiving laser data collected from scans of an environment of a vehicle, and associating, by a computing device, laser data points of with one or more objects in the environment. The method also includes comparing laser data points that are unassociated with the one or more objects in the environment with stored laser data points representative of a pattern due to fog, and based on the comparison, identifying by the computing device an indication that a weather condition of the environment of the vehicle includes fog.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • DETERMINING CHANGES IN A DRIVING ENVIRONMENT BASED ON VEHICLE BEHAVIOR
    Publication number: 20140088855
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining whether a driving environment has changed relative to previously stored information about the driving environment. The apparatus may include an autonomous driving computer system configured to detect one or more vehicles in the driving environment, and determine corresponding trajectories for those detected vehicles. The autonomous driving computer system may then compare the determined trajectories to an expected trajectory of a hypothetical vehicle in the driving environment. Based on the comparison, the autonomous driving computer system may determine whether the driving environment has changed and/or a probability that the driving environment has changed, relative to the previously stored information about the driving environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Google Inc.
  • VEHICLE OCCUPANT ENGAGEMENT USING THREE-DIMENSIONAL EYE GAZE VECTORS
    Publication number: 20210397859
    Abstract: According to the techniques of this disclosure, a method includes capturing, using a camera system of a vehicle, at least one image of an occupant of the vehicle, determining, based on the at least one image of the occupant, a location of one or more eyes of the occupant within the vehicle, and determining, based on the at least one image of the occupant, an eye gaze vector. The method may also include determining, based on the eye gaze vector, the location of the one or more eyes of the occupant, and a vehicle data file of the vehicle, a region of interest from a plurality of regions of interests of the vehicle at which the occupant is looking, wherein the vehicle data file specifies respective locations of each of the plurality of regions of interest, and selectively performing, based on the region of interest, an action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicants: Google LLC, Google LLC
    Inventors: Ankit Arora, Blaze Michael Keller, Guru Nagarajan
  • Leveraging of behavior of vehicles to detect likely presence of an emergency vehicle
    Patent number: 9092977
    Abstract: A controlled vehicle is provided that detects the presence of an emergency vehicle by monitoring the trajectories of vehicles that are sharing the road with the controlled vehicle. The controlled vehicle may determine that the trajectory of each of the monitored vehicles follows the same predetermined pattern. Based on detecting the predetermined pattern in the behavior of the monitored vehicles, the controlled vehicle may deduce that an emergency vehicle is present in the vicinity of the monitored vehicles and/or the controlled vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Scott Levandowski, Brian Cullinane
  • Leveraging of behavior of vehicles to detect likely presence of an emergency vehicle
    Patent number: 8849557
    Abstract: A controlled vehicle is provided that detects the presence of an emergency vehicle by monitoring the trajectories of vehicles that are sharing the road with the controlled vehicle. The controlled vehicle may determine that the trajectory of each of the monitored vehicles follows the same predetermined pattern. Based on detecting the predetermined pattern in the behavior of the monitored vehicles, the controlled vehicle may deduce that an emergency vehicle is present in the vicinity of the monitored vehicles and/or the controlled vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Scott Levandowski, Brian Cullinane
  • Modifying behavior of autonomous vehicle based on predicted behavior of other vehicles
    Patent number: 8655537
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could determine a current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. The environment of the vehicle includes at least one other vehicle. A predicted behavior of the at least one other vehicle could be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. A confidence level could also be determined based on the predicted behavior, the current state of the vehicle, and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the confidence level may be related to the likelihood of the at least one other vehicle to perform the predicted behavior. The vehicle in the autonomous mode could be controlled based on the predicted behavior, the confidence level, and the current state of the vehicle and its environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Dmitri A. Dolgov
  • Modifying behavior of autonomous vehicle based on predicted behavior of other vehicles
    Patent number: 9330571
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could determine a current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. The environment of the vehicle includes at least one other vehicle. A predicted behavior of the at least one other vehicle could be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. A confidence level could also be determined based on the predicted behavior, the current state of the vehicle, and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the confidence level may be related to the likelihood of the at least one other vehicle to perform the predicted behavior. The vehicle in the autonomous mode could be controlled based on the predicted behavior, the confidence level, and the current state of the vehicle and its environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Dmitri A. Dolgov
  • Modifying behavior of autonomous vehicle based on predicted behavior of other vehicles
    Patent number: 8457827
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could determine a current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. The environment of the vehicle includes at least one other vehicle. A predicted behavior of the at least one other vehicle could be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. A confidence level could also be determined based on the predicted behavior, the current state of the vehicle, and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the confidence level may be related to the likelihood of the at least one other vehicle to perform the predicted behavior. The vehicle in the autonomous mode could be controlled based on the predicted behavior, the confidence level, and the current state of the vehicle and its environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David I. Ferguson, Dmitri A. Dolgov
  • Modifying Behavior of Autonomous Vehicle Based on Predicted Behavior of Other Vehicles
    Publication number: 20140142799
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could determine a current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. The environment of the vehicle includes at least one other vehicle. A predicted behavior of the at least one other vehicle could be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. A confidence level could also be determined based on the predicted behavior, the current state of the vehicle, and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the confidence level may be related to the likelihood of the at least one other vehicle to perform the predicted behavior. The vehicle in the autonomous mode could be controlled based on the predicted behavior, the confidence level, and the current state of the vehicle and its environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Dmitri A. Dolgov
  • Detecting and responding to tailgaters
    Patent number: 8818682
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle detects a tailgating vehicle and uses various response mechanisms. For example, a vehicle is identified as a tailgater based on whether its characteristics meet a variable threshold. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at slower speeds, the threshold is defined in distance. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at faster speeds, the threshold is defined in time. The autonomous vehicle may respond to the tailgater by modifying its driving behavior. In one example, the autonomous vehicle adjusts a headway buffer (defined in time) from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle. For example, if the tailgater is T seconds too close to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle increases the headway buffer to the vehicle in front of it by some amount relative to T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri A. Dolgov, Philip Nemec, Anne Aula
  • Predictive reasoning for controlling speed of a vehicle
    Patent number: 9381917
    Abstract: Methods and systems for predictive reasoning for controlling speed of a vehicle are described. A computing device may be configured to identify a first and second vehicle travelling ahead of an autonomous vehicle and in a same lane as the autonomous vehicle. The computing device may also be configured to determine a first buffer distance behind the first vehicle at which the autonomous vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the first vehicle and a second buffer distance behind the second vehicle at which the first vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the second vehicle. The computing device may further be configured to determine a distance at which to adjust a speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the first and second buffer distances and the speed of the autonomous vehicle, and then provide instructions to adjust the speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Dolgov, Dave Ferguson
  • Predictive reasoning for controlling speed of a vehicle
    Patent number: 9254846
    Abstract: Methods and systems for predictive reasoning for controlling speed of a vehicle are described. A computing device may be configured to identify a first and second vehicle travelling ahead of an autonomous vehicle and in a same lane as the autonomous vehicle. The computing device may also be configured to determine a first buffer distance behind the first vehicle at which the autonomous vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the first vehicle and a second buffer distance behind the second vehicle at which the first vehicle will substantially reach a speed of the second vehicle. The computing device may further be configured to determine a distance at which to adjust a speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the first and second buffer distances and the speed of the autonomous vehicle, and then provide instructions to adjust the speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Dolgov, Dave Ferguson
  • Real-time image-based vehicle detection based on a multi-stage classification
    Patent number: 9349055
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an autonomous vehicle having a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system includes a vehicle detection system. The vehicle detection system includes receiving an image of a field of view of the vehicle and identifying a region-pair in the image with a sliding-window filter. The region-pair is made up of a first region and a second region. Each region is determined based on a color of pixels within the sliding-window filter. The vehicle detection system also determines a potential second vehicle in the image based on the region-pair. In response to determining the potential second vehicle in the image, the vehicle detection system performs a multi-stage classification of the image to determine whether the second vehicle is present in the image. Additionally, the vehicle detection system provides instructions to control the first vehicle based at least on the determined second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Abhijit Ogale
  • Portable vehicle settings
    Patent number: 10017139
    Abstract: A driver may provide preferred vehicle setting data to a system through a user interface or the system may detect the preferred driver vehicle setting data by communicating with a particular vehicle. The preferred vehicle setting data may be generalized/abstracted so that the data is not specific to any one vehicle. When the driver sits in any vehicle, the system may identify the type of vehicle and translate the abstracted driver vehicle setting data to driver vehicle setting data that is particular to the identified vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Scott Brenner, Joseph M. Onorato, Daniel Holle, Patrick Brady
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