Patent Issued for Data Processing System For Guidance, Control, And Testing Autonomous Vehicle Features And Driver Response (USPTO 10,676,098)

2020 JUN 22 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Allstate Insurance Company (Northbrook, Illinois, United States) has been issued patent number 10,676,098, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventor is Lundsgaard, Soren K. (Inverness, IL).

This patent was filed on October 5, 2018 and was published online on June 22, 2020.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “For some autonomous driving levels (e.g., semi-autonomous driving), the driver may be expected to remain attentive and alert and be able to take over driving at a moment’s notice. There may be an increased risk of a vehicle accident if the driver is not able to take over control of the vehicle, assess the environment, and react appropriately within the parameters identified by a manufacturer of an autonomous driving feature or autonomous vehicle.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below.

“Aspects of the disclosure relate to a system comprising an autonomous vehicle having one or more sensors configured to measure driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may comprise a transmitter configured to transmit driving data measured by the one or more sensors, a first processor, and first memory. The first memory of the autonomous vehicle may store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor of the autonomous vehicle to activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of the autonomous vehicle. In response to a determination to initiate a driving test, the autonomous vehicle may generate an indication to a driver of the autonomous vehicle of the initiation of the driving test and deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features. Driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle may be received from the one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle may send, via the transmitter, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle to an autonomous vehicle drive test computing device.

“In some aspects, the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device may comprise a receiver, a second processor, and second memory. The second memory may store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to receive, using the receiver of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle. Based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device may determine the driver’s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test. In response to a determination to end the driving test, the autonomous vehicle may reactivate the deactivated or readjust the adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features. The determination to end the driving test may comprise a determination that the driver completed the driving test or a determination that the driver’s response time exceeds a threshold time

“In some aspects, the determination to initiate the driving test may be based on one or more of a comparison of a current time and a time associated with the driving test or a location of the autonomous vehicle. The plurality of autonomous driving features may comprise at least two of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking. The driving test may comprise a test to merge on to a road, and the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features may comprise at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control. Alternatively, the driving test may comprise a test to maintain a safe distance from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle, and the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features may comprise at least autonomous speed control.

“In some aspects, the second memory may store additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to generate a data log comprising an indication of the driving test, the driver’s response time, and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test. In some aspects, the second memory may store additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor of the autonomous vehicle drive test computing device to, based on the driver’s response time and actions taken by the driver during the driving test, generate a drive score for the driver and/or adjust a property of insurance for the driver or the autonomous vehicle.

“Other features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the additional description provided herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A system comprising: a first computing device and a second computing device, wherein the first computing device comprises: one or more sensors configured to measure driving data associated with an autonomous vehicle; a transmitter configured to transmit driving data measured by the one or more sensors; a first processor; and first memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first computing device to: activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of the autonomous vehicle; determine a location of the autonomous vehicle; based on the location of the autonomous vehicle, initiate a driving test; based on initiating the driving test, deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features; receive, from the one or more sensors and during the driving test, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and send, via the transmitter, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, to the second computing device, wherein the second computing device comprises: a receiver; a second processor; and second memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second computing device to: receive, via the receiver, the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determine a response time of a driver of the autonomous vehicle and actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

“2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features two or more of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

“3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first computing device to: compare a current time to a time associated with the driving test, wherein initiating the driving test is based on the location of the autonomous vehicle and comparing the current time to the time associated with the driving test.

“4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.

“5. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving test comprises a test to maintain a safe distance from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous speed control.

“6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second memory stores additional computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second computing device to: generate a data log comprising an indication of the driving test, the response time, and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

“7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first computing device to: based on a determination that the driver completed the driving test or a determination that the response time exceeds a threshold time, reactivate the deactivated or readjust the adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features.

“8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second computing device to: based on the response time and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test, performing one or more of the following: generate a drive score for the driver; or adjust a property of insurance for the driver or the autonomous vehicle.

“9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by a computing device, cause the computing device to: activate a plurality of autonomous driving features of an autonomous vehicle; determine a location of the autonomous vehicle; based on the location of the autonomous vehicle, initiate a driving test; based on initiating the driving test, deactivate or adjust parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features; receive, during the driving test and from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle or one or more sensors of a mobile computing device within the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determine a response time of a driver of the autonomous vehicle and actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

“10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features comprise two or more of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

“11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to: compare a current time to a time associated with the driving test, wherein initiating the driving test is based on the location of the autonomous vehicle and comparing the current time to the time associated with the driving test.

“12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.

“13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the driving test comprises a test to maintain a safe distance from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous speed control.

“14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to: generate a data log comprising an indication of the driving test, the response time, and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

“15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to: determine that the driver failed to initiate, within a threshold time, at least one driving operation of a plurality of driving operations associated with the driving test.

“16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to: based on the response time and the actions taken by the driver during the driving test, performing one or more of the following: generate a drive score for the driver; or adjust a property of insurance for the driver or the autonomous vehicle.

“17. A method, comprising: activating, by a computing device associated with an autonomous vehicle, a plurality of autonomous driving features of the autonomous vehicle; determining a location of the autonomous vehicle; based on the location of the autonomous vehicle, initiating a driving test; based on initiating the driving test, deactivating or adjusting parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features; receiving, during the driving test and from one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle or one or more sensors of a mobile computing device within the autonomous vehicle, driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle; and based on the driving data associated with the autonomous vehicle, determining a response time of a driver of the autonomous vehicle and actions taken by the driver during the driving test.

“18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of autonomous driving features comprise two or more of autonomous speed control, autonomous steering, or autonomous braking.

“19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: comparing a current time to a time associated with the driving test, wherein initiating the driving test is based on the location of the autonomous vehicle and the comparing the current time to the time associated with the driving test.

“20. The method of claim 17, wherein the driving test comprises a test to merge on to a road, and wherein the deactivated or adjusted parameters of one or more of the plurality of autonomous driving features comprises at least autonomous lane changing and autonomous speed control.”

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Lundsgaard, Soren K. Data Processing System For Guidance, Control, And Testing Autonomous Vehicle Features And Driver Response. U.S. Patent Number 10,676,098, filed October 5, 2018, and published online on June 22, 2020. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,676,098.PN.&OS=PN/10,676,098RS=PN/10,676,098

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