Researchers Submit Patent Application, “Systems And Methods For Maintaining A Distributed Ledger Pertaining To Autonomous Vehicles”, for Approval (USPTO 20230177618): Patent Application

2023 JUN 23 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Washington, D.C., NewsRx journalists report that a patent application by the inventors Benzio, Brittney (Atlanta, GA, US); Brantley, Lindsi (Atlanta, GA, US); Collins, Sabrina (Woodstock, GA, US); Delaney, Matthew S. (Alpharetta, GA, US); Floyd, Matthew L. (Alpharetta, GA, US); Goel, Neha (Atlanta, GA, US); Murillo, Annie Pudlo (Roswell, GA, US); Murphy, Antwuan (Riverdale, GA, US); Rodriguez, Matthew S. (Dunwoody, GA, US); Vulich, Matthew (Marietta, GA, US); Yu, Alvin Hon-Wai (Johns Creek, GA, US), filed on January 30, 2023, was made available online on June 8, 2023.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “In an autonomous vehicle, control of the vehicle may shift between varying states of manual and autonomous control. According to SAE International, there are six levels of automation for on-road vehicles ranging from no automation at all (level 0) to full automation of all aspects of dynamic driving (level 5). Depending on which vehicle systems are operating under autonomous control liability for any damage that occurs to the autonomous vehicle (or by the autonomous vehicle) may vary between an operator of the autonomous vehicle, an insurer of the operator and/or autonomous vehicle, and/or a manufacturer of the autonomous vehicle. Similarly, vehicle autonomy may also lead to other shifts in traditional liability arrangements. However, currently there is no trusted system that automatically enforces these liability arrangements associated with autonomous vehicles.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent application, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “The present embodiments may be related to autonomous vehicle operation, including smart contracts that govern the operation of the autonomous vehicles. The embodiments described herein relate particularly to various aspects of autonomous operation, feature, component and/or sensor monitoring, and/or assessment. When data relevant to a smart contract is generated, a transaction may be generated and compiled into a block of a distributed ledger. Alternatively, some aspects relate to enforcement of smart contracts which are automatically enforced based at least upon the transactions included in the distributed ledger. Specific systems and methods are summarized below. The methods and systems summarized below may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for maintaining a distributed ledger or blockchain of transactions or events pertaining to autonomous vehicles may be provided. The method may include (1) receiving, at one or more processors, one or more autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events from one or more autonomous vehicles via a mesh network formed of multiple autonomous vehicles; (2) determining, by the one or more processors, a priority for a transaction or event of the received one or more transactions or events indicative of a trigger condition of a smart contract recorded in the distributed ledger or the blockchain, (3) based upon the determination, compiling, by the one or more processors, a set of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events into a block of transactions or events, wherein the transaction or event is included in the block; (4) forming, by the one or more processors, a consensus on the block of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events with a plurality of validation entities or nodes within a communication network on whether or not to update the distributed ledger or the blockchain; (5) when a consensus is formed, routing, by the one or more processors, the transaction to the smart contract; and (6) automatically executing, by the one or more processors, an action the smart contract directs should be performed in response to the trigger condition. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“For instance, the method may include routing, by the one or more processors, the plurality of transactions or events within the block to a plurality of smart contracts. A particular transaction or event corresponding to a particular smart contract may indicate that a trigger condition for the particular smart contract has occurred. Additionally or alternatively, receiving the plurality of transactions may include receiving, at the one or more processors, the plurality of transactions and/or events via a mesh network formed of multiple autonomous vehicles. The method may also include automatically executing, by the one or more processors, an action the particular smart contract directs should be performed in response to the particular trigger condition. The action may be determined based upon a decision condition included in a transaction or event routed to the particular smart contract.

“In some embodiments, the trigger condition for the particular smart contract may be a particular autonomous vehicle incurring liability or being involved in a vehicle collision; and/or the particular transaction or event may indicate that the particular autonomous vehicle incurred liability or was involved in a vehicle collision. Additionally or alternatively, the decision condition for the particular smart contract may be a control state of the particular autonomous vehicle; and the particular transaction or event may indicate whether the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously or manually operated. In these embodiments, automatically executing the action may include assigning, by the one or more processors, the liability to (i) an insurer associated with an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the particular transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being manually operated, or (ii) a manufacturer of the particular autonomous vehicle when the particular transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously operated. Additionally or alternatively, automatically executing the action may include transmitting, by the one or more processors, at least one of a tow request to a towing service, a police report to a law enforcement entity, and/or a subrogation request to an insurer of another autonomous vehicle.

“In some further embodiments, the decision condition for the particular smart contract may be a distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle; and the particular transaction may indicate the distance that the particular autonomous vehicle has traversed during a trip. In these embodiments, automatically executing the action may include assigning, by the one or more processors, liability to (i) an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle exceeds a maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract, or (ii) an insurer associated with the operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle does not exceed the maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract.

“In some embodiments, distributing the block to the plurality of validation entities may include distributing, by the one or more processors, the block to a portion of the plurality of autonomous vehicles. Additionally or alternatively, the autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events recorded may be related to at least one of the following autonomous vehicle systems, features, or technologies: (a) driver alertness monitoring; (b) driver responsiveness monitoring; © pedestrian detection; (d) artificial intelligence; (e) a back-up system; (f) a navigation system; (g) a positioning system; (h) a security system; (i) an anti-hacking measure; (j) a theft prevention system; and/or (k) remote vehicle location determination.

“Systems or computer-readable media storing instructions for implementing all or part of the method described above may also be provided in some aspects. Systems for implementing such methods may include one or more of the following: a special-purpose computing device, a personal electronic device, a processing unit of a vehicle, a remote server, one or more sensors, one or more communication modules configured to communicate wirelessly via radio links, radio frequency links, and/or wireless communication channels, and/or one or more program memories coupled to one or more processors of the personal electronic device, processing unit of the vehicle, or remote server. Such program memories may store instructions to cause the one or more processors to implement part or all of the method described above. Additional or alternative features described herein below may be included in some aspects.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for maintaining a distributed ledger or blockchain of transactions or events pertaining to autonomous vehicles, the method comprising: receiving, at one or more processors, one or more autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events from one or more autonomous vehicles via a mesh network formed of multiple autonomous vehicles; determining, by the one or more processors, a priority for a transaction or event of the received one or more transactions or events indicative of a trigger condition of a smart contract recorded in the distributed ledger or the blockchain, based upon the determination, compiling, by the one or more processors, a set of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events into a block of transactions or events, wherein the transaction or event is included in the block; forming, by the one or more processors, a consensus on the block of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events with a plurality of validation entities or nodes within a communication network on whether or not to update the distributed ledger or the blockchain; when a consensus is formed, routing, by the one or more processors, the transaction to the smart contract; and automatically executing, by the one or more processors, an action the smart contract directs should be performed in response to the trigger condition.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: the trigger condition for the smart contract is a particular autonomous vehicle incurring liability or being involved in a collision; and the transaction or event indicates that the particular autonomous vehicle incurred liability or was involved in a collision.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a decision condition for the particular smart contract is a control state of the particular autonomous vehicle; and the decision condition is indicated by another transaction or event that indicates whether the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously, remotely, or manually operated.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein automatically executing the action comprises: assigning, by the one or more processors, the liability to (i) an insurer associated with an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the other transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being manually operated, and (ii) a manufacturer of the particular autonomous vehicle when the other transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously operated.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, automatically executing the action comprises: transmitting, by the one or more processors, at least one of a tow request to a towing service, a police report to a law enforcement entity, or a subrogation request to an insurer of another autonomous vehicle.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a decision condition for the particular smart contract is a distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle; and the transaction indicates the distance that the particular autonomous vehicle has traversed during a trip.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein automatically executing the action comprises: assigning, by the one or more processors, liability to (i) an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle exceeds a maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract, or (ii) an insurer associated with the operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle does not exceed the maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract.

“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein forming the consensus comprises: distributing, by the one or more processors, the block the plurality of validation entities.

“9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events recorded are related to at least one of the following autonomous vehicle systems, features, or technologies: driver alertness monitoring; driver responsiveness monitoring; pedestrian detection; artificial intelligence; a back-up system; a navigation system; a positioning system; a security system; an anti-hacking measure; a theft prevention system; or remote vehicle location determination.

“10. A computer system configured to maintain a distributed ledger or blockchain of transactions or events pertaining to autonomous vehicles, the system comprising one or more processors, transceivers, and/or sensors configured to: receive one or more autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events from one or more autonomous vehicles via a mesh network formed of multiple autonomous vehicles; determine a priority for a transaction or event of the received on or more transactions or events indicative of a trigger condition of a smart contract recorded in the distributed ledger or the blockchain; based upon the determination, compiling, by the one or more processors, a set of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events, wherein the transaction or event is included in the block; form a consensus on the block of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events with a plurality of validation entities or nodes within a communication network on whether or not to update the distributed ledger or the blockchain; when a consensus is formed, route the transaction to the smart contract; and automatically execute an action the smart contract directs should be performed in response to the trigger condition.

“11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein: the trigger condition for the particular smart contract is a particular autonomous vehicle incurring liability or being involved in a vehicle collision; and the transaction or event indicates that the particular autonomous vehicle incurred liability or was involved in a vehicle collision.

“12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein: a decision condition for the particular smart contract is a control state of the particular autonomous vehicle; and the decision condition is indicated by another transaction or event that indicates whether the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously, remotely, or manually operated.

“13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the system if further configured to: assign the liability to (i) an insurer associated with an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the other transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being manually operated, and (ii) a manufacturer of the particular autonomous vehicle when the other transaction or event indicates the particular autonomous vehicle was being autonomously operated.

“14. The computer system of claim 11, the system further configured to: transmit at least one a tow request to a towing service, a police report to a law enforcement entity, or a subrogation request to an insurer of another autonomous vehicle.

“15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein: a decision condition for the particular smart contract is a distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle; and the transaction indicates the distance that the particular autonomous vehicle has traversed during a trip.

“16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the system is further configured to: assign liability to (i) an operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle exceeds a maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract, or (ii) an insurer associated with the operator of the particular autonomous vehicle when the distance traversed by the particular autonomous vehicle does not exceed the maximum trip length indicated in the particular smart contract.

“17. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to: distribute the block to the plurality of validation entities.

“18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events recorded are related to at least one of the following autonomous vehicle systems, features, or technologies: driver alertness monitoring; driver responsiveness monitoring; pedestrian detection; artificial intelligence; a back-up system; a navigation system; a positioning system; a security system; an anti-hacking measure; a theft prevention system; or remote vehicle location determination.

“19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions configured to maintain a distributed ledger or blockchain of transactions or events pertaining to autonomous vehicles, the instructions, when executed, cause one or more processors to: receive one or more autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events from one or more autonomous vehicles via a mesh network formed of multiple autonomous vehicles; determine a priority for a transaction or event of the received on or more transactions or events indicative of a trigger condition of a smart contract recorded in the distributed ledger or the blockchain; based upon the determination, compiling, by the one or more processors, a set of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events, wherein the transaction or event is included in the block; form a consensus on the block of autonomous vehicle-related transactions or events with a plurality of validation entities or nodes within a communication network on whether or not to update the distributed ledger or the blockchain; when a consensus is formed, route the transaction to the smart contract; and automatically execute an action the smart contract directs should be performed in response to the trigger condition.”

For additional information on this patent application, see: Benzio, Brittney; Brantley, Lindsi; Collins, Sabrina; Delaney, Matthew S.; Floyd, Matthew L.; Goel, Neha; Murillo, Annie Pudlo; Murphy, Antwuan; Rodriguez, Matthew S.; Vulich, Matthew; Yu, Alvin Hon-Wai. Systems And Methods For Maintaining A Distributed Ledger Pertaining To Autonomous Vehicles. U.S. Patent Application Number 20230177618, filed January 30, 2023 and posted June 8, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(20230177618)&db=US-PGPUB&type=ids

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