Method and system for navigating vehicle to pickup / drop-off zone

Abstract

This document describes methods by which a system determines a pickup/drop-off zone (PDZ) to which a vehicle will navigate to perform a ride service request. The system will access map data that includes the destination interval and define a geometric interval at the requested destination of the ride service request by: (i) using the vehicle's length and the road's speed limit at the destination to calculate a minimum allowable length for the interval; and (ii) setting start point and end point boundaries for the interval having an intervening distance that is equal to or greater than the minimum allowable length. The system will then generate a path to guide the vehicle to the interval.

1 . A method of operating a vehicle, the method comprising:
 by a processor:
 accessing a set of map data for an area that is an intended destination of the vehicle; 
 defining a geometric interval at the destination by:
 calculating a minimum allowable length for the interval based on a length of the vehicle and a speed limit factor that is a function of a speed limit at the destination, and 
 setting, as boundaries of the interval:
 a start point, and 
 an end point that is equal to or greater than the minimum allowable length away from the start point; and 
 
 
 generating a path to guide the vehicle to the interval, and 
   by a motion control system of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to move along the path to the interval.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by an electronic device within the vehicle, outputting the path, the interval or both via a display, a speaker or both. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by the processor:
 receiving traffic data for the area that includes the destination, and   also using the traffic data to calculate the minimum allowable length for the interval.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, by the processor,
 using the traffic data to generate a traffic label the area that includes the destination;   identifying a traffic factor that is a function the traffic label; and   when calculating the minimum allowable length, multiplying the length of the vehicle by the traffic factor.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by the processor:
 receiving environmental data for the area that includes the destination;   using the environmental data to generate an environmental factor; and   when calculating the minimum allowable length, also using the environmental factor to calculate the minimum allowable length.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, by a perception system, generating the environmental data by one or more of the following:
 using a temperature sensor of the vehicle to measure ambient temperature around the vehicle;   using a rain sensor of the vehicle to measure a precipitation level around the vehicle; or   using a light sensor of the vehicle to measure a luminance level of ambient light around the vehicle.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein define the geometric interval at the destination comprises positioning the interval at a location that includes or is within a threshold distance from the destination by selecting the location as one that satisfies one or more the following criteria:
 the start point of the interval must be located at least a threshold distance after a first intersection along the path;   the end point of the interval must be located at least a threshold distance before a second intersection along the path;   the interval must be located in a specified type of lane; or   the interval must not be located in a restricted class of lane.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the interval as an overlay on a map on an in-vehicle display for an operator to view. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 by a perception system of the vehicle when the vehicle approaches or reaches the interval, identifying an object that is occluding at least a portion of the interval;   by a motion planning system of the vehicle, using data captured by the perception system to identify a stopping location that does not include the portion of the interval that is occluded; and   by a motion control system of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to move into the stopping location.   
     
     
         10 . A system for operating a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable medium containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to, upon receiving a ride service request that includes a requested destination for a vehicle:
 access a set of map data for an area that includes the destination, 
 define a geometric interval at the destination by calculating a minimum allowable length for the interval based on a length of the vehicle and a speed limit factor that is a function of a speed limit at the destination, 
 set, as boundaries of the interval:
 a start point, and 
 an end point that is equal to or greater than the minimum allowable length away from the start point, and 
 
 generate a path to guide the vehicle to the interval; and 
   a motion control system configured to use the generated path to move the vehicle to the interval.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to cause an electronic device within the vehicle to output the path, the interval or both via a display, a speaker or both. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising additional programming instructions to, when calculating the minimum allowable length, also using traffic data for the area that includes the destination to calculate the minimum allowable length. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising additional programming instructions to:
 use environmental data for the area that includes the destination to generate an environmental factor; and   when calculating the minimum allowable length, also using the environmental factor to calculate the minimum allowable length.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions to define the geometric interval at the destination comprise instructions to position the interval at a location that includes or is within a threshold distance from the destination by selecting the location as one that satisfies one or more the following criteria:
 the start point of the interval must be located at least a threshold distance after a first intersection along the path;   the end point of the interval must be located at least a threshold distance before a second intersection along the path;   the interval must be located in a specified type of lane; or   the interval must not be located in a restricted class of lane.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to, in response to a perception system of the vehicle identifying an object that is occluding at least a portion of the interval when the vehicle approaches or reaches the interval;
 use data captured by the perception system to identify a stopping location that does not include the portion of the interval that is occluded; and   generate an alternate path to guide the vehicle to the stopping location.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer program product for operating a vehicle, the product comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause a processor to, upon receiving a ride service request that includes a requested destination for a vehicle:
 access a set of map data for an area that includes the destination;   define a geometric interval at the destination by:
 calculating a minimum allowable length for the interval based on a length of the vehicle and a speed limit factor that is a function of a speed limit at the destination, and 
 setting, as boundaries of the interval:
 a start point, and 
 an end point that is equal to or greater than the minimum allowable length away from the start point, and 
 
   generate a path to guide the vehicle to the interval, wherein the path comprises instructions that are configured to direct a motion control system of the vehicle to move to the interval.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to cause an electronic device within the vehicle to output the path, the interval or both via a display, a speaker or both.