System and method for facilitating access of service vehicle

Abstract

A system for controlling motion of a vehicle is provided, the system including data processing hardware that performs operations including: monitoring a contextual event in a current parking location of the vehicle; a contextual event is detected indicating that a service vehicle needs to enter a vehicle parking location is about to exist. Operations also include monitoring at least one vehicle sensor of the vehicle, the at least one vehicle sensor providing sensor data to the data processing hardware for use by the data processing hardware in determining that the service vehicle is present in the vehicle parking area, and in response to the detection of the contextual event or the determination that the serving vehicle is present in the vehicle parking area, moving the vehicle from the current parking location of the vehicle to a different location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for facilitating the entry of service vehicles. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the background of the disclosure in general. To the extent described in this section, the work of the presently named inventors, as well as aspects of the description that may not qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor implicitly admitted as prior art with respect to the present disclosure.

[0003] The demand for delivery and service vehicles has grown exponentially in the past decade and will continue to grow as the demand for home delivery and services increases. For example, online shopping continues to grow, thus increasing the demand for home delivery of online shopping. The increase in the demand for home delivery has also increased the number of delivery vehicles and delivery personnel on the roads, in residential areas, and in cities.

[0004] Although delivery vehicles have useful functions, when a driver or other delivery personnel delivers a package to a business or residence, delivery vehicles often need to park side by side or otherwise obstruct traffic due to the unavailability or inaccessibility of designated parking spaces. Although delivery personnel usually have no choice but to park side by side, block traffic, or otherwise impede the flow of traffic in residential areas or on city streets, these actions at least result in inefficiencies and, in extreme cases, can also harm others. For example, blocking traffic may cause other vehicles to be required to stop and idle until the delivery is completed and the delivery personnel return to the delivery vehicle. This stopping and idling wastes time and unnecessarily consumes fuel and / or energy caused by the idling vehicle. In addition, if an emergency vehicle such as a fire truck or ambulance stops and waits for a delivery truck parked side by side or blocked by a delivery truck, such an emergency vehicle may not be able to reach the hospital or the emergency scene in time.

[0005] As the number of delivery trucks and delivery personnel on the roads, in residential areas, and in cities continues to increase, there is a need to provide delivery trucks and other service vehicles with the ability to park while delivering goods or providing services without having a negative impact on other vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one configuration, a system for controlling movement of a vehicle is provided, the system comprising memory hardware in communication with data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations, the operations comprising monitoring a current parking location of the vehicle for contextual events, detecting a contextual event indicating the imminent presence of a service vehicle that needs to enter the parking location of the vehicle, the operations further comprising monitoring at least one vehicle sensor of the vehicle, the at least one vehicle sensor providing sensor data to the data processing hardware for use by the data processing hardware in determining the presence of a service vehicle in a parking area for the vehicle, and in response to the detection of the contextual event or the determination that the service vehicle is present in the parking area for the vehicle, moving the vehicle from the current parking location of the vehicle to a different location.

[0007] The system may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, monitoring contextual events may include monitoring a recognition pattern of a service vehicle. The recognition pattern may be based on at least one of day of the week, time of day, third party information, service vehicle route information, and inter-vehicle notifications.

[0008] In one configuration, the at least one vehicle sensor may include one or more of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor, and a microphone.

[0009] The data processing hardware may determine the type of service vehicle that needs to enter the parking area for the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle may be moved from the current parking location of the vehicle based on the type of service vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, determining the type of service vehicle may include detecting a feature of the service vehicle using at least one vehicle sensor. Detecting the feature of the service vehicle may include at least one of: detecting the presence of a flashing light of the service vehicle, detecting a siren of the service vehicle, detecting a logo of the service vehicle, reading text displayed on the service vehicle, recognizing a shape of the service vehicle, recognizing a color of the service vehicle, and / or recognizing accessories or tools carried by the service vehicle.

[0010] In one configuration, determining the type of service vehicle requiring access to the vehicle parking area may include distinguishing between emergency service vehicles and non-emergency service vehicles, and the data processing hardware is configured to immediately move the vehicle from a current parking location in response to detecting the emergency service vehicle.

[0011] A vehicle may include the aforementioned system.

[0012] In another configuration, a system for controlling vehicle movement is provided. The system includes memory hardware communicatively coupled to data processing hardware. The memory hardware stores instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations including: monitoring for situational events in a current parking location of the vehicle, where the situational events indicate that a service vehicle that needs to enter the vehicle's parking location is about to be present; monitoring the situational events, including monitoring an identification pattern of the service vehicle's movement based at least on the day of the week, the time of day, and service vehicle route information. The operations further include moving the vehicle from the vehicle's current parking location to a different location in response to detecting a situational event.

[0013] The system can include one or more of the following optional features. For example, at least one vehicle sensor can include one or more of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor, and a microphone. The data processing hardware is configured to move the vehicle away from the vehicle's current parking location in response to at least one vehicle sensor detecting the presence of the service vehicle.

[0014] In one configuration, the data processing hardware can determine the type of service vehicle that needs to enter the vehicle's parking area. The vehicle can be moved from the vehicle's current parking location based on the type of service vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, determining the type of service vehicle can include using at least one vehicle sensor to detect features of the service vehicle. Detecting features of the service vehicle can include at least one of the following: detecting the presence of a strobe light on the service vehicle, detecting an alarm on the service vehicle, detecting a logo on the service vehicle, reading text displayed on the service vehicle, identifying the shape of the service vehicle, identifying the color of the service vehicle, and / or identifying accessories or tools carried by the service vehicle.

[0015] In yet another configuration, a system for controlling vehicle movement is provided. The system includes memory hardware communicatively coupled to data processing hardware. The memory hardware stores instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations including: monitoring at least one vehicle sensor of the vehicle, where the vehicle sensor provides sensor data to the data processing hardware for use by the data processing hardware in determining the presence of a service vehicle in the vehicle's parking area, and the data processing hardware differentiates between an emergency service vehicle and a non-emergency service vehicle based on features of the service vehicle detected by at least one vehicle sensor. The operations further include moving the vehicle from the vehicle's current parking location to a different location in response to detecting the presence of a service vehicle in the vehicle's parking area.

[0016] The system may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, at least one vehicle sensor may include one or more of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor, and a microphone.

[0017] In one configuration, the features for detecting a service vehicle may include at least one of the following: detecting the presence of a flashing light on the service vehicle, detecting an alarm on the service vehicle, detecting a sign of the service vehicle, reading text displayed on the service vehicle, identifying the shape of the service vehicle, identifying the color of the service vehicle, and / or identifying attachments or tools carried by the service vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the data processing hardware may be configured to immediately move the vehicle from its current parking position in response to detecting an emergency service vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle that communicates with a cloud-based computer and identifies a service vehicle using a system and method in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a body control module of a vehicle that communicates with a cloud-based computer, a vehicle powertrain, and a vehicle powertrain controller Figure 1 of the vehicle;

[0021] Figure 3 is a top-down schematic view of a residential community showing Figure 1 a designated parking position of the vehicle on a residential community street; and

[0022] Figure 4 is a flowchart detailing the operation of a system and method for facilitating entry of a service vehicle in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

[0023] In all of the drawings, corresponding reference numerals represent corresponding parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that example configurations may be implemented in many different forms and that specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular exemplary configurations only and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprising", "including", "containing" and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0026] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "engaged to", "connected to", "attached to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, engaged, connected, attached or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on", "directly engaged to", "directly connected to", "directly attached to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, intervening elements or layers may not be present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0027] The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another. Terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply an order or sequence unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary configuration.

[0028] In this application, including the definitions below, the term module may be replaced with the term circuit. The term "module" may refer to, or include as part of, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog or mixed analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog or mixed analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated or group) that executes code; a memory that stores code executed by the processor (shared, dedicated or group); other suitable hardware components that provide the said functionality; or some or all of the above combinations, such as in a system on a chip.

[0029] The term codes used above may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, and / or objects. The term shared processor includes a single processor that executes portions or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor includes a processor that, in combination with additional processors, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term shared memory includes a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory includes a memory that, in combination with additional memories, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term memory may be a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium does not include transient electrical and electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium and may thus be considered tangible non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, including non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0030] The devices and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer programs include processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0031] A software application (i.e., software resource) may refer to computer software that causes a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application program", "app", or "program". Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0032] Non-transitory memory may be a physical device for temporarily or permanently storing programs (e.g., sequences of instructions) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory may be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as a boot program). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and magnetic disks or tapes.

[0033] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a memory, a programmable logic device (PLD)) that provides machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal that provides machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0034] The various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These different implementations can include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, at least one input device, and at least one output device, the programmable processor may be special purpose or general purpose and is coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to send data and instructions to, a storage system.

[0035] The processes and logical flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors, also known as data processing hardware, executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. These processes and logical flows can also be performed by special-purpose logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). By way of example, processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more storage devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include or be operatively coupled to one or more mass storage devices for storing data, such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks, to receive data from or transfer data to the mass storage device, or both. However, a computer need not have such devices. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and storage devices, including by way of example semiconductor storage devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special-purpose logic circuitry.

[0036] To provide for interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented on a computer having a display device, such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor, or touch screen, for displaying information to the user, and a keyboard and a pointing device, such as a mouse or a trackball, optional, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide for interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input received from the user can be in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. Additionally, the computer can interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from the device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a client device of the user in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0037] Specifically referring to Figure 1, a vehicle 10 is provided that includes systems and methods for providing movement of the vehicle 10 in response to a service vehicle 12 needing to enter a parking space or parking location where the vehicle 10 is located. The vehicle 10 can be an electric vehicle (EV) driven by one or more electric motors (not shown), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) driven by one or more electric motors and an internal combustion engine (ICE), or can be driven by an ICE. Regardless of the vehicle type, the vehicle 10 includes autonomous or semi-autonomous driving capabilities that allow the vehicle 10 to move from a parking space or parking location required by the service vehicle 12, which will be described in more detail below.

[0038] The vehicle 10 includes a body control module (BCM) 14 that includes memory hardware 16 and processing hardware 18. The memory hardware 16 stores instructions that, when executed by the processing hardware 18, cause the processing hardware 18 to perform functions and execute systems and methods for facilitating service vehicle entry in accordance with the present disclosure and as Figure 4 shown. Specifically, the memory hardware 16 stores instructions regarding when the vehicle 10 should move based on the presence or impending presence of the service vehicle 12. Additionally, the memory hardware 16 generally stores instructions regarding how long the vehicle 10 should move and the desired location to which the vehicle 10 should move based on the service vehicle type and the situational context.

[0039] For example, as described below, the systems and methods stored by the memory hardware 16 and executed by the processing hardware 18 will distinguish between emergency service vehicles 12 such as ambulances or fire trucks and non-emergency service vehicles 12 such as delivery trucks or garbage trucks. In the case of an emergency vehicle, the processing hardware 18 will instruct the vehicle 10 to immediately move to almost any safe location to allow the emergency vehicle easy and immediate access to the current occupied location of the vehicle 10. In the case of a non-emergency vehicle, upon detection of the non-emergency service vehicle 12 or when such a non-emergency service vehicle 12 is expected to need to use the location currently occupied by the vehicle 10, the processing hardware 18 will instruct the vehicle 10 to move within a predetermined time period. Movement of the vehicle 10 can include temporarily causing the vehicle 10 to wander in a block or vicinity for a predetermined time period, moving to a different parking space or location for a predetermined time period, or moving to a different parking space or location indefinitely. The memory hardware 16 stores instructions executed by the processing hardware 18 regarding what actions the vehicle 10 should take. These actions are based on the detected or expected service vehicle 12 type (i.e., emergency versus non-emergency), the length of time the service vehicle 12 needs the current parking location of the vehicle 10, and the situational context (i.e., the service vehicle 12 is a known service vehicle 12 and / or has a learned path).

[0040] In addition to the memory hardware 16 and the processing hardware 18, the BCM 14 also communicates with one or more vehicle sensors 20. The vehicle sensors 20 may include one or more cameras, one or more radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensors, one or more light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, one or more ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors, and / or one or more microphones. The vehicle sensors 20 are configured to detect conditions inside and around the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is in operation or when the vehicle 10 is parked. Data from the various vehicle sensors 20 can be transmitted to the BCM 14 for processing by the processing hardware 18. As described below, the processed sensor data can be transmitted to an external device 22, such as the vehicle owner's cellular phone and / or tablet computer, and can be transmitted to a cloud-based computer 24 via a vehicle telematics unit (not shown) that communicates with a cellular network. The vehicle owner, the cloud-based computer 24, and / or the BCM 14 can use the sensor data to determine whether the vehicle 10 needs to be moved to accommodate the service vehicle 12, where the vehicle 10 should be moved, and for how long the vehicle 10 should be moved away from the vehicle 10's current parking location.

[0041] One or more of the vehicle owner, the cloud-based computer 24, and the BCM 14 can instruct the vehicle 10 to move, where to move, and for how long the vehicle 10 must be moved away from the vehicle 10's current parking location by transmitting instructions to the vehicle powertrain controller 26. The vehicle powertrain controller 26 communicates with and is configured to control the vehicle powertrain 28 of the vehicle 10. For example, if the vehicle 10 is an EV and the BCM 14 determines that the vehicle 10 needs to be moved to accommodate the service vehicle 12, the BCM 14 will instruct the powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10. The powertrain controller 26 will in turn instruct one or more electric motors (not shown) of the vehicle powertrain 28 to power the vehicle 10 and move the vehicle 10. Although Figure 2 not shown in the figure, the BCM 14 will also provide instructions to other vehicle systems, such as the steering system that also needs to move the vehicle 10 autonomously from one location to another. Additionally, as Figure 2 shown, if the functionality of the vehicle powertrain controller 26 is incorporated into the BCM 14, the BCM 14 can directly control the vehicle powertrain 28, as indicated by the dashed line connecting the BCM 14 and the vehicle powertrain 28.

[0042] Specifically referring to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the operation of the system and method for facilitating service vehicle entry will be described in detail. The system and method begin at 30. At this time, at 32, the vehicle 10 is parked in a location and the vehicle powertrain 28 and the ignition are off. In one example, the vehicle 10 can be parked in a residential community 34 ( Figure 3) and further, the vehicle 10 can be parked at the designated parking location 40 along the street 36 adjacent to the curb 38. The designated parking location 40 can include signs and / or can be identified by a certain color paint 42 on the curb 38. In addition, certain positions along the street 36 can be identified by signs 44 and / or different color paints 46 on the curb 38, indicating that the vehicle 10 is not allowed to park along the curb 38 at these positions. When the vehicle 10 is instructed by the BCM 14 to move from the current parking location 40 to another parking location, the vehicle sensor 20 can utilize the various paint colors 42, 46 and / or signs 44.

[0043] When the vehicle 10 is parked and the vehicle powertrain 28 is turned off, the vehicle sensor 20 continuously monitors the area inside and around the vehicle 10. In addition, at 48, the processing hardware 18 of the BCM 14 and / or the cloud-based computer 24 monitors the current position of the vehicle 10 for situational events. Situational events can include events related to a specific location of the vehicle 10, day of the week, time of day, third-party information (such as a delivery route received from a specific retailer), routes of specific types of service vehicles (such as school buses, mail trucks or garbage trucks) and / or vehicle-to-vehicle communication that alerts the vehicle 10 that another approaching vehicle may require the current parking location of the vehicle 10. The current position of the vehicle 10 can be obtained from the global positioning system (GPS) 50 associated with the BCM 14.

[0044] At 52, the BCM 14 and / or the cloud-based computer 24 continuously monitors the vehicle 10 to determine if a situational event is detected. Although the BCM 14 and / or the cloud-based computer 24 can continuously monitor the vehicle 10, the BCM 14 will be described and shown hereinafter as monitoring the vehicle 10.

[0045] Situational events can be based on recognition patterns, such as a specific day or days of the week, time of day, stored, received or learned schedules, third-party information such as weather forecasts, road closure information from road authorities and / or public transportation schedules, school bus routes, mail delivery routes and / or vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The BCM 14 can use any or all of the foregoing to determine that the vehicle 10 needs to move from its current position 40 to allow the service vehicle 12 to enter the current position 40 of the vehicle 10. If no situational event is detected at 52, the BCM 14 returns to 48 and continuously monitors the vehicle 10 for situational events at 48. If a situational event is detected at 52, the BCM 14 determines at 54 whether the detection of the situational event requires the vehicle 10 to move.

[0046] If the situational event detected at 54 requires the vehicle 10 to move, the BCM 14 determines at 56 whether the length of time the vehicle 10 must move from its current position is known. If the length of time is unknown, the BCM 14 determines at 58 that the vehicle 10 only needs to move temporarily (i.e., for a short period of time) and implements short-term convenience measures. Then, the BCM 14 will instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 temporarily to the nearest legal parking spot and will monitor the vehicle 10's return to its current position. On the other hand, if the BCM 14 determines that the length of time is known, the BCM 14 determines at 60 that the vehicle 10 needs to move for a predetermined period of time and implements timed facilitation measures. At this time, the BCM 14 will instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 to the nearest parking spot that is outside the travel path of the service vehicle 12 that needs to use the current position 40 of the vehicle 10, or that will cause the vehicle 10 to leave its current position and loiter (i.e., move within and around the current position of the vehicle 10) for a predetermined period of time. The BCM 14 may start a timer to ensure that the vehicle 10 stays away from its current position 40 for a predetermined period of time, which will be described in more detail below.

[0047] If the BCM 14 determines that the detected situational event does not require the vehicle 10 to move from its current position, the BCM 14 will determine at 62 whether one or more vehicle sensors 20 detect the presence of the service vehicle 12. If the sensors 20 do not indicate the presence of the service vehicle 12 at 62, the BCM 14 may notify the customer or vehicle owner at 64 that the vehicle 10 may need to move at some point in the future. Then, the BCM 14 uploads the data at 66 to the cloud-based computer 24 for analysis. Specifically, the BCM 14 will upload to the cloud-based computer 24 data regarding the determination of the situational event, data regarding the determination that the situational event does not require the vehicle 10 to move from its current position, and sensor data 20 for confirming the presence or absence of the service vehicle 12 for use by the cloud-based computer 24 in learning and improving the algorithms implemented by the BCM 14 when making decisions related to the situational event and the presence of the service vehicle 12. In doing so, the cloud-based computer 24 can learn the traffic patterns of the various service vehicles 12 in the residential community 34 - particularly service vehicles 12 with regular schedules, such as garbage trucks, mail trucks, and school buses - and can use the traffic patterns to control the position of the vehicle 10 to ensure that the vehicle 10 does not impede the service vehicle 12.

[0048] If the BCM14 determines at 62 that data from the vehicle sensors 20 indicates the presence of the service vehicle 12, then the BCM14 determines at 68 whether the service vehicle 12 is an emergency vehicle. The BCM14 can determine whether the service vehicle 12 is an emergency vehicle based on sensor data from the vehicle sensors 20 indicating that the service vehicle 12 is an emergency vehicle. For example, the vehicle sensors 20 can sense the presence of a strobe light, an audible siren, and / or can read text on the vehicle such as "rescue", "fire", and / or "police". The BCM14 can use this information at 68 to determine whether the service vehicle 12 is an emergency vehicle. Additionally, in a similar manner, sensor data from the vehicle sensors 20 can indicate that the service vehicle 12 is a non-emergency vehicle by detecting the presence of a known logo from a delivery company or retailer, the presence of a specific attachment or tool (such as a ladder, rake, or lawn mower in the case of a contractor), or the overall shape and / or color of a bus.

[0049] If the service vehicle 12 is determined at 68 to be a non-emergency vehicle, then the BCM14 implements maximum facilitation measures at 70. These measures cause the BCM14 to instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 indefinitely to the nearest / predetermined alternative parking spot. If the service vehicle 12 is determined at 68 to be an emergency vehicle, then the BCM14 instructs the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to implement emergency facilitation measures at 72. The emergency facilitation measures cause the BCM14 to move the vehicle 10 immediately to any available parking spot. For example, the BCM14 can park the vehicle 10 parallel to another vehicle, can park the vehicle 10 in a normally restricted area such as in front of a fire hydrant 74 ( Figure 3 ), or can park the vehicle 10 at a location marked by a no parking sign 44 ( Figure 3 ). The BCM14 then monitors for the vehicle 10 to return to its current location. For example, when information from the vehicle sensors 20 indicates that the emergency vehicle is no longer in the area, the BCM14 can instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to return the vehicle 10 to its current location.

[0050] Continuing to refer to Figure 4 , if the BCM14 determines at 58 that short-term facilitation measures are required, then the BCM14 will temporarily move the vehicle 10 to the nearest legal location and monitor for the vehicle 10 to return to its current location. For example, in the schematic diagram shown in Figure 3 , if the vehicle 10 is parked at its current location 40 (in Figure 3shown as being near the curb 38 of the coating 42), and if a service vehicle 12, such as a garbage truck, needs to enter the current location 40 of the vehicle 10, the BCM 14 can instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 from the current location 40 to a parking location 76 that goes directly across the street 36. The BCM 14 can monitor the vehicle sensors 20 to determine when the garbage truck leaves the area and will instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to return the vehicle 10 to the location 40 when the garbage truck leaves the area.

[0051] If the BCM 14 determines at 60 that a timed facilitation measure is needed, the BCM 14 can instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 for a predetermined period of time. For example, if a third party (such as a weather bureau) warns the BCM 14 that a winter storm will occur at night, the BCM 14 can instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 to the lane 78 or a remote parking lot 80 for a predetermined period of time to allow a service vehicle 12 (such as a snowplow) to enter and clear the snow on the street 36. The predetermined period of time can be based on the predicted length of the winter storm and / or when the snowplow is expected to finish clearing the street 36, which is provided by the road authority responsible for dispatching and operating such snowplows, or by data learned and stored from previous snowstorms within and around the residential community 34. The learned and stored data can be stored by the BCM 14 and / or a cloud-based computer 24.

[0052] When the vehicle sensors 20 detect a service vehicle 12 but the service vehicle 12 is not an emergency vehicle, the BCM 14 will implement a maximum facilitation measure. For example, if the vehicle sensors 20 identify a service vehicle 12, such as a delivery truck, the BCM 14 will initiate the maximum facilitation measure and instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 from its current location 40 ( Figure 3 ) to an alternative parking point, such as a parking location 76 that goes directly across the street 36 from the current location 40 or a remote parking lot 80. Additionally, the BCM 14 can cause the vehicle 10 to loiter (i.e., drive in the current vicinity) until the delivery truck leaves the current parking location 40 of the vehicle 10. At this point, the BCM 14 can know approximately how long such a delivery truck will need to enter the parking point 40 based on previous deliveries of the same or similar trucks and will summon the vehicle 10 back to the parking point 40 after the predetermined period of time has expired.

[0053] In the case of an emergency vehicle, if it is determined that the emergency vehicle needs to enter the current parking location 40 of the vehicle 10 ( Figure 3 ), the BCM 14 will immediately instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 to almost any location. For example, the BCM 14 can move the vehicle 10 to any lane 78 on the street, move the vehicle 10 to other illegal or restricted parking points (i.e., in Figure 3in front of the sign 44 shown, or, for example, illegally park the vehicle 10 in front of the fire hydrant 74—assuming the emergency vehicle is not a fire truck. The BCM 14 can continuously monitor the vehicle 10 and, when the vehicle sensors 20 no longer detect the presence of the emergency vehicle, move the vehicle 10 back to the parking position 40.

[0054] The foregoing control system and method are generally shown at Figure 4 82. That is, the result of each of block 58 (short-term boost), 60 (timed boost), 70 (maximum boost), and 72 (emergency boost) leads to block 82, which can be stored in the memory hardware 16 of the BCM 14 for the processing hardware 18 to use to indicate to the vehicle powertrain controller 26 when, where, and for how long to move the vehicle 10 from its current parking position 40. At 66, the result of the action taken by the processing hardware 18 can be uploaded to the cloud-based computer 24. Additionally, this data can be uploaded at 68 to the cloud-based computer 24 along with other crowdsourced data at 84 from other vehicles in the area for the cloud-based computer 24 to learn and improve the algorithm set forth at 82 when controlling the movement of the vehicle 10. Specifically, the actions taken by the BCM 14 can be uploaded to the cloud-based computer 24 along with crowdsourced data from other vehicles for the cloud-based computer 24 to use to determine what other vehicles in the area have determined, what actions they have taken, and how to improve the actions taken for future vehicle control.

[0055] Continuing to refer to Figure 4 , if the BCM 14 moves the vehicle 10 for an indeterminate period of time at 86, the vehicle 10 will remain in a different location (i.e., a location different from the current parking position 40) until the BCM 14 recalls the vehicle 10. At this point, the system and method stop at 88. Although the system and method stop at 88, it should be noted that even though the vehicle 10 has moved, the BCM 14 still maintains communication with and controls the vehicle 10.

[0056] If the BCM 14 moves the vehicle 10 for a predetermined period of time, the BCM 14 monitors the vehicle 10 at 90 to see if the period of time has expired. If the predetermined period of time has expired, the BCM 14 instructs the vehicle powertrain controller 26 at 92 to return the vehicle 10 to the current parking position 40. If the predetermined period of time has not expired, but the vehicle sensors 20 monitoring the vehicle 10 at 94 indicate that the vehicle 10 can return to the position 40, the BCM 14 instructs the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to return the vehicle 10 to the position 40.

[0057] The systems and methods described herein utilize context data and / or sensor data to determine the presence or impending presence of a service vehicle 12 that needs to enter the current parking location 40 of a vehicle 10. If the service vehicle 12 needs to enter the parking location 40, the BCM 14 will instruct the vehicle powertrain controller 26 to move the vehicle 10 and, based on the type of service vehicle 12, will cause the vehicle 10 to move from the current parking location 40 to a different location for a predetermined period of time or indefinitely depending on the particular circumstances. By doing so, the BCM 14 ensures that the service vehicle 12 can enter the parking location 40 and further ensures that the vehicle 10 does not impede the service vehicle 12.

[0058] Numerous embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims.

[0059] The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and may be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. This may also vary in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the motion of a vehicle, the system comprising: Memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations including: monitoring contextual events in a current parking location of the vehicle, detecting a contextual event indicating an impending presence of a service vehicle that needs to enter the parking location of the vehicle; at least one vehicle sensor that monitors the vehicle, the at least one vehicle sensor providing sensor data to the data processing hardware for use by the data processing hardware in determining the presence of a service vehicle in a vehicle parking area; as well as In response to detection of a contextual event or determination that a service vehicle is present in a parking area for the vehicle, the vehicle is moved from a current parking location of the vehicle to a different location.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: Monitoring contextual events includes monitoring recognition patterns of the service vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The identification pattern is based on at least one of day of week, time of day, third party information, service vehicle route information, and inter-vehicle notifications.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one vehicle sensor includes one or more of a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor, and a microphone.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the data processing hardware, a type of service vehicle requiring access to a vehicle parking area.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising moving a vehicle from a current parking location of the vehicle based on the service vehicle type.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein: Determining the service vehicle type includes detecting characteristics of the service vehicle using the at least one vehicle sensor.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: Detecting features of the service vehicle includes at least one of: detecting the presence of flashing lights of the service vehicle, detecting a siren of the service vehicle, detecting a logo of the service vehicle, reading text displayed on the service vehicle, identifying a shape of the service vehicle, identifying a color of the service vehicle, and / or identifying accessories or tools carried by the service vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein: Determining the type of service vehicle that needs to enter the vehicle parking area includes distinguishing between an emergency service vehicle and a non-emergency service vehicle, and the data processing hardware is configured to immediately move the vehicle from a current parking location in response to detecting the emergency service vehicle.

10. A vehicle comprising the system according to claim 1.

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