Autonomous Vehicle Pickup Refinement Using Passenger Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in identifying and picking up passengers, especially in crowded areas or when passengers lack a functional mobile device or network connection, as they rely on passengers initiating ride requests through mobile applications.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a passenger identifier system, where passengers use a unique identifier such as a barcode, color, or pattern displayed on their mobile device, which can be detected by the autonomous vehicle's sensors, allowing the vehicle to locate and pick up the passenger even without a functioning mobile device or network connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous vehicle relies on passengers initiating ride requests through mobile applications, then the system can obtain passenger location and ride information, but the system cannot identify passengers in crowded areas or when passengers lack a functional mobile device or network connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an identifier object as an intermediary between the passenger and the autonomous vehicle. This identifier object contains encoded passenger information and serves as a mediator that enables the vehicle to identify and locate the passenger without requiring active mobile device communication or network connection, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a physical or digital copy of passenger identification information in the form of an identifier object (such as a barcode, QR code, or NFC tag). This copy allows the autonomous vehicle to retrieve passenger information through sensor detection rather than requiring the original mobile application to be active, improving identification reliability in various conditions
2Adaptability or versatility
If the autonomous vehicle uses sensor systems to detect passenger identifiers, then the vehicle can identify passengers without mobile device functionality, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensor systems that serve multiple functions: they detect the identifier object, determine its location, and verify passenger identity. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high adaptability for various identification scenarios
3Measurement precision
If the autonomous vehicle reduces velocity to identify the passenger identifier, then the vehicle can accurately detect the identifier, but the pickup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by having the passenger present the identifier object in advance and using sensor systems to continuously scan and detect the identifier before the vehicle needs to stop. This allows the vehicle to identify the passenger during approach, minimizing the need for velocity reduction and reducing overall pickup time while maintaining detection precision
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies relating to an autonomous vehicle are described. The autonomous vehicle is configured to determine that a person is attempting to hail the autonomous vehicle through use of a passenger identifier. The autonomous vehicle identifies a passenger account associated with the passenger identifier being presented by the person, and responsive to identifying the passenger account, determines whether the autonomous vehicle should pick up the person.