US 12,246,749 B2
Bidirectional path optimization in a grid
Boaz Cornelis Floor, Cambridge, MA (US); and Marc Dominik Heim, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Motional AD LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Motional AD LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on May 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/744,252.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/332,976, filed on Apr. 20, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0339505 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G08G 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 60/0013 (2020.02) [B60W 60/0015 (2020.02); G08G 1/16 (2013.01); B60W 2556/40 (2020.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
receiving vehicle environment data associated with an environment of a vehicle;
determining an occupancy map of the environment using the vehicle environment data, the occupancy map identifying at least one obstacle in the environment;
generating a reference path to a destination location for the vehicle;
determining a travel path to an intermediate location in the occupancy map based at least in part on the reference path and a longitudinal direction variable, wherein the intermediate location is proximate a point on the reference path, and wherein determining the travel path comprises:
determining a plurality of potential paths based at least in part on at least one physical constraint of the vehicle and variations to a plurality of variable control inputs;
determining a cost associated with each of the plurality of potential paths based at least in part on a weighting policy; and
selecting the travel path from the plurality of potential paths based at least in part on the determined cost associated with each of the plurality of potential paths; and
generating actuation commands for the vehicle based at least in part on the travel path.