US 12,259,737 B2
Autonomous vehicle cabin and controller to manage a fleet of robots
Burkay Donderici, Burlingame, CA (US)
Assigned to GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/977,800.
Prior Publication US 2024/0142998 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 67/04 (2006.01); G05D 1/646 (2024.01); G05D 1/69 (2024.01); G05D 105/20 (2024.01); G05D 109/10 (2024.01); G05D 111/50 (2024.01)
CPC G05D 1/69 (2024.01) [B65G 67/04 (2013.01); G05D 1/646 (2024.01); G05D 2105/20 (2024.01); G05D 2109/10 (2024.01); G05D 2111/50 (2024.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
determining, based on data from one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle, a location for deploying a ramp configured to enable a plurality of robots to enter the autonomous vehicle, wherein the location is within a proximity to the plurality of robots, and wherein the location comprises an area that is free of obstacles having one or more dimensions above a threshold, the one or more dimensions comprising at least one of a depth, a width, and a height;
generating an instruction configured to trigger the autonomous vehicle to stop at the location, the instruction indicating a stopping position within the location for the autonomous vehicle, the stopping position being relative to at least one of a street, a sidewalk, and respective locations of the plurality of robots;
based on a determination that the autonomous vehicle is at the stopping position, deploying, by the autonomous vehicle, the ramp configured to enable the plurality of robots to enter the autonomous vehicle;
sending, by the autonomous vehicle to the plurality of robots, a message instructing the plurality of robots to enter a cabin of the autonomous vehicle via the ramp and guiding each robot of the plurality of robots to a respective location within the cabin, wherein the message comprises an indication of an order in which the plurality of robots should enter the cabin;
based on a determination that the autonomous vehicle has reached a destination of one or more robots of the plurality of robots, deploying the ramp and guiding the one or more robots to exit the cabin via the ramp;
obtaining sensor data associated with one or more of the plurality of robots; and
determining, based on the sensor data, a health status of the one or more of the plurality of robots.