US 11,970,160 B2
Traffic signal response for autonomous vehicles
Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Cupertino, CA (US); Andreas Wendel, Mountain View, CA (US); Nathaniel Fairfield, Mountain View, CA (US); Dmitri A. Dolgov, Los Altos, CA (US); and Donald Jason Burnette, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Moutain View, CA (US)
Filed by WAYMO LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/670,900.
Application 17/670,900 is a continuation of application No. 16/448,230, filed on Jun. 21, 2019, granted, now 11,279,346.
Application 16/448,230 is a continuation of application No. 15/958,365, filed on Apr. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,377,378, issued on Aug. 13, 2019.
Application 15/958,365 is a continuation of application No. 15/618,461, filed on Jun. 9, 2017, granted, now 10,005,460, issued on Jun. 26, 2018.
Application 15/618,461 is a continuation of application No. 14/448,299, filed on Jul. 31, 2014, granted, now 9,707,960, issued on Jul. 18, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161790 A1, May 26, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01); G08G 1/0962 (2006.01); G08G 1/0967 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 30/09 (2013.01) [B60W 30/18154 (2013.01); G08G 1/09623 (2013.01); G08G 1/09626 (2013.01); G08G 1/096725 (2013.01); B60W 2555/60 (2020.02); G08G 1/096783 (2013.01); G08G 1/096791 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors, a first distance from the vehicle to an intersection;
determining, by the one or more processors, a first state of a traffic signal when the vehicle is the first distance from the intersection;
determining, by the one or more processors, using a speed characteristic of the vehicle, whether the vehicle will be located at the second distance past a starting point of the intersection when the traffic light transitions to a second state; and
controlling, by the one or more processors, the vehicle through the intersection in the autonomous driving mode based on the determination of whether the vehicle will be located at the second distance past the starting point of the intersection.