US 12,005,891 B2
Early object detection for unprotected turns
Brandon Douglas Luders, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by WAYMO LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/728,375.
Application 17/728,375 is a division of application No. 16/679,723, filed on Nov. 11, 2019, granted, now 11,453,392.
Application 16/679,723 is a continuation of application No. 15/834,535, filed on Dec. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,501,085.
Prior Publication US 2022/0242406 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G08G 1/00 (2006.01); A01B 69/00 (2006.01); B60W 30/12 (2020.01); B62D 15/02 (2006.01); G01S 17/93 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 30/09 (2013.01) [B60W 30/18163 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/021 (2013.01); G08G 1/00 (2013.01); A01B 69/00 (2013.01); B60W 30/12 (2013.01); B62D 15/02 (2013.01); B62D 15/025 (2013.01); G01S 17/93 (2013.01); G05D 1/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/02 (2013.01); G05D 1/0214 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the method comprising:
detecting, by a perception system of the vehicle, one or more objects in an external environment of the vehicle during an initial sensor operation, each of the one or more detected objects having a first confidence level associated therewith based on the initial sensor operation;
causing, by a control system of the vehicle, the vehicle to take a preliminary action in response to the detecting of the one or more objects having the first confidence level;
detecting, by the perception system of the vehicle, at least one of the one or more objects in the external environment during a subsequent sensor operation, each of the at least one of the one or more detected objects having a second confidence level associated therewith based on the subsequent sensor operation; and
causing, by the control system, the vehicle to take a secondary action in response to the detecting the at least one of the one or more objects having the second confidence level.