US 12,092,473 B2
Method, computer program, apparatus, vehicle, and network entity for predicting a deadlock situation for an automated vehicle
Guillaume Jornod, Berlin (DE); Andreas Pfadler, Berlin (DE); and Israel Gonzalez Vazquez, Wolfsburg (DE)
Assigned to VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, (DE)
Filed by VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Wolfsburg (DE)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/182,322.
Claims priority of application No. 20159588 (EP), filed on Feb. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0262813 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
Int. Cl. G01C 21/34 (2006.01); G06Q 10/083 (2024.01)
CPC G01C 21/3492 (2013.01) [G01C 21/3415 (2013.01); G06Q 10/083 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for controlling a present mode of operation of an automated transportation vehicle based on prediction of a future deadlock situation for the automated transportation vehicle, wherein the predicted future deadlock situation is an exceptional traffic situation necessitating a change of the present operational mode for operation of the automated transportation vehicle from automated operation of the automated transportation vehicle to a tele-operated operation of the automated transportation vehicle from a control center, wherein the exceptional traffic situation would be insurmountable when in automated operation of the automated transportation vehicle, wherein the exceptional traffic situation would result from conditions resulting from the predicted future deadlock situation for the automated transportation vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
one or more interfaces for communicating with one or more network entities; and
a control module configured to:
obtain information related to a historical deadlock situation cause in proximity to a present location of the automated transportation vehicle;
obtain determined historical context information for the historical deadlock situation cause in proximity to the present location of the automated transportation vehicle;
obtain determined information indicative of the historical deadlock situation cause based on the historical context information;
monitor present context information for present information that corresponds to the determined information indicative of the historical deadlock situation cause at the present location of the automated transportation vehicle;
obtain information including a predicted future deadlock situation based on the monitoring identifying a presence of present information that corresponds to the determined information indicative of the historical deadlock situation cause, wherein the historical deadlock situation cause is such that the automated transportation vehicle will would be unable to interpret and solve the corresponding predicted future deadlock situation thereby indicating that the predicted future deadlock situation is insurmountable in autonomous mode and solving the corresponding predicted future deadlock situation would require additional information or instructions other than that available at the automated transportation vehicle; and
in response to the prediction of the future deadlock situation, automatically offering a tele-operated mode of operation for the automated transportation vehicle, wherein the automated transportation vehicle is driven remotely to solve the predicted future deadlock situation, wherein the tele-operated mode of operation is automatically offered by the control module in response to receiving communication from a remote control center received via the one or more interfaces indicating the future deadlock situation prediction.