US 12,434,710 B2
Method for operating an autonomous vehicle
Peter Nilsson, Hovås (SE); Oliver Sundell, Gothenburg (SE); Patrik Nilsson, Sunne (SE); Wilhelm Wiberg, Askim (SE); Stefan Bergquist, Gothenburg (SE); and Oskar Wigström, Gothenburg (SE)
Assigned to Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Appl. No. 17/609,810
Filed by Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
PCT Filed May 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/062815
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 9, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/233772, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0227372 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 40/04 (2006.01); B60Q 1/34 (2006.01); B60Q 5/00 (2006.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 10/30 (2006.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 40/04 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/346 (2013.01); B60Q 5/005 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 10/30 (2013.01); B60W 30/18159 (2020.02); B60W 30/18163 (2013.01); B60W 60/001 (2020.02); B60W 2420/403 (2013.01); B60W 2420/408 (2024.01); B60W 2520/00 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer implemented method for operating an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
receiving, at an electronic control unit (ECU) from at least one sensor, sensor data comprising information in an area in a driving direction of and in a vicinity of the vehicle,
determining, by the ECU using a general action module and based on the sensor data, a desired general action plan to be performed by the vehicle, the general action module directed to a macro portion of operating the vehicle within a macro window,
selecting, by the ECU based on the desired general action plan, a plurality of detailed action modules, each of the plurality of detailed action modules directed to a micro portion of operating the vehicle within a micro window shorter than the macro window,
determining, by the ECU based on the selected plurality of detailed action modules and the sensor data, a plurality of detailed actions directed to control parameters for operating the vehicle within the micro window and for fulfilling the desired general action plan,
estimating by the ECU based on the plurality of determined detailed actions, a success rate for fulfilling the desired general action plan, and operating, by the ECU, the vehicle based on the plurality of determined detailed actions and the estimated success rate.