US 12,447,961 B2
Methods and systems for adjusting vehicle behavior based on ambient ground relative wind speed estimations
Andrew Barton-Sweeney, Oakland, CA (US); Andre Strobel, Mountain View, CA (US); Mark Calleija, Mountain View, CA (US); and Joel Benito Manrique, Altadena, CA (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/810,959.
Prior Publication US 2024/0010198 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B60W 30/14 (2006.01); B60W 40/02 (2006.01); B60W 40/105 (2012.01); B60W 40/13 (2012.01); B60W 50/00 (2006.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G01W 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 30/146 (2013.01) [B60W 40/02 (2013.01); B60W 40/105 (2013.01); B60W 40/13 (2013.01); B60W 50/0097 (2013.01); B60W 60/0015 (2020.02); G01W 1/10 (2013.01); B60W 2050/0052 (2013.01); B60W 2300/145 (2013.01); B60W 2420/408 (2024.01); B60W 2422/00 (2013.01); B60W 2520/06 (2013.01); B60W 2520/10 (2013.01); B60W 2555/20 (2020.02); B60W 2556/40 (2020.02); B60W 2556/50 (2020.02); G01W 2203/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device coupled to a vehicle, wind data from a wind sensor coupled to the vehicle, wherein the wind data represents a direction and a speed of air measured by the wind sensor as the vehicle travels a path, wherein the wind sensor is positioned on a boom that is coupled to a top portion of the vehicle, and wherein the boom has a curved structure such that the wind sensor is located a threshold distance above the vehicle;
receiving, at the computing device, navigation data from a vehicle sensor coupled to the vehicle, wherein the navigation data represents a direction and a speed of the vehicle as the vehicle travels the path;
based on the wind data, determining a wind vector that depends on both the direction and the speed of air measured by the wind sensor;
based on the navigation data, determining a vehicle trajectory vector that depends on both the direction and the speed of the vehicle;
determining a ground wind vector based on a combination of the wind vector and the vehicle trajectory vector, wherein the ground wind vector represents an ambient ground relative wind speed;
determining a crosswind speed based on the ambient ground relative wind speed; and
adjusting behavior of the vehicle using a predefined slowdown threshold curve, wherein the predefined slowdown threshold curve conveys a speed for the vehicle to use based on the crosswind speed and a payload of the vehicle.