阅读说明：本技术 在低网络连接性区域为自主交通工具提供引导的技术 (Techniques to provide guidance for autonomous vehicles in areas of low network connectivity ) 是由 N·达比 J·斯旺 A·冯戈 K·萨尔 H·穆斯塔法 R·H·沃海比 L·赫德 R·巴 于 2019-11-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：本文公开了用于在低网络连接性的区域(诸如农村区域)中为自主交通工具提供引导的技术。根据实施例,引导系统接收通过无线连接(例如,基于射频协议的连接)与其指定半径内的交通工具交换数据的请求。该数据由引导系统存储,并且指示指定半径内的导航信息。引导系统将所存储的数据传送到交通工具。引导系统还从交通工具接收指示由交通工具先前经过的路径的导航信息的数据。(Techniques for providing guidance for autonomous vehicles in areas of low network connectivity, such as rural areas, are disclosed herein. According to an embodiment, a guidance system receives a request to exchange data with vehicles within its specified radius over a wireless connection (e.g., a radio frequency protocol-based connection). The data is stored by the guidance system and indicates navigation information within a specified radius. The guidance system transmits the stored data to the vehicle. The guidance system also receives data from the vehicle indicating navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.)

1. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a storage for storing data indicative of navigation information within a specified radius of the device; and

a computation circuit to:

receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange stored data with a vehicle within a specified radius of the device;

transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and

receiving, from the vehicle via the wireless connection, data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing circuit is further to store the data indicative of the navigation information for the path previously traversed by the vehicle.

3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein to transmit the stored data to the vehicle comprises to:

determining a direction in which the vehicle is traveling;

retrieving data of navigation information indicating the direction the vehicle is traveling; and

sending the data of the navigation information to the vehicle indicating the direction the vehicle is traveling.

4. The device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein to receive the data indicative of the navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle comprises to: receiving data relating to road conditions and geographical information for the route previously traversed by the vehicle.

5. The device of any of claims 1-4, wherein the computing circuit is further to verify the data received from the vehicle.

6. The device of any of claims 1-5, wherein the computing circuit is further to broadcast a wireless signal to a plurality of vehicles within the specified radius of the device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the computing circuit is further to:

initiating an authentication process for the vehicle in response to the broadcast; and

establishing a connection with the vehicle in response to a successful authentication.

8. The device of any of claim 1, wherein the computing circuit is further configured to receive data from the vehicle to be transmitted to a second vehicle.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the computing circuit is further to:

receiving a request to exchange the stored data with the second vehicle;

sending (i) data to be sent to the second vehicle and (ii) the stored data to the second vehicle.

10. The device of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the computing circuit is further to update the stored data with data received from the vehicle.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius of a guidance system, the data being stored by the guidance system and indicating navigation information within the specified radius;

transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and

receiving, from the vehicle via the wireless connection, data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising storing the data indicative of the navigation information for the path previously traversed by the vehicle.

13. The computer-implemented method storage medium of claim 11 or 12, wherein transmitting the stored data to the vehicle comprises:

determining a direction in which the vehicle is traveling;

retrieving data of navigation information indicating the direction the vehicle is traveling; and

sending the data of the navigation information to the vehicle indicating the direction the vehicle is traveling.

14. The computer-implemented method of any of claims 11-13, wherein receiving the data indicative of the navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle comprises: receiving data relating to road conditions and geographical information for the route previously traversed by the vehicle.

15. The computer-implemented method of any of claims 11-14, further comprising validating the data received from the vehicle.

16. The computer-implemented method of any of claims 11-15, further comprising broadcasting a wireless signal to a plurality of vehicles within the specified radius of the guidance system.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

initiating an authentication process for the vehicle in response to the broadcast; and is

Establishing a connection with the vehicle in response to a successful authentication.

18. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 11-17, further comprising receiving data from the vehicle to be transmitted to a second vehicle.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request to exchange the stored data with the second vehicle;

sending (i) data to be sent to the second vehicle and (ii) the stored data to the second vehicle.

20. The computer-implemented method of any of claims 11-19, further comprising updating the stored data with the data received from the vehicle.

21. One or more computer-readable storage media having a plurality of instructions that, when executed, cause a boot system to perform the computer-implemented method of any of claims 11-20.

22. A guidance system, comprising:

circuitry for receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius of a guidance system, the data being stored by the guidance system and indicating navigation information within the specified radius;

means for transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and

means for receiving, from the vehicle via the wireless connection, data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Background

Autonomous vehicles are vehicles that are capable of sensing the surrounding environment and navigating through the environment to reach a predetermined destination, typically without further input from the vehicle operator. To this end, autonomous vehicles may include various sensors, such as lasers, radar, Global Positioning System (GPS), and computer vision technologies. A vehicle control system configured with an autonomous vehicle may process sensor data to identify appropriate navigation paths, obstacles, and related signs.

The vehicle control system may rely on communication with a remote navigation service (e.g., performed by a cloud service provider) or other vehicle (e.g., via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication over a 5G or Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) channel) to securely navigate through the area. For example, the vehicle control system may receive up-to-date information from the navigation service regarding the conditions of upcoming road segments reported by other vehicles (e.g., traffic conditions, signs, road closures, safety hazards, etc.). However, such communications typically require the autonomous vehicle to connect to a network, such as the internet or a cellular network. In some cases, the autonomous vehicle may traverse an area with limited network coverage, such as a rural area. Thus, the autonomous vehicle may not be able to communicate with the remote navigation service or other vehicles. Rather, the autonomous vehicle uses predefined map data (which may not be up-to-date) to navigate through the area relative to data obtained from on-board sensors of the vehicle control system.

Drawings

In the drawings, the concepts described herein are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an example computing environment in which an autonomous vehicle communicates with a guidance system in a low network connectivity area;

FIG. 2 is a simplified conceptual diagram of at least one embodiment of an autonomous vehicle exchanging data with one or more guidance systems of FIG. 1 in an area of low network connectivity;

FIG. 3 is a simplified conceptual diagram of at least one embodiment of one autonomous vehicle exchanging data indicative of road conditions to another autonomous vehicle via the guidance system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of an example guidance system described with respect to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of an example vehicle control system described with respect to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of an environment that may be established by the boot system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of an environment that may be established by the vehicle control system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are simplified flow diagrams of at least one embodiment of a method for exchanging data indicative of navigation information between the guidance system of FIG. 1 and an autonomous vehicle; and

FIG. 10 is a simplified flow diagram of at least one embodiment of a method for exchanging data indicative of navigation information by a vehicle control system and the guidance system of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and appended claims.

References in the specification to "one embodiment," "an illustrative embodiment," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may or may not include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Additionally, it should be appreciated that terms included in the list in the form of "at least one of A, B and C" may mean (a); (B) (ii) a (C) (ii) a (A and B); (A and C); (B and C); or (A, B and C). Similarly, an item listed in the form of "at least one of A, B or C" can mean (a); (B) (ii) a (C) (ii) a (A and B); (A and C); (B and C); or (A, B and C).

In some cases, the disclosed embodiments can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. The disclosed embodiments may also be implemented as instructions carried by or stored on a transitory or non-transitory machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage medium, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. A machine-readable storage medium may be embodied as any storage device, mechanism, or other physical structure for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a volatile or non-volatile memory, a media disk, or other media device).

In the drawings, some structural or methodical features may be shown in a particular arrangement and/or ordering. However, it should be appreciated that such a particular arrangement and/or ordering may not be necessary. Rather, in some embodiments, such features may be arranged in different ways and/or orders than shown in the illustrative figures. Additionally, the inclusion of a structural or methodical feature in a particular figure is not meant to imply that such feature is required in all embodiments, and in some embodiments, such feature may not be included, or may be combined with other features.

Referring now to fig. 1, a computing environment 100 includes a vehicle 102, the vehicle 102 exchanging navigation information with one or more guidance systems 106. In the illustrative embodiment, the vehicle 102 may be embodied as any type of autonomous or "unmanned" vehicle capable of transporting passengers. Further, in the embodiments described herein, the vehicle 102 need not be fully autonomous, as those skilled in the art will recognize that the techniques of the present disclosure may also be adapted for partially autonomous vehicles.

As shown, the vehicle 102 includes a vehicle control system 104. The vehicle control system 104 provides decision making and control logic to cause the vehicle to operate in an autonomous manner with little or no input from a human operator. For example, a given vehicle control system 104 may obtain data from various sensors within the vehicle 102 to determine visible road geometry, objects in one or more sensor fields of view (e.g., road signs, traffic posts, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.), distances from such objects, and so forth. The vehicle control system 104 may determine an action to perform in operation, such as whether to maintain, increase or decrease speed, change lanes, park the vehicle, etc., based in part on the obtained sensor data.

Further, in an embodiment, the vehicle control system 104 can communicate with a navigation service 112 (e.g., executing on a cloud network) via a network 110 (e.g., the internet). The navigation service 112 may communicate relatively up-to-date navigation information (e.g., road conditions, traffic and congestion data, road signs, public safety warnings, navigation information sent by other vehicles, etc.) to the vehicle control system 104. The vehicle control system 104 may apply the navigation information to various components therein. For example, the vehicle control system 104 can determine that traffic toward a specified destination is relatively congested on a given path based on navigation information received from the navigation service 112, and control logic in the vehicle control system 104 can determine a less congested path to the destination. As another example, the vehicle control system 104 can determine that a bridge on the current path to the destination has been disabled based on the navigation information and, in response, identify an alternate route.

Still further, in an embodiment, the vehicle control system 104 can communicate with other vehicles within the vicinity of the vehicle 102 (e.g., over a vehicle communication system network). Such communications may include, for example, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) messages over a given frequency. The communication between vehicles may include safety warnings, traffic information, and lane change indications for preventing accidents and traffic congestion.

As described, the vehicle control system 104 can communicate with the navigation service 112 and other vehicles via a network (such as over the network 110). However, in some cases, the vehicle 102 may operate in an area where network connectivity is relatively low, thereby preventing the vehicle control system 104 from accessing the navigation service 112. Further, such areas may be sparsely populated, and the vehicle 102 may not be able to enter into the vicinity of another vehicle along the path with which it is sending or receiving communications. For example, rural areas and deserts may be areas where network connectivity is low and/or has relatively low traffic. Thus, in some cases, the vehicle control system 104 may rely on existing data (e.g., map data preloaded into the vehicle control system 104) to navigate through these areas.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for navigating by an autonomous vehicle through areas of low network connectivity (e.g., in rural areas). In an embodiment, areas of low network connectivity may enable multiple boot systems 106_1-NIs installed. For example, guidance system 106 may be located at various points along the side of a road path. For example, for a continuous path, guidance system 106 may be located at predetermined intervals (e.g., every mile, every five miles, every fifty miles, etc., as desired).

In an embodiment, each guidance system 106 stores navigation information for road segments associated therewith. Passing vehicles (e.g., vehicle 102) may update the navigation information based on the observed data sent to guidance system 106. Further, the guidance system 106_1-NA network 108 of guidance systems may be formed that are not necessarily interconnected with each other, but may be updated with information about each other by vehicles traversing an area covered by the network 108. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that the guidance system 106_1-NMay be interconnected with each other and with other components of the computing environment 100 via the network 110.

Similar to a rock wash (e.g., a pile of stones accumulated by the traveler at the landmark) used to inform subsequent travelers of the route at the landmark, the guidance system 106 provides navigation information to passing vehicles. To this end, as further described herein, the stored navigation information may be received from the guidance system 106 via a wireless connection (e.g., via a standard radio frequency-based protocol such as bluetooth) when the vehicle control system 104 approaches the guidance system 106. Advantageously, such wireless connections do not require connectivity to the network 110 and allow the vehicle to communicate back and forth with a given guidance system 106 when in proximity. Additionally, the vehicle control system 104 may send navigation information related to the area most previously traversed (e.g., since the last guidance system 106 in the network 108 encountered by the vehicle control system 104).

For example, referring now to FIG. 2, a vehicle 102 and guidance system 106 are shown_1-NConceptual view of interaction. Illustratively, the vehicle 102 moves in a given direction across a two-lane road. In an embodiment, the guidance system 106_1-NMay broadcast wireless signals at predefined intervals. The wireless signal indicates the availability of a given guidance system 106 to provide and receive navigation data. The vehicle 102 can receive the broadcast and, in response, send a request for navigation information from the guidance system 106. Further, in other embodiments, known guidance systems 106 may be predefined in the map data of the vehicle control system 104. The vehicle control system 104 may transmit a discovery request to the guidance system 106 upon entering the vicinity of a known guidance system 106_1-N. Advantageously, this approach requires that the guidance system 106 consume less energy because the guidance system 106 does not need to broadcast wireless signals at a given rate.

Illustratively, in FIG. 2, the vehicle 102 is in the guidance system 106₁Such as a predefined radius of the guidance system 1061, the vehicle 102 initiates and guides the system 106 (e.g., via an RF-based standard protocol such as bluetooth)₁The connection of (2). Once connected, the boot system 106₁Will guide the system 106₁Navigation information for the associated road segment (e.g., the area surrounding the guidance system 1061) is sent to the vehicle 102, as indicated by the one-way arrow connecting the vehicle 102 to the guidance system 1061. Such navigationThe information may include road conditions, signs, findings of risk areas (e.g., potholes, animal tunnels, areas with relatively high pedestrian or cyclist mass, etc.), recent charging or gas stations, weather or geological alerts, and so forth.

Additionally, the vehicle 102 sends and guides the system 106 (e.g., via the vehicle control system 104)₁Relevant navigation information, e.g. by connecting the vehicle 102 to the guidance system 106₁Is depicted by the unidirectional arrow of (a). For example, the vehicle 102 may transmit navigation information related to previously traveled road segments, where the type of navigation information is similar to the navigation information described above. In addition, the vehicle 102 can also transmit information for the guidance system 106 provided to the vehicle 102 by the navigation service 112₁Information of the covered area. For example, the navigation service 112 can push community alerts (e.g., weather alerts, missing children alerts, etc.) to the vehicle 102 before the vehicle 102 enters the area. Guidance system 106 upon approach of vehicle 102₁Such an alert may be transmitted. Guidance system 106₁The data it stores may be updated based on information sent by the vehicle 102.

Illustratively, the vehicle 102 also navigates by the guidance system 106₂The area of coverage. The vehicle 102 may be similar to the guidance system 106₁Means of connection and guidance system 106₂And (4) connecting. Further, the vehicle 102 may also be guided from the guidance system 106 in a similar manner₂Navigation information is received. Still further, the vehicle 102 may send information related to previously traveled road segments to the guidance system 106₂. In an embodiment, the information may be that the vehicle control system 104 is self-traversing the guidance system 106₁Navigation information collected since then.

As mentioned, the guidance system 106_1-NNavigation information for the area associated with a given guidance system 106 is provided for passing vehicles. Referring now to fig. 3, an example of navigation information that is updated and exchanged between vehicles (e.g., vehicles 102 and 302) via a given guidance system 106 is shown. At the position ofIn the example, the guidance system 106 is located beside a two-lane road. Further, in this example, assume that vehicle 102 moves past guidance system 106 before vehicle 302 reaches guidance system 106. As shown, the vehicle 102 transmits data including navigation information to the guidance system 106, as indicated by the one-way arrow from the vehicle 102 to the guidance system 106. The navigation information may be data observed by the vehicle 102 for a previous road segment.

Continuing with the example, assume that vehicle 302 is the next vehicle to approach guidance system 106. Further, the vehicle 302 approaches the guidance system 106 at a later point in time (e.g., immediately after an hour, a day, a week, etc. after the vehicle 102 passes). Assume further that the vehicle 302 is moving in the opposite direction as the vehicle 102. The guidance system 106 communicates data transmitted by the vehicle 102 to the vehicle 302 as indicated by the one-way arrow connecting the guidance system 106 to the vehicle 302. As a result, the vehicle 302 has navigation information for the upcoming area covered by the navigation system 106.

In some embodiments, the vehicle may transmit data to be sent to a particular vehicle via the guidance system 106. For example, the vehicle 102 can include a formatted message as part of the data sent to the guidance system 106 that includes an identifier associated with the target vehicle (e.g., vehicle 302). In turn, the guidance system 106, while exchanging data with the vehicle 302, may also evaluate an identifier associated with the vehicle 302 to determine whether there is any message data for the vehicle 302. If such message data is found, guidance system 106 can transmit the message to vehicle 302 (e.g., a message transmitted by vehicle 102).

Referring now to fig. 4, guidance system 106 may be embodied as any type of device that performs the functions described herein, such as storing data indicative of navigation information (e.g., road conditions, signs, traffic updates, safety hazards, etc.), establishing connections with autonomous vehicles within a specified radius of guidance system 106, and exchanging data with the autonomous vehicles.

As shown, the illustrative boot system 106 includes a computing circuit 402, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 408, a communication circuit 410, a data storage device 414, and a power supply 416. Of course, in other embodiments, the boot system 106 may include other or additional components, such as those commonly found in a computer (e.g., a display, peripheral devices, etc.). Additionally, in some embodiments, one or more of the illustrative components may be incorporated into, or otherwise form part of, another component.

The computing circuitry 402 may be embodied as any type of device or collection of devices capable of performing various computing functions as described below. In some embodiments, the computing circuitry 402 may be embodied as a single device, such as an integrated circuit, an embedded system, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SOC), or other integrated system or device. Additionally, in some embodiments, the computing circuitry 402 includes or is embodied as a processor 404 and a memory 406. Processor 404 may be embodied as one or more processors, each of which is of a type capable of performing the functions described herein. For example, processor 404 may be embodied as a single or multi-core processor(s), a microcontroller, or other processor or processing/control circuitry. In some embodiments, the processor 404 may be embodied as, include or be coupled to an FPGA, an ASIC, reconfigurable hardware or hardware circuitry, or other dedicated hardware for facilitating the performance of the functions described herein.

The memory 406 may be embodied as any type of volatile (e.g., dynamic random access memory, etc.) or non-volatile memory (e.g., byte addressable memory) or data storage capable of performing the functions described herein. Volatile memory can be a storage medium requiring the ability to maintain the state of data stored by the medium. Non-limiting examples of volatile memory may include various types of Random Access Memory (RAM), such as DRAM or Static Random Access Memory (SRAM). One particular type of DRAM that may be used in memory modules is Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM). In a particular embodiment, the DRAM of the memory component may conform to standards promulgated by JEDEC, such as JESD79F for DDR SDRAM, JESD79-2F, DDR3 for DDR2 SDRAM, JESD79-3F, DDR4 for SDRAM, JESD79-4A for low power DDR (LPDDR), JESD209 for LPDDR2, JESD209-2 for LPDDR3, and JESD209-4 for DR LPDDR 4. Such standards (and similar standards) may be referred to as DDR-based standards, while the communication interface of the memory device that implements such standards may be referred to as DDR-based interfaces.

In one embodiment, the memory devices are block addressable memory devices, such as those based on NAND or NOR technology. The memory device may also include a three-dimensional cross-point memory device (e.g., Intel 3D XPoint)^TMMemory) or other byte-addressable write-in-place non-volatile memory devices. In one embodiment, the memory device may be or may include a memory device using chalcogenide glass, a multi-threshold level NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, single or multi-level Phase Change Memory (PCM), resistive memory, nanowire memory, ferroelectric transistor random access memory (FeTRAM), antiferroelectric memory, Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) including memristor technology, resistive memory including metal oxide substrates, oxygen vacancy substrates, and conductive bridge random access memory (CB-RAM), or Spin Transfer Torque (STT) -MRAM, a spintronic magnetic junction memory-based device, a Magnetic Tunneling Junction (MTJ) -based device, a DW (domain wall) and SOT (spin-orbit transfer) -based device, a thyristor-based memory device, or a combination of any of the above or other memories. A memory device may refer to the die itself and/or to a packaged memory product. In some embodiments, a 3D crosspoint memory (e.g., Intel 3D XPoint)^TMMemory) may include a transistor-less stackable cross-point architecture in which memory cells are located at the intersections of word lines and bit lines and are individually addressable, and in which bit storage is based on changes in bulk resistance. In some embodiments, all or a portion of the memory 406 may be integrated into the processor 404.

The computing circuitry 402 is communicatively coupled with other components of the boot system 106 via an I/O subsystem 408, which I/O subsystem 408 may be embodied as circuitry and/or components to facilitate input/output operations with the computing circuitry 402 (e.g., with the processor 404 and/or memory 406) and other components of the boot system 106. For example, I/O subsystem 408 may be embodied as or otherwise include a memory controller hub, an input/output control hub, an integrated sensor hub, firmware devices, communication links (i.e., point-to-point links, bus links, wires, cables, light guides, printed circuit board traces, etc.), and/or other components and subsystems for facilitating input/output operations. In some embodiments, the I/O subsystem 408 may form part of a system on a chip (SoC) and may be incorporated into the compute circuitry 402 along with one or more of the processor 404, memory 406, and other components of the boot system 106.

The communication circuit 410 may be embodied as any communication circuit, device, or collection thereof that enables communication between the guidance system 106 and other devices (e.g., the vehicle control system 104 of the vehicle 102) over a network. The communication circuitry 410 may be configured to use any one or more communication technologies (e.g., wired, wireless, and/or cellular communication) and associated protocols (e.g., ethernet, cellular, and/or the like),WiMAX, 5G-based protocols, etc.) to effectuate such communication.

The illustrative communication circuitry 410 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC)412, also referred to as a Host Fabric Interface (HFI). NIC412 may be embodied as one or more add-in boards, daughter cards, controller chips, chipsets, or other devices that may be used by boot system 106 to network communicate with remote devices. For example, the NIC412 may be embodied as an expansion card coupled to the I/O subsystem 408 through an expansion bus (such as PCI express).

The illustrative data storage device(s) 414 may be embodied as any type of device configured for short-term or long-term storage of data, such as, for example, memory devices and circuits, memory cards, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSDs), or other data storage devices. Each data storage device 414 may include a system partition that stores data and firmware code for the data storage device 414. Each data storage device 414 may also include an operating system partition that stores data files and executable files for the operating system.

The illustrative power supply 416 may be embodied as any type of hardware or circuitry configured to power an on-board generator of the guidance system 106 to allow operation of its hardware components. For example, the power source 416 may include components for receiving solar energy, wind energy, or other types of power from natural sources. It may be advantageous to include such a power supply 416 in an area that may be outside the coverage provided by the power grid, and thus allow the guidance system 106 to continuously exchange data with passing autonomous vehicles. Of course, the power supply 416 may also include components for receiving power.

Additionally or alternatively, the boot system 106 may include one or more peripheral devices. Such peripheral devices may include any type of peripheral device commonly found in computing devices, such as a display, speakers, a mouse, a keyboard, and/or other input/output devices, interface devices, and/or other peripheral devices. Further, the guidance system 106 may include a plurality of sensors, which may be embodied as any hardware or circuitry for observing internal or external conditions and providing data to the guidance system 106. For example, guidance system 106 may include any number of radars, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), thermal sensors, motion sensors, and the like.

Further, as described above, the guidance system 106 illustratively communicates via the network 110, which may be embodied as any type of wired or wireless communication network, including a global network (e.g., the internet), a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), a cellular network (e.g., global system for mobile communications (GSM), 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), etc.), a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network, a cable network (e.g., a coaxial network, a fiber optic network, etc.), or any combination thereof.

Referring now to fig. 5, the vehicle control system 104 may be embodied as any type of device that performs the functions described herein, such as detecting the presence of the guidance system 106 along a road segment, requesting navigation information from the guidance system 106, receiving navigation information from the guidance system, and updating onboard navigation data with the received information.

As shown, the illustrative vehicle control system 104 includes computing circuitry 502, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 508, communication circuitry 510, a data storage device 514, and sensors 516. Of course, in other embodiments, the vehicle control system 104 may include other or additional components, such as those commonly found in a computer (e.g., a display, peripheral devices, etc.). Additionally, in some embodiments, one or more of the illustrative components may be incorporated into, or otherwise form part of, another component.

The computing circuitry 502 may be embodied as any type of device or collection of devices capable of performing various computing functions as described below. In some embodiments, the computing circuitry 502 may be embodied as a single device, such as an integrated circuit, an embedded system, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SOC), or other integrated system or device. Additionally, in some embodiments, the computing circuitry 502 includes or is embodied as a processor 504 and a memory 506. Processor 504 may be embodied as one or more processors, each of which is of a type capable of performing the functions described herein. Processor 504 may be similar to the processor described with respect to processor 404.

In the illustrative embodiment, the processor 504 includes a control logic unit 505, which control logic unit 505 may be embodied as any type of hardware (e.g., a coprocessor, an integrated circuit, etc.) or software for determining and executing a course of action for the vehicle 102 (e.g., on which the vehicle control system 104 is configured). The control logic unit 505 may communicate with one or more of the sensors 516 via the I/O subsystem 508 to retrieve data regarding the operation of the vehicle 102.

The memory 506 may be embodied as any type of volatile (e.g., dynamic random access memory, etc.) or non-volatile memory (e.g., byte addressable memory) or data storage capable of performing the functions described herein. Memory 506 may be embodied similar to that described with respect to memory 406. In some embodiments, all or a portion of the memory 506 may be integrated into the processor 504.

The computing circuitry 502 is communicatively coupled with other components of the vehicle control system 104 via an I/O subsystem 508, which I/O subsystem 508 may be embodied as circuitry and/or components for facilitating input/output operations with the computing circuitry 502 (e.g., with the processor 506 and/or the memory 406) and other components of the vehicle control system 104. For example, I/O subsystem 208 may be embodied similar to the I/O subsystem described with respect to I/O subsystem 408. In some embodiments, the I/O subsystem 508 may form part of a system on a chip (SoC) and may be incorporated into the compute circuitry 502 along with one or more of the processor 504, the memory 506, and other components of the vehicle control system 104.

The communication circuit 510 may be embodied as any communication circuit, device, or collection thereof that enables communication between the vehicle control system 104 and other devices (e.g., vehicle control systems 104 in other vehicles 102) over a network. The illustrative communication circuit 510 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC)512 similar to the NIC 412. The one or more illustrative data storage devices 514 may be embodied as any type of device configured for short-term or long-term storage of data similar to that described with respect to data storage device 414.

The one or more illustrative sensors 516 may be embodied as any type of device configured to provide data regarding the surroundings and interior of the vehicle 102 such that logic (e.g., the control logic unit 505) in the vehicle control system 104 may perform an action (e.g., whether to accelerate or stop the vehicle 102) in response to the data. For example, sensors 516 may include Global Positioning Systems (GPS), cameras, radar, lasers, speedometers, angular rate sensors, computer vision sensors, and so forth. The sensors 516 may communicate data to the control logic unit 505 (or any other component within the vehicle control system 104) via the I/O subsystem 508.

Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle control system 104 may include one or more peripheral devices. Such peripheral devices may include any type of peripheral device commonly found in computing devices, such as a display, speakers, a mouse, a keyboard, and/or other input/output devices, interface devices, and/or other peripheral devices.

Referring now to fig. 6, each boot system 106 may establish an environment 600 during operation. The illustrative environment 600 includes a network communicator 620 and a communication manager 630. Each of the components of environment 600 may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Further, in some embodiments, one or more of the components of environment 600 may be embodied as a collection of circuits or electronic devices (e.g., network communicator circuit 620, communication manager circuit 630, etc.). It should be appreciated that in such embodiments, one or more of the network communicator circuit 620 and the communication manager circuit 630 may form part of one or more of the NIC412, the computing circuit 402, the communication circuit 410, the I/O subsystem 408, the data storage 414, the power supply 416, and/or other components of the boot system 106.

In the illustrative embodiment, environment 600 includes configuration data 602, which configuration data 602 may be embodied as any data related to configuration parameters of boot system 106. The configuration data 602 may include frequencies directing the system 106 to broadcast availability. Further, the configuration data 602 may include a radius size indicating an area coverage of the guidance system 106. The configuration data 602 may also include data retention policies. For example, a retention policy may include a type of data to be retained or deleted (e.g., based on the age of the data). The retention policy may also include rules for resolving conflicting data. For example, the retention policy allows the guidance system 106 to determine which data to overwrite when new navigation information is received from the vehicle. Configuration data 602 may also include a list of other guidance systems 106 in network 108 as well as the status of each guidance system 106 (e.g., whether guidance system 106 is offline or online based on the last received data) and information of where each of guidance systems 106 is located. Further, the environment 600 includes navigation data 604, which navigation data 604 may be embodied as any data indicative of navigation information received from vehicles (e.g., autonomous vehicles), for example, entering a vicinity of the guidance system 106, such as within a specified radius.

The network communicator 620, which as discussed above, may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architecture, and/or combinations thereof, is configured to facilitate inbound and outbound network communications (e.g., network traffic, network packets, network flows, etc.) to and from other devices, such as from the vehicle control system 104 in a given vehicle 102. To this end, the network communicator 620 is configured to receive and process data packets from one system or computing device and prepare to send the data packets to another computing device or system. Accordingly, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the functionality of network communicator 620 may be performed by communication circuitry 410, and in illustrative embodiments, may be performed by NIC 412.

Illustrative communication manager 630, which may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulation architecture, and/or a combination thereof, as discussed above, is configured to exchange data between autonomous vehicles that may use such data in navigating across an area associated with guidance system 106. To this end, the communication manager 630 includes an aggregation component 632, a data management component 634, and a reporting component 636.

The aggregation component 632 is configured to receive data from the vehicles 102 within a specified radius of the guidance system 106. The aggregation component 632 can transmit requests for navigation data from the vehicles 102 and receive the data. The aggregation component 632 can also validate navigation data using various techniques (e.g., evaluation of credentials of the sender vehicle 102, integrity checking of data, etc.).

The data management component 634 is used to store data received from the vehicle 102 in response to a request (e.g., as navigation data 604). Further, the data management component 634 is configured to update the navigation data according to a retention policy specified in the configuration data 602. For example, given new data from the vehicle 102, the data management component 634 may apply a retention policy to determine which data to overwrite (e.g., the policy may specify that data relating to traffic conditions should always be overwritten by data relating to traffic conditions). Further, the data management component 634 can apply a time decay function to data stored as navigation data 604 such that relatively older data is deleted, weighted less than newer data, and so forth.

The reporting component 636 is configured to transmit the navigation data 604 to the requesting vehicle (e.g., the vehicle 102). In particular, the reporting component 636 processes requests received by the vehicle. The request may include a timestamp, an identifier associated with the vehicle 102, an indicator representative of the type of data to be received (e.g., all navigation data, only data points of interest, only security alert data, etc.), and so forth. The reporting component 636 can retrieve the requested data from storage and transmit the data to the vehicle 102 over a wireless connection.

It should be appreciated that each of the components in the network communicator 620 and the communication manager 630 can be separately embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architectures, and/or combinations thereof. For example, the network communicator 620 and the data management component 634 can be embodied as hardware components, while the aggregation component 632 and the reporting component 636 are embodied as virtualized hardware components or as some other combination of hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architecture, and/or combinations thereof.

Referring now to fig. 7, the vehicle control system 104 may establish an environment 700 in operation. The illustrative environment 700 includes a network communicator 720 and a communication manager 730. Each of the components of environment 700 may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Further, in some embodiments, one or more of the components of the environment 700 may be embodied as a circuit or collection of electronic devices (e.g., the network communicator circuit 720, the communication manager circuit 730, etc.). It should be appreciated that in such embodiments, one or more of the network communicator circuit 720 and the communication manager circuit 730 may form part of one or more of the NIC 512, the computing circuit 502, the communication circuit 510, the I/O subsystem 508, the data storage device 514, the sensors 516, and/or other components of the vehicle control system 104.

In the illustrative embodiment, the environment 700 includes configuration data 702, which configuration data 702 may be embodied as any data related to configuration parameters of the vehicle control system 104. The configuration data 702 may include an indication of whether the vehicle 102 opted to receive navigation data from the guidance system 106. The configuration data 702 may also include credentials associated with the vehicle control system 104 that a given guidance system 106 authenticates. The configuration data 702 may also include data retention policies. For example, a retention policy may include a type of data to be retained or deleted (e.g., based on the age of the data). The retention policy may also include rules for resolving conflicting data. For example, the retention policy allows the vehicle control system 104 to determine which data to overwrite when new navigation information is received from the guidance system 102. Configuration data 702 may also include a list of other guidance systems 106 in network 108 and information of where each of guidance systems 106 is located for a given area. Such data may be included in a map of an onboard navigation system of the vehicle control system 104. Further, the environment 700 includes navigation data 704, which navigation data 704 may be embodied as any data indicative of navigation information (as defined by the present disclosure) received from the guidance system 104.

The network communicator 720, which may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architecture, and/or combinations thereof, as discussed above, is configured to facilitate inbound and outbound network communications (e.g., network traffic, network packets, network flows, etc.) to and from other devices, such as from the boot system 106. To this end, the network communicator 720 is configured to receive and process data packets from one system or computing device and prepare to send the data packets to another computing device or system. Accordingly, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the functionality of network communicator 720 may be performed by communication circuitry 510, and in illustrative embodiments, may be performed by NIC 512.

The illustrative communication manager 730, which as discussed above, may be embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architecture, and/or a combination thereof, is configured to exchange data with the boot system 106. To this end, the communication manager 730 includes a discovery component 732, a reporting component 734, and a data management component 736.

The discovery component 732 is configured to issue a discovery request to the boot system 106. For example, the discovery component 732 may determine that the vehicle control system 104 is approaching the guidance system 106 based on the known location of the guidance system 106 in the configuration data. Alternatively (or in addition), the discovery component 732 may detect a broadcast signal from the guidance system 106 indicating its availability. The discovery request is further configured to initiate a connection to be established with the boot system 106. The discovery component 732 can provide credentials or engage in a communication protocol (e.g., a handshake protocol) to authenticate the vehicle control system 104 to the guidance system 106.

The reporting component 734 is configured to transmit the navigation data 704 related to the previous road segment to the guidance system 106. The navigation data 704 sent to the guidance system 106 may include a timestamp and credentials associated with the vehicle control system 104. The guidance system 106, in turn, may use such information to verify the navigation data 704. The reporting component 734 is also configured to transmit other data (such as messages to be sent to other vehicles) to the guidance system 106.

The data management component 736 is to receive navigation data associated with the area covered by the guidance system 106. Further, the data management component 736 is configured to update the stored navigation data 704 according to policies specified in the configuration data 702. For example, given new data from the guidance system 106, the data management component 734 may apply a mapping policy to determine which map data to update based on the received navigation data.

It should be appreciated that each of the components in the network communicator 720 and the communication manager 730 may be separately embodied as hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architectures, and/or combinations thereof. For example, the network communicator 730 and the data management component 736 can be embodied as hardware components, while the discovery component 732 and the reporting component 734 are embodied as virtualized hardware components or as some other combination of hardware, firmware, software, virtualized hardware, emulated architecture, and/or combinations thereof.

Referring now to fig. 8 and 9, in operation, each guidance system 106 may perform a method 800 for exchanging navigation information with an autonomous vehicle (e.g., vehicle 102). As shown, the method 800 begins at block 802, where the guidance system 106 broadcasts wireless signals within a specified radius. The wireless signal may be at a frequency recognizable by a nearby autonomous vehicle. In block 804, the guidance system 106 receives a request from a vehicle to exchange information. For example, the request may be in response to a vehicle receiving a broadcast signal. In other cases, the request may come from a vehicle that identifies guidance system 106 via a discovery request.

In block 806, the guidance system 106 authenticates the vehicle. The boot system 106 may do so using various authentication techniques. For example, the boot system 106 may perform a handshake protocol to initiate the connection. In other cases, the guidance system 106 can request credentials (e.g., a username and password) from the vehicle 102. In block 808, the boot system 106 determines whether the authentication was successful. If not, the guidance system 106 may return an error to the requesting vehicle in block 810. Otherwise, in block 812, the guidance system 106 establishes a connection with the vehicle. For example, the guidance system 106 may initiate a wireless connection pairing with the vehicle.

In block 814, the guidance system 106 transmits the stored navigation data to the vehicle. For example, in block 816, the guidance system 106 may determine the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, e.g., based on information transmitted by the vehicle itself. In block 818, the guidance system 106 retrieves the navigation data from the storage. The navigation data may include road conditions, geographic information, signs, and the like. Further, where guidance system 106 determines the direction of the vehicle, guidance system 106 retrieves navigation data for a path pointing in the direction of the vehicle. In block 820, the guidance system 106 sends the retrieved data to the vehicle.

In block 822, the guidance system 106 receives navigation data from the vehicle. The navigation data may be a previously traversed road segment. For example, in block 824, guidance system 106 receives data related to road conditions and geographic information observed by the vehicle (e.g., by onboard sensors of the vehicle). The boot system 106 may also verify the data in block 826. For example, to this end, the guidance system 106 may perform an integrity check to ensure that the timestamp, the sensor data, and the identifier of the vehicle are all related to each other. In block 828, the boot system 106 determines whether the data is valid. If not, then in block 830, the guidance system 106 may return an error to the vehicle.

If the data is valid, in block 832, the guidance system 106 may update the stored data with the new data received from the vehicle. To this end, the boot system 106 may evaluate one or more data management policies to determine which data to save, overwrite, delete, etc. Further, in block 834, boot system 106 may apply a time decay function to the data retained in storage. This allows guidance system 106 to weight subsequently received navigations based on timeliness (e.g., alerts that exceed a certain length of time may be weighted less or deleted altogether).

Referring now to fig. 10, in operation, the vehicle control system 104 may perform a method 1000 for exchanging navigation data with the guidance system 106. As shown, the method 1000 begins at block 1002, where the vehicle control system 104 detects the presence of the guidance system 106 along the road segment in block 1002. The vehicle control system 104 may do so by receiving a broadcast from the guidance system 106 once proximate to the guidance system 106 (e.g., within a specified radius of the guidance system 106). The vehicle control system 104 may also do so after sending a discovery request to the guidance system 106 at a known location (e.g., based on onboard map data in the vehicle control system 104).

In block 1004, the vehicle control system 104 sends a request to the guidance system 106 for navigation data for an area covered by the guidance system 106. In response, the guidance system 106 may authenticate the vehicle control system. In block 1006, the vehicle control system 104 determines whether the authentication was successful. For example, the boot system 106 may send an indication of authentication success or failure. If the authentication is not successful, the vehicle control system 104 may return an error (e.g., displayed on the console of the vehicle 102) in block 1008.

Otherwise, in block 1010, the vehicle control system 104 establishes a connection with the guidance system 106 and receives data from the guidance system 106. For example, in block 1012, the vehicle control system 104 receives data related to road conditions and geographic information for the area covered by the guidance system 106. In block 1014, the vehicle control system 104 may validate the data based on a policy (e.g., whether the data provided by the guidance system 106 is relatively out-of-date or recent). If valid based on the policy, in block 1016, the vehicle control system 104 updates its components (such as the map and navigation system) with the verified data. Thereafter, the vehicle control system 104 can utilize the updated data to navigate the vehicle.

In block 1018, the vehicle control system 104 sends the observed data relative to the previous road segment to the guidance system 106. For example, in block 1020, the vehicle control system 104 transmits data related to road conditions observed since the previously encountered guidance system 106 received the navigation data.

In block 1022, the vehicle control system 104 determines whether network connectivity is available for the navigation service 112. For example, the vehicle control system 104 can establish network connectivity when the vehicle is in a more densely populated area. If not, method 1000 ends. Otherwise, in block 1024, the vehicle control system 104 uploads the data received from the one or more guidance systems to the navigation service 112. The navigation service 112 may then propagate the new data in the uploaded data to other vehicles.

Examples of the invention

Illustrative examples of the techniques disclosed herein are provided below. Embodiments of these techniques may include any one or more of the examples described below, as well as any combination thereof.

Example 1 includes an apparatus, comprising: storage means for storing data indicating navigation information within a specified radius of the device; and a computing circuit to receive a request via a wireless connection to exchange stored data with a vehicle within a specified radius of the device; transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and receiving data from the vehicle via the wireless connection indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 2 includes the subject matter of example 1, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to store data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 3 includes the subject matter of any one of example 1 and example 2, and wherein to transmit the stored data to the vehicle comprises to: determining a direction in which the vehicle is traveling; retrieving data of navigation information indicating a direction in which a vehicle is traveling; and transmitting data of navigation information indicating a direction in which the vehicle is traveling to the vehicle.

Example 4 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-3, and wherein the data for receiving navigation information indicative of a path previously traversed by a vehicle comprises data for: data relating to road conditions and geographic information for a path previously traversed by a vehicle is received.

Example 5 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-4, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to verify the data received from the vehicle.

Example 6 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-5, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to broadcast the wireless signal to a plurality of vehicles within a specified radius of the device.

Example 7 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-6, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to: initiating an authentication process for the vehicle in response to the broadcast; and establishing a connection with the vehicle in response to a successful authentication.

Example 8 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-7, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to receive, from the vehicle, data to be sent to a second vehicle.

Example 9 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-8, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to: receiving a request to exchange stored data with a second vehicle; transmitting (i) data to be transmitted to the second vehicle and (ii) the stored data to the second vehicle.

Example 10 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-9, and wherein the computing circuitry is further to update the stored data with data received from the vehicle.

Example 11 includes one or more machine-readable storage media having a plurality of instructions that, when executed, cause a boot system to: receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius of a guidance system, the data being stored by the guidance system and indicating navigation information within the specified radius; transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and receiving data from the vehicle via the wireless connection indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 12 includes the subject matter of example 11, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to store data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 13 includes the subject matter of any one of example 11 and example 12, and wherein to transmit the stored data to the vehicle comprises to: determining a direction in which the vehicle is traveling; retrieving data of navigation information indicating a direction in which a vehicle is traveling; and transmitting data of navigation information indicating a direction in which the vehicle is traveling to the vehicle.

Example 14 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 11-13, and wherein the data for receiving navigation information indicative of a path previously traversed by a vehicle comprises data for: data relating to road conditions and geographic information for a path previously traversed by a vehicle is received.

Example 15 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 11-14, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to verify the data received from the vehicle.

Example 16 includes the subject matter of any of examples 11-15, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to broadcast the wireless signal to a plurality of vehicles within a specified radius of the guidance system.

Example 17 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 11-16, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to: initiating an authentication process for the vehicle in response to the broadcast; and establishing a connection with the vehicle in response to a successful authentication.

Example 18 includes the subject matter of any of examples 11-17, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to receive, from the vehicle, data to be sent to a second vehicle.

Example 19 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 11-18, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to: receiving a request to exchange stored data with a second vehicle; transmitting (i) data to be transmitted to the second vehicle and (ii) the stored data to the second vehicle.

Example 20 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 11-19, and wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the guidance system to update the stored data with data received from the vehicle.

Example 21 includes a computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius of a guidance system, the data being stored by the guidance system and indicating navigation information within the specified radius; transmitting the stored data to the vehicle via the wireless connection; and receiving data from the vehicle via the wireless connection indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 22 includes the subject matter of example 21, and further comprising storing data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.

Example 23 includes the subject matter of any one of example 21 and example 22, and wherein to transmit the stored data to the vehicle comprises to: determining a direction in which the vehicle is traveling; retrieving data of navigation information indicating a direction in which a vehicle is traveling; and transmitting data of navigation information indicating a direction in which the vehicle is traveling to the vehicle.

Example 24 includes the subject matter of any one of examples 21-23, and wherein the data for receiving navigation information indicative of a path previously traversed by a vehicle comprises data for: data relating to road conditions and geographic information for a path previously traversed by a vehicle is received.

Example 25 includes a guidance system, comprising: circuitry for receiving, via a wireless connection, a request to exchange data with a vehicle within a specified radius of a guidance system, the data being stored by the guidance system and indicating navigation information within the specified radius; means for transmitting the stored data to a vehicle via a wireless connection; and means for receiving, from the vehicle via the wireless connection, data indicative of navigation information for a path previously traversed by the vehicle.