Autonomous vehicle automatic parking

US9944282B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company · US

Inventors

• Brian Mark Fields · Phoenix, US
• Chien Che Huang · Normal, US
• Mohamed A. Wazeer · Normal, US
• Shawn C. Bennett · Le Roy, US
• Steven C. Cielocha · Bloomington, US
• Ronny S. Bryant · Bloomington, US
• Stephen Kohaus · Normal, US
• Terry Quakenbush · Bloomington, US
• Richard A. Novak · Bloomington, US
• Aaron Scott Chan · San Jose, US
• Craig M. Main · Allen, US
• Weixin Wu · Seattle, US
• Torri Wollenschlager · Bloomington, US
• Carol Marie Csanda · Hudson, US
• Stacey Gorsuch · Bloomington, US
• Todd Binion · Bloomington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 6, 2015
• Grant date: Apr 17, 2018
• Expiry date: Feb 18, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60W2900/00
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of enhancing safe vehicle operation may include, one or more processors, (1) determining a preferred parking spot for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle; (2) determining a route to the preferred parking spot from a driver drop off point; and (3) causing the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle to travel from the driver drop off point to the preferred parking spot following the route controlled by one or more autonomous operation features. The preferred parking spot may be a covered parking spot, a parking spot in a parking structure, or a parking spot in a residential garage. An autonomous vehicle owner may remotely direct the autonomous vehicle to autonomously return to the driver drop off point, such as via their mobile device. Insurance discounts may be provided to autonomous vehicle owners having the self-parking functionality that mitigates or prevents risk of damage to, or theft of, the vehicle.