18522528. Detecting and Responding to Malfunctioning Traffic Lights simplified abstract (WAYMO LLC)

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Detecting and Responding to Malfunctioning Traffic Lights

Organization Name

WAYMO LLC

Inventor(s)

David Silver of San Carlos CA (US)

Carl Kershaw of San Francisco CA (US)

Jonathan Hsiao of Palo Alto CA (US)

Edward Hsiao of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Detecting and Responding to Malfunctioning Traffic Lights - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18522528 titled 'Detecting and Responding to Malfunctioning Traffic Lights

Simplified Explanation

The patent application relates to detecting and responding to malfunctioning traffic signals for vehicles with autonomous driving modes.

  • Information identifying the state of a traffic signal at an intersection is detected.
  • Anomalies in the traffic signal are identified based on the detected state and expected states.
  • The vehicle's autonomous driving mode is controlled based on the detected anomalies.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and traffic management systems.

Problems Solved

This technology helps in improving road safety, traffic flow, and overall efficiency of autonomous driving systems.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include enhanced safety, reduced traffic congestion, and improved overall driving experience.

Potential Commercial Applications

Potential commercial applications include autonomous vehicle technology companies, traffic management agencies, and smart city infrastructure developers.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of sensors in vehicles to detect traffic signals and adjust driving behavior accordingly.

Unanswered Questions

How does the system differentiate between different types of anomalies in traffic signals?

The system may use a combination of sensor data, machine learning algorithms, and pre-stored information to differentiate between various types of anomalies.

What measures are in place to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the detected anomalies?

The system may have built-in redundancies, calibration processes, and error-checking mechanisms to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the detected anomalies.


Original Abstract Submitted

Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting and responding to malfunctioning traffic signals for a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, information identifying a detected state of a traffic signal for an intersection. An anomaly for the traffic signal may be detected based on the detected state and prestored information about expected states of the traffic signal. The vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous driving mode based on the detected anomaly.