US-20260125067-A1 - IDENTIFICATION AND TRANSFER OF OPERATIONAL CONTROLS OF AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE

US20260125067A1US 20260125067 A1US20260125067 A1US 20260125067A1US-20260125067-A1

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods for identifying and transferring operational controls of an autonomous vehicle to an external device are described herein. Aspects include receiving a pairing request from a user device, a user account being associated with the user device. Aspects also include receiving presence data from a physical input device in an autonomous vehicle indicating that a user is present in the autonomous vehicle. Aspects further include determining a permissions profile based on the user account and sensor data from the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving the presence data. The autonomous vehicle can include operational controls. Aspects also include identifying a subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle available to the user device based on the user account and the permissions profile. Aspects further include authorizing the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle.

Inventors

Cesar Augusto Rodriguez Bravo

Assignees

KYNDRYL, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a pairing request from a user device, a user account being associated with the user device; receiving presence data from a physical input device in an autonomous vehicle indicating that a user is present in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the presence data, determining a permissions profile based on the user account and sensor data from the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising operational controls; identifying a subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle available to the user device based on the user account and the permissions profile; and authorizing the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a second presence data from the physical input device in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the second presence data, obtaining current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; determining that an emergency situation has occurred based on the current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; initiating a failover system that disables a primary system of the autonomous vehicle and activates a secondary subsystem; and authorizing the user device to control the operational controls for driving the autonomous vehicle using the secondary subsystem.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the secondary subsystem is a cloud service secondary subsystem or a locally-stored read-only clone copy of the primary system of the autonomous vehicle.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising: generating a current status of the autonomous vehicle based on the current sensor data, wherein environmental data of the autonomous vehicle is obtained from the current sensor data; and transmitting a message comprising the current status of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental data from the autonomous vehicle, and the user account associated with the user device to an external user support system associated with the autonomous vehicle for performance of remedial actions in response to the emergency situation.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle comprise wiper controls, music controls, light controls for inside the autonomous vehicle, a maximum speed control for the autonomous vehicle, window controls, driving controls, or driving mode selection controls.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the physical input device of the autonomous vehicle comprises a button in the autonomous vehicle, a fingerprint sensor, or a camera in the autonomous vehicle.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the permissions profile comprises rules for granting authorization for the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle based on a location of the autonomous vehicle, a user account attribute, a user account type, or preferences of the user account.
8 . A system comprising: a memory having computer readable instructions; and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving a pairing request from a user device, a user account being associated with the user device; receiving presence data from a physical input device in an autonomous vehicle indicating that a user is present in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the presence data, determining a permissions profile based on the user account and sensor data from the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising operational controls; identifying a subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle available to the user device based on the user account and the permissions profile; and authorizing the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a second presence data from the physical input device in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the second presence data, obtaining current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; determining that an emergency situation has occurred based on the current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; initiating a failover system that disables a primary system of the autonomous vehicle and activates a secondary subsystem; and authorizing the user device to control operational controls for driving the autonomous vehicle using the secondary subsystem.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the secondary subsystem is a cloud service secondary subsystem or a locally-stored read-only clone copy of the primary system of the autonomous vehicle.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise: generating a current status of the autonomous vehicle based on the current sensor data, wherein environmental data of the autonomous vehicle is obtained from the current sensor data; and transmitting a message comprising the current status of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental data from the autonomous vehicle, and the user account associated with the user device to an external user support system associated with the autonomous vehicle for performance of remedial actions in response to the emergency situation.
12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle comprise wiper controls, music controls, light controls for inside the autonomous vehicle, a maximum speed control for the autonomous vehicle, window controls, driving controls, or driving mode selection controls.
13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the physical input device of the autonomous vehicle comprises a button in the autonomous vehicle, a fingerprint sensor, or a camera in the autonomous vehicle.
14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the permissions profile comprises rules for granting authorization for the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle based on a location of the autonomous vehicle, a user account attribute, a user account type, or preferences of the user account.
15 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving a pairing request from a user device, a user account being associated with the user device; receiving presence data from a physical input device in an autonomous vehicle indicating that a user is present in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the presence data, determining a permissions profile based on the user account and sensor data from the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising operational controls; identifying a subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle available to the user device based on the user account and the permissions profile; and authorizing the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle.
16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a second presence data from the physical input device in the autonomous vehicle; in response to receiving the second presence data, obtaining current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; determining that an emergency situation has occurred based on the current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device; initiating a failover system that disables a primary system of the autonomous vehicle and activates a secondary subsystem; and authorizing the user device to control operational controls for driving the autonomous vehicle using the secondary subsystem.
17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the secondary subsystem is a cloud service secondary subsystem or a locally-stored read-only clone copy of the primary system of the autonomous vehicle.
18 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise: generating a current status of the autonomous vehicle based on the current sensor data, wherein environmental data of the autonomous vehicle is obtained from the current sensor data; and transmitting a message comprising the current status of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental data from the autonomous vehicle, and the user account associated with the user device to an external user support system associated with the autonomous vehicle for performance of remedial actions in response to the emergency situation.
19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle comprise wiper controls, music controls, light controls for inside the autonomous vehicle, a maximum speed control for the autonomous vehicle, window controls, driving controls, or driving mode selection controls.
20 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the physical input device of the autonomous vehicle comprises a button in the autonomous vehicle, a fingerprint sensor, or a camera in the autonomous vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND The present invention generally relates to computer systems, and more specifically, to computer-implemented methods, computer systems, and computer program products configured and arranged to identify and transfer operational control of an autonomous vehicle to an external user device. An autonomous vehicle, also known as a self-driving car, is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and operating without human involvement. A passenger is not required to take control of the vehicle at any time. In some autonomous vehicles, instruments to control the car may not be available in the cabin of the vehicle. For example, some autonomous vehicles may not have a steering wheel, accelerator, or brakes available in the cabin of the vehicle. Autonomous vehicles rely on sensors, actuators, complex algorithms, machine learning systems, and powerful processors to execute software. Autonomous vehicles create and maintain a map of their surroundings based on a variety of sensors situated in different parts of the vehicle. Radar sensors monitor the position of nearby vehicles. Video cameras detect traffic lights, read road signs, track other vehicles, and look for pedestrians. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors bounce pulses of light off the environment to measure distances, detect road edges, identify lane markings, identify the presence of an object, and the like. Ultrasonic sensors in the wheels detect curbs and other vehicles when parking. Sophisticated software then processes all the collected data, plots a path, and sends instructions to the actuators of the vehicle, which control acceleration, braking, and steering. Hard-coded rules, obstacle avoidance algorithms, predictive modeling, and object recognition help the software follow traffic rules and navigate obstacles. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention are directed to computer-implemented methods to transfer operational control of an autonomous vehicle to an external device. A non-limiting computer-implemented method includes receiving a pairing request from a user device. A user account can be associated with the user device. The method also includes receiving presence data from a physical input device in an autonomous vehicle indicating that a user is present in the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining a permissions profile based on the user account and sensor data from the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving the presence data. The autonomous vehicle can include operational controls. The method further include identifying a subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle available to the user device based on the user account and the permissions profile. The method also includes authorizing the user device to control the subset of the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method includes receiving a second presence data from the physical input device in the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes obtaining current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device in response to receiving the second presence data. The method further includes determining that an emergency situation has occurred based on the current sensor data from the autonomous vehicle and the user device. The method also includes initiating a failover system that disables a primary system of the autonomous vehicle and activates a secondary subsystem. The method further includes authorizing the user device to control all operational controls for driving the autonomous vehicle using the secondary subsystem. In some embodiments, the secondary subsystem is a cloud service secondary subsystem or a locally-stored read-only clone copy of the primary system of the autonomous vehicle. In some embodiments, the method further includes generating a current status of the autonomous vehicle based on the current sensor data. In some embodiments, environmental data of the autonomous vehicle is obtained from the current sensor data. The method also includes transmitting a message that can include the current status of the autonomous vehicle, the environmental data from the autonomous vehicle, and the user account associated with the user device to an external user support system associated with the autonomous vehicle for performance of remedial actions in response to the emergency situation. In one embodiment of the present invention, the operational controls of the autonomous vehicle can include wiper controls, music controls, light controls for inside the autonomous vehicle, a maximum speed control for the autonomous vehicle, window controls, driving controls, or driving mode selection controls. In one embodiment of the present invention, the physical input device of the autonomous vehicle can be a button in the autonomous vehicle, a fingerprint sensor, or a camera in the autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment of the present invention, the permissions prof