Coordinated control of self-driving vehicles under emergency situations

Abstract

A system included and a computer-implemented method performed in one of a plurality of self-driving vehicles that are connected through a network are described. The system performs: processing image data of one or more scene images received by said one of the plurality of self-driving vehicles, to detect one or more objects included in the one or more scene images; determining a target object from the one or more detected objects at least based on the processed image data; predicting movement of the target object at least based on a current position and a current movement state of the target object; and performing a self-driving operation to drive said one of the plurality of self-driving vehicles based on the predicted movement of the target object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system included in a self-driving vehicle of a plurality of self-driving vehicles connected through a network, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform:   processing image data of one or more scene images received by the self-driving vehicle to detect one or more objects included in the one or more scene images;   determining a target object from the one or more detected objects at least based on the processed image data;   predicting movement of the target object at least based on a current position and a current movement state of the target object;   performing a self-driving operation to drive the self-driving vehicle based on the predicted movement of the target object; and   determining a behavior of the self-driving vehicle based on a probability of capturing the target object by another of the self-driving vehicles.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle is further based on a probability of capturing the target object by the self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle is further based on a level of danger to a passenger in the target object. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle comprises determining whether to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle is further based on an instruction of another of the self-driving vehicles pointing to the target object. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predicting the movement of the target object is further based on a route of the self-driving vehicles and a position of the self-driving vehicles, in response to the target object recognizing the self-driving vehicles. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 in response to determining to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle, proceeding ahead of a non-self-driving emergency vehicle system to protect passengers in the non-self-driving emergency vehicle system from danger.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 in response to determining not to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle, following the target object while keeping a predetermined distance from the target object.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 in response to determining to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle, attacking the target object at a time and place likely to cause a minimum injury to one or more passengers in the target object.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 sending a current location and a route of the self-driving vehicle to a traffic signal system to turn traffic signals along the route to be green.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 sending an instruction to a traffic signal system to direct the target object to a dead end.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, the instructions further cause the system to perform:
 accepting information, from a server, of a crime history, appearance, clothing, weapons, or hostages of the target object.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method performed in one of a plurality of self-driving vehicles that are connected through a network, the method comprising:
 processing image data of one or more scene images received by said one of the plurality of self-driving vehicles, to detect one or more objects included in the one or more scene images;   determining a target object from the one or more detected objects at least based on the processed image data;   predicting movement of the target object at least based on a current position and a current movement state of the target object; and   performing a self-driving operation to drive said one of the plurality of self-driving vehicles based on the predicted movement of the target object; and   determining a behavior of the self-driving vehicle based on a probability of capturing the target object by another of the self-driving vehicles.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle is further based on a probability of capturing the target object by the self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining the behavior of the self-driving vehicle comprises determining whether to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the predicting the movement of the target object is further based on a route of the self-driving vehicles and a position of the self-driving vehicles, in response to the target object recognizing the self-driving vehicles. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 in response to determining to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle, proceeding ahead of a non-self-driving emergency vehicle system to protect passengers in the non-self-driving emergency vehicle system from danger.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 in response to determining not to sacrifice the self-driving vehicle, following the target object while keeping a predetermined distance from the target object.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 sending a current location and a route of the self-driving vehicle to a traffic signal system to turn traffic signals along the route to be green.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 sending an instruction to a traffic signal system to direct the target object to a dead end.