Authorized remote control

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a vehicle navigation system which can navigate a vehicle through an environment based on driving commands received from a remote control system based on manual operator interaction with an interface of the remote control system. Remote driving control can be engaged based on determination, via processing vehicle sensor data, of a health emergency associated with one or more occupants of the vehicle, and the remote control system can generate remote driving commands which cause the vehicle to be navigated to a particular location without requiring the occupant associated with the health emergency to manually navigate the vehicle. The remote control system can monitor the occupant via communicated vehicle sensor data and can control remote control devices included in the vehicle to provide external indication that the vehicle is being navigated according to remote driving control.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a vehicle navigation system configured to be installed in a vehicle and control one or more sets of vehicle control elements installed in the vehicle to cause the vehicle to be navigated through an environment in which the vehicle is located based on remote driving commands received from a remote control system, wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to:
 transmit a remote control request signal, to the remote control system, based at least in part upon a determination that an occupant of an interior of the vehicle is associated with a health state which meets at least one threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to: authorize remote driving control of the vehicle, based at least in part upon receiving a remote control authorization request message received from the remote control system. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein, to authorize remote driving control of the vehicle, the vehicle navigation system is configured to:
 identify an instance of identity data included in the remote control authorization request message; and   determine that the instance of identity data matches a locally stored instance of identity data.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the instance of identity data comprises an instance of identity data associated with a particular end user; and   the locally stored instance of identity data comprises an instance of identity data associated with an authorized end user who is authorized to request remote driving control of the vehicle.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein, to authorize remote driving control of the vehicle, the vehicle navigation system is configured to:
 transmit an authorization signal which specifies password information via which the remote control system can engage remote driving control of the vehicle; and   execute one or more remote driving command signals received from the remote control system, based at least in part on a determination that the one or more remote driving command signals include the specified password information.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to: transmit a remote control request signal, to the remote control system, based at least in part upon user interaction with one or more user interfaces installed in the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to: authorize remote driving control of the vehicle concurrently with generating the remote control request signal, based at least in part upon the based at least in part upon user interaction with one or more user interfaces installed in the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to:
 selectively engage one or more sets of remote control devices based on one or more devices commands received from the remote control system, wherein the one or more sets of remote control devices are configured to provide externally-observable indications that the vehicle is being navigated via remote driving control.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a remote control system, remotely located from a vehicle, which is configured to selectively engage in remote driving control of the vehicle, wherein the remote control system is configured to:
 generate a set of remote driving commands which, when executed at a vehicle navigation system of the vehicle, cause the vehicle to be navigated through an environment, based at least in part upon a determination that remote driving control of the vehicle is authorized by an authorized entity associated with the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the remote control system is configured to determine that remote driving control of the vehicle is authorized by the authorized entity based on receiving an authorization message from the authorized entity, wherein:
 the authorization message includes at least one password; 
 the set of remote driving commands include the at least one password; and 
 the set of remote driving commands are configured to be executed at the vehicle navigation system of the vehicle based at least in part upon a determination, at the vehicle, that the set of remote driving commands are associated with the at least one password. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the remote control system is configured to, prior to receiving the authorization message:
 receive, from a requesting entity, a remote control request message which includes a request to engage remote driving control of the vehicle and an instance of identity data; and   in response to receiving the remote control request message, generate an authorization request message which is communicated to the authorized entity and which includes a request for authorization of remote driving control of the vehicle and the instance of identity data.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the requesting entity comprises an end user device supporting a particular end user; and   the authorized entity comprises the vehicle navigation system.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the authorized entity comprises a user device supporting a particular end user; and   the requesting entity comprises the vehicle navigation system.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the remote control system is configured to:
 in response to generating the set of remote driving commands, generating a set of remote control device commands which, when executed at the vehicle navigation system of the vehicle, cause a set of remote control devices installed in the vehicle to be engaged;   wherein the set of remote control devices are restricted from being controlled by the vehicle navigation system absent remote control device commands generated by the remote control system.   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 performing, by at least one computer system:
 generating a set of remote driving commands which, when executed at a vehicle navigation system of the vehicle, cause the vehicle to be navigated through an environment, based at least in part upon a determination that remote driving control of the vehicle is authorized by one or more of the vehicle or an authorized end user supported by a separate user device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 determining that remote driving control of the vehicle is authorized by the authorized entity based on receiving an authorization message from the authorized entity, wherein:
 the authorization message includes at least one password; 
 the set of remote driving commands include the at least one password; and 
 the set of remote driving commands are configured to be executed at the vehicle navigation system of the vehicle based at least in part upon a determination, at the vehicle, that the set of remote driving commands are associated with the at least one password. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 prior to receiving the authorization message:
 receiving, from a requesting entity, a remote control request message which includes a request to engage remote driving control of the vehicle, an identification of the authorized entity, and an instance of identity data associated with the requesting entity; and 
 in response to receiving the remote control request message, generating an authorization request message which is communicated to the authorized entity and which includes a request for authorization of remote driving control of the vehicle and the instance of identity data associated with the requesting entity. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the requesting entity comprises an end user device supporting a particular end user; and   the authorized entity comprises the vehicle navigation system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the authorized entity comprises a user device supporting a particular end user; and   the requesting entity comprises the vehicle navigation system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 in response to generating the set of remote driving commands, generating a set of remote control device commands which, when executed at the vehicle navigation system of the vehicle, cause a set of remote control devices installed in the vehicle to be engaged;   wherein the set of remote control devices are restricted from being controlled by the vehicle navigation system absent remote control device commands generated by the remote control system.