{
  "patent_number": "US 12409808",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Self-Driving Cars Detect and Respond to Road Emergencies",
  "original_title": "Safety considerations for self-driving vehicles",
  "summary": "Waymo's patent describes how an autonomous vehicle uses sensors to spot unexpected dangers like people in the road or unusual traffic signs, then takes action to keep everyone safe.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes a self-driving vehicle designed to handle unexpected dangers on the road. It uses a \"perception system\" with sensors to detect objects like people, other vehicles, or traffic signs around it (Claim 1). A \"control system\" then looks at this sensor data to figure out if there's an \"emergency situation\" (Claim 1). This check might involve seeing if a person is in an \"unexpected location,\" like a traffic lane (Claim 2), or if another vehicle is blocking the road (Claim 6). If an emergency is detected, the vehicle identifies a safe action, such as maneuvering away from the danger (Claim 13) or rerouting to avoid it (Claim 14). For example, if the vehicle's sensors detect a broken-down car blocking a lane ahead, the control system could decide to change lanes or take a different route.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover detecting internal vehicle malfunctions, like a flat tire or engine trouble, that are not related to external objects.",
    "Does not cover situations where a human driver is actively controlling the vehicle and responding to hazards.",
    "Does not cover detecting potential theft of the vehicle itself, as the claims focus on external \"emergency situations\" rather than internal security breaches.",
    "Does not cover general traffic monitoring without specifically identifying an \"emergency situation\" based on unexpected positioning or condition of objects.",
    "Does not cover simply recording sensor data without evaluating it for an emergency and performing a vehicle operation."
  ],
  "filed": "2023-12-01",
  "granted": "2025-09-09",
  "expires": "2043-12-01",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Waymo",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/waymo",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Vijaysai Patnaik",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/vijaysai-patnaik"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "automotive",
    "ai_ml",
    "software",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "The technology relates to detection of aberrant driving situations during operation of a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. Aberrant situations may include potential theft or unsafe conditions, which are determined according to one or more signals. The signals are derived from information detected about the environment around the vehicle, such as from one or more sensors disposed on the vehicle. In response to an aberrant situation, the vehicle may take various corrective action, such as rerouting, locking down the vehicle or communicating with remote assistance. The type of corrective action taken may depend on a type of cargo being transported or whether one or more passengers are in the vehicle. If there are passengers, the system may communicate with the passengers via the passenger's client computing devices or by presenting visual or audible information via a user interface system of the vehicle.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12409808/safety-considerations-for-self-driving-vehicles",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12409808/safety-considerations-for-self-driving-vehicles/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12409808",
  "relatedPatents": []
}