Aurora Operations, Inc.

Aurora Innovation, Inc.

Cameron David Christie

Anuranga Sajith Gunaratne

An autonomous vehicle includes an array of sensors, a processor, and a switch. The array of sensors generate sensor data related to one or more objects in an external environment of the autonomous vehicle and the processor determines an environmental context. The switch transfers the sensor data from the array of sensors to the processor, where the switch is configured to: (a) receive first sensor data from a first sensor group of the array of sensors; (b) receive second sensor data from a second sensor group of the array of sensors; (c) determine an order of transmission of the first sensor data over the second sensor data in response to the environmental context; and (d) transmit the first sensor data to the processor prior to transmitting the second sensor data based on the order of transmission.

External environment sensor data prioritization for autonomous vehicle

An autonomous vehicle includes a control system, an array of sensors, processing logic, and a switch. The processing logic generates operation instructions based on sensor data and the control system controls the autonomous vehicle based on the operation instructions. The array of sensors generate the sensor data that is related to objects in an external environment. The switch is coupled between the sensors and the processing logic to buffer the processing logic from the sensor data. The switch is further coupled between the processing logic and the control system to provide the operation instructions from the processing logic to the control system. The switch includes a prioritization engine that prioritizes an order of transmission, from the switch to the processing logic, of the first sensor data over the second sensor data based on received vehicle operation data.

Sensor data prioritization for autonomous vehicle based on vehicle operation data

Sensor data is received from an array of sensors configured to capture one or more objects in an external environment of an autonomous vehicle. A first sensor group is selected from the array of sensors based on proximity data or environmental contexts. First sensor data from the first sensor group is prioritized for transmission based on the proximity data or environmental contexts.

Sensor data is received from an array of sensors configured to capture one or more objects of an external environment of an autonomous vehicle. A first sensor group is selected from the array of sensors based on vehicle operation data representative of a state of the autonomous vehicle. First sensor data from the first group is prioritized for transmission based on the vehicle operation data.

A system for an autonomous vehicle includes sensors, a time sensitive network switch, and a sensor interface. The sensors are configured to generate sensor data. The time sensitive network switch is configured to receive the sensor data and an elevated voltage.

Sensor interface for autonomous vehicle

A system for an autonomous vehicle includes an array of sensors, a time sensitive network switch, and a data-power interface. The array of sensors is configured to capture one or more objects in an external environment of the autonomous vehicle and generate sensor data based on the captured one or more objects. The time sensitive network switch is configured to receive the sensor data. The data-power interface separately couples at least two of the sensors in the array to the time sensitive network switch. The data-power interface includes power conductors, a first data conductor, and a second data conductor. The power conductors provide the elevated voltage from the time sensitive network switch to the sensors in the array to power the sensors and the first data conductor and a second data conductor are configured to provide a high-speed vehicle communication link between the time sensitive network switch and the sensors.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Cameron David Christie