Waymo patents method to predict traffic paths using discrete motion tokens
This filing describes a system that predicts how cars, pedestrians, and other objects will move in the near future. It uses a neural network to sample sequences of specific data points, called motion tokens, to create a shared prediction of where multiple agents will go.
In the filing’s own words
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating trajectory predictions for one or more agents in an environment. In one aspect, a method comprises: obtaining scene context data characterizing a scene in an environment at a current time point and generating a respective predicted future trajectory for each of a plurality of agents in the scene at the current time point by sampling a sequence of discrete motion tokens that defines a joint future trajectory for the plurality of agents using a trajectory prediction neural network that is conditioned on the scene context data.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. (canceled)
Facts
- Company
- Google (Waymo LLC)
- Official title
- TRAJECTORY PREDICTION BY SAMPLING SEQUENCES OF DISCRETE MOTION TOKENS
- Publication number
- US20260285374A1
- Application number
- 19688358
- Filed
- May 26, 2026
- Published
- Sep 24, 2026
- Inventors
- 9
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
B60W 60/0027 Operations & transportB60W 50/0097 Operations & transportB60W 2420/00 Operations & transportB60W 2554/4044 Operations & transportMore from Google in Cars & transport
- Waymo patents system to detect cyclists losing control before they fall Sep 8, 2026
- Waymo patents self-driving cars that hear sirens and pull over Sep 8, 2026
- Waymo patents AI that moves self-driving cars out of traffic jams Sep 29, 2026
- Waymo patents AI that predicts driving scenes from sensor data Oct 1, 2026
- Waymo patents method for self-driving cars to predict when they can see hidden hazards Sep 8, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.