Independent steering, power, torque control and transfer in vehicles

• US 10,000,124 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoox Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zoox Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kentley-Klay, Timothy David
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US14/757,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20170120753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0295 Inhibiting action of specific actuators or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/08 Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/08 Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/023 Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/002 : combined with means for differentially distributing power on the deflectable wheels during cornering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 : using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods to multiple levels of redundancy in torque steering control and propulsion control of an autonomous vehicle include determining that a powertrain unit of the autonomous vehicle is non-operational and disabling propulsion operation of the non-operational powertrain unit and implementing torque steering operation in another powertrain unit while propelling the autonomous vehicle using other powertrain units that are configured to implement torque steering operation and propulsion operation.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more processors, the method comprising:

computing a trajectory for an autonomous vehicle;

causing the autonomous vehicle to navigate along the trajectory;

determining a nonoperational state of a first powertrain unit of the autonomous vehicle;

determining an operational state of a second powertrain unit;

disabling a propulsion operation of the second powertrain unit based at least in part on the nonoperational state of the first powertrain unit;

enabling a torque steering operation of the second powertrain unit; and

enabling a propulsion operation of a third powertrain unit and a propulsion operation of a fourth powertrain unit,

wherein the torque steering operation creates a yaw such that the autonomous vehicle continues to navigate along the trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising propelling, at least in part by the third powertrain unit and the fourth powertrain unit, the autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the torque steering operation comprises, changing, by one or more mechanical linkages coupled to the first powertrain unit and the second powertrain unit, a steering vector of one or more of a first wheel coupled to the first powertrain unit or a second wheel coupled to the second powertrain unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a torque steering of the third powertrain unit and a torque steering of the fourth powertrain unit; and

causing a difference in rotational speed between a third wheel coupled to the third powertrain unit and a fourth wheel coupled to the fourth powertrain unit to change a steering vector of the third wheel and the fourth wheel in the fourth powertrain unit by a yaw moment created by the difference in rotational speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first powertrain unit and the second powertrain unit are positioned at a first end of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises:

propelling, by the one or more of the third powertrain unit or the fourth powertrain unit, the autonomous vehicle; and

navigating a safe-stop trajectory for the autonomous vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling a torque steering operation of the first powertrain unit.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an operational state of the third powertrain unit; and

determining an operation state of the fourth powertrain unit,

wherein enabling the propulsion operation of the third powertrain unit and the propulsion operation of the fourth powertrain unit is further based on the operational state of the third powertrain unit and the operational state of the fourth powertrain unit.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a torque steering operation of the third powertrain unit; and

enabling a torque steering operation of the fourth powertrain unit.

7. A system, comprising:

a first powertrain unit positioned on a vehicle;

a second powertrain unit positioned on the vehicle;

a first wheel coupled to the first powertrain unit;

a second wheel coupled to the second powertrain unit; and

one or more vehicle control units coupled to the first powertrain unit and the second powertrain unit, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are configured to;

determine a trajectory for the vehicle;

cause the vehicle to navigate along the trajectory;

determine a nonoperational state of the first powertrain unit;

determine an operational state of the second powertrain unit;

determine to disable a propulsion operation of the second powertrain unit based, at least in part, on the nonoperational state of the first powertrain unit;

disable the propulsion operation of the second powertrain unit;

enable a torque steering operation of the second powertrain unit; and

enable a propulsion operation of a third powertrain unit and a propulsion operation of a fourth powertrain unit,

wherein the torque steering operation causes the vehicle to continue to navigate along the trajectory.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to propel, at least in part by the third powertrain unit and the fourth powertrain unit, the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to change, by one or more mechanical linkages coupled to the first powertrain unit and the second powertrain unit, a steering vector of one or more of the first wheel coupled to the first powertrain unit or the second wheel coupled to the second powertrain unit.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to cause a difference in rotational speed between a third wheel coupled to the third powertrain unit and a fourth wheel coupled to the fourth powertrain unit to change a steering vector of the third wheel and the fourth wheel in the fourth powertrain unit by a yaw moment created by the difference in rotational speed.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to:

enable a torque steering operation of the third powertrain unit;

enable a torque steering operation of the fourth powertrain unit; and

cause the vehicle to navigate along a safe-stop trajectory.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to disable a torque steering operation of the first powertrain unit.

19. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to:

determine an operational state of the third powertrain unit; and

determine an operational state of the fourth powertrain unit,

wherein enabling the propulsion operation of the third powertrain unit and the propulsion operation of the fourth powertrain unit is further based on the operational state of the third powertrain unit and the operational state of the fourth powertrain unit.

20. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to:

enable a torque steering operation of the third powertrain unit; and

enable a torque steering operation of the fourth powertrain unit.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

powertrain units, including;

a first powertrain unit coupled to a first wheel;

a second powertrain unit coupled to a second wheel;

a third powertrain unit coupled to a third wheel; and

a fourth powertrain unit coupled to a fourth wheel; and

one or more vehicle control units coupled to the powertrain units, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are configured to;

determine a trajectory;

cause the vehicle to navigate along the trajectory;

determine a nonoperational state of the first powertrain unit;

determine an operational state of the second powertrain unit;

disable a propulsion operation of the second powertrain unit based, at least in part, on the nonoperational state of the first powertrain unit;

enable a torque steering operation of the second powertrain unit; and

enable a propulsion operation of a third powertrain unit and a propulsion operation of a fourth powertrain unit,

wherein the torque steering operation causes the vehicle to continue to navigate along the trajectory.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to

propel, at least in part by the third powertrain unit and the fourth powertrain unit, the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to:

enable a torque steering operation for the third powertrain unit and a torque steering operation for the fourth powertrain unit; and

cause a difference in rotational speed between the third wheel and the fourth wheel to change a steering vector of based at least in part on the difference in rotational speed.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to navigate a safe-stop trajectory for the vehicle.

21. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are positioned in a first end of the vehicle, and wherein the third wheel and the fourth wheel are positioned in a second end of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the one or more vehicle control units are further configured to:

determine that the third powertrain unit is operation based, at least in part, on an operational state of the third powertrain unit; and

determine that the fourth powertrain unit is operation based, at least in part, on an operational state of the fourth powertrain unit,

wherein enabling the propulsion operation of the third powertrain unit and the propulsion operation of the fourth powertrain unit is further based on the third powertrain unit being operational and the fourth powertrain unit being operational.