Autonomous vehicle workload allocation

• US 10,234,861 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: She, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US15/213,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• 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 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0292 Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0297 Control Giving priority to different actuators or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/085 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4042 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 : with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 : using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 : Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 : Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action and a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action. A coordination controller is programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action. The coordination controller detects a first vehicle component failure, selects a vehicle mode, and allocates workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action;

a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action; and

a coordination controller programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect a first vehicle component failure, select a vehicle priority from among a performance priority, an efficiency priority, and a safety priority, select a vehicle mode according to the selected vehicle priority, and allocate workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first power supply electrically connected to the first vehicle component; and

a second power supply electrically connected to the second vehicle component,

wherein the coordination controller is programmed to monitor a power capability of the first power supply and the second power supply.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on the power capability of the first power supply.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein allocating the workload of the first vehicle component includes reducing the workload of the first vehicle component and wherein allocating the workload of the second vehicle component includes increasing the workload of the second vehicle component.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component identifying constraints associated with at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component and allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to their respective constraints, wherein each of the constraints include a power capacity of a power supply servicing at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component includes controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode.

7. The vehicle system of claim 6, wherein controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode includes outputting control signals to at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component, the control signals commanding at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the workload.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one internal vehicle condition.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the at least one internal vehicle condition includes at least one of a driver condition, a vehicle traction capability, and a power capability.

10. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one external vehicle condition.

11. The vehicle system of claim 10, wherein the at least one external vehicle condition includes a traffic condition, an ambient temperature, and distance to a destination.

12. A vehicle system comprising:

a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action;

a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action;

a first power supply electrically connected to the first vehicle component;

a second power supply electrically connected to the second vehicle component; and

a coordination controller programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect a first vehicle component failure, select a vehicle priority from among a performance priority, an efficiency priority, and a safety priority, and select a vehicle mode according to the selected vehicle priority, and allocate workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to monitor a power capability of the first power supply and the second power supply and detect the first vehicle component failure based on the power capability of the first power supply.

14. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein allocating the workload of the first vehicle component includes reducing a workload of the first vehicle component and wherein allocating the workload of the second vehicle component includes increasing a workload of the second vehicle component.

15. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component identifying constraints associated with at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component and allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to their respective constraints, wherein each of the constraints include a power capacity of at least one of the first power supply and the second power supply.

16. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component includes controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode.

17. The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode includes outputting control signals to at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component, the control signals commanding at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with a workload.

18. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one internal vehicle condition and at least one external vehicle condition.

19. The vehicle system of claim 18, wherein the at least one internal vehicle condition includes at least one of a driver condition, a vehicle traction capability, and a power capability.

20. The vehicle system of claim 18, wherein the at least one external vehicle condition includes a traffic condition, an ambient temperature, and distance to a destination.