Drive module for robotic vehicle

• US 10,259,514 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• 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): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US15/717,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20180134334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 23, 180204
• 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 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0815 Acoustic or thermal insulation of passenger compartments wall or roof liners integrating the insulating function B60R13/02; insulating floor mats or carpets B60N3/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0018 Communication with or on the vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/00 Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted combined frame and vehicle body B62D23/00 ; characterised by the material thereof B62D29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/00 Superstructure or monocoque structure sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; running-boards, steps, or the like as superstructure sub-unit B60R3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/025 Modular vehicles superstructures for busses having modular sections B62D31/025
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods to implement sectional design (e.g., in quadrants) of an autonomous vehicle may include modular construction techniques to assemble an autonomous vehicle from multiple structural sections. The multiple structural sections may be configured to implement radial and bilateral symmetry. A structural section based configuration may include a power supply configuration (e.g., using rechargeable batteries) including a double-backed power supply system. The power supply system may include a kill switch disposed on a power supply (e.g., at an end of a rechargeable battery). The kill switch may be configured to disable the power supply system in the event of an emergency or after a collision, for example. The radial and bilateral symmetry may provide for bi-directional driving operations of the autonomous vehicle as the vehicle may not have a designated front end or a back end.

Claims

1. A drive module, comprising:

at least one propulsion unit, the at least one propulsion unit including a motor to drive at least one wheel;

at least one steering unit, the at least one steering unit configured to steer the at least one wheel;

at least one sensor unit configured to sense an environment external to the drive module;

at least one power unit, the at least one power unit being in electrical communication with the at least one propulsion unit, the at least one steering unit, and the at least one sensor unit;

a controller in electrical communication with the at least one power unit and configured to control the at least one propulsion unit and the at least one steering unit based at least in part on input from the at least one sensor unit; and

one or more couplings configured to couple the drive module to a structural section of a component of a vehicle.

2. The drive module of claim 1, wherein the structural section of the vehicle comprises another drive module of the vehicle.

3. The drive module of claim 1, wherein the structural section of the vehicle comprises a frame or floor base of the vehicle.

4. The drive module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more couplings comprises an electrical coupling to electrically connect the drive module to the structural section, the electrical coupling being configured to transmit at least one of signals, data, or electrical power between the drive module and the structural section.

5. The drive module of claim 1, further comprising a communications unit configured to communicate with at least one of:

a controller of the structural section;

or

one or more devices external to the vehicle.

6. The drive module of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one of a LIDAR sensor, an image capture sensor, or a RADAR sensor.

7. The drive module of claim 1, further comprising one or more one or more light emitters to emit light into the environment external to the drive module.

8. The drive module of claim 1, further comprising one or more acoustic beam steering arrays to emit acoustic energy into the environment external to the drive module.

9. A drive module comprising:

at least one propulsion unit, the at least one propulsion unit to drive one or more wheels of the drive module;

at least one acoustic emitter to emit acoustic energy into an environment external to the drive module;

at least one power unit, the at least one power unit being in electrical communication with the at least one propulsion unit and the at least one acoustic emitter;

a controller in electrical communication with the at least one power unit and configured to control the at least one propulsion unit and the at least one acoustic emitter; and

one or more couplings configured to couple the apparatus to a structural section of a component of a vehicle.

10. The drive module of claim 9, further comprising at least one sensor unit coupled to the at least one controller to sense one or more objects in the environment external to the drive module, the at least one sensor unit comprising at least one of a LIDAR sensor, an image capture sensor, or a RADAR sensor.

11. The drive module of claim 9, wherein the at least one acoustic emitter comprises an acoustic beam steering array configured to directionally emit beams of acoustic energy into the environment external to the drive module.

12. The drive module of claim 9, further comprising one or more steering units coupled to the one or more wheels of the drive module, and in electrical communication with the controller, to steer the one or more wheels of the drive module based at least in part on inputs from the controller.

13. The drive module of claim 9, wherein the structural section of the vehicle comprises another drive module of the vehicle.

14. The drive module of claim 9, wherein the structural section of the vehicle comprises a frame or floor base of the vehicle.

15. The drive module of claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more couplings comprises an electrical coupling to electrically connect the drive module to the structural section for transmission of at least one of signals, data, or electrical power between the drive module and the structural section.

16. The drive module of claim 9, further comprising a communications unit configured to communicate with at least one of:

one or more other controllers of the vehicle;

or

one or more devices external to the vehicle.

17. The drive module of claim 9, further comprising one or more one or more light emitters to emit light into the environment external to the drive module.

18. A structural section of a vehicle, the structural section comprising:

a frame or floor base;

at least one propulsion unit, the at least one propulsion unit comprising a motor configured to drive one or more wheels;

at least one power unit, the at least one power unit being in electrical communication with the at least one propulsion unit;

a controller in electrical communication with the at least one power unit and configured to control the at least one propulsion unit to drive the one or more wheels; and

one or more couplings configured to couple the structural section of the vehicle to another structural section of a component of the vehicle.

19. The structural section of claim 18, wherein:

the structural section of the vehicle comprises a first drive module, the at least one population unit comprises a first propulsion unit, and the at least one power unit comprises a first power unit; and

the another structural section comprises a second drive module, the second drive module comprising a second propulsion unit and a second power unit.

20. The structural section of claim 18, wherein the frame or floor base comprises an enclosure housing at least one of the power unit, the controller, or the one or more couplings.