Parameters sets for vehicles based on sensor data

• US 10,569,786 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Willis, Edward Snow, Travers, Christopher Scott, Liu, Yuhui, Ren, Ning Erin, Qaderi, Hashim Mohammad, Dev, Prabhul, Velakur Sambamoorthy, Karthik, Ahmed, Parvez, Yeung, Eric, Markine, Evgueni Eugene, Hutchens, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Jha, Abdhesh K
• Application Number:
  US15/486,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20180297608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0642 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/22 Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/25 Road altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/065 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/182 : Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 : Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 : Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks

Abstract

In some examples, a controller receives measurement data from a sensor on a vehicle, determines, based on the measurement data, a condition of usage of the vehicle, and selects a parameter set from among a plurality of parameter sets based on the determined condition of usage of the vehicle, the plurality of parameter sets corresponding to different conditions of usage of the vehicle, where each parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets includes one or more parameters that control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the vehicle. The controller causes application of the selected parameter set on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A controller comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive, over a wireless network, measurement data from sensors on a plurality of vehicles;

determine, based on the measurement data from the sensors on the plurality of vehicles, conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles;

identify a subset of the plurality of vehicles that operate in a similar condition of usage;

select, for the subset of the plurality of vehicles, a parameter set from among a plurality of parameter sets based on the similar condition of usage of the vehicles in the subset, the plurality of parameter sets corresponding to different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles, wherein each parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets includes one or more parameters that control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles; and

transmit, over the wireless network, the selected parameter set to the subset of the plurality of vehicles to cause application of the selected parameter set on the vehicles in the subset.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the vehicles in the subset are initially configured with a first parameter set for a first condition of usage, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

detect that the similar condition of usage is different from the first condition of usage,

wherein the selected parameter set is different form the first parameter set.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the selecting and the transmitting are unsupervised and without input from any human user.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the causing of the application of the selected parameter set on the vehicles in the subset is responsive to confirmation by a human user.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles comprise different temperatures of environments in which the plurality of vehicles are to be operated, and wherein the plurality of parameter sets control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles for the respective different temperatures, and the sensors comprise temperature sensors.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles comprise different altitudes at which the plurality of vehicles are to be operated, and wherein the plurality of parameter sets control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles for the respective different altitudes, and the sensors comprise altitude sensors.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles comprise different planned loads of cargo or people carried by the plurality of vehicles, and wherein the plurality of parameter sets control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles for the respective different planned loads, and the sensors comprise load sensors to sense a load of cargo or people carried by the plurality of vehicles.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles comprise different terrains over which the plurality of vehicles are to be operated, and wherein the plurality of parameter sets control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles for the respective different terrains, and the sensors comprise terrain sensors to detect a condition or type of terrain over which the plurality of vehicles travel.

9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles comprise different travel distances of the plurality of vehicles, and wherein the plurality of parameter sets control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles for the respective different travel distances, and the sensors are to measure distances traveled by the plurality of vehicles.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, measurement data over a wireless network from sensors on a plurality of vehicles;

determining, by the system, based on the measurement data, conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles;

identifying, by the system, a first subset of the plurality of vehicles that operate according to a similar condition of usage;

selecting, by the system for the first subset of the plurality of vehicles, a first parameter set from among a plurality of parameter sets for the similar condition of usage of the vehicles in the first subset, the plurality of parameter sets corresponding to different conditions of usage of vehicles, wherein each parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets includes one or more parameters that control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles; and

transmitting, by the system, the first parameter set over the wireless network to the vehicles in the first subset to cause application of the first parameter set on the vehicles in the first subset.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying, by the system, a second subset of the plurality of vehicles that operate in a second similar condition of usage;

selecting, by the system for the second subset of the plurality of vehicles, a second parameter set from among the plurality of parameter sets for the second similar condition of usage of the vehicles in the second subset; and

transmitting, by the system, the second parameter set over the wireless network to the vehicles in the second subset.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first parameter set is caused to be applied on a first vehicle in the first subset and overrides a previously configured parameter set at the first vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the application of the first parameter set configures a setting of one or more adjustable elements of engines of the vehicles in the first subset.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the application of the first parameter set configures a tire pressure of the vehicles in the first subset.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the application of the first parameter set further configures a setting of one or more of:

brakes of the vehicles in the first subset, adjustable aerodynamic shrouds of the vehicles in the first subset, or valves of the vehicles in the first subset.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a system to:

receive, over a wireless network, measurement data from sensors on a plurality of vehicles;

determine, based on the measurement data from the sensors on the plurality of vehicles, conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles;

identify a subset of the plurality of vehicles that operate according to a similar condition of usage;

select, for the subset of the plurality of vehicles, a parameter set from among a plurality of parameter sets based on the similar condition of usage of the vehicles in the subset, the plurality of parameter sets corresponding to different conditions of usage of the plurality of vehicles, wherein each parameter set of the plurality of parameter sets includes one or more parameters that control adjustment of one or more respective adjustable elements of the plurality of vehicles; and

transmit the selected parameter set over the wireless network to the vehicles in the subset to configure a setting of the one or more respective adjustable elements of the vehicles in the subset.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the measurement data from the sensors is selected from among a measured temperature, a measured altitude, a detected condition of a terrain, a distance traveled, and a detected load.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selected parameter set configures a tire pressure of the vehicles in the subset.