System and method for testing crash avoidance technologies

• US 8,751,143 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamics Research Corporation (Science Applications International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dynamics Research Corporation (Science Applications International Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelly, Joseph, Broen, Peter, Silberling, Jordan, Zellner, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Isaac
• Application Number:
  US14/050,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/71, 701/78, 701/301, 73/120.1, 303/121, 434/305
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/28 for testing brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement

Abstract

A cam actuated hydraulic brake system and an in plane tensioner pulley belt drive system may be used on autonomous vehicles, such as dynamic motion elements for the evaluation of various crash avoidance technologies. The brake system utilizes a cam driven by a servo to push the piston push rod of a hydraulic master brake cylinder, thus distributing pressurized brake fluid throughout the brake system. The pulley drive system uses an articulating arm for the driven pulley, and that arm may also have connected to it one or two tension pulleys, each of which is in contact with the belt. Because the drive pulley and the tensioner pulleys pivot about the same pivot axis, the needed belt length remains nearly constant across the entire range of the articulating arm.

Claims

1. A Dynamic Motion Element for use in testing crash avoidance technologies in a subject vehicle, the Dynamic Motion Element comprising:

a body comprising an upper surface wherein the upper surface is adapted to support a soft-body having the size and shape of a vehicle or portion of a vehicle, the body having at least one tapered side so as to allow the subject vehicle to drive up to and on the upper surface with minimal to no damage to the subject vehicle or the Dynamic Motion Element, the body supported by a plurality of wheels, including at least one driven wheel rotationally coupled with an electronically-controlled power source, and at least one steerable wheel coupled with an electronically-controlled steering system; and

an electronically-controlled braking system attached with and capable of applying braking force to one or more of the plurality of wheels.

2. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system is capable of applying braking force to each of the plurality of wheels independently.

3. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wheels include at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, and wherein the electronically-controlled braking system is capable of applying braking force to the at least one front wheel independently from the at least one rear wheel.

4. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system further comprises:

a plurality of electronically-controlled servos each mechanically coupled to separate master cylinders that are each hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, each braking mechanism mechanically coupled to one or more of the wheels.

5. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system further comprises:

a first electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a first master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a second electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a second master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, wherein each braking mechanism is mechanically coupled to one or more of the wheels.

6. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system further comprises:

a first electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a first master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a second electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a second master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a third electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a third master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, wherein each braking mechanism is mechanically coupled to one or more of the wheels.

7. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system further comprises:

a first electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a first master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a second electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a second master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a third electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a third master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, a fourth electronically-controlled servo mechanically coupled to a fourth master cylinder that is hydraulically coupled to at least one braking mechanism, wherein each braking mechanism is mechanically coupled to one or more of the wheels.

8. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, comprising a plurality of electronically-controlled servos that are independently-controllable by a computer on-board the Dynamic Motion Element.

9. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 8, wherein the plurality of electronically-controlled servos are independently-controllable by wireless signals.

10. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 8, wherein the plurality of electronically-controlled servos are independently-controllable by a computer on-board the Dynamic Motion Element, and at least one of the electronically-controlled servos are also independently-controllable by wireless signals.

11. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the braking system comprises anti-lock brakes.

12. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the braking system comprises stability control.

13. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the braking system comprises separate hydraulic fluid reservoirs for separate master cylinders.

14. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the Dynamic Motion Element is adapted to receive wireless communication signals from a remote communication source, the electronically-controlled braking system adapted to apply braking force to at least one of the wheels when wireless communication signals are not received from the remote communication source.

15. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system further comprises:

at least one wheel being mechanically coupled to a plurality of separately-actuated braking mechanisms.

16. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 15, wherein the separately-actuated braking mechanisms are each actuated hydraulically by separate master cylinders.

17. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system comprises a caliper connected to one or more of the plurality of wheels.

18. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system applies the braking force in a pre-programmed manner.

19. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system comprises a computer program, the program comprising instructions to apply the braking force.

20. The Dynamic Motion Element of claim 1, wherein the electronically-controlled braking system applies the braking force according to a wireless signal from a remote communication source.

21. A method of electronically changing the braking bias among the wheels of a Dynamic Motion Element for use in testing crash avoidance technologies in a subject vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a Dynamic Motion Element comprising;

a body comprising an upper surface wherein the upper surface is adapted to support a soft-body having the size and shape of a vehicle or portion of a vehicle, the body having at least one tapered side so as to allow the subject vehicle to drive up to and on the upper surface with minimal to no damage to the subject vehicle or the Dynamic Motion Element, the body supported by a plurality of wheels, including at least one driven wheel rotationally coupled with an electronically-controlled power source, and at least one steerable wheel coupled with an electronically-controlled steering system; and

an electronically-controlled braking system attached with and capable of applying braking force to a plurality of the wheels independently; and

electronically controlling the braking system to change the amount of braking force applied to one or more of the wheels relative to the amount of braking force applied to one or more of the other wheels.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of electronically controlling the braking system to change the relative amounts of braking force among the wheels is accomplished by wireless communication with the Dynamic Motion Element.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of electronically controlling the braking system to change the relative amounts of braking force among the wheels is accomplished according to a computer program.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of electronically controlling the braking system to change the relative amounts of braking force among the wheels is accomplished automatically by a computer based on feedback from one or more sensors on the Dynamic Motion Element.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more sensors include any of:

sensors that output signals corresponding to the rotational speed of one or more of the wheels; and

sensors that output signals corresponding to forces on one or more of the wheels.