Quadrant configuration of robotic vehicles

• US 9,802,661 B1
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• 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:
  US15/338,002
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 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 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. An apparatus, comprising:

a first structural section including a first propulsion unit, a first steering unit and a first sensor unit;

a second structural section including a second propulsion unit, a second steering unit and a second sensor unit; and

one or more autonomous vehicle controllers electronically coupled with one or more of the first propulsion unit, the second propulsion unit, the first steering unit, the second steering unit, the first sensor unit, or the second sensor unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more bases, the one or more bases coupled to the first structural section and the second structural section, wherein the base includes one or more power units, the one or more power units coupled to one or more of the first propulsion unit, the second propulsion unit, the first steering unit, the second steering unit, the first sensor unit, or the second sensor unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more bases includes a first base coupled to the first structural section and a second base coupled to the second structural section, wherein the first base is coupled to the second base.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more housings coupled to the base, wherein individual ones of one or more housings are configured to receive at least one of the one or more power units.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more housings include a first housing and a second housing, the first housing positioned symmetrically from the second housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first structural section comprises a first frame section, wherein at least a portion of the first frame section is covered, at least partially, by a fabric skin.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising one or more insulation panels coupled to the first frame section, wherein at least a portion of one of the insulation panels is covered, at least partially, by at least a portion of the fabric skin.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a first crumple zone configured to deform under an impact force and a second crumple zone configured to deform under the impact force, wherein the first structural section includes a first space for the first crumple zone and the second structural section includes a second space for the second crumple zone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle controllers includes a first vehicle controller disposed within the first structural section, and a second vehicle controller disposed in the second structural section.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a first sensor suite and a second sensor suite, wherein the first sensor suite is coupled to the first vehicle controller and the second vehicle controller and the second sensor suite is coupled to the first vehicle controller and the second vehicle controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising first light emitters and second light emitters, wherein the first light emitters are coupled to the first structural section and the second light emitters are coupled to the second structural section.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first acoustic emitter and a second acoustic emitter, wherein the first acoustic emitter is coupled to the first structural section and the second acoustic emitter is coupled to the second structural section.

13. A system, comprising:

a first wheel and a second wheel;

a first structural section of a robotic vehicle coupled to the first wheel, wherein the first structural section includes a first frame section and a first propulsion unit configured to propel the robotic vehicle;

a second structural section of the robotic vehicle coupled to the second wheel, wherein the second structural section includes a second frame section and a second propulsion unit configured to propel the robotic vehicle, wherein the second structural section is coupled to the first structural section; and

one or more robotic vehicle controllers coupled to the first structural section and the second structural section.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first structural section further comprises:

a first steering unit configured to steer the first wheel;

a first sensor unit configured to sense an environment external to the robotic vehicle; and

a first robotic vehicle controller of the one or more robotic vehicle controllers, wherein the first robotic vehicle controller is electronically coupled with one or more of the first propulsion unit, the first steering unit, or the first sensor unit.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising one or more bases coupled to the first structural section and the second structural section, wherein at least one of the one or more bases includes a power unit coupled to one or more of the first propulsion unit, the first steering unit, or the first sensor unit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more bases includes a first base coupled to the first structural section and a second base coupled to the second structural section, wherein the first base is coupled to the second base.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising one or more housings coupled to at least one of the one or more bases, wherein individual ones of one or more housings are configured to receive a power unit.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the first frame section is covered, at least partially, by a fabric skin.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising one or more insulation panels coupled to the first frame section, wherein at least a portion of one of the insulation panels is covered, at least partially, by at least a portion of the fabric skin.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first structural section further comprises a first crumple zone configured to deform under an impact force and wherein the second structural section further comprises a second crumple zone configured to deform under the impact force, wherein the first structural section includes a first space for the first crumple zone and the second structural section includes a second space for the second crumple zone.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the first structural section further comprises a first sensor suite and wherein the second structural section further comprises a second sensor suite, wherein the first sensor suite and the second sensor suite are coupled to the at least one of the one or more robotic vehicle controllers.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising first light emitters and second light emitters, wherein the first light emitters are coupled to the first structural section and the second light emitters are coupled to the second structural section.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising a first acoustic beam steering array configured to emit a first beam of steered acoustic energy and a second acoustic beam steering array configured to emit a second beam of steered acoustic energy, wherein the first acoustic beam steering array is coupled to the first structural section and the second acoustic beam steering array is coupled to the second structural section.

24. A robotic vehicle comprising:

a first structural section of the robotic vehicle comprising;

a first exterior surface; and

a first light emitter disposed on the first exterior surface;

a second structural section of the robotic vehicle comprising;

a second exterior surface of the second structural section; and

a second light emitter disposed on the second exterior surface; and

one or more robotic vehicle controllers communicatively coupled to the first structural section and the second structural section and configured to control the first light emitter and the second light emitter to emit light to identify a direction of travel of the robotic vehicle.

25. The robotic vehicle of claim 24, further comprising:

a third structural section of the robotic vehicle comprising;

a third exterior surface; and

a third light emitter disposed on the third exterior surface;

a fourth structural section of the robotic vehicle comprising;

a fourth exterior surface of the fourth structural section; and

a fourth light emitter disposed on the fourth exterior surface,

wherein one or more robotic vehicle controllers are communicatively to the third structural section and the fourth structural section to control the third light emitter and the fourth light emitter to identify the direction of travel of the robotic vehicle.

26. The robotic vehicle of claim 25, wherein:

the first structural section and the second structural section are symmetric with the third structural section and the fourth structural section, respectively, about a first axis; and

the first structural section and the third structural section are symmetric with the second structural section and the fourth structural section, respectively, about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

27. The robotic vehicle of claim 24, further comprising a first acoustic beam steering array configured to emit a first beam of steered acoustic energy and a second acoustic beam steering array configured to emit a second beam of steered acoustic energy, wherein the first acoustic beam steering array is coupled to the first structural section and the second acoustic beam steering array is coupled to the second structural section.

28. The robotic vehicle of claim 24, wherein at least a portion of each of the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface comprises a fabric skin.

29. The robotic vehicle of claim 24, wherein:

at least one of the first structural section or the second structural section comprises a sensor suite coupled to the one or more robotic vehicle controllers to sense objects in an environment of the robotic vehicle, and

the one or more robotic vehicle controllers are further configured to control the first light emitter and the second light emitter to emit light based at least in part on an object detected by the sensor suite.