Manual direction control component for self-driving vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11215990-B2
Application number	US-201816301003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include automated guided vehicles (AGVs) having a U-shaped handle. The U-shaped handle can be pull down to change operation of the AGV. In one embodiment, a self-driving system is provided. The system includes a body having one or more motorized wheels, a console coupled in an upright position to an end of the body, and a handle pivotally coupled to the console, the handle being movable with respect to the console to change operation of the self-driving system between a self-driving mode and a manual control mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-driving system, comprising:
a mobile base having one or more motorized wheels;
a console having an upper portion and a main body, the main body being coupled in an upright position to an end of the mobile base;
a handle pivotally coupled to the upper portion of the console, the handle being movable with respect to the console between a retracted position and a pull down position to change operation of the self-driving system between a self-driving mode and a manual control mode; and
a control stick disposed on the handle, the control stick being operable to control moving direction of the self-driving system;
wherein a longitudinal direction of the handle is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is held in the retracted position;
wherein the longitudinal direction of the handle has an angle of 65° to 120° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is moved to the pull down position from the retracted position resulting in changing operation of the self-driving system to the manual control mode from the self-driving mode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handle is a U-shaped structure.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control stick is disposed at the center of the U-shaped structure.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control stick is disposed at the side of the U-shaped structure.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a camera removably coupled to the console, the camera providing two axes of rotation and is configured to detect and follow an object in motion.

6. A self-driving system, comprising:
a mobile base having one or more motorized wheels, the mobile base having a first end and a second end opposing the first end;
a console having an upper portion and a main body, the main body being coupling in an upright position to an end of the mobile base;
a camera disposed at the console, wherein the camera is operable to detect and follow an object in motion;
a U-shaped handle having distal ends pivotally attached to the upper portion of the console, the U-shaped handle being operable to move with respect to the console between a retracted position and a pull down position to change operation of the self-driving system between a people following mode and a manual control mode, wherein the self-driving system is directed to follow a human operator based on information received from the camera when operated under the people following mode; and
a control stick disposed on the U-shaped handle, the control stick being operable to control moving direction of the self-driving system;
wherein a longitudinal direction of the handle is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is held in the retracted position;
wherein the longitudinal direction of the handle has an angle of 65° to 120° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is moved to the pull down position from the retracted position resulting in changing operation of the self-driving system to the manual control mode from the self-driving mode.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the self-driving system is operated under the manual control mode when the U-shaped handle is in the pull down position.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control stick is disposed at the center of the U-shaped handle.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control stick is disposed at the side of the U-shaped handle.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein control stick further comprising:
a base disposed on a top surface of the handle;
a thumb grip; and
a moving section coupled to the thumb grip, and the thumb grip is operable to tilt with respect to the base in all directions of 360°.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the moving section is mounted on a top surface of a base.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the moving section is disposed within the base so that a top surface of the thumb grip is flush with a top surface of the base.

13. The system of claim 5 , wherein the self-driving mode is a people following mode, and the self-driving system is directed to follow a human operator based on information received from the camera when operated under the people following mode.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the camera further comprises a beam pointer, and the beam pointer is operable to produce a laser beam.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the information is characteristics of the human operator.

16. The system of claim 6 , wherein the camera further comprises a beam pointer, and the beam pointer is operable to produce a laser beam.

17. The system of claim 6 , wherein the information is characteristics of the human operator.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the characteristics comprise facial features, clothing and/or pose of the human operator.

19. A self-driving system, comprising:
a mobile base having one or more motorized wheels;
a console having an upper portion and a main body, the main body being coupled in an upright position to an end of the mobile base;
a handle pivotally coupled to the upper portion of the console, the handle being movable with respect to the console between a retracted position and a pull down position to change operation of the self-driving system between a self-driving mode and a manual control mode; and
a control stick disposed on the handle, the control stick being operable to control moving direction of the self-driving system, wherein control stick further comprising:
a base disposed on a top surface of the handle; and
a thumb grip disposed over a top surface of the base, the thumb grip being operable to tilt with respect to the base in all directions of 360° to control steering of the mobile base;

wherein a longitudinal direction of the handle is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is held in the retracted position;

wherein the longitudinal direction of the handle has an angle of 65° to 120° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the upper portion when the handle is moved to the pull down position from the retracted position resulting in changing operation of the self-driving system to the manual control mode from the self-driving mode.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the moving section is disposed within the base so that a top surface of the thumb grip is flush with a top surface of the base.

Assignees

• Lingdong Tech Beijing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ren Guorong
• Zheng Botao
• Yang Liye
• Qi Ou

Classifications

• G05D1/0061 Primary

  for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa · CPC title

• G05D2201/0216

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0282

  generated in a local control room · CPC title

• G05D1/0238

  using obstacle or wall sensors (G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93) · CPC title