Vehicle redundant processing resource usage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11550320-B2
Application number	US-201916356695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2019
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to facilitate usage of vehicle redundant processing resource. A primary processing resource may be dedicated to navigation control of a vehicle. A redundant processing resource may be provided for performing one or more tasks of the navigation control of the vehicle based on a failure of the primary processing resource. One or more available portions of the redundant processing resource may be used for performing one or more tasks of non-navigation control of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a primary processor comprising hardware-based logic configured to control a navigation of a vehicle;
a secondary processor comprising software-based logic configured to:
perform, while the primary processor is controlling the navigation, current non-navigation tasks comprising:
detecting a passenger status of a first person;
detecting a second person exiting or entering the vehicle;
detecting a cabin cleanliness;
providing entertainment within the vehicle;
enabling communication between the first person within the vehicle and a third person remote from the vehicle; and
capturing and analyzing a video in an interior of the vehicle;

indicate the performance of the non-navigation tasks;
indicate an operational status of secondary processor;
plan a future action of the non-navigation tasks of the vehicle;
detect a failure of hardware in the primary processor;
in response to the detecting of the failure of the primary processor, and in response to indicating the performance of the non-navigation tasks, perform navigation control tasks previously assigned to the primary processor, the navigation control tasks comprising:
continuing a current movement initiated by the primary processor,
planning a future action of a translational movement, an angular movement, an acceleration, a lane change, and an emergency stop, and
analyzing a video outside of the vehicle;

determine an extent to reduce, terminate or pause the non-navigation tasks based on an amount of processing resources required to be diverted to the performing of the navigation control tasks; and
reduce, terminate or pause the non-navigation tasks based on the determined extent, while performing the non-navigation tasks using one or more available portions of the secondary processor; and
in response to the vehicle being stopped during the emergency stop, abort the performance of the navigation control task and divert at least a portion of the amount of processing resources back to the performance of the detecting of the passenger status of a first person and the detection of the second person exiting or entering the vehicle, and the enabling of the communication between the first person within the vehicle and the third person remote from the vehicle, without performing the navigation control tasks;
a first controller that provides the primary processor; and
a second controller that provides the secondary processor, wherein the second controller has a same amount of processing speed, power or memory compared to the first controller.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor performs vehicle direction control, vehicle speed control, vehicle route control, vehicle navigation, and vehicle vision analysis.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein usage of the one or more available portions of the secondary processor to perform the one or more tasks of the non-navigation control of the vehicle enables status check of the secondary processor.

4. A method implemented by a computing system including one or more processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, wherein the method is performed using the one or more processors, the method comprising:
using a primary processor comprising hardware-based logic to perform one or more tasks of the navigation control of the vehicle;
using a secondary processor comprising software-based logic to:
perform, while the primary processor is controlling the navigation, current non-navigation tasks comprising:
detecting a passenger status of a first person;
detecting a second person exiting or entering the vehicle;
detecting a cabin cleanliness;
providing entertainment within the vehicle;
enabling communication between the first person within the vehicle and a third person remote from the vehicle; and
capturing and analyzing a video in an interior of the vehicle;

indicate the performance of the non-navigation tasks;
indicate an operational status of secondary processor;
plan a future action of the non-navigation tasks of the vehicle;
detect a failure of hardware in the primary processor;
in response to the detecting of the failure of the primary processor, and in response to indicating the performance of the non-navigation tasks, perform navigation control tasks previously assigned to the primary processor, the navigation control tasks comprising:
continuing a current movement initiated by the primary processor,
planning a future action of a translational movement, an angular movement, an acceleration, a lane change, and an emergency stop, and
analyzing a video outside of the vehicle;

determine an extent to reduce, terminate or pause the non-navigation tasks based on an amount of processing resources required to be diverted to the performing of the navigation control tasks; and
reduce, terminate or pause the non-navigation tasks based on the determined extent, while performing the non-navigation tasks using one or more available portions of the secondary processor; and
in response to the vehicle being stopped during the emergency stop, abort the performance of the navigation control task and divert at least a portion of the amount of processing resources back to the performance of the detecting of the passenger status of a first person and the detection of the second person exiting or entering the vehicle, and the enabling of the communication between the first person within the vehicle and the third person remote from the vehicle, without performing the navigation control tasks;

providing the primary processor by a first controller; and
providing the secondary processor by a second controller, wherein the second controller has a same amount of processing speed, power or memory compared to the first controller.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising using the primary processor to perform vehicle direction control, vehicle speed control, vehicle route control, vehicle navigation, and vehicle vision analysis.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein usage of the one or more available portions of the secondary processor to perform the one or more tasks of the non-navigation control of the vehicle enables status check of the secondary processor.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform:
using a primary processor comprising hardware-based logic to perform one or more tasks of the navigation control of the vehicle;
using one or more available portions of a secondary processor comprising software-based logic to:
perform tasks of non-navigation control of the vehicle while the primary processor is performing one or more tasks of the navigation control, comprising:
detecting a passenger status of a first person;
detecting a second person exiting or entering the vehicle;
detecting a cabin cleanliness;
providing entertainment within the vehicle;
enabling communication between the first person within the vehicle and a third person remote from the vehicle; and
capturing and analyzing a video in an interior of the vehicle;

indicate the performance of the non-navigation tasks;
indicate an operational status of secondary processor;
plan a future action of the non-navigation tasks of the vehicle;
detect a failure of hardware in the primary processor;
in response to the detecting of the failure of the primary processor, and in response to indicating the performance of the non-navigation tasks, perform navigation control tasks previously assigned to the primary processor, the navigation control tasks comprising:
continuing a current movement initiated by the primary processor,
planning a future action of a translational movement, an angular movement, an acceleration, a l

Assignees

• Pony Ai Inc

Inventors

• Dingli Robert

Classifications

• G05B9/03

  with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems · CPC title

• B60W50/023

  Avoiding failures by using redundant parts · CPC title

• G05D1/0223

  involving speed control of the vehicle (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0077 Primary

  using redundant signals or controls · CPC title