Autonomous vehicle and system for autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11912291-B2
Application number	US-202016917147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 15, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an autonomous vehicle and a system for the autonomous vehicle. The system may include: a power supply including a first power output and a second power output; a master computing unit arranged to be powered by the first power output, configured to control operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting the second power output, and configured to provide a third power output by adjusting the first power output; and a slave computing unit arranged to be powered by the second power output, and configured to control the operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting a failure of the master computing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a power supply configured to provide a first power output and a second power output;
a master computer arranged to be powered by the first power output, configured to control operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting the second power output, and configured to provide a third power output by adjusting the first power output;
a slave computer arranged to be powered by the second power output, and configured to control the operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting a failure of the master computer;
at least one millimeter wave radar arranged to be powered by the second third power output and be communicatively coupled to the master computer and the slave computer, the at least one millimeter wave radar configured to acquire a microwave image around the autonomous vehicle and send the microwave image to the master computer and the slave computer; and
at least one camera communicatively arranged to be redundantly powered by the third power output and be communicatively coupled to the master computer, the at least one camera configured to acquire an optical image around the autonomous vehicle and send the microwave optical image to the master computer,
wherein the slave computer is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to enter a limp mode responsive to a failure of the master computer and, based on a microwave image provided by the at least one millimeter wave radar, cause autonomous vehicle to park in a safe area, and
wherein the master computer is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to enter the limp mode responsive to a failure of the slave computer, the master computer being further configured to when the autonomous vehicle is in the limp mode:
responsive to failure of the second power output, cause the autonomous vehicle to park in the safe area based on the optical image provided by the at least one camera, and
responsive to failure of the third power output, cause the autonomous vehicle to park in the safe area based on the microwave image provided by the at least one millimeter wave radar.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:
a switch arranged to be powered by the second power output and communicatively coupled to the master computer and the slave computer, the switch configured to facilitate communication between the master computer and the slave computer,
wherein the master computer is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to enter the limp mode responsive to failing to receive data from the switch and, based on the microwave image provided by the at least one millimeter wave radar or the optical image provided by the at least one camera, cause autonomous vehicle to park in the safe area.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises:
at least one lidar communicatively coupled to the switch, arranged to be powered by the third power output, and configured to acquire environmental information around the autonomous vehicle and send the environmental information to the switch.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises:
a security gateway arranged to be powered by the second power output, communicatively coupled to the switch, and configured to perform safe communication with an external device.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the system further comprises:
a black box arranged to be powered by the second power output, and communicatively coupled to the security gateway.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises:
a DC-DC converter coupled to the first power output and configured to perform DC-DC conversion on a power source of the autonomous vehicle to provide the first power output; and
a battery coupled in parallel with the DC-DC converter to the first power output.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the power supply further comprises:
an on-off switch coupled between the DC-DC converter and the second power output, and between the battery and the second power output.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the power supply further comprises:
a fuse coupled between the DC-DC converter and the first power output, and between the battery and the first power output.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein in the limp mode the autonomous vehicle reduces driving speed and parks.

10. An autonomous vehicle, comprising a system, the system comprising:
a power supply configured to provide a first power output and a second power output;
a master computer arranged to be powered by the first power output, configured to control operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting the second power output, and configured to provide a third power output by adjusting the first power output, the third power output supplying modules and components external of the master computer in the autonomous vehicle;
a slave computer arranged to be powered by the second power output, and configured to control the operations of the autonomous vehicle in response to detecting a failure of the master computer; and
at least one millimeter wave radar arranged to be powered by the third power output and be communicatively coupled to the master computer and the slave computer, and the at least one millimeter wave radar configured to acquire a microwave image around the autonomous vehicle and send the microwave image to the master computer and the slave computer; and
at least one camera communicatively arranged to be redundantly powered by the third power output and be communicatively coupled to the master computer, the at least one camera configured to acquire an optical image around the autonomous vehicle and send the optical image to the master computer,
wherein the slave computer is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to enter a limp mode responsive to a failure of the master computer and, based on a microwave image provided by the at least one millimeter wave radar, cause autonomous vehicle to park in a safe area, and
wherein the master computer is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to enter the limp mode responsive to a failure of the slave computer, the master computer being further configured to when the autonomous vehicle is in the limp mode:
responsive to failure of the second power output, cause the autonomous vehicle to park in the safe area based on the optical image provided by the at least one camera, and
responsive to failure of the third power output, cause the autonomous vehicle to park in the safe area based on the microwave image provided by the at least one millimeter wave radar.

11. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein in the limp mode the autonomous vehicle reduces driving speed and parks.

Assignees

• Apollo Intelligent Driving Tech Beijing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ju Lijun
• Wang Chengfa
• Wang Junping
• Yang Fan

Classifications

• B60W50/029 Primary

  Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts · CPC title

• B60W60/0023

  in response to energy consumption · CPC title

• G07C5/085

  using electronic data carriers · CPC title

• H04W4/40

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title

• B60W2420/42

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic