Vehicle self-diagnostics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11922740-B2
Application number	US-201916542153-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2017
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses described herein are directed to vehicle self-diagnostics. For example, a vehicle can include sensors monitoring vehicle components, for perceiving objects and obstacles in an environment, and for navigating the vehicle to a destination. Data from these and other sensors can be leveraged to determine a behavior associated with the vehicle. Based at least in part on determining the behavior, a vehicle can determine a fault and query one or more information sources associated with the vehicle to diagnose the fault. Based on diagnosing the fault, the vehicle can determine instructions for redressing the fault. The vehicle can diagnose the fault in near-real time, that is, while driving or otherwise in the field.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system associated with a vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to:
receive sensor data from a sensor on the vehicle;
determine, based at least on a portion of the sensor data, a behavior of the vehicle based on aggregate vehicle performance;
determine an expected behavior of the vehicle, the expected behavior of the vehicle being based at least in part on a nominal characteristic determined based at least in part on a performance of a fleet of vehicles;
determine a deviation between the behavior of the vehicle based on the aggregate vehicle performance and the expected behavior of the vehicle; and
determine, based at least in part on the behavior of the vehicle based on the aggregate vehicle performance deviating from the expected behavior by meeting or exceeding a threshold deviation, a confidence value indicative that a component of the vehicle is associated with a fault.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar sensor, or a radar sensor; and
determining the behavior comprises:
determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a localization of the vehicle in an environment.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the expected behavior is determined based at least in part on one or more of a braking signal or a steering angle rate; and
determining the behavior comprises determining one or more of an acceleration, a velocity, a yaw, or a yaw rate.

4. The system of claim 1 , the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
query, based at least in part on the behavior of the vehicle deviating from the expected behavior by meeting or exceeding the threshold deviation, the component of the vehicle;
receive a response from the component comprising a diagnostic result performed by a microcontroller for the component; and
determine, based at least in part on the response, the confidence value indicative that the component of the vehicle is associated with the fault.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the expected behavior comprises a desired braking distance;
determining the behavior comprises determining a measured braking distance;
determining the deviation comprises determining that the desired braking distance differs from the measured braking distance; and
determining the confidence value indicative that the component of the vehicle is associated with the fault comprises determining the fault is associated with a braking system of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the expected behavior comprises a desired yaw rate,
determining the behavior comprises determining a measured yaw rate,
determining the deviation comprises determining that the measured yaw rate differs from the desired yaw rate, and
determining the confidence value indicative that the component of the vehicle is associated with the fault comprises determining the fault is associated with a braking system of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the deviation between the behavior of the vehicle and
the expected behavior of the vehicle is at least partially attributable to a road condition or a weather condition.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
determine, based at least on a portion of the sensor data, that at least a portion of the deviation between the behavior of the vehicle and
the expected behavior of the vehicle is independent of a road condition or a weather condition.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the confidence value is a first confidence value associated with a first fault;
the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to determine a second confidence value associated with a second fault, and
the first confidence value and the second confidence value are based at least in part on a portion of the sensor data.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data includes two or more of LIDAR data, image data, radar data, SONAR data, GPS data, wheel encoder data, IMU data, engine performance data, energy level, fuel level, cabin temperature, HVAC status, braking inputs, steering inputs, tire pressure, vehicle weight, route information, environmental factors, vehicle maintenance history, vehicle navigation history, or fleet operations data.

11. A method comprising:
receiving sensor data from a sensor on a vehicle;
determining, based at least on a portion of the sensor data, a behavior associated with the vehicle, the behavior comprising an actual position of the vehicle in an environment;
determining a deviation between the behavior associated with the vehicle and an expected behavior based on aggregate vehicle performance, the expected behavior comprises an expected position of the vehicle in the environment, and wherein the deviation comprises a distance between the actual position of the vehicle and the expected position of the vehicle; and
detecting, based at least in part on the behavior associated with the vehicle deviating from the expected behavior by meeting or exceeding a threshold deviation, a confidence value indicative that a component of the vehicle is associated with a fault.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the sensor comprises one or more of a camera, a lidar sensor, or a radar sensor;
the behavior is associated with at least one of a longitudinal behavior of the vehicle, a lateral behavior of the vehicle, or a rotational behavior of the vehicle;
the expected behavior is based at least in part on one or more of a nominal characteristic of a fleet of vehicles or a control command issued to the vehicle; and
determining the behavior comprises:
determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a localization of the vehicle in an environment.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining the expected behavior based at least in part on one or more of a braking signal, a torque signal, a steering angle, or a steering angle rate,
wherein determining the behavior comprises determining one or more of an acceleration, a velocity, a yaw, or a yaw rate.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the expected behavior is associated with a command to apply an amount of braking to achieve a desired deceleration;
the behavior is associated with a longitudinal behavior;
determining the behavior comprises determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a measured deceleration;
determining the deviation comprises determining the desired deceleration differs from the measured deceleration; and
determining the confidence value indicative that the component of the vehicle is associated with the fault comprises determining the fault is associated with a braking system of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the expected behavior is based at least in part on a command to apply an amount of steering to achieve a desired yaw rate;
determining the behavior comprises determining a measured yaw rate;

determining the deviation comprises determining the measured yaw rate differs from the desired yaw rate; and
determining the confidence value indicative that the component of the vehicle is associated with the fault comprises determining the fault is associated with a braking system of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the expected behavior is based at least in part on a command to apply an amount of steering to achieve a

Assignees

• Zoox Inc

Inventors

• Edren Johannes
• Boecker Moritz
• Funke Joseph

Classifications

• G07C5/0816 Primary

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G07C5/0808 Primary

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title