Methods and apparatus to perform a tank turn

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043261-B2
Application number	US-202318173514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2023
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform a tank turn. An example apparatus includes programmable circuitry to determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle, cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel, cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel, cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction, and cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
memory;
instructions; and
programmable circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle;
cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel;
cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel;
cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction; and
cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to determine that the first and second brakes are engaged in response to an input to a graphical user interface of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to cause the first brake to engage and cause the second brake to engage in response to obtaining an indication.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to obtain the indication in response to a selection on a display of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to obtain the indication in response to at least one of twisting or deflection of a lever.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to determine a turn direction of a tank turn based on the indication.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first wheel corresponds to a front right wheel of the vehicle and the second wheel corresponds to a rear left wheel of the vehicle when the turn direction is a counterclockwise turn direction, and the first wheel corresponds to a front left wheel of the vehicle and the second wheel corresponds to a rear right wheel of the vehicle when the turn direction is a clockwise turn direction.

8. An apparatus comprising:
brake controller circuitry to determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle;
suspension controller circuitry to:
cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel; and
cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel; and

motor controller circuitry to:
cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction; and
cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the brake controller circuitry is to determine that the first and second brakes are engaged in response to an input to a graphical user interface of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further including interface circuitry to obtain an indication, the brake controller circuitry to cause the first brake to engage and cause the second brake to engage in response to the interface circuitry obtaining the indication.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the interface circuitry is to obtain the indication in response to a selection on a display of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the interface circuitry is to obtain the indication in response to at least one of twisting or deflection of a lever.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the interface circuitry is to determine a turn direction of a tank turn based on the indication.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first wheel corresponds to a front right wheel of the vehicle and the second wheel corresponds to a rear left wheel of the vehicle when the turn direction is a counterclockwise turn direction, and the first wheel corresponds to a front left wheel of the vehicle and the second wheel corresponds to a rear right wheel of the vehicle when the turn direction is a clockwise turn direction.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause programmable circuitry to:
determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle;
cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel;
cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel;
cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction; and
cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to determine that the first and second brakes are engaged in response to an input to a graphical user interface of the vehicle.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to cause the first brake to engage and cause the second brake to engage in response to obtaining an indication.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to obtain the indication in response to a selection on a display of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to obtain the indication in response to at least one of twisting or deflection of a lever.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to determine a turn direction of a tank turn based on the indication.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pursifull Ross Dykstra

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K2360/11

  Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects · CPC title

• B62D7/146

  characterised by comprising means for steering by acting on the suspension system, e.g. on the mountings of the suspension arms · CPC title