Selective electromagnetic device for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12448745-B2
Application number	US-202217967689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2022
Priority date	Oct 17, 2022
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for a selectively-activated magnetic strip under a vehicle chassis that is powered to pick up nails and other metal debris. The magnetic strip can be selectively activated using an electromagnet powered by the vehicle and controlled by an onboard computer. The magnetic strip can generally be powered on while the vehicle is driving and selectively deactivated based on mapping data to avoid interactions with metallic infrastructure. The magnetic strip can be selectively deactivated based on vehicle parameters, such as vehicle speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for a vehicle to collect metallic road debris, comprising: an autonomous vehicle, including:
a magnetic strip positioned under a vehicle chassis, wherein:
in a first mode, the magnetic strip is activated, and
in a second mode, the magnetic strip is deactivated;

wherein when the magnetic strip is in a first mode, the magnetic strip attracts metallic objects from under the vehicle;
a sensor system to detect an item on the magnetic strip; and
an onboard computer configured to perform operations to control the magnetic strip, the operations comprising:
determining that the vehicle speed is below a selected threshold;
receiving first map data for a first vehicle location, wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate the magnetic strip based on the first map data;
determining if there is metallic infrastructure at the first vehicle location based on the first map data; and
in response to determining that metallic infrastructure is not present at the first vehicle location, activating the magnetic strip to attract metallic objects from under the vehicle; and

a central computing system to communicate the first map data to the onboard computer, wherein the first map data includes metallic infrastructure information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate the magnetic strip based on vehicle speed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode is a fully activated mode and wherein the magnetic strip is further to operate in a third mode, wherein in the third mode the magnetic strip is weakly activated, maintains attachment with magnetically attached metallic objects, and fails to attract additional metallic objects from under the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the onboard computer is to receive detected item information from the sensor system.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the magnetic strip includes a plurality of electromagnets for providing magnetic strength to a corresponding plurality of portions of the magnetic strip, and wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate the portions of the magnetic strip by activating and deactivating corresponding electromagnets of the plurality of electromagnets.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle further comprises a battery, wherein the magnetic strip includes an electromagnet, and wherein the battery provides power to the electromagnet in the first mode, when the magnetic strip is activated.

7. A method for an autonomous vehicle to collect metallic road debris, comprising:
determining, by an onboard computer, that the autonomous vehicle speed is below a selected threshold;
receiving, by the onboard computer, first map data for a first vehicle location, wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate an electromagnetic device attached to the autonomous vehicle based on the first map data;
determining, by the onboard computer, if there is metallic infrastructure at the first vehicle location based on the first map data; and
in response to determining that metallic infrastructure is not present at the first vehicle location, activating the electromagnetic device attached to the autonomous vehicle to attract metallic objects from under the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving second map data for a second vehicle location and determining that there is metallic infrastructure in the second vehicle location.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining that there are no metallic objects magnetically attached to the electromagnetic device, and, at the second vehicle location, deactivating the electromagnetic device.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining that there is a metallic item magnetically attached to the electromagnetic device; and
at the second vehicle location, weakening a strength of the electromagnetic device to maintain a magnetic attachment with the metallic item, and prevent the electromagnetic device from attracting additional metallic objects from under the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining that there is a metallic item magnetically attached to the electromagnetic device; and
adjusting a vehicle route to avoid the second vehicle location.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electromagnetic device includes a first magnetic strip and a second magnetic strip, and further comprising:
determining that there is a metallic item magnetically attached to the first magnetic strip;
determining that there are no metallic objects magnetically attached to the second magnetic strip; and
at the second vehicle location:
deactivating the second magnetic strip, and
weakening a strength of the first magnetic strip to maintain a magnetic attachment with the metallic item, and prevent the first magnetic strip from attracting additional metallic objects from under the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electromagnetic device comprises a magnetic strip including a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet, and further comprising:
determining that there is a metallic item magnetically attached to a first area of the magnetic strip; and
at the second vehicle location:
weakening a strength of the first electromagnet to maintain a magnetic attachment with the metallic item, and prevent the magnetic strip from attracting additional metallic objects from under the vehicle, wherein the first electromagnet provides magnetic strength to the first area of the magnetic strip; and
deactivating the second electromagnet.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining a vehicle route, and
identifying metallic infrastructure along the vehicle route.

15. A vehicle for collecting metallic road debris, comprising:
a magnetic strip positioned under a vehicle chassis, wherein the magnetic strip includes a plurality of electromagnets, and wherein:
in a first mode, the magnetic strip is activated,
in a second mode, the magnetic strip is deactivated, and
wherein when the magnetic strip is in a first mode, the magnetic strip attracts metallic objects from under the vehicle;

a sensor system to detect an item on the magnetic strip; and
an onboard computer configured to perform operations to control the magnetic strip, the operations comprising:
determining that the vehicle speed is below a selected threshold;
receiving first map data for a first vehicle location, wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate each of the plurality of electromagnets based on the first map data;
determining if there is metallic infrastructure at the first vehicle location based on the first map data; and
in response to determining that metallic infrastructure is not present at the first vehicle location, activating the magnetic strip to attract metallic objects from under the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the onboard computer is to activate and deactivate the magnetic strip based on vehicle speed.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the first mode is a fully activated mode and wherein the magnetic strip is further to operate in a third mode, wherein in the third mode the magnetic strip is weakly activated, maintains attachment with magnetically attached metallic objects, and fails to attract additional metallic objects from under the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets provide magnetic strength to a corresponding plurality of portions of the magnetic strip, and w

Assignees

• Gm Cruise Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Kan Daniel

Classifications

• E01H1/005 Primary

  Mobile installations, particularly for upkeeping in situ road or railway furniture, for instance road barricades, traffic signs; Mobile installations particularly for upkeeping tunnel walls (built-in cleaning devices E21D11/003) · CPC title

• H01F7/064

  Circuit arrangements for actuating electromagnets (circuit arrangements for obtaining special operating characteristics H01F7/18; driving circuits for electromagnets making use of a switching regulator H01H47/325) · CPC title

• E01H1/14 Primary

  Removing by magnetic effect {(general household magnetic cleaning implements A47L13/41; as equipment for road vehicles B60R19/00)} · CPC title