Redundant hardware system for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12559115-B2
Application number	US-202418423940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2024
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

The technology relates to partially redundant equipment architectures for vehicles able to operate in an autonomous driving mode. Aspects of the technology employ fallback configurations, such as two or more fallback sensor configurations that provide some minimum amount of field of view (FOV) around the vehicle. For instance, different sensor arrangements are logically associated with different operating domains of the vehicle. Fallback configurations for computing resources and/or power resources are also provided. Each fallback configuration may have different reasons for being triggered, and may result in different types of fallback modes of operation. Triggering conditions may relate, e.g., to a type of failure, fault or other reduction in component capability, the current driving mode, environmental conditions in the vicinity of vehicle or along a planned route, or other factors. Fallback modes may involve altering a previously planned trajectory, altering vehicle speed, and/or altering a destination of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a set of sensors of a vehicle associated with a first operating domain, information about an environment around the vehicle, the set of sensors including a subset of sensors associated with a second operating domain that is different from the first operating domain; receiving, by a first computing subsystem associated with the first operating domain, the information; and responsive to identifying an error condition of the vehicle, controlling the vehicle in a fallback driving mode using only one of (i) the first computing subsystem or (ii) a second computing subsystem associated with the second operating domain, wherein the first and second computing subsystems are configured to receive sensor data from each sensor of the set of sensors.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the vehicle in the fallback driving mode includes controlling the vehicle via a first set of vehicle control operations or a second set of vehicle control operations that is different from the first set of vehicle control operations.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing, by the first computing subsystem, sensor data received from one or more interior sensors of the vehicle according to the first operating domain.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the vehicle in the fallback driving mode includes at least one of: altering a speed of the vehicle, actuating hazard lights of the vehicle, altering a route of the vehicle, or pulling the vehicle over.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the vehicle in the fallback driving mode includes either: selecting a drop-off point that is different than a planned destination of the vehicle, or completing a current driving activity of the vehicle before having the vehicle serviced.

6 . A control system of a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the control system comprising:
a first computing subsystem associated with a first operating domain and including one or more first processors configured to process sensor data received from only a first set of sensors of the vehicle according to the first operating domain; and a second computing subsystem associated with a second operating domain different from the first operating domain and including one or more second processors configured to process sensor data received from only a second set of sensors of the vehicle according to the second operating domain, wherein:
the second set of sensors is different from the first set of sensors, and
the first and second computing subsystems are configured to receive sensor data from each sensor of the first set of sensors and each sensor of the second set of sensors, and
the control system is configured, in response to identification of an error condition of the vehicle, to control the vehicle in a fallback driving mode using only one of (i) the first computing subsystem or (ii) the second computing subsystem.

7 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein the first set of sensors or the second set of sensors includes at least one of a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a camera sensor, an auditory sensor or a positioning sensor.

8 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein:
each sensor of the first set of sensors has a respective first field of view, each sensor of the second set of sensors has a respective second field of view, and the respective first fields of view are different from the respective second fields of view.

9 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein the first computing subsystem is further configured to process sensor data received from one or more interior sensors of the vehicle according to the first operating domain.

10 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more interior sensors include at least one of a camera sensor, an auditory sensor or an infrared sensor.

11 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein the first and second computing subsystems are operatively coupled to at least one common sensor of the first and second sets of sensors.

12 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein:
the first computing subsystem is further configured to control the vehicle in a first fallback driving mode implementing a first set of driving operations, and the second computing subsystem is further configured to control the vehicle in a second fallback driving mode implementing a second set of driving operations that is different from the first set of driving operations.

13 . The control system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first fallback driving mode or the second fallback driving mode operates based on sensor data received from only front-facing sensors of the vehicle.

14 . The control system of claim 6 , wherein the control system is further configured, in response to identification of the error condition of the vehicle, to:
power only devices of the first operating domain via a first power distribution subsystem associated with the first operating domain; and power only devices of the second operating domain via a second power distribution subsystem associated with the second operating domain.

15 . A control system of a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the control system comprising:
a first computing subsystem configured to receive sensor data from a perception system of the vehicle via a first communication link; and a second computing subsystem configured to receive the sensor data from the perception system via a second communication link that is separate and distinct from the first communication link; and wherein the control system is configured, in response to identification of an error condition of the vehicle, to:
process the sensor data according to the error condition using only one of the first computing subsystem or the second computing subsystem; and
control the vehicle in a fallback driving mode based on the error condition.

16 . The control system of claim 15 , wherein the only one of the first computing subsystem or the second computing subsystem is further configured to alter a route of the vehicle according to the fallback driving mode.

17 . The control system of claim 15 , wherein the control system is configured to control the vehicle in the fallback driving mode by being further configured to determine whether to either (i) continue driving operations along a route to a planned destination or (ii) pull the vehicle over.

18 . The control system of claim 15 , wherein the control system is configured to control the vehicle in the fallback driving mode by being further configured to alter a speed of the vehicle, actuate hazard lights of the vehicle, or selecting a drop-off point that is different than a planned destination of the vehicle.

19 . The control system of claim 15 , wherein the error condition includes a reduction of a sensor capability of at least one sensor of the vehicle.

20 . The control system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a first power subsystem configured to provide dedicated power to the first computing subsystem and not the second computing subsystem; and a second power subsystem configured to provide dedicated power to the second computing subsystem and not the first computing subsystem.

21 . The control system of claim 20 , wherein the first power subsystem is operationally isolated from the second power subsystem.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Chi Emily
• Andrade Ryan Joseph
• Wendel Andreas
• James Michael
• Lauterbach Christian
• Bruhis Etai
• Ludwick Christopher Kennedy
• Zbrozek Alexander
• Kapsenberg Pieter
• Liu Zhuyuan
• Rosenband Daniel

Classifications

• G05D1/228

  Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles · CPC title

• B60W2420/408

  Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar · CPC title

• B60W2420/403

  Image sensing, e.g. optical camera · CPC title

• B60W2050/0215

  Sensor drifts or sensor failures · CPC title

• B60W2710/20

  Steering systems · CPC title