Autonomous vehicle workload allocation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018024552-A1
Application number	US-201615213501-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2016
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action and a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action. A coordination controller is programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action. The coordination controller detects a first vehicle component failure, selects a vehicle mode, and allocates workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

First claim

1 . A vehicle system comprising:
a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action; a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action; and a coordination controller programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect a first vehicle component failure, select a vehicle mode, and allocate workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first power supply electrically connected to the first vehicle component; and a second power supply electrically connected to the second vehicle component, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to monitor a power capability of the first power supply and the second power supply.

3 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on the power capability of the first power supply.

4 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein allocating the workload of the first vehicle component includes reducing the workload of the first vehicle component and wherein allocating the workload of the second vehicle component includes increasing the workload of the second vehicle component.

5 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component identifying constraints associated with at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component and allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to their respective constraints.

6 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component includes controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode.

7 . The vehicle system of claim 6 , wherein controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode includes outputting control signals to at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component, the control signals commanding at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the workload.

8 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one internal vehicle condition.

9 . The vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one internal vehicle condition includes at least one of a driver condition, a vehicle traction capability, and a power capability.

10 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one external vehicle condition.

11 . The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one external vehicle condition includes a traffic condition, an ambient temperature, and distance to a destination.

12 . A vehicle system comprising:
a first vehicle component at least partially controlling a vehicle action; a second vehicle component at least partially controlling the vehicle action; a first power supply electrically connected to the first vehicle component; a second power supply electrically connected to the second vehicle component; and a coordination controller programmed to coordinate control of the vehicle action, wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect a first vehicle component failure, select a vehicle mode, and allocate workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to the selected vehicle mode.

13 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the coordination controller is programmed to monitor a power capability of the first power supply and the second power supply and detect the first vehicle component failure based on the power capability of the first power supply.

14 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein allocating the workload of the first vehicle component includes reducing a workload of the first vehicle component and wherein allocating the workload of the second vehicle component includes increasing a workload of the second vehicle component.

15 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component identifying constraints associated with at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component and allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component according to their respective constraints.

16 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein allocating the workloads of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component includes controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode.

17 . The vehicle system of claim 16 , wherein controlling the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with the selected vehicle mode includes outputting control signals to at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component, the control signals commanding at least one of the first vehicle component and the second vehicle component to operate in accordance with a workload.

18 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the coordination controller is programmed to detect the first vehicle component failure based on at least one internal vehicle condition and at least one external vehicle condition.

19 . The vehicle system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one internal vehicle condition includes at least one of a driver condition, a vehicle traction capability, and a power capability.

20 . The vehicle system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one external vehicle condition includes a traffic condition, an ambient temperature, and distance to a destination.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• She Eric

Classifications

• B60L2260/32

  Auto pilot mode · CPC title

• B60L2260/26

  Transition between different drive modes · CPC title

• B60L2240/662

  Temperature · CPC title

• G06Q10/08355

  Routing methods · CPC title

• B60L15/20 Primary

  for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed · CPC title