Patent Application
20240278806
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a backup motion control system. The present invention also relates to a corresponding backup motion control system. The present invention is in particular advantageously implemented in an autonomous vehicle. Although the invention will mainly be directed to an autonomous vehicle in the form of a truck, the invention may also be applicable for other types of autonomous vehicles, such as e.g. working machines, cars, etc.
The technology of autonomous vehicles is on a steady development and autonomous vehicles are being applied in a wide variety of applications. By means of autonomous vehicles, a physical operator of the vehicle can be superfluous which provides for a number of advantages, such as e.g. increasing the operational capacity of the vehicles, reduction of cost, and increased safety. In the latter case, the autonomous vehicles can be operated at e.g. hazardous work sites and thereby avoiding potential accidents for an operator otherwise operating the vehicle.
One important aspect for autonomous vehicles is that braking system(s) and steering system(s) operate as desired and in a more or less fail safe manner for the vehicle to operate as desired and to brake when needed.
For a manually operated vehicle, when an electric steering system fails to function as desired, the operator is still able to steer the vehicle by manually take control over the steering action. However, for an autonomous vehicle, where no operator is present, there is no such manual intervention available. As such, there is substantially no possibility to counteract a malfunctioning steering operation. This may potentially result in hazardous and dangerous situations for the vehicle.
There is thus a desire to improve the steering systems for autonomous vehicles for further improving e.g. safety.
It is thus an object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the above described deficiencies.
According to a first aspect, there is provided a method of controlling a backup motion control system for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising a primary steering system for controlling steering operations of a pair of steerable wheels, wherein each of the steerable wheels comprises a wheel brake, the wheel brakes being connected to an anti-lock braking system for preventing the wheel brakes from being locked when the anti-lock braking system is arranged in an enabled state, the method comprising determining a current motion for the autonomous vehicle, the current motion being generated by a steering operation of the pair of steerable wheels caused by the primary steering system; comparing the current motion with a desired motion for the autonomous vehicle; and when a difference between the current motion and the desired motion exceeds a predetermined threshold limit: controlling the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels to be arranged in a disabled state; and engaging the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels.
The wording anti-lock braking system should be construed as a system which prevents the wheels from being locked during braking. When a wheel is locked during braking and the anti-lock braking system is arranged in the enabled state, the anti-lock braking system reduces the applied brake pressure or applied brake force on the wheel brake for the specific wheel such that the wheel is no longer locked. The enabled state is thus a state where the anti-lock braking system is activated and in operation. In the disabled state, the anti-lock braking system is thus inactivated and not in operation. When the anti-lock braking system is arranged in the disabled state, the wheels are able to be locked, i.e. the anti-lock braking system does not intervene in the braking action. The anti-lock braking system can be a conventional anti-braking system (ABS system), an electronic stability control system (ESP system), dynamic stability control system (DSC system), or other similar system. As will also be evident from the below disclosure, the anti-lock braking system can be configured to be arranged in the disabled state for one or more wheel brakes, while at the same time be arranged in the enabled state for one or more of the other wheel brakes on the vehicle. The anti-lock braking system may thus be arranged in an enabled state where intervention is enabled. The anti-lock braking system may also be arranged in a disabled state where the system is enabled but intervention is disabled, and a disabled state where the system is fully disabled, and hence intervention is hereby also disabled.
Further, the current motion for the autonomous vehicle should be construed as relating to the present heading for the vehicle. This could, as will be described below, be based on the current steering direction of the vehicle or lateral deviation from a lane of the road. As an option, the current motion can be a derivative of the current steering direction of the vehicle or the lateral deviation. The current motion can also be the current yaw rate of the vehicle. The desired motion is thus an intended and desired heading of the vehicle. In a similar vein as the current motion, the desired motion can be based on a desired steering direction or a lateral position of a lane of the road. The desired motion can also be a derivative of the desired steering direction or the lateral position. The desired motion can also be the desired yaw rate of the vehicle. The desired motion can be determined based on data received from a vehicle autonomous steering system, and be based on GPS data, etc.
The present invention is based on the unexpected insight that by arranging the anti-braking system in a disabled state and activate the wheel brake of the steerable wheels, the friction usage of the friction between the wheel tire surface and the road can be oversaturated. Hence, the invention enables for usage of substantially all friction with the braking action. Since the anti-lock braking system is disabled, the brake force is allowed to be larger than what would be possible with an enabled anti-lock braking system. Put it differently, when the anti-lock braking system is disabled and the brakes are locked, the wheel is changed from a rolling friction state to a wheel slip friction state, in which wheel slip friction state the braking distance is either longer or shorter compared to the rolling friction state. The friction parameter of the friction between the wheel and the road surface is in the wheel slip friction state often of a lower value compared to the corresponding friction parameter in the rolling friction state. Thus, the brake force uses the friction to provide a braking action in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As such, there is substantially no friction left to generate lateral wheel forces, i.e. the so-called lateral slip is increased. This will result in a situation where the vehicle is more or less unable to steer to the left hand side or the right hand side, whereby the vehicle will drive substantially straight ahead as seen in the current steering direction, i.e. in the tangential direction, until finally being stopped by the braking action. An advantage is thus that the effects of a malfunctioning steering system, regardless of the root cause for such malfunction, can be handled in an efficient manner which reduces the risk that the vehicle will leave the ego lane and drive off the road, etc. The above described method is thus advantageously operated as a backup when the ordinary, i.e. primary, steering system fails to function as desired and/or intended.
According to an example embodiment, the wheel brakes may be applied by a brake force, wherein a magnitude of the brake force is based on the difference between the current motion and the desired motion. Hence, in the case of a malfunction resulting in a severe deviation from the desired motion, the applied brake force is higher compared to a less severe deviation.
According to an example embodiment, the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels may be engaged by a brake force having a maximum brake force capability, the wheel brakes being engaged by a brake force corresponding to the maximum brake force capability when the difference between the current motion and the desired motion exceeds the predetermined threshold limit.
An advantage is that the maximum available brake force is applied to the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels. Thus, no intelligent software functionality is necessary that would otherwise calculate and apply a suitable brake force. In the example embodiment at hand, the backup motion control system simply applies the wheel brake as hard as possible.
According to an example embodiment, the current motion may be associated with a steering angle of the steerable wheels, and the desired path may be associated with a curve angle of a road currently operated by the autonomous vehicle, the method further comprising alternatingly engaging and disengaging the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels when the steering angle exceeds the curve angle. Hereby, the backup motion control system can continuously determine if, after a short braking event, the current motion has been compensated such that it substantially corresponds to the desired motion. The lateral forces of the steerable wheels can hereby be balanced, and the vehicle can be controlled back to its intended and desired motion.
According to an example embodiment, the autonomous vehicle may comprise at least one pair of non-steerable wheels, each of the non-steerable wheels comprising a wheel brake, wherein the method comprises engaging the wheel brakes of each of the non-steerable wheels when the difference between the current motion and the desired motion exceeds the predetermined threshold limit. An advantage is that the vehicle speed will be reduced more rapidly.
According to an example embodiment, the wheel brakes of the non-steerable wheels may be connected to a second anti-lock braking system, the method comprising controlling the second anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the non-steerable wheels to be arranged in an enabled state for preventing the wheel brakes of the non-steerable wheels to lock when being engaged.
The second anti-lock braking system may form part of the above described anti-lock braking system, or be a separate anti-lock braking system. Thus, the wheel brakes of the non-steerable wheels may have an enabled anti-lock braking system at the same time as the anti-lock braking system of the steerable wheels is disabled. An advantage is that the non-steerable wheels will be prevented from being locked when operating the backup motion control system. In further detail, the wheel brakes of the non-steerable wheels operate in a conventional manner.
According to an example embodiment, the current motion may be a current steering direction for the autonomous vehicle, and the desired motion may be a desired path to follow by the autonomous vehicle. The desired path can, for example, be a predefined path of a confined work site, etc.
According to an example embodiment, the method may further comprise determining a current lateral position of the autonomous vehicle relative to a road lane of the desired path for autonomous vehicle; comparing the current lateral position with a predetermined maximum allowable deviation from a lateral center position of the road lane; and controlling the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels to be arranged in a disabled state and engaging the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels only when the current lateral position exceeds the predetermined maximum allowable deviation.
According to an example embodiment, the desired motion may be a curve direction of a road currently operated by the autonomous vehicle.
According to a second aspect, there is provided a backup motion control system for an autonomous vehicle comprising a pair of steerable wheels, wherein each of the steerable wheels comprises a wheel brake controllable by the backup motion control system, wherein the backup motion control system is connectable to an anti-lock braking system configured to prevent the wheel brakes from being locked when the anti-lock braking system is arranged in an enabled state, wherein the backup motion control system comprises a control unit comprising control circuitry configured to receive a signal indicative of a current motion for the autonomous vehicle; compare the current motion with a desired motion for the autonomous vehicle; and when a difference between the current motion and the desired motion exceeds a predetermined threshold limit: transmit a control signal to the anti-lock braking system, the control signal representing instructions causing the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels to be arranged in a disabled state; and control the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels to be engaged.
Effects and features of the second aspect are largely analogous to those described above in relation to the first aspect.
According to a third aspect, there is provided an autonomous vehicle comprising a pair of steerable wheels, a primary steering system configured to control a steering operation of the steerable wheels, and a backup motion control system according to the above described second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of any one of the embodiments described above in relation to the first aspect when the program code means is run on a computer.
According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium carrying a computer program means for performing the steps of any one of the embodiments described above in relation to the first aspect when the program means is run on a computer.
Effects and features of the third, fourth and fifth aspects are largely analogous to those described above in relation to the first aspect.
Further features of, and advantages will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person will realize that different features may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The above, as well as additional objects, features, and advantages, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of exemplary embodiments, wherein:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness. Like reference character refer to like elements throughout the description.
With particular reference to
The vehicle 10 also comprises a wheel brake 102 connected to each of the steerable wheels 102, 104, as well as a wheel brake 122 connected to the non-steerable wheels 110, 112. As will be described in further detail below, the wheel brakes are connected to an anti-lock braking system. The anti-lock braking system is configured to prevent the wheel brakes from being locked. The wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106 may be connected to a first anti-lock braking system, while the wheel brakes 122 of the non-steerable wheels 110, 112 may be connected to a second anti-lock braking system which is controlled independently of the first anti-lock braking system. Alternatively, the wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106 and the wheel brakes 122 of the non-steerable wheels are connected to one and the same anti-lock braking system. Such single anti-lock braking system can enable the anti-lock braking functionality for e.g. the wheel brakes 122 of the non-steerable wheels 110, 112, while at the same time disable the anti-lock braking functionality for e.g. the wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106, and vice versa. The anti-lock braking system is thus arranged to be individually controllable for the wheel brakes. The anti-lock braking system may be an integrated control functionality of the control unit 41.
The control unit 41 may form part of an overall vehicle control system implemented on one or more vehicle unit computers (VUC). The VUC may be configured to execute vehicle control methods which are organized according to a layered functional architecture where some functionality may be comprised in a traffic situation management (TSM) domain in a higher layer. The TSM function plans driving operation with a time horizon of, e.g., 10 seconds or so. This time frame corresponds to, e.g., the time it takes for the vehicle to negotiate a curve. The vehicle maneuvers, planned and executed by the TSM, can be associated with acceleration profiles and curvature profiles which describe a desired vehicle velocity and turning for a given maneuver. The TSM continuously requests the desired acceleration profiles areq and curvature profiles Creq from the VMM function which performs force allocation to meet the requests from the TSM in a safe and robust manner.
Furthermore, the control unit 41 may include a control circuitry, microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable digital signal processor or another programmable device. The control unit may also, or instead, include an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array or programmable array logic, a programmable logic device, or a digital signal processor. Where the control unit includes a programmable device such as the microprocessor, microcontroller or programmable digital signal processor mentioned above, the processor may further include computer executable code that controls operation of the programmable device.
In order to describe the operation of the backup motion system in further detail, reference is made to
If the driving situation is as depicted by the current motion denoted as 206, the control unit 41 controls the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106 to be arranged in a disabled state. The control unit 41 also controls the wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106 to be engaged. Since the anti-lock braking system is disabled, the wheel brakes can apply more or less full brake power and potentially be locked depending on the current friction between the wheel and road surface. Preferably, the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels 104, 106 are engaged by a brake force having a maximum brake force capability.
Reference is made to
When the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes 102 of the steerable wheels 104, 106 are arranged in the disabled state, and the wheel brakes of each of the steerable wheels 104, 106 are engaged by a brake force having a maximum brake force capability, substantially all brake force will be in the longitudinal direction, i.e. the lateral wheel force Fy,104, Fy,106 will be substantially zero. Hereby, and with reference to
Preferably, the wheel brakes 122 of the non-steerable wheels 110, 112 are also engaged with the anti-lock braking system for these brakes enabled. This will assist in reducing the speed of the vehicle to a final stand-still. In such situation, the non-steerable wheels 110, 112 are still exposed to the lateral forces Fy,110, Fy,112.
According to an example embodiment, the control unit 41 may be configured to determine a difference between the current motion and the desired motion. The control unit may further determine or predict a coming trajectory of the vehicle 10 during braking with the anti-lock braking system enabled, as well as to determine or predict a coming trajectory of the vehicle 10 with the anti-lock braking system disabled. The control unit can compare the coming trajectory with the enabled anti-lock braking system and the coming trajectory with the disabled anti-lock braking system. The comparison may preferably be made in relation to e.g. a road map, or equivalent. Based on the comparison and the road map data, the control unit determines whether to enable or disable the anti-lock braking system, and controls the wheel brakes to be applied.
In order to sum up, reference is made to
The control unit 41 compares S2 the current motion with a desired motion for the vehicle 10. The current motion may thus not correspond to the desired motion but may take, as an example, the form as depicted with reference numerals 206 or 208 in
When a difference between the current motion and the desired motion exceeds a predetermined threshold limit, the control unit transmits a control signal to the anti-lock braking system such that the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels is arranged in the disabled state. In further detail, the transmitted control signal represents instructions causing the anti-lock braking system for the wheel brakes of the steerable wheels to be arranged in a disabled state. Hence, the control unit controls (S3) the anti-lock braking system to be arranged in the disabled state. The control unit 41 also controls the wheel brakes 102 to be engaged (S4). As described above, the vehicle will not continue to follow the erroneous path, but instead follow a tangential direction from the point in time when the brakes are engaged, while at the same time reduce the speed until the vehicle is arranged in a stand-still operation.
It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/068761 | 7/7/2021 | WO |
