# US 11,030,031 B2 · Redundant sensor fabric for autonomous vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,030,031 B2 - Document ID: US11030031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/388,957 - Filed: 2019-04-19 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-19 - Assignees: Ghost Locomotion Inc. - Applicants: Ghost Locomotion Inc. - Inventors: John Hayes; Volkmar Uhlig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11030031B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/0739: {in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems} - B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models} - B60W 50/023: Avoiding failures by using redundant parts - B60W 50/029: Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts - B60W 50/04: Monitoring the functioning of the control system - G05B 23/0221: {Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods} - G06F 11/0721: {within a central processing unit [CPU]} - G06F 11/0757: {by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs} - G06F 11/1004: {to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum (G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00)} - G06F 11/1616: {where the redundant component is an I/O device or an adapter therefor} - G06F 11/20: using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements - G06F 11/2007: {using redundant communication media} - G06F 11/2017: {where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant (redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089)} - G06F 11/2028: {eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare} - B60W 2050/0215: {Sensor drifts or sensor failures} - B60W 2050/0292: {Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A redundant sensor fabric in an autonomous vehicle may include receiving, by a processing unit, sensor data from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors associated with a same sensing space of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a fault associated with the first sensor; establishing, via a switched fabric, a communications path between the processing unit and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and receiving, by the processing unit, sensor data from the second sensor instead of the first sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a redundant sensor fabric in an autonomous vehicle, comprising: receiving, by a processing unit, sensor data from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors associated with a same sensing space of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a fault associated with the first sensor; establishing, via a switched fabric, in response to detecting the fault, a communications path between the processing unit and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and receiving, by the processing unit, sensor data from the second sensor instead of the first sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the sensor data from the first sensor is non-qualifiable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises comparing the sensor data from the first sensor and sensor data from at least one other sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the first sensor is obstructed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor comprises a redundant sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is configured to provide, via the switched fabric, sensor data to another processing unit, and wherein establishing the communications path comprises providing the sensor data from the second sensor to the processing unit and the another processing unit. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for a redundant sensor fabric in an autonomous vehicle, the apparatus configured to perform steps comprising: receiving, by a processing unit, sensor data from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors associated with a same sensing space of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a fault associated with the first sensor; establishing, via a switched fabric, a communications path between the processing unit and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and receiving, by the processing unit, sensor data from the second sensor instead of the first sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the sensor data from the first sensor is non-qualifiable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises comparing the sensor data from the first sensor and sensor data from at least one other sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the first sensor is obstructed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second sensor comprises a redundant sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second sensor is configured to provide, via the switched fabric, sensor data to another processing unit, and wherein establishing the communications path comprises providing the sensor data from the second sensor to the processing unit and the another processing unit. ### Claim 13 An autonomous vehicle implementing a redundant sensor fabric, the autonomous vehicle comprising an apparatus configured to perform steps comprising: receiving, by a processing unit, sensor data from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors associated with a same sensing space of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a fault associated with the first sensor; establishing, via a switched fabric, a communications path between the processing unit and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and receiving, by the processing unit, sensor data from the second sensor instead of the first sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the sensor data from the first sensor is non-qualifiable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises comparing the sensor data from the first sensor and sensor data from at least one other sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle of claim 15, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the first sensor is obstructed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second sensor comprises a redundant sensor of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second sensor is configured to provide, via the switched fabric, sensor data to another processing unit, and wherein establishing the communications path comprises providing the sensor data from the second sensor to the processing unit and the another processing unit. ### Claim 19 A computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions for a redundant sensor fabric in an autonomous vehicle that, when executed, cause a computer system to carry out the steps of: receiving, by a processing unit, sensor data from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors associated with a same sensing space of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a fault associated with the first sensor; establishing, via a switched fabric, a communications path between the processing unit and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and receiving, by the processing unit, sensor data from the second sensor instead of the first sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein detecting the fault associated with the first sensor comprises determining that the sensor data from the first sensor is non-qualifiable.