US 11,385,640 B2Granted

Dynamic in-cabin autonomous vehicle control systems

AssigneesCNH Industrial America LLC, Autonomous Solutions, Inc.

InventorsChristopher A. Foster, John H. Posselius, Bret T. Turpin, Daniel J. Morwood

Life of this patent

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Abstract

One embodiment describes a control system in an automation system including a first portion located at a first vehicle, which includes a first autonomous module that autonomously controls operation of the first vehicle to perform operations in a first area based at least in part on a first target operation result while the first portion is in an autonomous mode; and a second portion located at a second vehicle, in which the second portion includes a second autonomous module that autonomously controls operation of the second vehicle to perform operations in a second area based at least in part on a second target operation result while the second portion is in the autonomous mode and a first command module that determines the first target operation result and the second target operation result based at least in part on a global plan that indicates a total target operation result.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An autonomous vehicle system comprising:

a first autonomous module to be deployed in a first autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle system, wherein the first autonomous module is configured to autonomously control operation of the first autonomous vehicle based at least in part on first sensor data associated with operation of the first autonomous vehicle while the first autonomous vehicle is in an autonomous mode;
and
an activated command module to be deployed in one of a plurality of autonomous vehicles comprising the first autonomous vehicle and a second autonomous vehicle, wherein the activated command module is configured to, while the first autonomous vehicle is in the autonomous mode:
instruct the first autonomous vehicle to disengage a first one or more input devices implemented in the first autonomous vehicle to enable the first autonomous module to autonomously control operation of the first autonomous vehicle;
and
when the activated command module is deployed in the first autonomous vehicle, instruct the first autonomous vehicle to relay a first one or more user inputs received via the first one or more input devices deployed in the first autonomous vehicle to the second autonomous vehicle in the autonomous vehicle system to enable an operator to manually control operation of the second autonomous vehicle using the first one or more input devices deployed in the first autonomous vehicle while the second autonomous vehicle is in a manual mode.

3 more elements

One or more tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause one or more processors of an autonomous vehicle system to:

determine first sensor data resulting from operation of a first autonomous vehicle in the autonomous vehicle system;
and
while the first autonomous vehicle is in an autonomous mode:
instruct the first autonomous vehicle to disengage a first one or more input devices deployed in the first autonomous vehicle to enable a first autonomous module to autonomously control operation of the first autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the first sensor data;
and
instruct the first autonomous vehicle to relay a first one or more user inputs received via the first one or more input devices deployed in the first autonomous vehicle to a second autonomous vehicle in the autonomous vehicle system to enable a user to manually control operation of the second autonomous vehicle using the first one or more input devices deployed in the first autonomous vehicle while the second autonomous vehicle is in a manual mode.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/455,140Filed 27 Jun 2019 · division
Priority: 27 May 2016
Published: US 2019/0317501 A117 Oct 2019
Granted: 12 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A01B 69/008
Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow: automatic
A01B 69/00
Steering of agricultural machines or implements
G05D 1/00
Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or
G05D 1/0212
Specially adapted to land vehicles: with means for defining a desired trajectory

Family

Application15/166,734Parent of this division · filed 27 May 2016
US 2019/0317501 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Oct 2019
US 10,372,126 B2Parent of this division
US 2017/0344004 A1Published application
US 11,385,640 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.