US 12,485,910 B2Granted

Automated swarming vehicle test environment

AssigneeAutonomous Solutions, Inc.

InventorsBrian Stewart, Paul Lewis, Ben Hill, Dave Hollingshead, Sean Gardner, John Peterson, Kasper Woiceshyn, Eric Budd

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Abstract

An automated swarming vehicle test environment includes a vehicle automation platform (VAP), a first swarming vehicle, and a second swarming vehicle. In some embodiments, a first test plan is created by a VAP for a first swarming vehicle. The first test plan comprises: a time series of vehicle trajectory data for the first swarming vehicle, and position data for the first swarming vehicle relative to a test vehicle. The first test plan is sent from the VAP to the first swarming vehicle. In some embodiments, a second test plan is created by the VAP for a second swarming vehicle. The second test plan comprises: a time series of vehicle trajectory data for the second swarming vehicle, and position data for the second swarming vehicle relative to the test vehicle. The second test plan is sent from the VAP to the second swarming vehicle.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An automated swarming vehicle test system comprising:

a vehicle automation platform that:
receives data for a system test plan from a user, wherein the test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that includes:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
first swarming vehicle location (TI x),
first swarming vehicle location (TI y),
second swarming vehicle location relative to the test v (T2 x),
second swarming vehicle location (T2 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
first swarming vehicle speed (TISpeed),
second swarming vehicle speed (T2Speed),
test vehicle direction (Vheading),
first swarming vehicle direction (TIHeading);
second swarming vehicle direction;
creates a first test plan based on the system test plan, the first test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers for a first swarming vehicle relative to a test vehicle that vary over time,
wherein the test vehicle is different than the first swarming vehicle and creates a second test plan based on the system test plan,
the second test plan being different than the first test plan,
the second test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers for a second swarming vehicle relative to the test vehicle that vary over time;
the first swarming vehicle comprising:
a first vehicle control unit in communication with the vehicle automation platform that receives the first test plan from the vehicle automation platform;
a first throttle subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
a first steering subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
and a first brake subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
wherein the first vehicle control unit controls the operation of the first throttle subsystem, the first steering subsystem, and the first brake subsystem based on the first test plan;
the second swarming vehicle comprising:
a second vehicle control unit in communication with the vehicle automation platform that receives the second test plan from the vehicle automation platform;
a second throttle subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
a second steering subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
and a second brake subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
wherein the second vehicle control unit controls the operation of the second throttle subsystem, the second steering subsystem, and the second brake subsystem based on the second test plan,
wherein the vehicle automation platform does not send the first test plan or the second test plan to the test vehicle.

29 more elements

A vehicle automation platform comprising:

a transceiver;
and
a controller communicatively coupled with the transceiver, the controller:
creates a first test plan for a first swarming vehicle, the first test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers that vary over time, the first test plan comprises:
a time series of vehicle trajectory data for the first swarming vehicle that includes:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
first swarming vehicle location (T1 x),
first swarming vehicle location (T1 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
first swarming vehicle speed (T1Speed),
test vehicle direction (Vheading), and
first swarming vehicle direction (T1Heading);
sends the first test plan to the first swarming vehicle via the transceiver;
creates a second test plan for a second swarming vehicle, the second test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers that vary over time, the second test plan is different than the first test plan, the second test plan comprises:
a time series of vehicle trajectory data for the second swarming vehicle that includes:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
second swarming vehicle location (T1 x),
second swarming vehicle location (T1 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
second swarming vehicle speed (T1Speed), and
test vehicle direction (Vheading),
second swarming vehicle direction (T1Heading);
and
sends the second test plan to the second swarming vehicle via the transceiver;
wherein the controller does not send the first test plan or the second test plan to the test vehicle.

26 more elements

A method comprising:

creating at a vehicle automation platform a first test plan for a first swarming vehicle, the first test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers that vary over time, the first test plan comprises:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
first swarming vehicle location (T1 x),
first swarming vehicle location (T1 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
first swarming vehicle speed (T1Speed),
test vehicle direction (Vheading), and
first swarming vehicle direction (T1Heading);
sending the first test plan from the vehicle automation platform to the first swarming vehicle;
creating at the vehicle automation platform a second test plan for a second swarming vehicle, the second test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers that vary over time, the second test plan is different than the first test plan the second test plan comprises:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
second swarming vehicle location (T1 x),
second swarming vehicle location (T1 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
second swarming vehicle speed (T1Speed),
test vehicle direction (Vheading), and
second swarming vehicle direction (T1Heading)
and
sending the second test plan from the vehicle automation platform to the second swarming vehicle;
wherein the vehicle automation platform does not send the first test plan or the second test plan to the test vehicle.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/031,288Filed 24 Sep 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 24 Sep 2019
Published: US 2021/0086784 A125 Mar 2021
Granted: 2 Dec 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

B60W 50/045
Monitoring the functioning of the control system: monitoring control system parameters
G06F 11/3684
Test management: for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
B60W 30/09
Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences: taking automatic action…
G01M 17/007
Testing of vehicles: wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles