# US 8,788,116 B2 · Autopilot system for use in a wind tunnel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,116 B2 - Document ID: US8788116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/558,972 - Filed: 2009-09-14 - Published: 2010-03-18 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-12 - Assignees: MTS Systems Corporation - Applicants: Bradley C. Litz - Inventors: Bradley C. Litz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788116B2 ## CPC - G01M 17/0074: {Details, e.g. roller construction, vehicle restraining devices} - G05D 1/0238: {using obstacle or wall sensors (G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93)} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A roadway system for a vehicle and a method for testing a vehicle on a roadway system are provided. The roadway system and/or method include a platform having at least one movable endless belt configured to support a vehicle. A sensor assembly is configured to provide an output signal indicative of position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle on the belt with respect to at least one reference axis. An autopilot system is configured to operate a component of the vehicle to control the vehicle on the belt with respect to the reference axis based on the output signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A roadway system for a vehicle, comprising: a platform having at least one movable endless belt configured to engage a tire and wheel assembly and support a vehicle; a sensor assembly configured to provide an output signal indicative of position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle on the belt with respect to at least one reference axis; and an autopilot system configured to operate a steering component of a steering system of the vehicle that controls steering of the tire and wheel assembly of the vehicle or configured to operate a speed component of a speed control system of the vehicle that controls a rotational speed of the tire and wheel assembly of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The roadway system of claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is arranged to sense a lateral position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle across the belt in a direction orthogonal to a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The roadway system of claim 2 wherein the autopilot system comprises an actuator on the vehicle configured to control the steering component of the steering system of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The roadway system of claim 3 and further comprising a restraint coupled to the vehicle and the platform to restrain the vehicle in a direction of motion of the belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The roadway system of claim 4 and further comprising a lateral restraint coupled to the vehicle and the platform to selectively restrain the vehicle laterally on the belt in a direction of motion orthogonal to the motion of the belt when selected displacement of the vehicle laterally on the belt has been exceeded. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The roadway system of claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly is arranged to sense a longitudinal position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle along the belt in a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The roadway system of claim 6 wherein the autopilot system comprises an actuator on the vehicle configured to control the speed component of the speed control system of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The roadway system of claim 7 wherein the sensor assembly is arranged to sense a lateral position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle across the belt in a direction orthogonal to a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The roadway system of claim 8 wherein the autopilot system is configured to control steering of the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The roadway system of claim 9 and further comprising a restraint coupled to the vehicle and the platform to restrain the vehicle in a direction of motion on the belt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The roadway system of claim 10 wherein the restraint comprises a lateral restraint coupled to the vehicle and the platform to selectively restrain the vehicle laterally on the belt in a direction of motion orthogonal to the motion of the belt when selected displacement of the vehicle laterally on the belt has been exceeded. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The roadway system of claim 7 wherein the autopilot system comprises an autopilot controller to provide an output signal to control the speed component of the speed control system of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The roadway system of claim 12 wherein the speed component of the vehicle comprises a controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The roadway system of claim 1 and further comprising a fan configured to blow air over the endless belt and wherein the platform is movable so as to selectively orient the endless belt relative to the fan. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The roadway system of claim 1 and further comprising a sensor on the vehicle configured to measure forces, moments or other characteristics of loading on the vehicle experienced by a passenger of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The roadway system of claim 15 wherein the sensor is configured to measure forces, moments or other characteristics of loading on the steering wheel of the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The roadway system of claim 2 wherein the autopilot system comprises an autopilot controller to provide an output signal to control the steering component of the steering system of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The roadway system of claim 17 wherein the steering component of the vehicle comprises a controller. ### Claim 19 A method for testing a vehicle in a wind tunnel having a movable endless belt, the method comprising: rotating the endless belt with the vehicle present; sensing position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle on the belt with respect to at least one reference axis and providing an output signal in accordance therewith; receiving the output signal as an input in an autopilot system; and operating a component of the vehicle based on the output signal to control the vehicle on the belt, wherein operating comprises at least one of operating a steering system of the vehicle to obtain a desired lateral position of the vehicle on the endless belt without lateral restraint provided to the vehicle to restrain the vehicle in the desired lateral position with respect to the reference axis or operating a speed control system of the vehicle to obtain a desired longitudinal position of the vehicle on the endless belt without longitudinal restraint provided to the vehicle to restrain the vehicle in the desired longitudinal position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein sensing includes sensing a lateral position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle across the belt in a direction orthogonal to a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein operating includes steering the vehicle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein operating the steering system comprises operating an actuator coupled to a component of the steering system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein sensing includes sensing a longitudinal position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle along the belt in a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 wherein operating includes controlling speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein sensing includes sensing a lateral position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle across the belt in a direction orthogonal to a direction of motion of the belt proximate the vehicle. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein operating includes steering the vehicle. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein operating the speed control system comprises operating an actuator coupled to a component of the speed control system. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein operating the actuator comprises providing an input signal to a controller of the vehicle that controls operation of the actuator. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 and further comprising selectively orienting the endless belt and the vehicle relative to air from a fan; and blowing air over the vehicle and the endless belt when movement of the air and a portion of belt under the vehicle are non-parallel. ### Claim 30 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 and providing a sensor on the vehicle and measuring forces, moments or other characteristics of loading on the vehicle experienced by a passenger of the vehicle. ### Claim 31 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein measuring comprises measuring forces, moments or other characteristics related to steering the vehicle. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein operating the actuator comprises providing an input signal to a controller of the vehicle that controls operation of the actuator. ### Claim 33 A roadway system for a vehicle, comprising: a platform having at least one movable endless belt configured to support a vehicle; a sensor assembly configured to provide an output signal indicative of position, displacement, velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle on the belt with respect to at least one reference axis; and an autopilot system configured to operate based on the output signal of at least one of operating a steering system of the vehicle to obtain a desired lateral position of the vehicle on the endless belt without lateral restraint provided to the vehicle to restrain the vehicle in the desired lateral position with respect to the reference axis or a speed control system of the vehicle to obtain a desired longitudinal position of the vehicle on the endless belt without longitudinal restraint provided to the vehicle to restrain the vehicle in the desired longitudinal position.