Distributed control for vehicle combination

Abstract

Disclosed is a distributed control for a vehicle combination, in particular a computer system for a vehicle combination, comprising: a first controller implemented in a first unit of the vehicle combination, the first controller determines, in a first mode of operation, a requested unit control input for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination; and a second controller implemented in a second unit of the vehicle combination, the second controller receiving a requested unit control input for the second unit from the first controller in a first mode of operation, and implementing the requested unit control input for the second unit in the second unit, and determining, in a second mode of operation, a requested unit control input for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on the reference input. A computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle control. In particular aspects, the present disclosure relates to distributed control for a vehicle combination. The present disclosure may be applicable to heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, as well as other vehicle types. Although the present disclosure may be described with respect to particular vehicles, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A control system for a vehicle combination may include a primary controller and a secondary (backup) controller for use in the event of a failure of the primary controller, such as to continue the vehicle's mission or to enable a safe stop maneuver. The controllers are typically located within the tractor unit of the vehicle combination. However, a significant amount of additional infrastructure is required to implement a secondary controller that is only active in the event of a failure, such as the hardware required to implement the secondary controller and the infrastructure for detecting a failure in the primary controller.

[0003] Accordingly, there is a desire to provide systems, methods, and other means that attempt to solve or at least mitigate one or more of these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides systems, methods, and other means for controlling a vehicle combination. Specifically, a control system is provided that includes a first controller implemented in a first unit of the vehicle combination and a second controller implemented in a second unit of the vehicle combination. During normal operation, the first controller is configured to determine control inputs for other units of the vehicle combination, and the second controller is configured to receive and implement the control inputs for the second unit. In another mode of operation, such as in the event of a failure of the first controller or the first unit, the second controller is configured to determine control inputs for other units of the vehicle combination.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a computer system is provided that includes processing circuitry configured to implement: a first controller implemented in a first unit of the vehicle combination, the first controller being configured to determine requested unit control inputs for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination in a first mode of operation; a second controller implemented in a second unit of the vehicle combination, the second controller being configured to receive the requested unit control inputs for the second unit from the first controller in the first mode of operation and implement the requested unit control inputs for the second unit in the second unit, and to determine requested unit control inputs for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on the reference input in a second mode of operation.

[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure may seek to provide a vehicle movement management method that provides redundancy for the functions of a main controller, such that safe and accurate control of a vehicle combination can always be ensured. By implementing a secondary controller in a unit different from the main controller, it can be used independently of the state of the main controller and its unit (e.g., in the event of a failure). Another advantage of this method is that these functions can be provided by controllers already implemented in the vehicle combination, thus eliminating the need for additional infrastructure required for an additional independent standby controller.

[0007] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the second operating mode is triggered by detecting a fault associated with the first controller and / or the first unit. Technical benefits may include providing redundancy for the functions of the main controller in the event of an error or failure of the main controller, such that safe and accurate control of the vehicle combination can always be ensured.

[0008] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is further configured to implement a monitor that is configured to monitor the operation of the first controller and / or the first unit and detect the fault. Technical benefits may include reactive and real-time detection of faults associated with the main controller and / or its unit.

[0009] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the monitor is configured to detect the fault by comparing the requested control input from the first controller with one or more requested unit control inputs and / or one or more limits. Technical benefits may include providing an accurate and robust method for detecting faults in the controller.

[0010] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the monitor is configured to detect the fault by determining sensor values and / or covariance values associated with one or more units of the vehicle combination. Technical benefits may include providing an accurate and robust method for detecting faults in the controller.

[0011] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the monitor is implemented in the second controller. Technical benefits may include being able to monitor the performance of the main controller from outside the unit of the main controller, thus ensuring accurate and robust fault detection.

[0012] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, in the second operating mode, the second controller is configured to implement the requested unit control input for the first unit in the first unit. Technical benefits may include the ability to control the unit even in the event of a failure of the unit's controller.

[0013] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is further configured to implement a comparator, and in the first operating mode, the second controller is configured to determine a predicted unit control input for the one or more units of the vehicle combination based on the reference input, and the comparator is configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs from the first controller and the one or more predicted unit control inputs from the second controller, and if there is a difference between the one or more requested unit control inputs and the one or more predicted unit control inputs, determine that there is a fault associated with the first controller or the second controller. Technical benefits may include providing an accurate and robust method for detecting faults in the controller.

[0014] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is further configured to implement a virtual controller, and in the first operating mode, the virtual controller is configured to determine a virtual unit control input for the one or more units of the vehicle combination based on the reference input, and the comparator is further configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs, the one or more predicted vehicle control inputs, and the one or more virtual vehicle control inputs, and based on the comparison, determine which of the first controller or the second controller has a fault. Technical benefits may include providing an accurate and robust method for detecting faults in the controller.

[0015] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuit is further configured to implement a third controller, and the third controller is configured to implement a minimum risk maneuver in response to detecting a fault associated with the first controller and / or the second controller. Technical benefits may include providing a fail-safe mechanism that enables the vehicle combination to be controlled in a safe manner in the event of a failure of one or more controllers.

[0016] Optionally, in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first unit is the tractor unit of the vehicle combination, and the second unit is the trailer unit of the vehicle combination. Technical benefits may include providing redundancy for the functions of the master controller that can be implemented in the existing control infrastructure of the vehicle combination.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including the computer system. The second aspect of the present disclosure may seek to provide a vehicle combination that has redundancy for the functions of a master controller that can be implemented in an existing control infrastructure.

[0018] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is provided, which includes: in a first operating mode, at a first controller implemented in a first unit of a vehicle combination, determining a requested unit control input for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination; receiving, by a second controller implemented in a second unit of the vehicle combination, the requested unit control input for the second unit from the first controller; and implementing, by the second controller in the second unit, the requested unit control input for the second unit; and in a second operating mode, determining, by the second controller, a requested unit control input for one or more units of the vehicle combination based on the reference input.

[0019] The third aspect of the present disclosure may seek to provide a vehicle movement management method that provides redundancy for the functions of a master controller, such that safe and accurate control of a vehicle combination can always be ensured. By implementing a secondary controller in a unit different from the master controller, it can be used independently of the state of the master controller and its unit (e.g., in the event of a failure). Another advantage of this method is that these functions can be provided by controllers that are already implemented in the vehicle combination, thus eliminating the need for additional infrastructure required for an additional independent backup controller.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including program code for performing the computer-implemented method when executed by a processing circuit. The fourth aspect of the present disclosure may seek to provide program code for providing redundancy for the functions of a master controller. Technical benefits may include that new vehicles and / or traditional vehicles can be conveniently configured by software installation / updating to be controlled in an improved manner.

[0021] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions is provided, the instructions causing the processing circuit to perform the computer-implemented method when executed by the processing circuit. The fifth aspect of the present disclosure may seek to provide program code for providing redundancy for the functions of a master controller. Technical benefits may include that new vehicles and / or traditional vehicles can be conveniently configured by software installation / updating to be controlled in an improved manner.

[0022] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosed aspects, examples (including any preferred examples), and / or appended claims may be appropriately combined with each other. Additional features and advantages are disclosed in the following description, claims, and drawings, and will be partly apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art or will be recognized by practicing the present disclosure as described herein.

[0023] Also disclosed herein are computer systems, control units, code modules, computer-implemented methods, computer-readable media, and computer program products associated with the technical benefits discussed above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Examples will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 A top view of a vehicle combination according to an example is schematically shown.

[0026] Figure 2 A control system for a vehicle according to an example is schematically shown in the form of functional blocks.

[0027] Figure 3 An implementation of the control system in the top view of the vehicle combination according to an example is schematically shown.

[0028] Figure 4A A first operating mode of the control system according to an example is schematically shown in the form of functional blocks.

[0029] Figure 4B A second operating mode of the control system according to an example is schematically shown in the form of functional blocks.

[0030] Figure 5 An implementation of the control system according to another example is schematically shown in the form of functional blocks.

[0031] Figure 6A is a flowchart of a computer-implemented method according to an example.

[0032] Figure 6B is a flowchart of a computer-implemented method according to an example.

[0033] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a computer system for implementing the examples disclosed herein.

[0034] Throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The detailed description set forth below provides information and examples of the disclosed technology in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the present disclosure.

[0036] The control system of a vehicle combination may include a primary controller and a secondary (backup) controller, which is used when the primary controller fails. Both controllers are usually located in the tractor unit of the vehicle combination. This implementation requires a large amount of additional infrastructure to implement the secondary controller that is only active in case of failure. In addition, if the controllers are located in the same unit, a severe failure of the unit may cause both controllers to fail.

[0037] To solve this problem, systems, methods, and other means for controlling a vehicle combination are provided. Specifically, a control system is provided that includes a first controller implemented in a first unit of the vehicle combination and a second controller implemented in a second unit of the vehicle combination. During normal operation, the first controller is configured to determine control inputs for other units of the vehicle combination, and the second controller is configured to receive and implement control inputs for the second unit. In another operating mode, for example, when there is a failure of the first controller or the first unit, the second controller is configured to determine control inputs for other units of the vehicle combination.

[0038] This can always ensure safe and accurate control of the vehicle combination. By implementing the second controller in a unit different from the first controller, it can be used independently of the state of the first controller and its unit (e.g., in the case of a failure of the first controller or a severe failure of the first unit). Another advantage of this method is that the second controller can be implemented in the existing control infrastructure of the vehicle unit. For example, modern "intelligent" trailers have controllers for coordinating various devices (such as service brake actuators, propulsion devices, steering axles, automatic docking systems) of a single unit. The trailer controller can operate in a master-slave configuration, where the master controller is located in the tractor unit. These existing trailer controllers can be used as the second controller of the vehicle combination and take over in case of a failure of the first controller, thus eliminating the need for additional infrastructure required for an additional independent backup controller.

[0039] Figure 1 A top view of an exemplary vehicle combination 100 of the type contemplated in the present disclosure is schematically shown. The vehicle combination 100 includes a plurality of units 110 (including a tractor unit and at least one trailer unit). Each unit 110 can be assigned an index i, and the total number of units 110 in the vehicle combination 100 is designated as n. Although two trailer units are shown, it is understood that the vehicle combination 100 can include more or fewer trailer units connected to each other. This results in different types and names of vehicle combinations.

[0040] A tractor unit (such as tractor unit 110-1) is typically the foremost unit in the vehicle combination 100 and may include a cab for the driver (including steering controls, dashboard display, etc.). Generally, the tractor unit 110-1 is used to provide propulsion power for the vehicle combination 100. In Figure 1 the example of, the tractor unit 110-1 may also be used to store the goods being transported by the vehicle combination 100.

[0041] Trailer units (such as trailer units 110-i, 110-n) are typically used to store the goods being transported by the vehicle combination 100. The trailer units can be trucks, trailers, dollies, etc. The trailer units can also provide propulsion force for the vehicle combination 100. A trailer unit without a front axle is called a semi-trailer. In such as Figure 1 the vehicle combination shown, vehicle motion management can be performed at the unit level to receive requests from a manual or virtual driver to coordinate propulsion, braking, and steering, as will be discussed below.

[0042] Although each unit 110 is shown with two axles, it is understood that any suitable number of axles can be provided on the corresponding unit 110. It should also be understood that any number of tractor axles and / or trailer axles can be drive axles, including zero (i.e., one of the units 110 can include at least one drive axle while the other does not).

[0043] The vehicle combination 100 can include one or more propulsion sources. For example, one or more of the units 110 can include one or more electric motors 120 (such as electric motors). Each unit 110 can include one or more batteries 130 configured to supply power to the electric motors 120. In some examples, the unit 110 (typically the tractor unit 110-1) can also include another propulsion source, such as an internal combustion engine (ICE). The vehicle combination 100 also includes a drivetrain (not shown) to transfer mechanical power from the propulsion source (electric motor 120 or ICE) to the wheels. All units 110 can provide propulsion force for the vehicle combination 100.

[0044] The electric motor 120 is configured to drive one or more axles or individual wheels of the unit 110, for example, to supply torque and / or steering thereto. The electric motor 120 of the unit 110 can provide positive force (propulsion force) or negative force (braking force). In some examples, the electric motor can also operate as a generator so that the electric motor generates braking force when needed. Using the electric motor 120 to provide negative force is called regenerative braking.

[0045] In addition, each unit 110 may include one or more sets of service brakes 140. The service brakes 140 of unit 110 can provide a negative force (braking force). The service brakes 140 can be, for example, friction brakes such as pneumatic brakes. Pneumatic brakes use a compressor to inflate the brakes, and the compressor can be powered by the battery 130. In some examples, the service brakes can be electro-mechanical brakes or hydraulic brakes. The energy recovered from regenerative braking can be stored in the battery 130, so it is generally more preferable for the motor 110 to perform regenerative braking compared to using service brakes.

[0046] The ICE, motor 120, and service brakes 140 are considered actuators of the vehicle combination 100. There can also be other actuators. For example, a steering actuator 150 (such as a steering servo) can be provided and implemented as an electro-hydraulic actuator. Each actuator in a given unit 110 can be assigned an index k, and the total number of actuators in a given unit 110 is designated as m. The motor 120, service brakes 140, and steering actuator 150 are shown on the respective sides of each vehicle unit 110, but it can be understood that each axle and / or wheel can have an associated motor 120, a set of service brakes 140, and / or a set of steering actuators 150.

[0047] Figure 1 The forces of the vehicle combination 100 are also shown. Examples of the global forces of the entire vehicle combination 100 can include the total longitudinal / axial force F x,tot and the total lateral / radi al force F y,tot . Examples of the unit forces of the vehicle combination 100 can include the longitudinal / axial force F x,i 、lateral / radi al force F y,i and / or one or more yaw moments M z,i . To control the movement of the vehicle combination 100, the forces of the vehicle combination 100 must be determined and decomposed. This can be achieved by the control system 200 of the vehicle combination 100 (as Figure 2 shown), which determines control data based on the requested reference input and certain operating conditions of the vehicle combination 100.

[0048] Figure 2An exemplary control system 200 for a vehicle (such as vehicle combination 100) is schematically shown in the form of a functional block. The control system 200 is used to perform various functions of the vehicle combination 100, such as power management and motion coordination. The control system 200 includes a target generator 202, a tactical layer 204, a state estimator 206, an energy manager 208, a combined control allocator 210, and a plurality of unit control allocators 212. The various modules can be implemented, for example, as code running on a processing circuit or similar device. The various modules can include a processing circuit configured to implement the various operations disclosed below. The various modules can include a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to perform the various operations. The various modules can be communicatively connected or connectable to each other, as is well known in the art.

[0049] The purpose of the target generator 202 is to determine the requested input r for the vehicle combination 100 req and the virtual control input v comb,req . The requested input r req is determined based on inputs related to the maneuvers for the vehicle combination 100 and represents the requested movement of the vehicle combination 100. The virtual combined control input v comb,req is determined based on the requested reference input r req and the motion capabilities v of the vehicle combination 100 comb,cap . The target generator 202 includes a path planner / controller 214 and a force generator 216.

[0050] Specifically, the target generator 202 can receive inputs related to the maneuvers for the vehicle combination 100. The maneuvers can be, for example, straight driving, turning, braking, etc. The target generator 202 can receive data from, for example, the steering wheel and / or the throttle / brake pedal of the vehicle combination 100, the data indicating that the driver (or some other system of the vehicle combination 100) wants to change the direction and / or speed of the vehicle combination 100 in a certain way. In some examples, the data may originate from elsewhere, such as any other system that can provide some indication of how to affect the overall forces on the vehicle combination 100 (e.g., steering, propulsion, or braking). For example, the data may originate from a lane assist system, a lane following system, an emergency steering system, an emergency braking system, an automatic or semi-automatic driving system. Based on this input, the target generator 202 outputs the requested reference input r req . Specifically, the path planner / controller 214 determines the requested reference input r req . The requested reference input r req can include at least one of the following: the longitudinal acceleration a of the entire vehicle combination 100 or the unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100 (e.g., the unit 110 including the combined control allocator 210)x - The longitudinal speed v of the tractor unit 110-1 x1 - The lateral speed v of the tractor unit 110-1 y1 - The yaw rate ω of at least one unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100 zi - And the steering angle δ of the tractor unit 110-1 f,req .

[0051] The virtual combination control input v comb,req is determined based on the requested input r req . Specifically, the force generator 216 determines the virtual combination control input v comb,req . The virtual combination control input v comb,req may include the requested motion parameters for the vehicle combination 100. Specifically, it is determined the force F req that needs to be applied to the entire vehicle combination 100 in order to follow the requested input r tot,req and / or the moment M z,tot,req . The requested motion parameters included in the combined virtual control input v comb,req of the vehicle combination 100 may include the longitudinal force F x,tot,req of the vehicle combination 100, the lateral force F y,tot,req of the vehicle combination 100, the longitudinal coupling force F cxi,req between consecutive units 110, and the lateral coupling force F cyi,req between consecutive units 110. These constitute the total force F tot,req applied to the vehicle combination 100. The requested motion parameters included in the combined virtual control input v comb,req of the vehicle combination 100 may include the yaw moment M z,i,req of one or more units 110.

[0052] The virtual combination control input v comb,req may also be determined based on the state information y 1 from different units 110 of the vehicle combination 100 and the motion capabilities v comb,cap of the vehicle combination 100. The state information y 1 may include information from sensors of the vehicle combination 100 (such as wheel speed sensors, inertial measurement units, articulation angle sensors, etc.). The motion capabilities v comb,cap of the vehicle combination 100 may describe the motion parameter limits for the safe operation of the vehicle combination 100. The motion capabilities v comb,cap may include the longitudinal force F x.tot,cap of the vehicle combination 100, the lateral force F y,tot,cap of the vehicle combination 100, and at least one of the yaw moments M z,i,cap of one or more units 110.

[0053] Virtual combined control input v comb,req It can be determined based on a vehicle model. The vehicle model can be any suitable model, such as models known in the art. The model can be based on real tests, computer model simulations, machine learning models, or other suitable methods known in the art. The vehicle model can provide a motion prediction of the vehicle combination 100 by looking at previous steering inputs and acceleration inputs. The prediction can include instabilities such as understeer or rollover risks, for example, within a one-second range. The model can be, for example, a single-track model, i.e., the left and right wheels on a given axle are considered together. The actual unit can have an axle group containing multiple axles, but in the model, they are considered together. The tire model can be used in combination with the vehicle model. The tire model can consider the cornering stiffness of the tires of the vehicle combination 100.

[0054] The tactical layer 204 is responsible for ensuring that the trajectory of the entire combination 100 is obstacle-free and collision-free. The tactical layer 204 can also provide the requested reference input in the case of autonomous driving. The tactical layer 204 can also include predictive energy management, including determining the battery targets, capabilities, and states of how the energy of the vehicle combination 100 should be used to complete the entire mission.

[0055] In some examples, the tactical layer 204 can decide the state of charge (SoC) target of the battery 130 of the vehicle combination 100 based on the distance, considering slope changes, etc. in some cases. For example, the tactical layer 204 can request the battery 130 of the unit 110 with a higher SoC to discharge when going uphill because it can foresee that all the batteries 130 of the units 110 can be fully charged by regenerative braking during the subsequent downhill. In some examples, an SoC controller (not shown) can calculate the weighting factor of the SoC target. In some examples, the tactical layer 204 can send the target of the rate of change of energy state ( ) directly to the combined control distributor 210.

[0056] In addition, the tactical layer 204 can request to transfer energy from one unit 110 to another unit through propulsion in one unit 110 and regenerative braking in another unit (as explained in WO 2021 / 180300A1 under the name of Volvo Trucks Corporation). In another example, the tactical layer 204 requests the battery 130 of one unit 110 to discharge faster than the battery 130 of another unit 110 based on the number of available chargers in the subsequent charging station, or due to equalizing the charging times of all units 110 or minimizing the total charging time at the charging station.

[0057] The state estimator 206 is responsible for processing the state information y from different units 110 of the vehicle combination 100 2For example, the state estimator 206 can receive information from sensors of the vehicle combination 100, such as wheel speed sensors, inertial measurement units, articulation angle sensors, etc., and use this information to determine the state of the vehicle combination 100 and each unit. Then, the state estimator 206 can output the unit-specific state information x p to the energy manager 208 and output the unit-specific state information x c to the combined control allocator 210.

[0058] The energy manager 208 determines the power distribution between different units 110 of the vehicle combination 100. The energy manager 208 can also determine the power distribution within each unit 110, i.e., how to distribute the power demand among the actuators of the unit 110 (e.g., ICE, motor 120, service brake 140, and / or steering actuator 150). The inputs to the energy manager 208 include the requested reference input r req from the target generator 202 and the state SoX of the battery 130 of the vehicle combination 100. The energy manager 208 determines the power distribution and the associated power distribution input u comb,des . The power distribution can be determined based on the rate of change of the energy state of each unit 110 ( ) and / or the longitudinal part F of the requested force of the unit propulsion system xpi,req . The energy manager 208 can consider factors affecting long-term energy consumption, such as road grade, SoC state, charger location, etc., and determine the energy behavior as a function of energy over time. The energy manager 208 can also be configured as a power manager. For example, it can handle energy when considering a time horizon. It can handle power when considering instantaneous values.

[0059] Based on these values, the control allocators 210, 212 can determine the control data that satisfies the requested global force of the vehicle combination 100 to meet certain constraints, such as power management (optimizing battery usage) and safety constraints (ensuring that the trajectory of the entire combination 100 is obstacle-free and collision-free). Specifically, the control allocators 210, 212 determine how to control the various actuators of the vehicle combination 100 (e.g., ICE, motor 120, service brake 140, and / or steering actuator 150) in order to generate the requested global force of the entire vehicle combination 100. The combined control allocator 210 and the individual unit-specific control allocators 212 together form a distributed control allocation system for the vehicle combination 100. In this system, the control allocation is performed at multiple levels, i.e., first at the level of the entire vehicle combination 100 and then individually at the level of each vehicle unit 110.

[0060] The combined control allocator 210 receives the virtual combined control input v from the target generator 202comb,req Converted to the actual control input u for the vehicle combination 100 comb , where the actual control input describes the appropriate motion parameters for each unit 110. The combined control distributor 210 also converts the actual combined control input u comb into the requested unit control input u i , where the requested unit control input describes the force that each corresponding unit 110 has to generate in order to provide the actual control input u for the vehicle combination 100 comb . The actual control input u for the vehicle combination 100 comb includes the force F to be applied to the vehicle combination 100. The requested unit control input u i may include a virtual force control input F for the unit propulsion system pi,req and a virtual force control input F for the unit braking system bi,req .

[0061] The unit control distributor 212 includes a specific control distributor 212 for each unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100. The unit-specific virtual control input u output from the combined control distributor 210 i is converted by the unit-specific control distributor 212 into a unit-specific actual control input u k , where the actual control input describes the actual actuator commands. For example, the unit-specific control distributor 212 maps the forces and torques of each unit 110 to the steering and drive / brake torques to be applied at the wheels of each unit 110. To this end, the unit control distributor 212 may determine the virtual force control inputs for the respective actuators of the different systems of the unit: F for the actuators of the propulsion system pk,req , and F for the actuators of the braking system bk,req . Then, the unit control distributor 212 accordingly determines the unit-specific actual control input u k , which includes the actual force control input F for the unit's propulsion system pi and the actual force control input F for the unit's braking system bi . These may respectively include the actual force control inputs for the respective actuators of the unit: F for the unit's propulsion actuator pk and F for the unit's braking actuator bk .

[0062] In some examples, each unit 110 may be able to estimate its own capabilities u i,cap , e.g., how much and / or how fast the unit can move at the current time instance. The unit capabilities include the force capabilities F of its propulsion system pi,cap and the force capabilities F of its braking system bi,capThis can be based on the actuator capabilities u of each actuator k,cap , e.g., how much and / or how fast the unit can move at the current moment. Actuator capabilities include the force capabilities F of the actuator during propulsion pk,cap and the force capabilities F of the actuator during braking bk,cap . The actuators of each unit 110 can provide the actuator capabilities u to the corresponding unit control distributor 212-i k,cap , and the unit control distributor provides the unit capabilities u to the combined control distributor 210 i,cap . The unit capabilities u i,cap can also include the power input / output capabilities of the battery 130

[0063] Each unit 110 may also be able to estimate its own power loss P i,loss . The unit power loss P i,loss includes the power loss P of its propulsion system pi,loss and the power loss P of its braking system bi,loss . This can be based on the actuator power losses P of each actuator in the unit k,loss,i as well as other power losses in the unit 110, such as power losses in the battery and driveline. The actuator power loss P k,loss,i includes the power loss P of the propulsion actuator (e.g., motor 120, ICE, and / or other propulsion sources pk,loss,i and the power loss P of the braking actuator (e.g., motor 120 and / or service brake 140 bk,loss,i . The actuators of each unit 110 can provide the actuator power loss P to the corresponding unit control distributor 212-i k,loss,i , and the unit control distributor provides the unit power loss P to the combined control distributor 210 i,loss .

[0064] Generally Figure 2 , the combined control distributor 210 is implemented in the controller of the tractor unit 110-1, and the controller of each unit 110 includes a specific unit control distributor 212. In such an implementation, the controller of the tractor unit 110-1 determines the unit-specific virtual control input u i for each corresponding unit 110, and can be referred to as the master controller. The controllers of the trailer units 110-2 to 110-n (each controller including the corresponding unit control distributor 212) then provide the unit-specific actual control input u kAs an actuator command for the actuator of the respective unit 110. In this way, the combined control distributor 210 and the respective unit-specific control distributors 212 together form a distributed control distribution system for the vehicle combination 100. Control distribution can thus be carried out at multiple levels, namely first at the level of the entire vehicle combination 100 and then individually at the level of each vehicle unit 110. The target generator 202, the tactical layer 204, the state estimator 206, and the energy manager 208 can be collectively referred to as the motion and energy manager 218. The motion and energy manager 218 can be implemented away from the vehicle combination 100 or implemented on the vehicle combination 100, for example, implemented in the main controller. If these modules are located away from the vehicle combination 100, they can be communicatively coupled to the vehicle combination 100.

[0065] Figure 3 Schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the control system 200 according to the present disclosure in the vehicle combination 100. Each unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100 has a respective controller 300 including a respective unit control distributor 212. The tractor unit controller 300-1 further includes a combined control distributor 210-1 and can be regarded as the main controller. In Figure 3 the example, at least one trailer unit controller 300-2 to 300-n includes an instance of the combined control distributor 210. In this way, two or more of the controllers 300 of the vehicle combination 100 (for example, the tractor unit controller 300-1 and one or more of the trailer unit controllers 300-2 to 300-n) include an instance of the combined control distributor 210. This provides redundancy for the function of the main controller, as will be discussed below. Although the main controller was interpreted above as the tractor unit controller 300-1, it should be understood that the main controller (including an instance of the combined control distributor 210) can be provided by the controller 300 of any unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100. This configuration allows the control system 200 to operate in two different operating modes, as will be explained in conjunction with Figure 4A and Figure 4B as explained.

[0066] As Figure 3As shown, the control system 200 may further include one or more monitors 302. For example, the respective monitors 302 may be implemented in one or more of the controllers 300 of the vehicle combination 100. In some examples, the monitors 302 may be provided remote from the vehicle combination 100 but communicatively coupled to the vehicle combination 100. The monitors 302 are configured to monitor the operation of the main controller and / or the unit in which the main controller is located and detect faults. For example, the monitors 302 may receive or determine one or more operating parameters related to the main controller and / or its unit and compare these parameters to known or expected values. The operation of the monitors 302 will be described in more detail in conjunction with Figure 5 is described in more detail.

[0067] In some examples, one or more of the controllers 300 may further include unit-specific control distributors 212 for one or more other units 110. For example, the secondary controller 300-2 may include an instance of a unit-specific control distributor 212-1 for the first unit 110-1. This enables unit-level control from another unit 110 of the vehicle combination (i.e., determining the unit-specific true control input u k ) of another unit 110.

[0068] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Schematically illustrate two different operating modes 402, 404 for the control system 200. The first operating mode 402 may be referred to as a standard mode, normal mode, default mode, etc., and is adopted during normal operation of the vehicle combination 100. The second operating mode 404 may be triggered by detecting a fault associated with the main controller and / or its unit. Alternatively, the second operating mode 404 may be activated in another way, such as via an input from an operator of the vehicle combination 100, such as in the case where the unit of the main controller is switched to another unit. The second operating mode 404 may be referred to as a secondary mode, standby mode, fault mode, etc.

[0069] Figure 4A and Figure 4BThese operating modes 402, 404 are shown in the context of a vehicle combination 100 that includes a first unit 110-1 and a second unit 110-2, such as a tractor unit 110-1 and a trailer unit 110-2. As discussed above, the units 110-1, 110-2 have respective controllers 300-1, 300-2 and actuators, such as in the form of electric motors 120-1, 120-2, service brakes 140-1, 140-2, and steering actuators 150-1, 150-2. Each controller 300-1, 300-2 includes a respective instance of a combined control allocator 210-1, 210-2 and a respective unit control allocator 212-1, 212-2. The controller 300-2 of the second unit 110-2 also includes a monitor 302-2. In this configuration, the controller 300-1 of the first unit 110-1 can be regarded as the main controller, while the controller 300-2 of the second unit 110-2 can be regarded as the secondary controller. The target generator 202, the tactical layer 204, the state estimator 206, and the energy manager 208 are implemented remotely from the vehicle combination 100 and are communicatively coupled to the vehicle combination 100, specifically to the controllers 300-1, 300-2.

[0070] It should be understood that Figure 4A and Figure 4B the configuration shown in is merely an example, and different combinations of units 110, controllers 300, and monitors 302 can be used to implement the control system 200 in the vehicle combination 100. For example, it should be understood that these operating modes 402, 404 can be implemented in a vehicle combination 100 that includes more than two units. Additionally, the main controller may not be in the first (or tractor) unit 110-1, but in any other suitable unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100. Further, the motion and energy manager 218 can be implemented in any suitable controller 300 (such as the main controller). The combined control allocator 210 can also be implemented remotely, for example, co-located with 202-208.

[0071] Figure 4A A first operating mode 402 of the control system 200 is schematically shown. In the first operating mode 402, the main controller 300-1 receives data from the motion and energy manager 218, such as discussed in connection with Figure 2 such as the virtual combined control input v comb,req 、the unit-specific state information x c 、and the power distribution input u comb,des . Specifically, this data is received by the combined control allocator 210-1 of the main controller 300-1. Then, the combined control allocator 210-1 of the main controller 300-1 provides the requested unit control inputs u 1 、u2 Unit control distributors 212-1 and 212-2 are provided to each of units 110-1 and 110-2. Then, unit control distributors 212-1 and 212-2 provide a unit-specific true control input u to the actuators of the corresponding units (e.g., motors 120-1 and 120-2, service brakes 140-1 and 140-2, and steering actuators 150-1 and 150). k The true control input describes the actual actuator command.

[0072] In the first operation mode 402, the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2 can also receive data from the motion and energy manager 218, such as a virtual combined control input v comb,req and unit-specific status information x c and a power distribution input u comb,des . However, in the first operation mode 402, the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2 may not take further action.

[0073] Figure 4B Schematically shows a second operation mode 404 of the control system 200. In the second operation mode 404, the secondary controller 300-2 receives data from the motion and energy manager 218, such as a virtual combined control input v comb,req and unit-specific status information x c and a power distribution input u comb,des . Specifically, this data is received by the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2. Then, the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2 provides the requested unit control inputs u 1 and u 2 to the unit control distributors 212-1 and 212-2 of each of units 110-1 and 110-2. Then, unit control distributors 212-1 and 212-2 provide a unit-specific true control input u k to the actuators of the corresponding units (e.g., motors 120-1 and 120-2, service brakes 140-1 and 140-2, and steering actuators 150-1 and 150). The true control input describes the actual actuator command. Thus, in the second operation mode 404, the secondary controller 300-2 performs the role that is normally performed by the primary controller 300-1 (in the first operation mode 402).

[0074] In the second operation mode 404, the combined control distributor 210-1 of the secondary controller 300-1 can also receive data from the motion and energy manager 218, such as a virtual combined control input v comb,req and unit-specific status information xc and the power distribution input u comb,des . However, in the second operating mode 404, the combined control distributor 210-1 of the primary controller 300-1 may not take further action, for example because there is a fault associated with the primary controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1.

[0075] As discussed above, in some examples, the secondary controller 300-2 may include an instance of a unit-specific control distributor 212-1 for the first unit 110-1. This can enable the secondary controller 300-2 to provide a unit-specific true control input u to the actuators of the first unit 110-1 1 . This may also be useful in the case where the primary controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1 fails completely, and in the case where the combined control distributor 210 is implemented away from the vehicle combination 100 and the controller only includes unit-specific control distributors 212.

[0076] These two operating modes provide redundancy for the functionality of the primary controller 300-1. By implementing the secondary controller 300-2 in a unit different from the primary controller 300-1, it can be used independently of the state of the primary controller 300-1 and the first unit 110-1 (e.g., in the case of a fault in the primary controller 300-1 or the first unit 110-1). Another advantage of this method is that the combined control distributor 210-2 can be implemented in an existing controller 300-2, which may already be implemented in the second unit 110-2 to provide a unit control distributor 212-2. Thus, the controller 300-2 can be used as the secondary controller of the vehicle combination 100 and take over in the case of a fault in the primary controller 300-1, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure required for an additional independent standby controller. It should be understood that in a vehicle combination 100 including more than two units, any or all of the towed units may include a controller 300 that can be configured as a secondary controller.

[0077] As discussed above, the second operating mode 404 can be triggered by detecting a fault associated with the primary controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1. Fault detection can be performed by the monitor 302-2.

[0078] In some examples, the monitor 302-2 is configured to compare the requested unit control input u for the second unit 110-2 2 with data received from the motion and energy manager 218, such as the virtual combined control input v comb,req unit-specific status information x c and the power distribution input u comb,des)( ) are compared to detect a fault. For example, by comparing the requested unit control input u 2 with the virtual combined control input v comb,req The monitor 302-2 may be able to determine a significant difference between the values. In some examples, the monitor 302-2 may be able to receive the requested unit control input for other units 110 and compare it with the virtual combined control input v comb，req at the combined level. If the comparison indicates that the requested unit control input u 2 for the second unit 110-2 exceeds the virtual combined control input v comb,req by a threshold expected, it can be determined that there is a fault in the main controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1.

[0079] In some examples, the monitor 302-2 is configured to detect a fault by comparing the requested unit control input u 2 for the second unit 110-2 with one or more limits (e.g., limits defining the safe operation of the vehicle combination 100). If the comparison indicates that the requested unit control input u 2 for the second unit 110-2 exceeds a predetermined limit, it can be determined that there is a fault in the main controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1.

[0080] In some examples, the monitor 302-2 is configured to detect a fault by determining a covariance value associated with the main controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1. For example, the monitor 302-2 may be configured to determine a covariance value that describes the uncertainty of the data received from the main controller 300-1. These values can be determined in any suitable manner known in the art. If the covariance value exceeds a threshold, it can be determined that there is a fault in the main controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1.

[0081] In some examples, the monitor 302-2 may be configured to receive fault data related to the main controller and / or its units. The fault data may be data from a smoke detector indicating a fire in the main controller 300-1 and / or the first unit 110-1. The fault data may be data indicating a depleted battery associated with the main controller 300-1. The fault data may be related to a fault in the communication line between the first unit 110-1 and the second unit 110-2, such as a lack of communication or a delay in communication between the first unit 110-1 and the second unit 110-2. Those skilled in the art will readily think of other types of faults that can be directly detected.

[0082] Figure 5 Another exemplary embodiment of the control system 200 according to the present disclosure in the vehicle combination 100 is schematically shown.Figure 5 The example of Figure 4A and Figure 4B is generally corresponding to the example of , but the control system 200 further includes a comparator 304 and an optional virtual controller 306 that can be used to detect faults. The comparator 304 and / or the virtual controller 306 can be implemented away from the vehicle assembly 100, such as being located at the same position as the motion and energy manager 218, or can be implemented together or separately in one or more suitable units 110 of the vehicle assembly 100. The control system 200 is shown to be in the first operation mode 402. For example, the comparator 304 and / or the virtual controller 306 can be implemented in the monitor 302-2.

[0083] In Figure 5 the example of , in the first operation mode 402, the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2 also receives data from the motion and energy manager 218 (such as the virtual combined control input v comb,req , the unit-specific status information x c , and the power distribution input u comb,des ). Specifically, these data are received by the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2. However, in this example, the combined control distributor 210-2 of the secondary controller 300-2 also determines the unit control inputs u 12 , u 22 . This can be regarded as the predicted unit control inputs for the first unit 110-1 and the second unit 110-2. Then, the requested unit control inputs u 11 , u 21 from the primary controller 300-1 (the same as the requested unit control inputs u Figure 4A in 1 , u 2 ) and the predicted unit control inputs u 12 , u 22 from the secondary controller 300-2 are provided to the comparator 304. The comparator 304 is configured to compare the requested unit control inputs from the primary controller 300-1 with the predicted unit control inputs from the secondary controller 300-2. If there is a difference between the two sets of requested unit control inputs, for example, if they differ by a threshold amount, a fault can be determined. The fault may be associated with the primary controller 300-1 and / or the secondary controller 300-2. This can be further investigated to determine which controller is faulty, for example, based on sensor signals, etc.

[0084] In some examples, the control system 200 further includes a virtual controller 306. In the first operation mode 402, the virtual controller 306 also receives data from the motion and energy manager 218 (such as the virtual combined control input vcomb,req and unit-specific status information x c and the power distribution input u comb,des ), and determine the virtual unit-specific virtual control inputs u 1d , u 2d . These can be regarded as virtual unit control inputs for the first unit 110-1 and the second unit 110-2. Then, the virtual unit control inputs u 1d , u 2d , together with the requested unit control inputs u 11 , u 21 from the main controller 300-1 and the predicted unit control inputs u 12 , u 22 from the secondary controller 300-2 are provided to the comparator 304 together. The comparator 304 is configured to compare the requested unit control inputs from the main controller 300-1, the predicted unit control inputs from the secondary controller 300-2, and the virtual unit control inputs from the virtual controller 306. Based on this comparison, it can be determined which one of the main controller 300-1 and / or the secondary controller 300-2 has a fault. For example, if the gap between the requested unit control input from the main controller 300-1 and the predicted unit control input from the secondary controller 300-2 is larger compared to the virtual unit control input from the virtual controller 306, it can be determined that the main controller 300-1 has a fault. On the other hand, if the gap between the predicted unit control input from the secondary controller 300-2 and the requested unit control input from the main controller 300-1 is larger compared to the virtual unit control input from the virtual controller 306, it can be determined that the secondary controller 300-2 has a fault. Similarly, if the difference between the requested unit control input from the main controller 300-1 and / or the predicted unit control input from the secondary controller 300-2 and the virtual unit control input from the virtual controller 306 is greater than a threshold, it can be determined that the problematic controller (in some cases, both controllers 300-1, 300-2) has a fault.

[0085] In some examples, the control system 200 further includes an emergency controller configured to implement a minimum-risk maneuver in response to detecting a fault associated with one or more other controllers. For example, the emergency controller can be configured to implement a maneuver to stop the vehicle combination 100 in a safe place. For example, in the case where the motion and energy manager 218 implements in a unit of the vehicle combination 100 (the unit has a serious fault (such as a fire) and cannot even generate or receive a reference input), the emergency controller can be triggered. This maneuver can be hard-coded into the controller of another unit of the vehicle combination 100.

[0086] Figure 6A is a flowchart of a computer-implemented method 600 according to an example. Method 600 corresponds to Figure 4A the first operating mode 402 shown. As discussed above, method 600 may be implemented in the control system 200.

[0087] At 602, a requested unit control input u for one or more units 110 of the vehicle combination 100 is determined i . The requested unit control input u i is determined at the master controller. The master controller may be, for example, the controller 300-1 of the first unit 110-1, but the master controller may be implemented in any suitable unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100. As discussed above, the requested unit control input u i is based on a reference input r representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination req . For example, the master controller may receive data from the motion and energy manager 218, such as a virtual combination control input v comb,req , unit-specific status information x c and a power distribution input u comb,des , or the motion and energy manager 218 may be implemented in the master controller.

[0088] At 604, one or more controllers implemented in one or more other units 110 of the vehicle combination 100 receive the requested unit control input u for their respective units from the master controller i . For example, the controller 300-2 of the second unit 110-2 may receive the requested unit control input u from the controller 300-1 of the first unit 110-1 2 . It should be understood that each unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100 may receive the corresponding requested unit control input u from the master controller i .

[0089] At 606, the controller implements its corresponding requested unit control input u in its respective unit 100 i . For example, one or more other controllers implement the corresponding requested unit control input u received at 604 in their respective units 100 i (e.g., the controller 300-2 may implement the requested unit control input u in the second unit 110-2 2 ). It should be understood that each controller 300 of the vehicle combination 100 may implement the corresponding requested unit control input u in the corresponding unit 110 iWhen the main controller is associated with unit 110 of vehicle combination 100, it implements the requested unit control input for that unit. For example, controller 300-1 can implement the requested unit control input u in the first unit 110-1 1 .

[0090] As mentioned above, method 600 corresponds to Figure 4A the first operating mode 402 shown, and thus corresponds to the standard, normal or default operation of vehicle combination 100. Method 600 is continuously implemented until a fault is detected in the main controller and / or its units, or until the second operating mode 404 is otherwise activated (e.g., by an operator of vehicle combination 100).

[0091] Figure 6B is a flowchart of another computer-implemented method 610 according to an example. Method 610 corresponds to Figure 4B the second operating mode 404 shown. As discussed above, method 600 can be implemented in control system 200.

[0092] At 612, the requested unit control input u for one or more units 110 of vehicle combination 100 is determined i , but now at the secondary controller. The secondary controller can be, for example, controller 300-2 of the second unit 110-2, but the secondary controller can be implemented in any suitable unit 110 of vehicle combination 100. As discussed above, the requested unit control input u i is determined based on a reference input r representing the requested movement of the vehicle combination req . For example, the secondary controller can receive data such as the virtual combination control input v comb,req , unit-specific status information x c and power distribution input u comb,des from the motion and energy manager 218, or the motion and energy manager 218 can also be implemented in the secondary controller.

[0093] At 614, one or more controllers implemented in other units 110 of vehicle combination 100 receive the requested unit control input u for the corresponding units from the secondary controller i . For example, controller 300-1 of the first unit 110-1 can receive the requested unit control input u from controller 300-2 of the second unit 110-2 1 . It should be understood that each unit 110 of vehicle combination 100 can receive the corresponding requested unit control input u from the secondary controller i .

[0094] At 616, the controller implements its respective requested unit control input u in its respective unit 100 i For example, one or more other controllers implement the respective requested unit control input u received at 614 in their respective units 100 i (e.g., controller 300-1 can implement the requested unit control input u in the first unit 110-1 1 ). The secondary controller also implements the requested unit control input u in the second unit 110-2 2 . It should be understood that each unit 110 of the vehicle combination 100 can implement the respective requested unit control input u in the respective unit 110 i . In this way, when in the second operation mode 404, the secondary controller takes over the functions of the main controller, for example if a fault is detected in the main controller and / or its units.

[0095] In some examples, the secondary controller and / or another controller can include an instance of the unit-specific control distributor 212 for another unit 110. This enables the provision of unit-specific true control input u to the actuators of each unit 110 k , even in the event of a fault in the controller of that unit. This can also be useful in cases where the combined control distributor 210 is implemented remotely from the vehicle combination 100 and the controllers only include the unit-specific control distributor 212.

[0096] Methods 600 and 610 provide a vehicle motion management method that provides redundancy for the functions of the main controller. By implementing the secondary controller in a unit different from the main controller, it can be used independently of the state of the main controller and its units (e.g., in the event of a fault). Another advantage of this method is that these functions can be provided by controllers that are already implemented in the vehicle combination, thus eliminating the need for additional infrastructure required for an additional independent standby controller.

[0097] Figure 7FIG. 0 is a schematic diagram of a computing system 700 for implementing the examples disclosed herein. The computer system 700 is adapted to execute instructions from a computer-readable medium to perform these and / or any one of the functions or processes described herein. The computer system 700 may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines on a LAN, intranet, extranet, or the Internet. Although only a single device is shown, the computer system 700 may include any collection of devices that individually or jointly execute one instruction set (or multiple instruction sets) to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein. Thus, any reference in this disclosure and / or the claims to a computer system, computing system, computer device, computing device, control system, control unit, electronic control unit (ECU), processor device, processing circuit, etc. includes a reference to one or more such devices to individually or jointly execute one instruction set (or multiple instruction sets) to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein. For example, a control system may include a single control unit or multiple control units connected to or otherwise communicatively coupled to each other such that any executed function can be allocated between the control units as needed. Additionally, such devices may communicate with each other or with other devices through various system architectures such as directly or via a controller area network (CAN) bus, etc.

[0098] The computer system 700 may include at least one computing device or electronic device capable of including firmware, hardware, and / or executing software instructions to implement the functionality described herein. The computer system 700 may include a processing circuit 702 (e.g., a processing circuit including one or more processor devices or control units), a memory 704, and a system bus 706. The computer system 700 may include at least one computing device having the processing circuit 702. The system bus 706 provides an interface for system components including, but not limited to, the memory 704 and the processing circuit 702. The processing circuit 702 may include any number of hardware components for performing data or signal processing or for executing computer code stored in the memory 704. The processing circuit 702 may, for example, include a general-purpose processor, a dedicated processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit including processing components, a group of distributed processing components, a group of distributed computers configured for processing, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The processing circuit 702 may also include computer-executable code for controlling the operation of the programmable device.

[0099] The system bus 706 can be any one of several types of bus structures, which can further be interconnected to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and / or a local bus using any one of a variety of bus architectures. The memory 704 can be one or more devices for storing data and / or computer code to complete or facilitate the methods described herein. The memory 704 can include a database component, an object code component, a script component, or any type of information structure for supporting the various activities herein. Any distributed or local memory device can be utilized with the systems and methods of this specification. The memory 704 can be communicatively connected to the processing circuit 702 (e.g., via circuitry or any other wired, wireless, or network connection) and can include computer code for performing one or more of the processes described herein. The memory 704 can include non-volatile memory 708 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc.) and volatile memory 710 (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer or other machine having the processing circuit 702. The basic input / output system (BIOS) 712 can be stored in the non-volatile memory 708 and can include basic routines that aid in passing information between the elements within the computer system 700.

[0100] The computer system 700 can also include or be coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a storage device 714, which can include, for example, an internal or external hard disk drive (HDD) (e.g., enhanced integrated drive electronics (EIDE) or serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)), an HDD for storage (e.g., EIDE or SATA), flash memory, etc. The storage device 714 and other drives associated with the computer-readable medium and computer-usable medium can provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc.

[0101] Hard - coded or soft - coded computer code may be provided in the form of one or more modules. The modules may be implemented as software and / or hard - coded in circuitry to implement, in whole or in part, the functionality described herein. These modules may be stored in a storage device 714 and / or volatile memory 710, which may include an operating system 716 and / or one or more program modules 718. All or part of the examples disclosed herein may be implemented as a computer program 720 stored on a transient or non - transient computer - usable or computer - readable storage medium (e.g., a single medium or multiple media) such as storage device 714, the computer program including complex programming instructions (e.g., complex computer - readable program code) that cause a processing circuit 702 to perform the actions described herein. Thus, the computer - readable program code of the computer program 720 may include software instructions for implementing the functionality of the examples described herein when executed by the processing circuit 702. In some examples, the storage device 714 may be a computer program product (e.g., a readable storage medium) on which the computer program 720 is stored, where at least a portion of the computer program 720 may be loadable (e.g., loaded into a processor) for implementing the functionality of the examples described herein when executed by the processing circuit 702. The processing circuit 702 may serve as a controller or control system of the computer system 700 for implementing the functionality described herein.

[0102] The computer system 700 may include an input device interface 722 configured to receive inputs and selections to be transmitted to the computer system 700, such as from a keyboard, mouse, touch - sensitive surface, etc., when executing instructions. Such input devices may be connected to the processing circuit 702 through the input device interface 722 coupled to the system bus 706, but may be connected through other interfaces (such as a parallel port, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 serial port, Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, IR interface, etc.). The computer system 700 may include an output device interface 724 configured to forward outputs to, such as a display, a video display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system 700 may include a communication interface 726 suitable for communicating with a network, as appropriate or as needed.

[0103] The operational actions described in any of the example aspects herein are provided for purposes of example and discussion. These actions may be performed by hardware components, may be embodied in machine - executable instructions to cause a processor to perform these actions, or may be performed by a combination of hardware and software. Although a particular order of method actions may be shown or described, the order of the actions may be different. Additionally, two or more actions may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously.

[0104] According to certain examples, it is also disclosed that:

[0105] Example 1: A computer system (200) for a vehicle combination (100), the computer system (200) including processing circuitry configured to implement: a first controller (300, 300-1) implemented in a first unit (110, 110-1) of the vehicle combination (100), the first controller (300, 300-1) being configured to determine, in a first operating mode (402), a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on a reference input representative of a requested movement of the vehicle combination (100); and a second controller (300, 300-2) implemented in a second unit (110, 110-2) of the vehicle combination (100), the second controller (300, 300-2) being configured to receive, in the first operating mode (402), the requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2) from the first controller (300, 300-1) and implement the requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2) in the second unit (110, 110-2), and to determine, in a second operating mode (404), the requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input.

[0106] Example 2: The computer system (200) according to Example 1, wherein the second operating mode (404) is triggered by detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1).

[0107] Example 3: The computer system (200) according to Example 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to implement a monitor (302, 302-2), the monitor being configured to monitor the operation of the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1) and detect the fault.

[0108] Example 4: The computer system (200) according to Example 3, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is configured to detect the fault by comparing the requested control input from the first controller (300, 300-1) with one or more requested unit control inputs and / or one or more limits.

[0109] Example 5: The computer system (200) according to Example 3 or 4, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is configured to detect the fault by determining sensor values and / or covariance values associated with one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100).

[0110] Example 6: The computer system (200) according to any one of Examples 3 to 5, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is implemented in the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0111] Example 7: The computer system (200) according to any of the preceding examples, wherein in the second operating mode, the second controller (300, 300-2) is configured to implement a unit control input for a request of the first unit (110, 110-1) in the first unit (110, 110-1).

[0112] Example 8: The computer system (200) according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a comparator (304), and in the first operating mode (402), the second controller (300, 300-2) is configured to determine a predicted unit control input for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input, and the comparator (304) is configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs from the first controller (300, 300-1) and the one or more predicted unit control inputs from the second controller (300, 300-2), and if there is a difference between the one or more requested unit control inputs and the one or more predicted unit control inputs, determine that there is a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0113] Example 9: The computer system (200) according to Example 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a virtual controller (306), and in the first operating mode (402), the virtual controller (306) is configured to determine a virtual unit control input for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input, and the comparator (304) is further configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs, the one or more predicted vehicle control inputs, and the one or more virtual vehicle control inputs, and based on the comparison, determine which one of the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2) has a fault.

[0114] Example 10: The computer system (200) according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a third controller, the third controller being configured to implement a minimum risk maneuver in response to detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0115] Example 11: The computer system (200) according to any of the preceding examples, wherein the first unit (110, 110-1) is a towing unit of the vehicle combination (100), and the second unit (110, 110-2) is a towed unit of the vehicle combination (100).

[0116] Example 12: A vehicle (100) comprising the computer system (200) according to any of the preceding examples.

[0117] Example 13: A computer-implemented method (600, 610) comprising: in a first operating mode (402), at a first controller (300, 300-1) implemented in a first unit (110, 110-1) of a vehicle combination (100), determining (602) a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination (100); receiving (604) by a second controller (300, 300-2) implemented in a second unit (110, 110-2) of the vehicle combination (100) the requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2) from the first controller (300, 300-1); and implementing (608) by the second controller (300, 300-2) in the second unit (110, 110-2) the requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2); and in a second operating mode (404), determining (612) by the second controller (300, 300-2) a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input.

[0118] Example 14: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to Example 13, wherein the second operating mode (404) is triggered by detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1).

[0119] Example 15: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to Example 14, further comprising monitoring, by a monitor (300, 300-2), the operation of the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1) to detect the fault.

[0120] Example 16: The computer system (200) according to Example 15, wherein detecting the fault comprises comparing the control input of the request from the first controller (300, 300-1) with one or more requested unit control inputs and / or one or more limits.

[0121] Example 17: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to Example 15 or 16, wherein detecting the fault comprises determining sensor values and / or covariance values associated with one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100).

[0122] Example 18: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 15 to 17, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is implemented in the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0123] Example 19: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 18, comprising, in the second operation mode, implementing, by the second controller (300, 300-2), a requested unit control input for the first unit (110, 110-1) in the first unit (110, 110-1).

[0124] Example 20: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 19, further comprising: in the first operation mode (402), determining, by the second controller (300, 300-2), a predicted unit control input for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input, and comparing, by the comparator (304), the one or more requested unit control inputs from the first controller (300, 300-1) and the one or more predicted unit control inputs from the second controller (300, 300-2), and if there is a difference between the one or more requested unit control inputs and the one or more predicted unit control inputs, determining, by the comparator (304), that there is a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0125] Example 21: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to Example 20, further comprising: in the first operating mode (402), determining, by a virtual controller (306), a virtual unit control input for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input, and comparing, by the comparator (304), the one or more requested unit control inputs, the one or more predicted vehicle control inputs, and the one or more virtual vehicle control inputs, and determining, by the comparator (304) based on the comparison, which one of the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2) has a fault.

[0126] Example 22: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 21, further comprising: performing, by a third controller, a minimum risk maneuver in response to detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the second controller (300, 300-2).

[0127] Example 23: The computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 22, wherein the first unit (110, 110-1) is a tractor unit of the vehicle combination (100), and the second unit (110, 110-2) is a trailer unit of the vehicle combination (100).

[0128] Example 24: A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by a processing circuit, the computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 23.

[0129] Example 25: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to perform the computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to any one of Examples 13 to 23.

[0130] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should also be understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, acts, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, acts, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0131] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first element may be referred to as the second element, and similarly, the second element may be referred to as the first element.

[0132] Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element to another element, as shown in the figures. It should be understood that these terms, as well as those discussed above, are also intended to cover different device orientations in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "coupled" to another element, the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, no intervening elements are present.

[0133] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It should also be understood that unless explicitly defined herein, the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense.

[0134] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the aspects described above and shown in the figures; rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. In the figures and the specification, the aspects have been disclosed for illustrative purposes only and not for purposes of limitation, and the scope of the disclosure is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A computer system (200) for a vehicle combination (100), the computer system (200) comprising a processing circuit, the processing circuit being configured to implement: a first controller (300, 300-1) implemented in a first unit (110, 110-1) of the vehicle combination (100), the first controller (300, 300-1) being configured to determine, in a first operating mode (402), a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination (100); and A second controller (300, 300-2) implemented in a second unit (110, 110-2) of the vehicle combination (100), the second controller (300, 300-2) being configured to: receiving a requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2) from the first controller (300, 300-1) in the first operating mode (402), and implementing the requested unit control input for the second unit (110, 110-2) in the second unit (110, 110-2); and In a second operating mode (404), determining a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input; The processing circuit is further configured to implement a monitor (302, 302-2) in the second controller (300, 300-2), the monitor being configured to monitor the operation of the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1) and detect the fault.

2. The computer system (200) of claim 1, wherein the second operating mode (404) is triggered by detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1).

3. The computer system (200) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is configured to detect the fault by comparing the requested control input from the first controller (300, 300-1) to one or more requested unit control inputs and / or one or more limits.

4. The computer system (200) of claim 3, wherein the monitor (302, 302-2) is configured to detect the fault by determining sensor values ​​and / or covariance values ​​associated with one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100).

5. The computer system (200) of any preceding claim, wherein in the second operating mode, the second controller (300, 300-2) is configured to implement in the first unit (110, 110-1) a unit control input for a request of the first unit (110, 110-1).

6. The computer system (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a comparator (304), and in the first operating mode (402), The second controller (300, 300-2) is configured to determine predicted unit control inputs for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input; and The comparator (304) is configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs from the first controller (300, 300-1) and one or more predicted unit control inputs from the second controller (300, 300-2), and determine that there is a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2) if there is a difference between the one or more requested unit control inputs and the one or more predicted unit control inputs.

7. The computer system (200) of claim 6, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a virtual controller (306), and in the first operating mode (402), The virtual controller (306) is configured to determine virtual unit control inputs for the one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input; and The comparator (304) is further configured to compare the one or more requested unit control inputs, the one or more predicted vehicle control inputs, and the one or more virtual vehicle control inputs, and determine which of the first controller (300, 300-1) or the second controller (300, 300-2) is faulty based on the comparison.

8. The computer system (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to implement a third controller configured to implement a minimal risk manipulation in response to detecting a fault associated with the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the second controller (300, 300-2).

9. The computer system (200) according to any preceding claim, wherein the first unit (110, 110-1) is a tractor unit of the vehicle combination (100) and the second unit (110, 110-2) is a trailer unit of the vehicle combination (100).

10. A vehicle (100) comprising a computer system (200) according to any preceding claim.

11. A computer-implemented method (600, 610), comprising: In the first operating mode (402): At a first controller (300, 300-1) implemented in a first unit (110, 110-1) of the vehicle combination (100), determining (602) a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on a reference input representing a requested movement of the vehicle combination (100); receiving (604) a unit control input for a request of a second unit (110, 110-2) of the vehicle combination (100) from the first controller (300, 300-1); and implementing (606) by the second controller (300, 300-2) in the second unit (110, 110-2) a unit control input for the request of the second unit (110, 110-2); and In the second operating mode (404): determining (612), by the second controller (300, 300-2), a requested unit control input for one or more units (110) of the vehicle combination (100) based on the reference input; The computer-implemented method (600, 610) further includes monitoring, by a monitor (300, 300-2) implemented in the second controller (300, 300-2), operation of the first controller (300, 300-1) and / or the first unit (110, 110-1) to detect the fault.

12. A computer program product comprising program code for performing the computer-implemented method (600, 610) according to claim 11 when executed by a processing circuit.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to perform the computer-implemented method (600, 610) of claim 11.

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