Unmanned and manned driving switching architecture and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned and manned switching architecture and method, and relates to the technical field of vehicle control. According to the specific scheme, the unmanned and manned switching architecture comprises a whole vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable direct current-direct current converter; the vehicle control unit is connected with the programmable DC-DC converter through the voltage domain controller; the vehicle control unit is used for acquiring an electric signal output by the sensor, determining that the electric signal output by the sensor meets a switching condition and outputting a starting enable signal; the voltage domain controller is used for outputting a voltage control signal based on the starting enable signal; the programmable DC-DC converter is configured to ramp the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal. According to the embodiment of the invention, the output voltage is adjusted in a targeted manner, so that unnecessary energy consumption is reduced, and the energy utilization efficiency is improved; the output voltage is sloped to the preset voltage, it is ensured that all assemblies continuously and stably work in the mode switching process, and the safety in the driving mode switching process is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle control, in particular to a driverless manned switching architecture and method. BACKGROUND

[0002] At present, in the cleaning vehicle industry, when the manned / driverless driving mode is switched, the low-voltage system of the cleaning vehicle always maintains single voltage operation, and cannot adjust the voltage level according to the requirements of different driving modes, resulting in that the power supply redundancy of the low-voltage system of the cleaning vehicle is too high in the driverless driving mode, causing unnecessary energy waste. In addition, the traditional voltage adjustment method has voltage transient impact, which causes safety hazards when the manned / driverless driving mode is switched. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application provides a driverless manned switching architecture and method to reduce energy waste during the manned / driverless driving mode switching process and improve the safety during the manned / driverless driving mode switching process.

[0004] In one aspect of the present application, a driverless manned switching architecture is provided, comprising: a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter.

[0005] The vehicle controller is connected to the programmable DC-DC converter through the voltage domain controller.

[0006] The vehicle controller is configured to obtain a sensor output electrical signal, determine that the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition, and output an enable signal.

[0007] The voltage domain controller is configured to output a voltage control signal based on the enable signal.

[0008] The programmable DC-DC converter is configured to slope down the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal.

[0009] In one aspect of the present application, a driverless to manned driving switching method is provided, applied to a driverless switching architecture, the architecture comprising a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter, the method comprising:

[0010] Determining that the driverless manned switching architecture is powered on successfully, controlling the vehicle controller to obtain a sensor output electrical signal, the sensor output electrical signal comprising at least one of: a steering wheel torque signal and a brake switch signal.

[0011] Determining that the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition, triggering the vehicle controller to output an enable signal.

[0012] trigger the voltage domain controller to output a voltage control signal;

[0013] slope the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal through the programmable DC-DC converter.

[0014] The unmanned manned driving switching architecture according to the embodiment of the present application at least comprises the following components: a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter, wherein the vehicle controller is connected with the programmable DC-DC converter through the voltage domain controller, the vehicle controller is used to acquire a sensor output electrical signal, determine that the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition, and output an enable signal to the voltage domain controller, the voltage domain controller outputs a voltage control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter upon receiving the enable signal, and the programmable DC-DC converter is responsible for slope the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal. The embodiment of the present application determines the switching condition by the vehicle controller and triggers the voltage adjustment, so that the programmable DC-DC converter can adjust the output voltage according to different driving modes, without maintaining a uniform voltage output, reducing unnecessary energy consumption, and improving energy utilization efficiency. By slope the output voltage to a preset voltage through the programmable DC-DC converter, it ensures that each component in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture works continuously and stably during mode switching, and improves the safety of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture during driving mode switching.

[0015] It should be understood that the content described in this part is not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present application, nor is it used to limit the scope of the present application. Other features of the present application will become apparent from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an unmanned manned driving switching architecture according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of an unmanned manned driving switching architecture according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 3 is another schematic diagram of an unmanned manned driving switching architecture according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 4is another unmanned manned switching architecture schematic diagram provided according to the embodiment one of the present application;

[0021] Figure 5 is a flow chart of the unmanned-to-manned switching method provided according to the embodiment two of the present application;

[0022] Figure 6 is a power-on flow chart of the unmanned manned switching architecture in the unmanned mode provided according to the embodiment three of the present application;

[0023] Figure 7 is a power-on flow chart of the unmanned manned switching architecture in the manned mode provided according to the embodiment three of the present application;

[0024] Figure 8 is another flow chart of the unmanned-to-manned switching method provided according to the embodiment three of the present application;

[0025] Figure 9 is a timing flow chart of the manned-to-unmanned switching provided according to the embodiment three of the present application;

[0026] Figure 10 is a component usage schematic diagram in the unmanned manned switching architecture provided according to the embodiment three of the present application;

[0027] Figure 11 is a programmable DC-DC converter port schematic diagram provided according to the embodiment three of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the personnel in the art better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all the other embodiments obtained by the person of ordinary skill in the art without making creative labor should belong to the protection scope of the present application.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", and the like in the description and claims of the application and the above drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and do not necessarily indicate a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data thus used can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product or device including a series of steps or units does not necessarily have to be limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but can include other steps or units not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0030] Embodiment one

[0031] Figure 1 An unmanned manned driving switching architecture diagram is provided for the embodiment one of the application, referring to Figure 1 As shown, the unmanned manned driving switching architecture includes a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter; the vehicle controller is connected with the programmable DC-DC converter through the voltage domain controller; the vehicle controller is used to acquire a sensor output electrical signal, determine that the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition, and output a start enable signal; the voltage domain controller is used to output a voltage control signal based on the start enable signal; and the programmable DC-DC converter is used to slope down an output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal.

[0032] Among them, the unmanned manned driving switching architecture refers to a system framework for realizing the switching of the driving mode of the vehicle, and the driving mode can include modes such as unmanned driving mode and manned driving mode. In the unmanned manned driving switching architecture, at least components such as the vehicle controller, the voltage domain controller and the programmable DC-DC converter are included, and the switching of the driving mode of the vehicle is realized through the coordinated operation between the components in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture.

[0033] The vehicle controller is the core component in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture, and is responsible for acquiring the sensor output signal and triggering the subsequent driving mode switching process. Among them, the sensor output electrical signal refers to the electrical signal output by the sensor (for example, a Hall sensor and a piezoelectric sensor). The sensor collects physical quantities related to the vehicle (for example, steering torque value and brake switch position, etc.), and converts the collected physical quantities related to the vehicle into electrical signals that can be received by the vehicle controller, and the electrical signals are used as the sensor output signal output by the sensor.

[0034] The switching condition can be understood as a set of pre-set judgment criteria for guiding the switching of the vehicle driving mode. When the sensor output electrical signal meets the pre-set switching condition, the driving mode switching process can be triggered. For example, the switching condition that meets the switching from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode can include that the steering wheel torque value is greater than a pre-set threshold value (e.g., 5 Nm or 3 Nm) or the brake switch position is in the open position, etc. The switching condition that meets the switching from the manual driving mode to the autonomous driving mode can include that the steering wheel torque value is less than or equal to a pre-set threshold value (e.g., 1 Nm) and the brake switch position is in the closed position, etc.

[0035] The voltage domain controller is used to control the programmable DC-DC converter to output different voltage levels of output voltage. In the autonomous and manual driving switching architecture, the voltage domain controller serves as an intermediate component and is responsible for sending a voltage control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter based on the start enable signal sent by the vehicle controller.

[0036] The start enable signal can be understood as a control signal for controlling the voltage domain controller to send a signal allowing the start of voltage adjustment. The voltage domain controller starts to perform the voltage switching operation after receiving the start enable signal.

[0037] The programmable DC-DC converter has programmable characteristics and can convert a DC input voltage into a DC output voltage of different sizes according to an input voltage control signal. The programmable DC-DC converter has a low-voltage control end, a DC output end, a variable DC output end, and an AC input end. In the autonomous and manual driving switching architecture, the programmable DC-DC converter receives the voltage control signal through the low-voltage control end and connects the battery through the AC input end for receiving the voltage transmitted by the battery. The driving cab distribution box and the chassis distribution box can be connected to the DC output end and the variable DC output end, respectively, for transmitting the output voltage to the driving cab distribution box and the chassis distribution box.

[0038] The voltage control signal can be understood as a voltage adjustment instruction sent by the voltage domain controller to the programmable DC-DC converter, which is used to guide the programmable DC-DC converter to convert the input voltage into the required output voltage. For example, the voltage control signal can include parameters such as voltage change rate and target voltage. The programmable DC-DC converter adjusts the voltage value of the output voltage according to the voltage change rate and target voltage included in the voltage control signal, and adjusts the voltage value of the output voltage to the voltage value set by the pre-set voltage.

[0039] The pre-set voltage refers to a target voltage value pre-set for the two driving modes during the driving mode switching process. For example, the pre-set voltage for the manual driving mode can be set to 12 V or 24 V, and the pre-set voltage for the autonomous driving mode can be set to 48 V or 36 V.

[0040] Specifically, the switching between the autonomous driving mode and the manual driving mode is realized through an unmanned-manned driving switching architecture, and the unmanned-manned driving switching architecture is composed of a series of components, which at least include a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter. The vehicle controller is connected to the programmable DC-DC converter through the intermediate component voltage domain controller in the unmanned-manned driving switching architecture. In the unmanned-manned driving switching architecture, the vehicle controller is responsible for receiving a sensor output electrical signal output by a sensor, which is converted and generated by the sensor from a physical quantity related to the vehicle. The vehicle controller is also used to determine whether the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition. For example, the way to determine whether the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition can include: analyzing the sensor output electrical signal, and analyzing the physical quantity related to the vehicle collected by the sensor from the sensor output electrical signal. When it is determined that the physical quantity reaches a physical quantity threshold value preconfigured in the switching condition, it can be determined that the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition. When the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition, the vehicle controller sends a start enable signal for notifying the voltage domain controller to start performing a voltage switching operation to the voltage domain controller. After the voltage domain controller receives the start enable signal, a voltage control signal is sent to the programmable DC-DC converter. The voltage control signal can include parameters such as a voltage change rate and a target voltage. The programmable DC-DC converter can reduce the output voltage to a preset voltage in the form of a linear slope according to the parameters such as the voltage change rate and the target voltage contained in the voltage control signal.

[0041] The unmanned-manned driving switching architecture of the embodiment of the present application at least includes the following components: a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller and a programmable DC-DC converter. The vehicle controller is connected to the programmable DC-DC converter through the voltage domain controller. The vehicle controller is used to obtain a sensor output electrical signal, determine that the sensor output electrical signal meets a switching condition, and output a start enable signal to the voltage domain controller. The voltage domain controller outputs a voltage control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter after receiving the start enable signal. The programmable DC-DC converter is responsible for reducing the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal. The embodiment of the present application determines the switching condition through the vehicle controller and triggers voltage adjustment, so that the programmable DC-DC converter can adjust the output voltage according to different driving modes without maintaining uniform voltage output, reduces unnecessary energy consumption, and improves energy utilization efficiency. By reducing the output voltage to a preset voltage through the programmable DC-DC converter, it is ensured that each component in the unmanned-manned driving switching architecture continuously and stably works in the mode switching process, and the safety of the unmanned-manned driving switching architecture in the driving mode switching is improved.

[0042] Reference is made to Figure 2As shown, the unmanned manned switching architecture further comprises a Hall sensor in communication connection with the vehicle controller; the Hall sensor is used to acquire a steering wheel torque signal and / or a brake switch signal, and transmit the steering wheel torque signal and / or the brake switch signal to the vehicle controller as a sensor output electrical signal.

[0043] The communication connection refers to the connection between different systems or components through a communication protocol. For example, the communication protocol can include a controller area network bus protocol or a local interconnect network bus protocol. The different systems or components can exchange data and transmit information through the communication connection.

[0044] The steering wheel torque signal can be understood as an electrical signal reflecting the driver's intention for the steering wheel. For example, the steering wheel torque signal can include steering wheel torque value and steering wheel rotation angle parameters. The Hall sensor can be used to collect the steering wheel torque value and steering wheel rotation angle parameters, and convert the collected steering wheel torque value and steering wheel rotation angle parameters into an electrical signal that can be received by the vehicle controller. The electrical signal can be used as the steering wheel torque signal.

[0045] The brake switch signal can be understood as an electrical signal reflecting the driver's intention for the brake pedal. For example, the brake switch signal can include brake pedal position and brake pedal angle parameters. The Hall sensor can be used to collect the brake pedal position and brake pedal angle parameters, and convert the collected brake pedal position and brake pedal angle parameters into an electrical signal that can be received by the vehicle controller. The electrical signal can be used as the brake switch signal.

[0046] Optionally, a piezoelectric sensor or other type of sensor can be used to collect the steering wheel torque value, steering wheel rotation angle, brake pedal position and brake pedal angle parameters. The piezoelectric sensor or other type of sensor can be used to convert the collected parameters into a steering wheel torque signal and / or a brake switch signal that can be received by the vehicle controller.

[0047] Specifically, the Hall sensor can be installed on a steering column or a pinion shaft in an electric power steering system of a vehicle. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the steering column or the pinion shaft undergoes relative displacement, which can include torque relative displacement and angular relative displacement. The Hall sensor collects the relative displacement and converts the relative displacement into a steering wheel torque signal. The Hall sensor can be installed on or near a brake pedal arm. When the brake pedal is not depressed and is in an initial position, the Hall sensor does not work. When the brake pedal is depressed and the position of the brake pedal is in an open position, the Hall sensor records that the brake pedal is in the open position and converts the recorded physical quantity into an electrical signal, which is used as a brake switch signal. When the Hall sensor collects both the steering wheel torque signal and the brake switch signal, the steering wheel torque signal and the brake switch signal are transmitted together as a sensor output electrical signal to a vehicle controller. When the Hall sensor only collects the steering wheel torque signal, only the steering wheel torque signal is transmitted as a sensor output electrical signal to the vehicle controller. When the Hall sensor only collects the brake switch signal, only the brake switch signal is transmitted as a sensor output electrical signal to the vehicle controller.

[0048] Referring to Figure 3 As shown, the unmanned manned switching architecture further includes a chassis power distribution box, and the programmable DC-DC converter at least includes a low-voltage control end and a DC variable output end. The low-voltage control end is connected with the voltage domain controller and is used to receive the voltage control signal output by the voltage domain controller. The DC variable output end is connected with the chassis power distribution box and is used to transmit the output voltage to the chassis power distribution box.

[0049] The chassis power distribution box is used to be responsible for distributing and managing electrical energy in the vehicle chassis. Through internal relays and fuses and other elements, the electrical energy from the programmable DC-DC converter is distributed to various types of electrical equipment on the vehicle chassis, such as vehicle speed sensors and electronic control units.

[0050] The low-voltage control end refers to an interface of the programmable DC-DC converter for receiving a voltage control signal. The low-voltage control end is connected with the voltage domain controller and changes the working state of the programmable DC-DC converter by receiving the voltage control signal output by the voltage domain controller. The low-voltage control end can be embedded in the programmable DC-DC converter.

[0051] The DC variable output end refers to an interface on the programmable DC-DC converter for outputting voltage. The chassis power distribution box is connected to transmit the adjusted output voltage to the chassis power distribution box. The voltage output by the DC variable output end is not constant and is dynamically adjusted according to the parameters (such as target voltage, voltage change rate, etc.) contained in the received voltage control signal to meet the diversified needs for voltage in different driving modes.

[0052] Specifically, in the unmanned manned switching architecture, the programmable DC-DC converter includes a low-voltage control end and a DC variable output end. The programmable DC-DC converter receives a voltage control signal output by the voltage domain controller through the low-voltage control end, and inputs an adjusted output voltage to the chassis power distribution box through the DC variable output end. The chassis power distribution box distributes the electric energy from the programmable DC-DC converter to various electric devices on the vehicle chassis by using internal relays, fuses and other elements.

[0053] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the unmanned manned switching architecture can further include a cab power distribution box, and the programmable DC-DC converter can further include a DC output end connected with the cab power distribution box. The DC output end of the programmable DC-DC converter outputs a fixed voltage, for example, 12V or 24V, etc. It can be understood that when the cab power distribution box is connected with the DC output end outputting the fixed voltage, it indicates that the voltage applicable to the cab power distribution box will remain constant and will not change due to the switching of the driving mode between the manned mode and the unmanned mode.

[0054] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the programmable DC-DC converter further includes an AC input end connected with the storage battery for receiving the voltage transmitted by the storage battery. The programmable DC-DC converter converts the voltage transmitted by the storage battery received from the AC input end into an output voltage of different size by using the voltage control signal received by the low-voltage control end, and outputs the output voltage to the chassis power distribution box through the DC variable output end of the programmable DC-DC converter.

[0055] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the driving bus corresponding to the cab power distribution box and the chassis bus corresponding to the chassis power distribution box can adopt an independent dual bus mechanism.

[0056] Referring to Figure 4 The unmanned manned switching architecture further includes: an impedance matching circuit including at least one resistor and at least one capacitor; the resistor is connected with the capacitor through a solid line, and the resistor is further connected with the voltage domain controller, and the capacitor is further connected with the programmable DC-DC converter. The resistor is used to limit the inrush current generated when the output voltage changes; and the capacitor is used to absorb the reverse electromotive force generated when the output voltage changes.

[0057] The inrush current refers to a large current generated instantaneously when the output voltage changes in a circuit, and the reverse electromotive force refers to an electromotive force opposite to the original current direction generated in the circuit when the current in the circuit changes. The inrush current and the reverse electromotive force can damage the elements in the circuit and affect the normal work of the circuit.

[0058] Specifically, the impedance matching circuit includes at least one resistor and one capacitor, the resistor in the impedance matching circuit is connected with the voltage domain controller, and the capacitor is connected with the programmable DC-DC converter. When the output voltage changes, the resistor plays a role in limiting the inrush current generated at this time, preventing excessive current from damaging elements such as the voltage domain controller and the programmable DC-DC converter, and the capacitor is responsible for absorbing the back electromotive force generated when the output voltage changes, avoiding the back electromotive force from interfering with the circuit and stabilizing the working state of the circuit to ensure the stability and reliability of signal transmission between the voltage domain controller and the programmable DC-DC converter.

[0059] Embodiment two

[0060] Figure 5 A flowchart of a self-driving to manned driving switching method provided for the second embodiment of the application, the self-driving to manned driving switching method provided by the second embodiment of the application is applied to any self-driving to manned driving switching architecture in the above embodiments. As shown in the figure, the method comprises the following steps. Figure 5

[0061] S110, determining that the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture is successfully powered on, and controlling the vehicle controller to obtain a sensor output electrical signal, the sensor output electrical signal comprising at least one of a steering wheel torque signal and a brake switch signal.

[0062] Specifically, after the vehicle controller confirms that the wake-up signal is valid, the low-voltage power-on process of the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture is started, and the state of the indicator light on the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture is continuously monitored. If the indicator light is on, it indicates that the power-on is successful, or the display screen on the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture is checked. If the display screen does not report an error, it indicates that the power-on is successful. After confirming that the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture is successfully powered on, the vehicle controller can obtain the sensor output electrical signal output by the sensor in two ways. One is that the vehicle controller passively receives the sensor output electrical signal actively transmitted by the sensor, and the other is that the vehicle controller actively sends an instruction to prompt the sensor to transmit the sensor output electrical signal to itself.

[0063] Optionally, in the self-driving to manned driving switching architecture of the embodiment of the application, the vehicle controller and the sensor are communicatively connected, and can also be connected through a hard wire.

[0064] S120, determining that the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition, and triggering the vehicle controller to output a start enable signal.

[0065] ​Specifically, the preset switching condition can be stored in the storage unit of the vehicle controller or the configuration server of the vehicle where the autonomous manual switching architecture is located. When the vehicle controller receives the sensor output signal, the vehicle controller can read the preset switching condition from the storage unit directly, or the vehicle controller can send a request instruction to the configuration server to obtain the switching condition after receiving the sensor output signal. The request instruction specifies the switching condition to be obtained. The configuration server searches the corresponding switching condition from its database according to the content of the request instruction and sends the switching condition to the vehicle controller. When the vehicle controller receives the sensor output signal, the vehicle controller can analyze the sensor output signal to obtain physical quantities such as the steering wheel torque value and the brake switch position. The vehicle controller can match the physical quantities such as the steering wheel torque value and the brake switch position with the switching condition. When the physical quantities such as the steering wheel torque value and the brake switch position match the switching condition, it is determined that the sensor output signal meets the switching condition. When the sensor output signal meets the switching condition, the vehicle controller outputs the start enable signal through the output port.

[0066] S130, triggering the voltage domain controller to output the voltage control signal by using the start enable signal.

[0067] Specifically, when the start enable signal reaches the voltage domain controller, the voltage domain controller is activated. The activated voltage domain controller outputs the voltage control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter through the output port.

[0068] S140, the output voltage is ramped down to the preset voltage by the programmable DC-DC converter based on the voltage control signal.

[0069] Specifically, the voltage domain controller transmits the voltage control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter through a hardware connection channel such as a wire or by following a specific software protocol through a network. The programmable DC-DC converter reduces the output voltage to the preset voltage in the form of a linear slope according to the voltage change rate and target voltage in the voltage control signal.

[0070] Optionally, before the output voltage is ramped down to the preset voltage by the programmable DC-DC converter based on the voltage control signal, the vehicle controller can obtain the capacity value of the total equivalent capacitance in the autonomous manual switching architecture and the current value flowing through the total equivalent capacitance when the vehicle controller receives the sensor output signal. The capacity value and the current value are substituted into a preset formula to obtain the ramping slope of the programmable DC-DC converter for ramping down the output voltage, wherein the preset formula at least includes: is the voltage change rate, that is, the slope, C is the capacitance of the total equivalent capacitance, and C is the current flowing through the total equivalent capacitance.

[0071] The embodiment of the present invention determines that the unmanned / managed driving switching architecture has been successfully powered on, controls the vehicle controller to obtain the sensor output electrical signal, determines that the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition, triggers the vehicle controller to output a start enable signal, uses the start enable signal to trigger the voltage domain controller to output a voltage control signal, and uses the programmable DC-DC converter to ramp down the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal. After the vehicle controller determines the switching condition, the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the output voltage according to different driving modes without maintaining a uniform voltage, thereby reducing ineffective energy consumption and improving energy utilization. By ramping down the output voltage to a preset voltage through the programmable DC-DC converter, the components in the unmanned / managed driving switching architecture can be ensured to operate stably during mode switching, thereby enhancing safety during switching.

[0072] Furthermore, the embodiment of the present invention further refines step S120. Specifically, the embodiment refines how the sensor output electrical signal is determined to meet the switching condition, including:

[0073] When the steering wheel torque value contained in the steering wheel torque signal is greater than the preset torque threshold, it is determined that the steering wheel torque signal meets the switching condition; when the brake switch position contained in the brake switch signal is in the open position, it is determined that the brake switch signal meets the switching condition.

[0074] Among them, the steering wheel torque value can be understood as a physical quantity used to reflect the magnitude of the torsional force applied to the steering wheel. It is measured by a sensor installed on the steering column or pinion shaft in the electric power steering system in the vehicle. It can also be used to judge the driver's intention to control the direction of the vehicle. By comparing the steering wheel torque value with the preset torque threshold, it can be determined whether the steering wheel torque signal meets the switching conditions.

[0075] The preset torque threshold can be understood as a pre-set standard value used to determine whether the steering wheel torque signal meets the switching conditions. The preset torque threshold can be determined based on factors such as vehicle design requirements, safety standards, and actual driving scenarios, and is used to determine whether the driver is actively controlling the steering wheel.

[0076] The brake switch position can be understood as an indicator of the brake pedal switch status, including on and off states, indicating driving intention. When the brake switch position is in the on position, it indicates that the driver has stepped on the brake pedal and has no driving intention. The brake switch position can be used to determine whether the brake switch position meets the switching conditions.

[0077] Specifically, a sensor acquires a steering wheel torque value. When the steering wheel torque value exceeds a preset torque threshold, the steering wheel torque signal is determined to have met the switching condition. The sensor also detects the position of the brake switch. When the brake switch is in the on position, the brake switch signal is determined to have met the switching condition. When either the steering wheel torque signal or the brake switch signal meets the switching condition, the sensor output signal has met the switching condition.

[0078] Furthermore, the embodiment of the present invention further refines step S140. Specifically, it refines how to ramp down the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal, including: obtaining the capacitance value of the total equivalent capacitor in the unmanned and manned driving switching architecture, and the current value flowing through the total equivalent capacitor when the vehicle controller receives the sensor output electrical signal; using the ratio of the current value to the capacitance value as the ramp-down slope of the output voltage; and ramping down the output voltage to a preset voltage according to the ramp-down slope through a programmable DC-DC converter.

[0079] Among them, the total equivalent capacitance can be understood as the total capacitance equivalent to all capacitors in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture, which is used to calculate the ramp-down slope of the output voltage.

[0080] The ramp-down slope is the rate at which the output voltage decreases over time. It is used to control the output voltage rate of a programmable DC-DC converter. The ramp-down slope is calculated by calculating the ratio of the current flowing through the total equivalent capacitor to the total equivalent capacitor's capacitance.

[0081] Specifically, the capacitance value of the total equivalent capacitor in the unmanned driving and manned driving switching architecture and the current value flowing through the total equivalent capacitor when the vehicle controller receives the electrical signal output by the sensor are obtained; the ratio of the current value to the capacitance value is used as the ramp-down slope of the output voltage, and the output voltage is ramped down to a preset voltage according to the ramp-down slope through a programmable DC-DC converter.

[0082] Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention also optimizes a method for switching from unmanned driving to manned driving. Specifically, it supplements the voltage compensation mechanism of the unmanned driving to manned driving switching architecture, including: monitoring the working status of the chassis distribution box in the unmanned driving to manned driving switching architecture, and when the working status is switched to on, controlling the voltage domain controller to increase the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to a preset compensation voltage value.

[0083] The voltage compensation mechanism can be understood as a voltage adjustment compensation strategy adopted to ensure voltage stability. By monitoring the working state of the chassis power distribution box, when the working state of the chassis power distribution box is turned on, the control voltage domain controller raises the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to a preset compensation voltage value to ensure that the components of the architecture work normally. The preset compensation voltage value can be understood as a target voltage value that needs to be raised when the chassis power distribution box is operating. It is worth noting that the voltage value of the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter is not always maintained at the preset compensation voltage value. When the power distribution box enters a stable working state, the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter will be maintained at a preset voltage.

[0084] Specifically, the working state of the chassis power distribution box in the unmanned manned switching architecture is monitored by the state monitoring module. When the working state is switched to on, the vehicle controller sends a control instruction to the voltage domain controller to control the voltage domain controller to raise the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to a preset preset compensation voltage value to ensure that the components of the architecture work normally.

[0085] Further, the embodiment of the present application also optimizes a method for switching from unmanned driving to manned driving. Specifically, it supplements how to switch from manned driving mode to unmanned driving mode, including: when the vehicle controller receives an unmanned driving instruction, the driving mode of the unmanned manned switching architecture is switched to the unmanned driving mode.

[0086] The unmanned driving instruction can be understood as an instruction signal for indicating the vehicle to switch from manned driving mode to unmanned driving mode, which can be issued by a related control unit or an intelligent networking terminal device in the vehicle and received by the vehicle controller.

[0087] The driving mode refers to the driving mode adopted by the vehicle when running, including unmanned driving mode and manned driving mode, etc., which is used to clearly indicate the current driving state of the vehicle. The voltage received by the chassis power distribution box in the unmanned manned switching architecture is different under different driving modes. For example, when switching from unmanned driving mode to manned driving mode, the voltage received by the chassis power distribution box will drop from the current voltage to a preset voltage. When switching from manned driving mode to unmanned driving mode, the voltage received by the chassis power distribution box will rise from the current voltage to another preset voltage.

[0088] Specifically, when the vehicle controller receives an unmanned driving instruction, the driving mode of the unmanned manned switching architecture is switched to the unmanned driving mode.

[0089] Embodiment three

[0090] In order to more clearly show the working process of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture switching method of the above embodiment, the power-on process of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture in the unmanned mode and the power-on process of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture in the manned mode are shown in the embodiment of the present application.

[0091] As shown in Figure 6 the power-on process of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture in the unmanned mode is described in detail. After the wake-up signal is valid, that is, after keyon / A+on, the wake-up vehicle controller (CCU) is powered on at low voltage. At this time, the electrical state of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture is the normal power state. After successful low-voltage power-on, the CCU wakes up the battery management system (BMS). After the BMS wakes up successfully, it performs self-detection of battery voltage, current, etc. After the BMS self-detection is successful, it reports the information to the main control unit. The CCU continues to judge the state of all loop contactors of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture to determine whether the high-voltage on condition is met. If the high-voltage on condition is met, the main control unit sends a high-voltage on instruction to the BMS. After receiving the high-voltage on instruction, the BMS sends an instruction to close the high-voltage contactors of the high-voltage distribution unit (HPDU) (including the pre-charging contactor and the main contactor, and the closing and opening sequence is to close the pre-charging contactor first, then close the main contactor, and then disconnect the pre-charging contactor after stabilizing the voltage. When the unmanned driving mode is recognized, the pre-charging control parameters are dynamically adjusted by the CCU (such as shortening the charging time constant of the pre-charging resistor), or the BMS actively optimizes the pre-charging current curve in the unmanned mode to shorten the pre-charging contactor closing time from the normal 100ms to 60ms). After the HPDU closes the high-voltage contactor, it feeds back the information of the closed high-voltage contactor to the BMS. After receiving the information that the high-voltage contactors have been closed by the main control unit, the BMS performs high-voltage on operation. After successful high-voltage on, the unmanned manned driving switching architecture can work normally. At this time, the high-voltage electrical appliances can be logically enabled: the DC 12V output port of the programmable DC-DC converter outputs 12V for the cab power distribution box, and the DC 12-48V variable output of the programmable DC-DC converter outputs 48V for the chassis power distribution box. If any contactor is not closed or opened or any feedback state is lost or fails in this process, the high-voltage on of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture fails, and the unmanned manned driving switching architecture reports a high-voltage fault. In the embodiment of the present application, the cab bus and the chassis bus adopt a double-channel communication mechanism, which can ensure that the cab control command transmission delay is less than 10ms and the single node failure does not affect other domain functions. The data transmission rate of the arbitration section of the cab bus and the chassis bus can be 500kbps, and the data transmission rate of the data section can be 2Mbps. The fault handling mechanism when the cab bus and the chassis bus fail includes: when the bus error rate of the cab bus or the chassis bus is greater than a preset threshold, for example, 10 -8When the vehicle control unit controls the switch to the backup route. In the embodiment of the application, at the hardware level, a transient voltage suppression diode + magnetic coupling isolation double protection mechanism can be used, and at the software level, a heartbeat packet + 32-bit cyclic redundancy check cross-channel verification mechanism can be used to ensure the safety of the cab bus and the chassis bus,

[0092] As shown in Figure 7 , the power-on process of the manned mode unmanned manned driving switching architecture is described in detail. When the CBCU receives the high-voltage on command, the central body control unit (CBCU) judges whether the high-voltage on condition of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture is met. If it is met, the CBCU sends a high-voltage on command to the HPDU contactor in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture. After the HPDU feedback contactor state is closed, the high-voltage on of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture is successful, and the high-voltage system uses the electrical appliances according to the logic: the programmable DC-DC converter outputs 12V for the cab distribution box and the programmable DC-DC converter outputs 12V for the chassis distribution box. If any contactor is not closed or any feedback state is lost or fails in this process, the high-voltage on of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture fails, and the unmanned manned driving switching architecture reports a high-voltage fault. When the working state of the chassis distribution box in the unmanned manned driving switching architecture is switched to on, the voltage domain controller can control the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to be raised to a preset compensation voltage value at the moment of switching to on, and then still maintain the output voltage of 12V. In the unmanned manned driving switching architecture, the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter is temporarily raised to a preset compensation voltage (for example, 14.5V) at the moment of turning on the chassis distribution box. The core function is to compensate for the voltage drop caused by the sudden load mutation, and to ensure that the key equipment obtains stable working voltage at the switching moment. In the embodiment of the application, a solid-state MOSFET array can be used to replace a mechanical relay, thereby prolonging the service life of the relay.

[0093] Further, in the embodiment of the application, the above-mentioned embodiment is optimized, specifically, another unmanned driving to manned driving switching method process is supplemented, as shown in Figure 8 When the power-on of the unmanned manned driving switching architecture is successful, the vehicle control unit judges whether the unmanned switching manned driving logic is triggered. For example, when the steering wheel torque value is greater than 5Nm, or the brake switch position is in the on position, the unmanned driving switches to manned driving. If it is not triggered, the unmanned driving mode is maintained. If it is triggered, the chassis distribution voltage is ramped down from 48V to 12V within 50ms (the slope is controlled at 0.5V / ms, and the reverse electromotive force during voltage switching is eliminated through an impedance matching circuit), and then the programmable DC-DC converter outputs 12V for chassis distribution and cab distribution, respectively.

[0094] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned embodiment is also optimized, specifically, a time sequence process of switching from manned driving to unmanned driving is supplemented, as shown in Figure 9 As shown, the specific control process of the Hall sensor, the vehicle controller, the voltage domain controller, the impedance matching circuit, the programmable DC-DC converter and the voltage domain state machine when switching from manned driving mode to unmanned driving mode is shown in detail. When the Hall sensor detects that the steering wheel torque is less than 1Nm (or there is no brake signal), the vehicle controller sends a "switch to unmanned mode" instruction to the voltage domain controller. The voltage domain controller receives the instruction and controls the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to increase to 48V at a rate of 0.5V / microsecond. In the process of voltage increase, the impedance matching circuit is used to eliminate the back electromotive force when the voltage is switched, and at the same time the voltage domain state machine also synchronously updates the voltage state flag. The voltage domain control process related to the switching from manned mode to unmanned mode, the components (Hall sensor, vehicle controller, voltage domain controller, impedance matching circuit, programmable DC-DC converter and voltage domain state machine) cooperatively participate in this process.

[0095] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned embodiment is also optimized, specifically, as shown in Figure 10 As shown, the use of the vehicle controller, the voltage domain controller and the battery when switching from unmanned driving mode to manned driving mode is shown in detail. The vehicle controller acquires the sensor output electrical signal and determines that the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition, and then outputs a start enable signal to the voltage domain controller. The voltage domain controller receives the start enable signal and sends a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal to the programmable DC-DC converter. The programmable DC-DC converter changes the voltage value of the output voltage after receiving the PWM control signal. The battery provides power for the programmable DC-DC converter.

[0096] Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned embodiment is also optimized, specifically, the all ports of the programmable DC-DC converter are supplemented. As shown in Figure 11 The programmable DC-DC converter is provided with an alternating current (AC) input end for connecting to an AC power source; has a direct current (DC) 12V output end for outputting a 12V DC voltage; and has a DC 12-48V variable output end for outputting a 12-48V variable DC voltage. The AC input end is connected with the battery for receiving the power provided by the battery, the DC 12V output end is connected with the cab distribution box for outputting 12V DC to the cab distribution box, and the DC 12-48V variable output end is connected with the chassis distribution box for outputting 12V DC to the chassis distribution box.

Claims

1. An unmanned and manned driving switching architecture, characterized in that: The architecture includes: a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller, and a programmable DC-DC converter; The vehicle controller is connected to the programmable DC-DC converter via the voltage domain controller; The vehicle controller is used to obtain the sensor output electrical signal, determine that the sensor output electrical signal meets the switching condition, and output a start enable signal; The voltage domain controller is configured to output a voltage control signal based on the startup enable signal; The programmable DC-DC converter is configured to ramp down the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The architecture further includes: a Hall sensor, the Hall sensor being communicatively connected to the vehicle controller; The Hall sensor is used to obtain a steering wheel torque signal and / or a brake switch signal, and transmit the steering wheel torque signal and / or the brake switch signal as the sensor output electrical signal to the vehicle controller.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The architecture further includes: a chassis power distribution box; the programmable DC-DC converter includes at least: a low voltage control terminal and a DC variable output terminal; The low voltage control terminal is connected to the voltage domain controller and is used to receive the voltage control signal output by the voltage domain controller; The DC variable output terminal is connected to the chassis power distribution box and is used to transmit the output voltage to the chassis power distribution box.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The architecture further includes: an impedance matching circuit, the impedance matching circuit including at least one resistor and at least one capacitor; The resistor is connected to the capacitor through a solid line. The resistor is also connected to the voltage domain controller. The capacitor is also connected to the programmable DC-DC converter.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The resistor is used to limit the surge current generated when the output voltage changes; the capacitor is used to absorb the reverse electromotive force generated when the output voltage changes.

6. A method for switching from unmanned driving to manned driving, characterized in that: Applied to an unmanned manned driving switching architecture, the architecture includes a vehicle controller, a voltage domain controller, and a programmable DC-DC converter, and the method includes: Determining that the unmanned driving and manned driving switching architecture is powered on successfully, controlling the vehicle controller to obtain a sensor output electrical signal, wherein the sensor output electrical signal includes at least one of the following: a steering wheel torque signal and a brake switch signal; Determining that the electrical signal output by the sensor meets a switching condition, triggering the vehicle controller to output a start enable signal; Using the startup enable signal to trigger the voltage domain controller to output a voltage control signal; The output voltage is ramped down to a preset voltage by the programmable DC-DC converter based on the voltage control signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining whether the sensor output electrical signal satisfies a switching condition comprises: When the steering wheel torque value included in the steering wheel torque signal is greater than a preset torque threshold, determining that the steering wheel torque signal meets a switching condition; When the brake switch position included in the brake switch signal is in the on position, it is determined that the brake switch signal meets the switching condition.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The step of ramping down the output voltage to a preset voltage based on the voltage control signal by the programmable DC-DC converter comprises: Obtaining a capacitance value of a total equivalent capacitor in the unmanned / managed driving switching architecture, and a current value flowing through the total equivalent capacitor when the vehicle controller receives an electrical signal output by a sensor; Using the ratio of the current value to the capacity value as the ramp-down slope of the output voltage; The output voltage is ramped down to a preset voltage according to the ramp-down slope by the programmable DC-DC converter.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Monitor the working status of the chassis power distribution box in the unmanned / manual driving switching architecture, and when the working status is switched to on, control the voltage domain controller to increase the output voltage of the programmable DC-DC converter to a preset compensation voltage value.

10. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the vehicle controller receives an unmanned driving instruction, the driving mode of the unmanned / managed driving switching architecture is switched to an unmanned driving mode.

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