VEHICLE CONTROL PROCEDURES, VEHICLE, VEHICLE CONTROL AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

A vehicle control method, a vehicle, a vehicle control system, and a storage medium. The vehicle (100) includes a drive and transmission system (9) for on-land travel. The drive and transmission system (9) includes distributed drive motors (60) for driving wheels (10). The vehicle control method (100) includes: acquiring vehicle state information; acquiring, in response to a water travel trigger command, a target control parameter of the drive motor (60) based on the vehicle state information and characteristic information for water travel; and controlling the corresponding drive motors (60) based on the target control parameter to make the vehicle travel on water.

Description

Vehicle control method, vehicle, vehicle controller, and storage medium

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on September 11, 2023, with application number 202311174429.8 and entitled “Vehicle Control Method, Vehicle, Vehicle Controller and Storage Medium,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a vehicle control method, a vehicle, a vehicle controller, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0004] In the prior art, amphibious vehicles typically require two separate powertrain systems for both land and water travel. Land travel typically utilizes a drive motor and wheels, while water travel requires additional aquatic power output devices, such as propellers, jet drives, or flipper tires. While this approach can significantly increase vehicle speed in water, it significantly increases system complexity and cost, severely hindering its widespread adoption.

[0005] Public content

[0006] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one purpose of the present application is to provide a vehicle control method that can realize two driving modes: land driving and floating driving. In addition, the vehicle can realize floating driving based on the drive and transmission system for land driving, eliminating the need for two different power transmission systems, thereby reducing system complexity and production costs.

[0007] The second object of this application is to provide a vehicle.

[0008] The third objective of this application is to provide a vehicle controller.

[0009] A fourth object of this application is to provide a computer-readable storage medium.

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the vehicle control method of the first aspect embodiment of the present application includes a drive and transmission system for land driving, and the drive and transmission system includes a distributed drive motor for driving wheels; the vehicle control method includes: obtaining vehicle status information; responding to a floating driving trigger instruction, obtaining target control parameters of the drive motor according to the vehicle status information and floating driving characteristic information; controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the target control parameters to enable the vehicle to float on water.

[0011] According to the vehicle control method of the embodiment of the present application, a distributed drive motor is used so that each wheel can be controlled independently. By obtaining vehicle status information and floating driving characteristic information and calculating the target control parameters of the drive motor based on this information, the vehicle can be controlled to float on water, thereby realizing two driving modes: land driving and floating driving, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle. Moreover, compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, the drive and transmission system based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle, without the need to use two different power transmission systems, which greatly reduces the complexity of the system, reduces production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0012] In some embodiments, the vehicle status information includes throttle opening; the target control parameters of the drive motor are obtained based on the vehicle status information and the floating driving characteristic information, including: querying a first mapping relationship based on the throttle opening to obtain the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, wherein the first mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between throttle opening and motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

[0013] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the target control parameter includes: controlling each drive motor to drive the wheel to rotate forward or backward synchronously according to the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, wherein the motor pre-controlled wheel speed of each drive motor is the same.

[0014] In some embodiments, the vehicle status information also includes a steering wheel angle and a floating vehicle speed; the target control parameters of the drive motor are obtained based on the vehicle status information and the floating driving characteristic information, including: querying a second mapping relationship based on the steering wheel angle and the floating vehicle speed to obtain a first target yaw angular velocity, wherein the second mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of steering wheel angle-floating vehicle speed-first target yaw angular velocity; querying a third mapping relationship based on the first target yaw angular velocity to obtain a first pre-controlled differential wheel speed of each wheel, wherein the third mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of first target yaw angular velocity-first pre-controlled differential wheel speed; obtaining the motor target wheel speed of each drive motor based on the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

[0015] In some embodiments, obtaining the motor target wheel speed of each of the drive motors according to the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed includes: obtaining the target wheel speed of each of the drive motors according to the first target yaw angular velocity, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

[0016] In some embodiments, the target wheel speeds of each drive motor are obtained based on the first target yaw angular velocity, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, including: obtaining the actual yaw angular velocity; obtaining a first yaw angle difference based on the first target yaw angular velocity and the actual yaw angular velocity; obtaining a first target wheel speed correction based on the first yaw angle difference; and obtaining the motor target wheel speed corresponding to each wheel by combining the first target wheel speed correction, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second mapping relationship includes the following relationship:

[0018] Among them, ω rs 1 is the first target yaw rate, δ is the steering wheel angle, δ0 is the steering wheel angle threshold, u is the floating vehicle speed, and K is the steering coefficient.

[0019] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes: querying a fourth mapping relationship based on the floating vehicle speed to obtain a first maximum allowable yaw angular velocity that satisfies the vehicle's allowable roll range, the fourth mapping relationship being a mapping relationship between the floating vehicle speed and the first maximum allowable yaw angular velocity, wherein the first target yaw angular velocity is less than the first maximum allowable yaw angular velocity.

[0020] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the target control parameter includes: controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the motor target wheel speed of each drive motor, wherein the first pre-controlled differential wheel speeds of the left drive motor and the right drive motor of the vehicle based on the first target yaw angular velocity are the same in magnitude and opposite in direction.

[0021] In some embodiments, the vehicle status information includes throttle opening; the target control parameters of the drive motor are obtained based on the vehicle status information and the floating driving characteristic information, including: querying the fifth mapping relationship based on the throttle opening to obtain the second target yaw angular velocity, wherein the fifth mapping relationship is the mapping relationship of throttle opening-second target yaw angular velocity; querying the sixth mapping relationship based on the second target yaw angular velocity to obtain the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed, wherein the sixth mapping relationship is the mapping relationship of the second target yaw angular velocity-second pre-controlled differential wheel speed; obtaining the motor target wheel speed of each drive motor based on the second target yaw angular velocity and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed.

[0022] In some embodiments, the motor target wheel speed of each drive motor is obtained based on the second target yaw angular velocity and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed, including: calculating a second yaw angle difference between the second target yaw angular velocity and the actual yaw angular velocity; obtaining a second target wheel speed correction based on the second yaw angle difference; and obtaining the motor target wheel speed based on the second target wheel speed correction and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed.

[0023] In some embodiments, the fifth mapping relationship satisfies:

[0024] Among them, ω rs2 is the second target yaw rate, α is the throttle opening, α0 is the throttle opening threshold, and K is the steering coefficient.

[0025] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes: querying a seventh mapping relationship based on the throttle opening to obtain a second maximum allowable yaw rate that satisfies the vehicle's allowable roll range, wherein the seventh mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of throttle opening-second maximum allowable yaw rate, and wherein the second target yaw rate is less than the second maximum allowable yaw rate.

[0026] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the target control parameter includes: controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the motor target wheel speed of the drive motor, wherein the second pre-controlled differential wheel speeds of the left drive motor and the right drive motor of the vehicle based on the second target yaw angular velocity are the same in magnitude and opposite in direction.

[0027] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes: obtaining a wading depth of the vehicle; and obtaining a floating driving trigger instruction when the wading depth of the vehicle exceeds a preset floating driving depth threshold.

[0028] In some embodiments, the floating driving trigger instruction comes from the driver's operation or the decision of the automatic control system, and the floating driving trigger instruction is used to prompt the vehicle to switch to the floating driving mode.

[0029] In some embodiments, a water depth detection device is provided corresponding to each wheel, and obtaining the wading depth of the vehicle includes: obtaining water depth information collected by each water depth detection device; and determining the wading depth of the vehicle based on the water depth information.

[0030] In some embodiments, the number of water depth detection devices is less than the number of wheels, and obtaining the wading depth of the vehicle includes: obtaining vehicle body posture information; obtaining height information from the water surface collected by each of the water depth detection devices; and determining the wading depth of the vehicle based on the vehicle body posture information and the height information.

[0031] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes: controlling the drive motor in response to a land travel control signal so that the vehicle runs on land.

[0032] In some embodiments, the land travel control signal comes from the driver's operation or from the decision of the vehicle's automatic control system.

[0033] In some embodiments, the driver's operation is pressing the accelerator, braking, or turning the steering wheel.

[0034] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the vehicle of the second aspect embodiment of the present application includes: a body; a chassis; a drive and transmission system, the drive and transmission system including a distributed drive motor for driving wheels; and a controller, the controller is connected to the drive and transmission system, and is used to control the drive motor according to the vehicle control method described in any embodiment of the first aspect above.

[0035] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present application, the drive and transmission system adopts a distributed drive motor, which is distributed on each wheel of the vehicle so that each wheel can be independently controlled. The controller is connected to the drive and transmission system. By adopting the vehicle control method described in the above embodiment, the drive motor can be controlled to enable the vehicle to float on water, thereby realizing two driving modes of land driving and floating on water driving, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle. Moreover, compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, the drive and transmission system based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle without the need to use two different power transmission systems, which greatly reduces the complexity of the system, reduces production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0036] In some embodiments, the perforated portions on the chassis are sealed; and / or the wet area of ​​the vehicle body is waterproof, wherein the wet area of ​​the vehicle body includes the area where the vehicle body comes into contact with water when the vehicle is floating on water.

[0037] In some embodiments, the vehicle further includes: an on-board air-conditioning system, wherein a first switch valve is provided at a drainage hole of the on-board air-conditioning system, and the first switch valve is controlled to be closed when the vehicle is floating on water.

[0038] In some embodiments, the drive and transmission system further includes an engine, and a second switch valve is provided at the air intake and / or exhaust port of the engine, and the second switch valve is controlled to be closed when the vehicle is floating on water.

[0039] In some embodiments, the vehicle further includes: a water depth detection device, which is connected to the controller and is used to detect the wading depth of the vehicle.

[0040] In some embodiments, the water depth detection device is provided corresponding to each of the wheels.

[0041] In some embodiments, the setting height of each water depth detection device is g, and g satisfies the following condition: G=(h+Δ), where h is the height between the wheel top and the chassis when the wheel floats, and Δ is the safety distance margin.

[0042] In some embodiments, the number of the water depth detection devices is less than the number of the wheels; the vehicle further includes a posture detection device, which is connected to the controller and is used to detect vehicle body posture information.

[0043] In some embodiments, there are two water depth detection devices, which are arranged on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body, or the two water depth detection devices are arranged on the left and right rearview mirrors.

[0044] In some embodiments, the vehicle further comprises: an on-board satellite navigation and positioning device, the on-board satellite navigation and positioning device being connected to the controller and configured to detect position information when the vehicle is floating on water, and the controller being further configured to obtain vehicle speed based on the position information.

[0045] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the vehicle controller of the third embodiment of the present application includes: a processor; and a memory, which is communicatively connected to the processor; a computer program is stored in the memory, and when the processor executes the computer program, the vehicle control method described in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0046] According to the vehicle controller of the embodiment of the present application, the processor can realize two driving modes, namely land driving and floating driving, by executing the vehicle control method described in the above embodiment, thereby enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle. Moreover, the driving and transmission system based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle without the need to use two different power transmission systems, thereby reducing the complexity of the system and reducing production costs.

[0047] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the computer-readable storage medium of the fourth embodiment of the present application stores a computer program thereon, and when the computer program is executed, it implements the vehicle control method described in the above embodiment.

[0048] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become obvious from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle exterior structure according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle exterior structure according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle exterior structure according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG6 is a flow chart of a vehicle control method according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG7 is a control block diagram of a vehicle's aquatic travel and aquatic steering according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG8 is a control block diagram of a vehicle aquatic pivoting according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG9 is a block diagram of a vehicle controller according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0059] Reference numerals:

[0060] Vehicle 100

[0061] Vehicle body 1, chassis 2, controller 3, water depth detection device 4, attitude detection device 5, vehicle-mounted satellite navigation positioning device 6, rearview mirror 7, vehicle-mounted air conditioning system 8, first switch valve 81, second switch valve 82, drive and transmission system 9,

[0062] Wheel 10, wheel speed sensor 20, steering knuckle 30, drive axle 40, reducer 50, drive motor 60, power battery 70, battery management system 80, engine 90,

[0063] Vehicle controller 110,

[0064] Processor 111 and memory 112. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application, and the embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary.

[0066] In the prior art, both military and civilian amphibious vehicles are relatively large and have unusual shapes. This is primarily due to the fact that the vehicle's underbody is modeled after a ship's hull to ensure the vehicle's buoyancy. Furthermore, amphibious vehicles typically require two separate powertrains, steering systems, and even cooling systems, making them extremely expensive and severely restricting their widespread adoption.

[0067] In response to the above problems, an embodiment of the present application proposes a vehicle control method, which can realize two driving modes: land driving and floating driving, enhance the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle, and the driving and transmission system based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle without the need to use two different power transmission systems, thereby reducing the complexity of the system and reducing production costs.

[0068] To facilitate the description of the technical solution, the vehicle 100 of the embodiment of the present application will be described below.

[0069] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the system composition of the vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 100 includes a body 1, a chassis 2, a drive and transmission system 9 and a controller 3.

[0070] The vehicle body 1 and chassis 2 constitute the primary structure of the vehicle 100, providing stable support and protection to ensure that the vehicle 100 can navigate various terrains and environments. The vehicle body 1 may include components such as the cabin, compartment, and doors, while the chassis 2 may include the floor, suspension system, and wheels 10.

[0071] In some embodiments, the wheel 10 may use a conventional land tire without requiring a tire or rim specifically designed for water travel, thereby reducing cost and simplifying maintenance while maintaining on-land performance.

[0072] In some embodiments, the drive and transmission system 9 can be the power source of the vehicle 100 and includes distributed drive motors 60 for driving the wheels 10, as well as other drive and power transmission systems and components required for land-based vehicle operation, thereby enabling the vehicle to travel on land. These drive motors 60 can be installed on each wheel 10 of the vehicle 100, such as on the front and rear axles, left and right wheels, etc., to achieve independent control of each wheel 10. This distributed arrangement allows for precise power distribution, increases the flexibility and adaptability of the vehicle 100, and enables the vehicle 100 to operate in different road conditions and driving modes.

[0073] In some embodiments, the controller 3 may be an intelligent control unit of the vehicle 100 , and the controller 3 is connected to the drive and transmission system 9 and is used to control the drive motor 60 according to the vehicle control method of the following embodiment.

[0074] Specifically, the controller 3 is connected to the drive and transmission system 9, and controls the rotation speed of the drive motor 60 by adjusting the output power of each drive motor 60, thereby adjusting the rotation speed of the wheel 10. By controlling the wheel speed, the controller 3 can ensure that the contact between the tire and the water surface remains on an appropriate level to provide required buoyancy and stability. For example, in deep water, the drive motor 60 may need to provide more power to increase buoyancy, while in shallow water, the power may need to be reduced. In addition, the controller 3 can also realize turning by adjusting the wheel speed of each drive motor 60. For example, if the vehicle 100 needs to turn right, the controller 3 will increase the rotation speed of the right wheel and reduce the rotation speed of the left wheel, thereby making the vehicle 100 turn.

[0075] Therefore, the controller 3 ensures that the vehicle 100 can float smoothly and safely on the water surface by continuously adjusting the power output and wheel speed of the drive motor 60 and monitoring the vehicle status and water surface conditions, thereby realizing control functions such as forward, backward and steering.

[0076] According to the vehicle 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the drive and transmission system 9 adopts a distributed arrangement of drive motors 60, which are distributed on each wheel 10 of the vehicle 100, so that each wheel 10 can be independently controlled. The controller 3 is connected to the drive and transmission system 9. By adopting the vehicle control method of the following embodiment, the drive motor 60 can be controlled to achieve independent control of each wheel, thereby realizing two driving modes of land driving and floating driving, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle 100, and compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, there is no need to use two different power transmission systems, which greatly reduces the complexity of the system, reduces production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0077] Furthermore, to better suit the vehicle's aquatic performance and prevent water ingress, the vehicle can be waterproofed. In some embodiments, the perforations on the chassis 2 can be sealed to meet IP67 and above waterproofing requirements, preventing water from entering the chassis area and maintaining the seal and safety of the vehicle 100 during aquatic travel. This sealing arrangement eliminates the need for a unibody or boat-shaped chassis structure, minimally impacting the structural design of the chassis 2 and body 1 of the vehicle 100, and having no impact on land-based driving performance. Furthermore, this sealed chassis 2 and body 1 ensure that the amphibious vehicle's exterior structure is essentially the same as that of a conventional land-based vehicle, with no significant differences.

[0078] In some embodiments, the sealing setting can be achieved using various methods and sealing materials. For example, waterproof sealant or rubber gaskets can be used around the perforated parts to ensure that water cannot penetrate. In addition, appropriate seals, such as sealable covers or valves, can be installed around each perforated part on the chassis 2 of the vehicle 100 so that they can be closed when traveling on water to prevent water from entering. These seals can be customized according to the design of the chassis 2 and the location of the perforations to ensure sealing. In addition, multi-layer sealing can also be used to enhance the waterproof effect, especially for amphibious vehicles that need to float in deep water. The specific sealing setting implementation method can be selected according to the design and use of the vehicle 100, and is not specifically limited here.

[0079] In some embodiments, the vehicle body 1 can be divided into a dry area and a wet area, depending on whether the vehicle 100 will come into contact with water while driving in the water. The dry area of ​​the vehicle body 1 does not require special waterproofing and sealing, while the wet area of ​​the vehicle body 1, particularly the portion in contact with the chassis 2, is waterproofed. The wet area of ​​the vehicle body 1 comprises the areas of the vehicle body 1 that come into contact with water when the vehicle 100 is driving in the water, typically including the bottom, sides, and possibly the wheel areas of the vehicle 100. When the vehicle 100 enters the water, these areas are susceptible to water intrusion, potentially causing damage to the interior of the chassis 2 or affecting the buoyancy and stability of the vehicle 100.

[0080] Therefore, in order to prevent water from intruding into the wet area, various methods can be used to meet the waterproof requirements of IP67 and above. For example, special waterproof sealing materials, such as rubber sealing rings, sealing coatings, sealing strips, etc., are used in the wet area of ​​the vehicle body 1 to ensure that the wet area is isolated from external moisture. Alternatively, the wet area of ​​the vehicle body 1 is structurally designed, such as using special sealing seams, grooves, etc., to increase the waterproof performance. Alternatively, the surface of the wet area is specially coated or treated, such as rubber coating or special waterproof paint, to increase its waterproof performance and prevent water penetration. Alternatively, special sealing devices, such as sealing doors, sealing covers, etc., are installed at key locations in the wet area of ​​the vehicle body to ensure that water does not enter the interior of the vehicle body 1.

[0081] In general, waterproofing the wetted areas ensures that the vehicle 100 remains sealed when traveling on water, preventing water from entering the chassis 2 or the interior of the vehicle 100. This is crucial for maintaining the buoyancy and stability of the vehicle 100, ensuring that the vehicle 100 can travel on water without being disturbed by water and preventing damage to key components, thereby improving the vehicle's navigability and safety on water.

[0082] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , vehicle 100 also includes an onboard air conditioning system 8 . This system can be used to control the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle 100 to provide a comfortable riding environment for passengers. During use, the onboard air conditioning system 8 typically generates condensed water, which needs to be drained through the drain hole.

[0083] In some embodiments, the drain hole of the vehicle air conditioning system 8 can be an outlet for draining condensed water. A first on-off valve 81 is provided at the drain hole. The first on-off valve 81 is a control device that controls the discharge of condensed water. The first on-off valve 81 is controlled to close when the vehicle 100 is traveling on water.

[0084] Specifically, when the vehicle 100 is floating on water, the wet area at the bottom of the vehicle body 1, including the drainage holes, may come into contact with water. To prevent water from entering the vehicle air conditioning system 8, the first switch valve 81 can be closed according to the operating mode of the vehicle 100 by combining the controller 3 with the vehicle status information. This control can be implemented based on the floating driving trigger instruction. In an embodiment, the mechanism for controlling the first switch valve 81 can be automatic or manual, depending on the design of the vehicle 100. Automatic control can be based on vehicle status information, such as determining whether the vehicle 100 is floating on water to automatically close the first switch valve 81. Manual control may require driver intervention, such as manually closing the valve through the controller 3 or a button.

[0085] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, the drive and transmission system 9 further includes an engine 90 for generating power and driving the vehicle 100. The engine 90 generally has an air intake and an exhaust port for taking in air and discharging exhaust gas. The air intake and / or exhaust port of the engine 90 are provided with a second on-off valve 82, which is also a control device that can control the opening or closing of the air intake and / or exhaust port. When the vehicle 100 is floating on water, the second on-off valve 82 is controlled to close to prevent water from entering the engine 90, thereby protecting the performance and safety of the engine 90.

[0086] Specifically, when vehicle 100 is floating, the wetted areas of the bottom of vehicle body 1 may come into contact with water, including the air intake and exhaust ports of engine 90. To ensure that engine 90 is protected from water intrusion, second on / off valve 82 can be controlled based on vehicle status information and a trigger for floating. In an embodiment, the mechanism for controlling second on / off valve 82 can be automatic or manual, depending on the design of vehicle 100. Automatic control can be based on vehicle status information, such as determining whether vehicle 100 is floating, to automatically close second on / off valve 82. Manual control may require driver intervention, such as manually closing the valve via controller 3 or a button.

[0087] Furthermore, to enable the vehicle to automatically float after entering water, the floating mode can be automatically activated when the vehicle's wading depth, i.e., the water depth exceeds a floating threshold, is detected. As shown in FIG2 , in some embodiments, the vehicle 100 further includes a water depth detection device 4 . The water depth detection device 4 is connected to the controller 3 and is configured to detect the wading depth of the vehicle 100 .

[0088] The water depth detection device 4 can be a contact or non-contact sensor to detect whether the sensor's installation location is submerged in water or the height / depth of the water. Non-contact water sensors (such as ultrasonic sensors, laser sensors, infrared sensors, etc.) are preferably installed on the rearview mirrors 7, one on each left and right rearview mirror 7, to facilitate downward detection. Contact sensors (such as liquid level switches, pressure switches, float switches, etc.) are preferably installed at the water level g at which each wheel 10 of the vehicle 100 just floats in the water.

[0089] In some embodiments, the water depth detection device 4 is connected to the controller 3 of the vehicle 100 to transmit the detected water depth information. This connection can be achieved through a cable or other appropriate communication means, which means that the measured wading depth data can be transmitted to the controller 3 for processing and decision-making. After receiving the wading depth data, the controller 3 can take appropriate measures based on the design and program of the vehicle 100. For example, if the water depth exceeds the maximum floating depth of the vehicle 100, the controller 3 can trigger an alarm or automatically take action, such as increasing the floating height or stopping floating driving. Therefore, the water depth detection device 4 helps to improve the safety and stability of the vehicle 100. It can prevent the vehicle 100 from sinking into deep water or hitting the bottom when floating, thereby reducing potential dangers.

[0090] In some embodiments, if the number of water depth detection devices 4 is the same as the number of wheels 10, it means that each wheel 10 on the vehicle 100 is equipped with an independent water depth detection device 4. For example, if the vehicle 100 is four-wheel drive, there will be four water depth detection devices 4. This configuration allows the vehicle 100 to monitor the water depth at multiple different locations at the same time. When the vehicle 100 enters the water, each water depth detection device 4 can provide water depth information about its location. The controller 3 can receive water depth data from each water depth detection device 4 and adjust the operation of the vehicle 100 in real time based on this data to adapt to the water depth at different locations. For example, if a wheel 10 detects deeper water, the controller 3 can adjust the floating height of the wheel or take other measures to adapt to the change in water depth.

[0091] As shown in Figure 1, the installation height of each water depth detection device is g, and g satisfies the following conditions: G=(h+Δ)

[0092] Where h is the height between the wheeltop and the chassis when the wheel is floating. This height varies with the design and assembly of the vehicle 100, typically depending on the vehicle's suspension system and tire size. Δ is the safety distance margin, which is the additional distance required to set the height g. This margin takes into account the safety of water depth detection, ensuring that the water depth detection device 4 can still function properly when submerged and providing sufficient response time. This margin is typically determined based on safety standards and design requirements.

[0093] For example, if the height h between the wheel top and the chassis 2 is 10 cm when the wheel 10 is floating, and the safety margin Δ is 5 cm, then the setting height g of each water depth detection device 4 is equal to 15 cm. This means that the water depth detection device 4 will start measuring the water depth at a position 15 cm from the bottom of the vehicle body to ensure accuracy and safety.

[0094] Therefore, the height of the water depth detection device 4 is calculated to ensure accurate water depth measurement when floating, and a safety distance margin is taken into account to improve safety. This helps to ensure the reliability and performance of the amphibious vehicle in different water depth conditions.

[0095] In some embodiments, if the number of water depth detection devices 4 is less than the number of wheels 10, this means that not every wheel 10 is equipped with a water depth detection device 4, but rather is selectively installed according to needs, optimization or other factors. At this time, due to the limited number of water depth detection devices 4, it may not be possible to cover the positions of all wheels 10. Therefore, the vehicle 100 can also be equipped with a posture detection device 5 for detecting the posture information of the vehicle body. The posture information may include the tilt angle, horizontality, etc. of the vehicle 100, which is used to determine the posture state of the vehicle 100 when floating on water. The posture detection device 5 is connected to the controller 3, which means that the posture information will be transmitted to the controller 3 so that the vehicle 100 can take appropriate measures based on the posture state. For example, when floating on water, if the vehicle 100 tilts excessively, it may cause the vehicle body to be unstable or overturned. The posture detection device 5 can detect this situation in time and notify the controller 3 to take corrective measures, such as adjusting the floating system to maintain balance.

[0096] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle exterior structure according to another embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4 , when the number of water depth detection devices 4 is less than four, for example, there are only two water depth detection devices 4, one each disposed on the left and right rearview mirrors 7, it is impossible to directly determine whether each wheel 10 is fully submerged in water. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a conversion calculation using the attitude angle of the vehicle body 1 to indirectly determine the water submergence status of each wheel. This can be achieved by equipping the vehicle with attitude detection devices 5.

[0097] In some embodiments, the attitude detection device 5 can be a vehicle-mounted 6-axis IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) module. The vehicle-mounted 6-axis IMU module can be a sensor system carried by the vehicle 100, typically including a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope. Through this module, attitude angle information such as the roll angle (pitch angle) and longitudinal angle (roll angle) of the vehicle body 1 can be obtained. This information can be used to know the current attitude of the vehicle 100, that is, the tilt angle of the vehicle body 1 relative to the horizontal plane.

[0098] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle exterior structure according to another embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG5 , when the number of water depth detection devices 4 is less than four, for example, there are only two water depth detection devices 4, and they are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body 1 at the water level height g where the wheels 10 just float in the water, but since it is impossible to directly determine whether each wheel 10 is completely immersed in water, it is necessary to perform a conversion calculation based on the attitude angle of the vehicle body 1 to indirectly obtain the water immersion status of each wheel. This can also be achieved by equipping the vehicle with an attitude detection device 5 (such as a 6-axis IMU module on board). The module can obtain attitude angle information such as the roll angle and pitch angle of the vehicle body 1.

[0099] As shown in FIG2 , the vehicle 100 further includes: wheels 10 , wheel speed sensors 20 , steering knuckles 30 , drive axles 40 , reducers 50 , drive motors 60 , power batteries 70 , battery management systems 80 and a vehicle-mounted satellite navigation and positioning device 6 .

[0100] Among them, the wheels 10 provide the traction and support required for the vehicle 100 to travel on land. The wheel speed sensor 20 is used to monitor the rotational speed of each wheel 10. The wheel speed sensor 20 provides information about the speed and steering of the vehicle 100, which will be used by the controller 3 for dynamic control of the vehicle 100. The steering knuckle 30 can be a key component for steering the vehicle 100. It is connected to the two front wheels, allowing the vehicle 100 to achieve steering on land or in water. The drive half shaft 40 connects the drive motor 60 and the wheels 10, transmitting power from the drive motor 60 to the wheels 10, allowing the vehicle 100 to move forward and backward. The speed reducer 50 is used to reduce the speed output by the drive motor 60 and provide more torque. This provides sufficient power for the vehicle 100, which is very important for traveling in water.

[0101] The drive motor 60 may be the power source of the vehicle 100. It is splined to the reducer 50 and provides power to the vehicle 100. The drive motor 60 is controlled by the controller 3. The power battery 70 may be the energy source of the vehicle 100, storing electrical energy for use by the drive motor 60. The battery management system 80 may monitor and manage the performance of the power battery 70 to ensure its safe and efficient operation. The on-board satellite navigation and positioning device 6 is connected to the controller 3 and is used to detect the vehicle speed when the vehicle 100 is traveling on water.

[0102] In some embodiments, the two front wheels 10 are connected to the steering knuckle 30 via a drive axle 40, and are connected to the reducer 50 via the drive axle 40. The reducer 50 is splined to the drive motor 60. The two rear wheels 10 are connected to the reducer 50 via the drive axle 40, and the reducer 50 is splined to the drive motor 60. The wheel speed sensor 20, drive motor 60, water depth detection device 4, battery management system 80, vehicle-mounted satellite navigation and positioning device 6, etc. are connected to the controller 3 via electrical connections (arrows in Figure 2). The power battery 70 is electrically connected to the battery management system 80.

[0103] Therefore, the various components of the vehicle system work closely together to ensure that the vehicle 100 can travel safely and efficiently in different environments and achieve amphibious functions. The controller 3 plays a key role in coordinating and controlling the various components, enabling the vehicle 100 to adapt to different driving scenarios.

[0104] In some embodiments, the vehicle 100 utilizes the same powertrain system for both water and land travel. When the vehicle 100 is traveling on land, the controller 3 controls the drive motor 60 to rotate the wheels 10 forward or backward, enabling land travel. The steering wheel and steering mechanism drive the steering knuckle 30 and the front wheels 10 to deflect, enabling the vehicle 100 to steer on land. The controller 3 receives input from the driver (steering wheel rotation) and data from sensors (wheel speed sensors 20) to effectively control the movement of the vehicle 100.

[0105] When vehicle 100 is traveling in water, the power transmission method for vehicle 100 differs slightly from that for traveling on land. Controller 3 still provides power by controlling drive motor 60, but this time, vehicle 100 no longer relies on wheels 10 to directly contact the ground. Instead, vehicle 100 controls drive motor 60 to synchronously rotate each wheel 10 forward or backward at high speed, utilizing the tire tread and spoke structure to pry water forward or backward to achieve underwater travel. Based on the steering wheel rotation size and speed, controller 3 controls drive motor 60 to drive each wheel 10 forward or backward at high speed, achieving differential steering in water, in-place steering in water, and lateral stability control when traveling straight or yaw in water.

[0106] In some embodiments, because there is no direct linear relationship between the wheel speeds of each wheel 10 and the actual vehicle speed when the vehicle 100 is traveling in water, the actual vehicle speed in water cannot be directly calculated from the wheel speeds. To address this issue, the vehicle 100 can utilize an onboard satellite navigation and positioning device 6, connected to the controller 3, to detect the vehicle's position while traveling in water. The controller 3 can obtain a vehicle speed signal based on this position information, which can be used for motion control and instrument display, ensuring that the driver has accurate information about the vehicle's speed for safe navigation in water.

[0107] The following describes a vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present application with reference to Figures 6 to 8, wherein the vehicle includes a drive and transmission system for land travel, and the drive and transmission system includes distributed drive motors for driving wheels.

[0108] FIG6 is a flow chart of a vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG6 , the vehicle control method includes at least steps S1 - S3 , which are specifically as follows.

[0109] S1, obtain vehicle status information.

[0110] In some embodiments, vehicle status information can include various data and parameters to provide detailed information about the vehicle's current state. This information may include: speed, acceleration, attitude angle, wading depth, location information, vehicle load, tire status, etc. Vehicle status information can be monitored in real time using various sensors, such as speed sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tire pressure sensors, water depth detection devices, attitude detection devices, and on-board satellite navigation and positioning devices.

[0111] S2 , in response to the water-skiing driving trigger instruction, obtaining target control parameters of the driving motor according to the vehicle state information and the water-skiing driving characteristic information.

[0112] Among them, floating driving may refer to the state in which a vehicle is driving on the water surface or in shallow water, similar to a boat or a floating vehicle. This is a special driving mode, usually used when it is necessary to cross a river, cross a puddle, or pass through water areas such as a waterway. In this mode, the vehicle can float on the water surface and move forward without sinking. This driving mode usually requires the vehicle to have specific water driving capabilities, such as buoyancy and stability. The floating driving mode requires the vehicle to be watertight and have sufficient buoyancy to ensure that the vehicle can drive smoothly and safely on the water. Floating driving characteristic information may refer to information about the specific parameters and performance requirements required for the vehicle to operate in a floating state. This information helps to determine how the vehicle should be operated and controlled when driving on the water surface to ensure safe, stable and effective floating driving.

[0113] Specifically, after acquiring vehicle status information, the vehicle must respond to a water-based driving trigger. This trigger, which can originate from a driver's input or a decision made by the automatic control system, prompts the vehicle to switch to water-based driving mode. Upon receiving the trigger, the system uses previously acquired vehicle status information and water-based driving characteristics to calculate the target control parameters required for the drive motors. These parameters may include target wheel speeds and target yaw rates, ensuring the vehicle remains stable and controlled while driving on water.

[0114] S3, controlling the corresponding driving motor according to the target control parameter to enable the vehicle to float on water.

[0115] Specifically, after calculating the target control parameters, the system can apply these target control parameters to the corresponding drive motors in a distributed arrangement. These drive motors will adjust their working mode according to the target control parameters to ensure that the vehicle can float smoothly on the water. Specifically, this may involve adjusting the motor power, controlling the rotation speed of the wheels, adjusting the steering system, etc. The purpose is to enable the vehicle to maintain balance and control on the water, thereby achieving floating travel. For example, if the vehicle needs to float in deep water, the system can increase the output power of the drive motor to provide sufficient buoyancy. If the vehicle tilts, the drive motor may be adjusted accordingly to maintain balance.

[0116] According to the vehicle control method of the embodiment of the present application, a distributed drive motor is used so that each wheel can be independently controlled. By obtaining vehicle status information and floating driving characteristic information and calculating the target control parameters of the drive motor based on this information, the vehicle can be controlled to float on water, thereby realizing two driving modes: land driving and floating driving, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle. Moreover, compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, the drive and transmission system based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle, without the need to use two different power transmission systems, which greatly reduces the complexity of the system, reduces production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0117] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to two situations: vehicle floating on water and steering control and vehicle floating on water and in-situ steering control. The vehicle floating on water and steering control will be specifically described below.

[0118] In some embodiments, the vehicle state information includes throttle opening. The throttle opening may refer to the force or degree of opening of the accelerator pedal by the driver. The throttle opening is typically used to control the acceleration and speed of the vehicle. In the floating driving mode, the throttle opening can also be used to control the speed of the vehicle in the water.

[0119] In some embodiments, obtaining target control parameters for the drive motor based on vehicle state information and water-based driving characteristics includes querying a first mapping relationship based on throttle opening to obtain a motor-controlled wheel speed. The first mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between throttle opening and motor-controlled wheel speed. This mapping relationship is a mathematical function or table that maps different throttle opening values ​​to corresponding motor-controlled wheel speeds. This means that by querying this mapping relationship, the system can calculate the appropriate motor-controlled wheel speed based on the throttle opening, so that the vehicle can advance at the desired speed while water-based.

[0120] Furthermore, this mapping relationship can be determined through experimental testing, simulation, or theoretical calculation based on the vehicle's performance characteristics and design parameters. In actual applications, vehicle manufacturers or engineers may perform different calibrations and adjustments based on the performance requirements of specific vehicle models and various factors such as vehicle mass, motor power, and tire friction to ensure optimal performance of the control system on different vehicles. Therefore, different vehicles may have different first mapping relationships to adapt to their unique operating conditions and design parameters.

[0121] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motor according to the target control parameter includes: controlling each drive motor to drive the wheel to rotate forward or backward synchronously according to the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, wherein the motor pre-controlled wheel speed of each drive motor is the same.

[0122] Specifically, the system queries a first mapping relationship based on the throttle opening to obtain the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, and applies the obtained motor pre-controlled wheel speed to each drive motor. The system ensures that the motor pre-controlled wheel speed of each drive motor is the same. This ensures that the wheels rotate forward or backward synchronously, allowing the vehicle to move forward or backward along a predetermined trajectory. This synchronized rotation ensures that the vehicle maintains balance and stability during water travel, eliminating the problem of inconsistent wheel rotation speeds that can lead to difficulty in directional control. This synchronized rotation can be achieved by adjusting the power output of each drive motor based on the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

[0123] In some embodiments, vehicle status information also includes steering wheel angle and submerged speed. This information is crucial for submerged driving control. The steering wheel angle indicates the angle at which the driver turns the steering wheel and is used to determine the vehicle's steering intention. The submerged speed indicates the vehicle's speed while traveling on water.

[0124] In some embodiments, the target control parameters of the drive motor are obtained based on the vehicle state information and the floating driving characteristic information, including: querying the second mapping relationship based on the steering wheel angle and the floating vehicle speed to obtain the first target yaw angular velocity, wherein the second mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of steering wheel angle-floating vehicle speed-first target yaw angular velocity. This mapping relationship takes the steering wheel angle and the floating vehicle speed as input and outputs the first target yaw angular velocity. This mapping relationship helps the system understand the driver's directional control intention and converts it into the yaw angular velocity required by the vehicle. This mapping relationship can also be determined through experimental testing, simulation or theoretical calculation based on the performance characteristics and design parameters of the vehicle.

[0125] Furthermore, after obtaining the first target yaw rate, a third mapping relationship is queried based on the first target yaw rate to obtain the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed for each wheel. The third mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the first target yaw rate and the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed. This mapping relationship enables the vehicle to obtain the steady-state differential wheel speeds required for different steering target yaw rates while traveling on water.

[0126] Furthermore, target wheel speeds for each drive motor are determined based on the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed. These target wheel speeds are used to control the drive motors to drive the wheels, enabling the vehicle to turn forward or backward at a predetermined yaw rate and speed.

[0127] In some embodiments, the second mapping relationship includes the following relationship:

[0128] Among them, ω rs 1 is the first target yaw rate, δ is the steering wheel angle in degrees, δ0 is the steering wheel angle threshold, for example, it can be 5 to 10 degrees, u is the floating vehicle speed in kilometers per hour, and K is the steering coefficient, which can be calibrated.

[0129] In addition, the selection of the first target yaw rate also needs to consider the lateral stability of the vehicle. When the yaw rate of the vehicle is too large, the vehicle may roll significantly. When the roll of the vehicle reaches a certain amplitude, the water surface is likely to exceed the window and pour into the vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle control method also includes: querying the fourth mapping relationship according to the floating vehicle speed to obtain the first maximum allowable yaw rate that meets the vehicle's allowable roll amplitude, and the fourth mapping relationship is the mapping relationship of the floating vehicle speed-the first maximum allowable yaw rate. Among them, the first target yaw rate is less than the first maximum allowable yaw rate. It can be expressed as:

[0130] ω rs 1<ω rs max1

[0131] Among them, ωrsmax1 It is the first maximum allowable yaw rate within the vehicle's allowable roll range.

[0132] Therefore, the maximum yaw rate allowed for the vehicle in the aquatic state is determined based on the aquatic vehicle speed and the allowable roll angle. This helps ensure that the vehicle remains safe and stable when aquatic.

[0133] In some embodiments, after obtaining the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, the vehicle control method further includes: obtaining target wheel speeds for each drive motor based on the first target yaw angular velocity, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed. The system transmits this target wheel speed information to each drive motor to control its rotational speed. By simultaneously adjusting the wheel speeds of each drive motor, the vehicle can achieve the desired yaw motion, thereby enabling smooth cornering while afloat, ensuring vehicle stability and maneuverability while afloat.

[0134] In some embodiments, obtaining the target wheel speeds of each drive motor based on the first target yaw rate, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed includes obtaining an actual yaw rate. This actual yaw rate can be obtained by a sensor and indicates the vehicle's current lateral motion speed, helping the system determine whether the vehicle has achieved the desired yaw motion target.

[0135] Furthermore, the system compares the first target yaw rate with the actual yaw rate and calculates a difference therebetween, thereby obtaining a first yaw angle difference, which represents a deviation between the actual yaw motion of the vehicle and the target yaw motion.

[0136] Furthermore, the first yaw angle difference provides information indicating the vehicle's lateral motion deviation. Based on the first yaw angle difference, the system can calculate a first target wheel speed correction required for the vehicle's wheel speed. This first target wheel speed correction is used to adjust the wheel speed of each wheel to correct the yaw motion deviation.

[0137] Furthermore, the first target wheel speed correction, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed are combined to obtain the motor target wheel speed for each wheel. These motor target wheel speeds are used to control the individual drive motors to achieve stability and yaw control during vehicle aquatic driving and correct deviations.

[0138] Figure 7 is a control block diagram for a vehicle's aquatic travel and steering according to one embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 7 , the specific vehicle control process includes: Based on the throttle opening, querying the mapping relationship between throttle opening and motor-controlled wheel speed to obtain the motor-controlled wheel speed required for that throttle opening, thereby accelerating or decelerating the vehicle. Furthermore, the motor-controlled wheel speeds based on throttle opening are identical for all four drive motors.

[0139] Furthermore, a mapping relationship between steering wheel angle, submerged vehicle speed, and first target yaw rate is retrieved based on the steering wheel angle and submerged vehicle speed to obtain the first target yaw rate required for steering under the current steering wheel angle and submerged vehicle speed. The first target yaw rate is the yaw rate that the vehicle needs to achieve to complete the steering operation.

[0140] Furthermore, the actual yaw rate is obtained, and the first target yaw rate and the actual yaw rate are subtracted by a subtractor to obtain a response deviation of the yaw rate, that is, a first yaw angle difference.

[0141] Furthermore, by inputting the yaw rate response deviation into the controller's input terminal, it can serve as the controller's input signal. The controller here can be a PI (Proportional-Integral) controller, a PD (Proportional-Derivative) controller, a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller, or other controllers. The controller's task can be to generate a control output based on the input deviation to adjust the motor output to achieve vehicle steering.

[0142] Furthermore, a mapping relationship between the first target yaw rate and the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed is queried according to the first target yaw rate to obtain the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed required at the first target yaw rate.

[0143] Furthermore, the controller's output signal, serving as the first target wheel speed correction, is summed with the motor-controlled wheel speed based on the throttle opening and the first-controlled differential wheel speed based on the steering angle via an adder to obtain the motor target wheel speed for each wheel. After receiving the motor target wheel speed signal, the motor controller performs closed-loop control of the motor wheel speed. The vehicle's actual yaw rate can be detected and acquired using a yaw rate sensor or IMU sensor located in the vehicle controller. This creates a complete hybrid drive and steering control system. The wheel speed feedforward control based on the motor-controlled wheel speed and the yaw rate feedback control together form a dual closed-loop control circuit, enabling hybrid control of the vehicle's drive and steering.

[0144] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motors based on the target control parameters includes controlling the corresponding drive motors based on their target motor wheel speeds. The first pre-controlled differential wheel speeds based on the first target yaw rate for the left and right drive motors of the vehicle are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This means that the left and right drive motors rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions. This feature helps the vehicle achieve yaw motion, i.e., turning or changing direction, making it more maneuverable when traveling on water.

[0145] Therefore, according to the current yaw motion requirement of the vehicle, the differential wheel speeds of the left and right drive motors are controlled to achieve the required yaw motion, which helps the vehicle maintain balance and control when driving on water, thereby improving the stability and safety of driving on water.

[0146] In some embodiments, when the first and second mapping relationships are obtained through experiments, simulations, or theoretical calculations based on the vehicle's forward gear, this approach means that the manufacturer or researcher may conduct a series of experiments in the vehicle's forward gear, or use simulation tools for simulation, or rely on theoretical calculations to collect data and information. In these experiments, simulations, or calculations, different input parameters, such as throttle opening, steering wheel angle, and floating vehicle speed, can be changed, and then the related data such as the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, the first target yaw angular velocity, and the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed can be recorded. Through these experiments, simulations, or calculations, the first and second mapping relationships can be established, which describe the relationship between different input parameters and the required motor control parameters.

[0147] In some embodiments, when the first and second mapping relationships are obtained through experiments, simulations, or theoretical calculations based on a vehicle in reverse gear, manufacturers or researchers may also vary input parameters. In this case, the system will record the vehicle's performance characteristics and parameters in reverse, such as the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, the first target yaw rate, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, etc., and establish the first and second mapping relationships. These relationships are applicable to floating driving in reverse gear to ensure the vehicle's stability and adaptability in reverse.

[0148] The following is a detailed description of the vehicle's floating in-situ steering control.

[0149] In some embodiments, the vehicle state information includes throttle opening. The system can monitor the driver's input to the throttle to understand whether the driver wants the vehicle to perform a floating pivot turn.

[0150] In some embodiments, obtaining target control parameters for the drive motor based on vehicle state information and water-based driving characteristics information includes querying a fifth mapping relationship based on the throttle opening to obtain a second target yaw rate, wherein the fifth mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the throttle opening and the second target yaw rate. The second target yaw rate may be a desired yaw motion velocity during a water-based pivot turn, i.e., a desired rotational velocity of the vehicle during pivot turns on the water.

[0151] Furthermore, a sixth mapping relationship is queried based on the second target yaw rate to obtain a second pre-controlled differential wheel speed. The sixth mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the second target yaw rate and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed. This sixth mapping relationship enables the vehicle to obtain the steady-state differential wheel speeds required for different steering target yaw rates while floating. The second pre-controlled differential wheel speed can be the expected wheel speed that each wheel should achieve during a floating, stationary turn to achieve the desired yaw motion.

[0152] Furthermore, the motor target wheel speeds of each drive motor are obtained based on the second target yaw rate and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed. These motor target wheel speeds are used to control the operation of each drive motor to control their rotation speeds, thereby achieving floating in-situ steering.

[0153] In some embodiments, obtaining the target wheel speed for each drive motor based on the second target yaw rate and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed includes calculating the difference between the second target yaw rate and the actual yaw rate, i.e., a second yaw angle difference. This difference represents the deviation between the vehicle's current yaw motion state and a desired yaw motion state. If the actual yaw rate and the second target yaw rate are equal, the difference is zero, indicating that the vehicle has achieved the desired yaw motion.

[0154] Furthermore, a second target wheel speed correction is derived based on the second yaw angle difference. This correction is intended to correct the vehicle's yaw motion, gradually aligning it with the desired second target yaw velocity. If the yaw velocity deviation is large, the correction may be larger to more quickly achieve the target yaw motion. Calculating the second target wheel speed correction typically involves a control algorithm, such as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. The PID controller uses the yaw angle difference to adjust the vehicle's target wheel speed to minimize the yaw velocity deviation.

[0155] Furthermore, the second target wheel speed correction is combined with the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed to calculate the target wheel speeds for each drive motor. These target wheel speeds are used to control the drive motors, adjusting their rotational speeds to achieve agile, pivoting maneuvers and precise lateral maneuvers.

[0156] In some embodiments, the fifth mapping relationship satisfies the following relationship:

[0157] Among them, ω rs2is the second target yaw rate, α is the throttle opening, α0 is the throttle opening threshold, and K is the steering coefficient. α0 is a set value, typically between 3% and 5%. When the throttle opening exceeds this threshold, the system generates the second target yaw rate based on a linear relationship, indicating the driver's intention to steer. The steering coefficient K is an adjustable parameter used to adjust the linear relationship between throttle opening and the second target yaw rate. By adjusting this parameter, the system's sensitivity to throttle input can be controlled.

[0158] In some embodiments, the selection of the second target yaw rate also needs to consider the lateral stability of the vehicle. When the yaw rate of the vehicle is too large, the vehicle may significantly roll. When the roll of the vehicle reaches a certain amplitude, the water surface is likely to exceed the window and pour into the vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle control method also includes: querying the seventh mapping relationship according to the throttle opening to obtain the second maximum allowable yaw rate that meets the vehicle's allowable roll amplitude. Among them, the seventh mapping relationship is the mapping relationship of throttle opening-second maximum allowable yaw rate. This means that according to the degree to which the driver steps on the accelerator, the system will determine the maximum yaw rate allowed for the vehicle in the floating driving state. Among them, the second target yaw rate is less than the second maximum allowable yaw rate. This condition ensures that the vehicle does not exceed the range of the maximum allowable yaw rate during floating driving. It can be expressed as:

[0159] ω rs 2 <ω rs max2

[0160] Among them, ω rs max2 It is the second maximum permissible yaw rate within the vehicle's permissible roll range.

[0161] Therefore, the vehicle's yaw motion is limited according to the driver's throttle input to ensure that the vehicle remains stable when driving on water, ensuring that the vehicle's yaw motion remains within a controllable range to prevent rollover or loss of control, which helps to improve the vehicle's driving performance and safety on water.

[0162] In some embodiments, controlling the corresponding drive motors based on the target control parameters includes controlling the corresponding drive motors based on their target wheel speeds, wherein the second pre-controlled differential wheel speeds based on the second target yaw angular velocity for the left and right drive motors of the vehicle are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This means that the left and right drive motors rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions. This characteristic facilitates yaw motion, i.e., turning or changing direction, thereby enabling aquatic pivoting control of the vehicle.

[0163] FIG8 is a control block diagram of a vehicle performing a pivot turn on water according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG8 , the specific vehicle control process includes: querying a mapping relationship between throttle opening and a second target yaw rate based on the throttle opening, and obtaining the second target yaw rate required for that throttle opening. The second target yaw rate represents the driver's desired yaw rate for the vehicle during pivot turn.

[0164] Furthermore, the actual yaw rate is obtained, and the second target yaw rate and the actual yaw rate are subtracted by a subtractor to obtain a response deviation of the yaw rate, that is, a second yaw angle difference.

[0165] Furthermore, by inputting the yaw rate response deviation into the controller's input terminal, it can serve as the controller's input signal. The controller here can be a PI controller, a PD controller, a PID controller, or other controller. The controller's task can be to generate a control output based on the input deviation to adjust the motor output to achieve pivotal steering of the vehicle.

[0166] Furthermore, a mapping relationship between the second target yaw rate and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed is queried according to the second target yaw rate to obtain the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed required at the second target yaw rate (the second pre-controlled differential wheel speeds of the left drive motor and the right drive motor based on the second target yaw rate are the same in magnitude but opposite in direction).

[0167] Furthermore, the controller's output signal, serving as a second target wheel speed correction, is summed with the second steering-based pre-controlled differential wheel speed via an adder to obtain the target wheel speed for each drive motor. After receiving the motor target wheel speed signal, the motor controller performs closed-loop control of the motor wheel speed. The vehicle's actual yaw rate can be detected by a yaw rate sensor or IMU sensor located in the vehicle controller. This creates a dual closed-loop control loop consisting of wheel speed feedforward control using the pre-controlled differential wheel speed and yaw rate feedback control, enabling the vehicle to turn in place.

[0168] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes obtaining the wading depth of the vehicle. The system can obtain wading depth information of the vehicle's location using a water depth detection device provided for each wheel. This depth information can be used to determine the current water depth of the vehicle.

[0169] Furthermore, after acquiring the wading depth data, the system compares it with a preset floating driving depth threshold. If the vehicle's wading depth exceeds the preset floating driving depth threshold, indicating that the vehicle has entered relatively deep water, a floating driving trigger command will be received. This command, which can come from the driver's operation or a decision made by the automatic control system, prompts the vehicle to switch to floating driving mode, ensuring that the vehicle only floats in water of sufficient depth. If the wading depth is insufficient to support floating driving, the system will not trigger floating driving mode to prevent the vehicle from getting stuck or being damaged. This helps improve the safety and stability of the vehicle, ensuring that it can float in appropriate conditions.

[0170] In some embodiments, a water depth detection device is provided for each wheel to determine the vehicle's wading depth, including obtaining water depth information collected by each water depth detection device. By aggregating or processing the water depth information collected by each water depth detection device, the vehicle's control system can determine the vehicle's overall wading depth. This water depth information can be used to determine whether to trigger the floating driving mode to ensure the safety and stability of the vehicle's floating driving. Furthermore, the independent water depth detection device on each wheel can provide more detailed information, allowing the vehicle's behavior to be adjusted to suit different floating driving conditions.

[0171] In some embodiments, if the number of water depth detection devices is less than the number of wheels, obtaining the vehicle's wading depth includes obtaining vehicle body posture information. Vehicle body posture information may include the vehicle's tilt angle, pitch angle, roll angle, etc., used to describe the vehicle's posture in the water. This information can be obtained by the posture detection device.

[0172] Furthermore, it's necessary to obtain the height information from the water surface collected by each water depth detection device. The vehicle's wading depth can be determined based on the vehicle's attitude and height information. This can be accomplished using a mathematical model or algorithm that factors in the vehicle's tilt angle and height from the water surface to estimate the vehicle's wading depth. This allows for relatively accurate wading depth information to be obtained even with a small number of water depth detection devices.

[0173] In some embodiments, the vehicle control method further includes: if no floating driving trigger command is received, the system will determine that the vehicle is in land driving mode and will not switch to floating driving mode. After determining that the vehicle is in land driving mode, the system will respond to a land driving control signal. This signal can come from the driver's operation, such as pressing the accelerator, braking, or turning the steering wheel, or from a decision made by the vehicle's automatic control system. The system will control the drive motor to enable the vehicle to continue operating on land. This may include adjusting parameters such as motor output power, wheel speed, and steering to ensure the vehicle has the required performance and control capabilities when driving on land.

[0174] In some embodiments, the vehicle's control system can automatically switch modes based on received signals, switching from water-based driving mode to land-based driving mode, or vice versa. This switching can be performed based on the driver's needs or system decisions, ensuring that the vehicle has appropriate control behavior in different environments. For example, when the vehicle enters water from land, a water-based driving trigger command can be activated, causing the vehicle to enter water-based driving mode. Conversely, when the vehicle returns to land, a land-based driving control signal can be triggered, switching back to land-based driving mode. This flexible and automated control system can improve the vehicle's adaptability and usability in a variety of environments.

[0175] Based on the vehicle control method of the above embodiment, the vehicle controller 110 according to an embodiment of the present application is described below with reference to FIG. 9 .

[0176] FIG9 is a block diagram of a vehicle controller 110 according to one embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG9 , the vehicle controller 110 includes a processor 111 and a memory 112 .

[0177] Among them, the memory 112 is communicatively connected to the processor 111, and the memory 112 stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor 111. In an embodiment, the memory 112 can be a solid-state memory (such as flash memory) or a random access memory (RAM) for storing programs and intermediate calculation results.

[0178] Processor 111 is the core component of vehicle controller 110, responsible for processing and executing various instructions, as well as computing and controlling data. Processor 111 implements the vehicle control method described in the above embodiments when executing computer programs. Processor 111 can be a general-purpose processor, a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP), or other suitable processor.

[0179] According to the vehicle controller 110 of the embodiment of the present application, the processor 111 can realize two driving modes: land driving and floating driving by executing the vehicle control method of the above embodiment, thereby enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle 100. Moreover, compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, the driving and transmission system 9 based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle 100 without the need to use two different power transmission systems, thereby reducing the complexity of the system and reducing production costs.

[0180] In some embodiments of the present application, a computer-readable storage medium is further provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed, the vehicle control method of any one of the above embodiments is implemented.

[0181] According to the computer-readable storage medium proposed in the embodiment of the present application, a computer program is stored thereon. When the computer program is executed by the processor 111, the vehicle control method of the above embodiment can be implemented, vehicle status information and floating driving calibration information can be obtained, and the target control parameters of the drive motor can be calculated based on this information. The vehicle can be controlled to float on water, thereby realizing two driving modes: land driving and floating driving, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of the vehicle 100. Moreover, compared with traditional amphibious vehicles, the drive and transmission system 9 based on land driving can realize the floating operation of the vehicle, without the need to use two different power transmission systems, which greatly reduces the complexity of the system, reduces production costs, and improves production efficiency.

[0182] The computer-readable storage medium of the embodiments of the present application may include, but is not limited to, phase change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other optical or magnetic storage media, which are not listed here one by one.

[0183] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0184] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and intent of the present application, and that the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises a driving and transmission system for land travel, wherein the driving and transmission system comprises a distributed drive motor for driving wheels; the vehicle control method comprises: Obtaining vehicle status information (S1); In response to a water-floating driving trigger instruction, obtaining a target control parameter of the driving motor according to the vehicle state information and the water-floating driving characteristic information (S2); The corresponding driving motor is controlled according to the target control parameter so that the vehicle can float on water (S3).

2. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle status information includes throttle opening; Obtaining a target control parameter of the drive motor according to the vehicle state information and the water-floating driving characteristic information includes: A first mapping relationship is queried according to the throttle opening to obtain the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, wherein the first mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the throttle opening and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

3. The vehicle control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: Controlling the corresponding driving motor according to the target control parameter includes: Each of the driving motors is controlled according to the motor pre-controlled wheel speed to drive the wheels to rotate forward or backward synchronously, wherein the motor pre-controlled wheel speed of each of the driving motors is the same.

4. The vehicle control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The vehicle status information also includes steering wheel angle and water-floating vehicle speed; Obtaining a target control parameter of the drive motor according to the vehicle state information and the water-floating driving characteristic information includes: querying a second mapping relationship according to the steering wheel angle and the water-floating vehicle speed to obtain a first target yaw rate, wherein the second mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of steering wheel angle-water-floating vehicle speed-first target yaw rate; querying a third mapping relationship according to the first target yaw angular velocity to obtain a first pre-controlled differential wheel speed of each wheel, wherein the third mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the first target yaw angular velocity and the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed; The motor target wheel speed of each of the driving motors is obtained according to the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

5. The vehicle control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: Obtaining the motor target wheel speed of each of the drive motors according to the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed comprises: The target wheel speeds of the respective driving motors are obtained according to the first target yaw rate, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed.

6. The vehicle control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: Obtaining the target wheel speeds of each of the drive motors according to the first target yaw angular velocity, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed, and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed, comprises: Get the actual yaw angular velocity; Obtaining a first yaw angle difference according to the first target yaw angular velocity and the actual yaw angular velocity; Obtaining a first target wheel speed correction value according to the first yaw angle difference; The first target wheel speed correction amount, the first pre-controlled differential wheel speed and the motor pre-controlled wheel speed are used to obtain the motor target wheel speed corresponding to each wheel.

7. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The second mapping relationship includes the following relationship: Among them, ω rs 1 is the first target yaw rate, δ is the steering wheel angle, δ0 is the steering wheel angle threshold, u is the floating vehicle speed, and K is the steering coefficient.

8. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that: The vehicle control method further includes: A fourth mapping relationship is queried according to the floating vehicle speed to obtain a first maximum allowable yaw rate that satisfies an allowable roll range of the vehicle, wherein the fourth mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the floating vehicle speed and the first maximum allowable yaw rate, wherein the first target yaw rate is less than the first maximum allowable yaw rate.

9. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that: Controlling the corresponding driving motor according to the target control parameter includes: The corresponding drive motor is controlled according to the motor target wheel speed of each drive motor, wherein the first pre-controlled differential wheel speeds of the left drive motor and the right drive motor of the vehicle based on the first target yaw angular velocity are the same in magnitude and opposite in direction.

10. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle status information includes throttle opening; Obtaining a target control parameter of the drive motor according to the vehicle state information and the water-floating driving characteristic information includes: querying a fifth mapping relationship according to the throttle opening to obtain a second target yaw rate, wherein the fifth mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of the throttle opening-the second target yaw rate; querying a sixth mapping relationship according to the second target yaw angular velocity to obtain a second pre-controlled differential wheel speed, wherein the sixth mapping relationship is a mapping relationship of the second target yaw angular velocity-the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed; The motor target wheel speed of each driving motor is obtained according to the second target yaw angular velocity and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed.

11. The vehicle control method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Obtaining a motor target wheel speed of each drive motor according to the second target yaw angular velocity and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed includes: Calculating a second yaw angle difference between the second target yaw angular velocity and the actual yaw angular velocity; obtaining a second target wheel speed correction value according to the second yaw angle difference; The motor target wheel speed is obtained according to the second target wheel speed correction amount and the second pre-controlled differential wheel speed.

12. The vehicle control method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The fifth mapping relationship satisfies: Among them, ω rs2 is the second target yaw rate, α is the throttle opening, α0 is the throttle opening threshold, and K is the steering coefficient.

13. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The vehicle control method further includes: A seventh mapping relationship is queried according to the throttle opening to obtain a second maximum allowable yaw rate that satisfies an allowable roll range of the vehicle, wherein the seventh mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between throttle opening and second maximum allowable yaw rate, wherein the second target yaw rate is less than the second maximum allowable yaw rate.

14. The vehicle control method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: Controlling the corresponding driving motor according to the target control parameter includes: The corresponding drive motor is controlled according to the motor target wheel speed of the drive motor, wherein the second pre-controlled differential wheel speeds based on the second target yaw angular velocity of the left drive motor and the right drive motor of the vehicle are the same in magnitude and opposite in direction.

15. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The vehicle control method further includes: Obtaining a wading depth of the vehicle; When the wading depth of the vehicle exceeds a preset floating water driving depth threshold, the floating water driving trigger instruction is obtained.

16. The vehicle control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The floating driving trigger instruction comes from the driver's operation or the decision of the automatic control system, and the floating driving trigger instruction is used to prompt the vehicle to switch to the floating driving mode.

17. The vehicle control method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that: The water depth detection device provided for each wheel obtains the wading depth of the vehicle, including: Acquiring water depth information collected by each of the water depth detection devices; The wading depth of the vehicle is determined according to the water depth information.

18. The vehicle control method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that: The number of water depth detection devices is less than the number of wheels, and obtaining the wading depth of the vehicle includes: Obtain vehicle body posture information; Acquire the height information from the water surface collected by each of the water depth detection devices; The wading depth of the vehicle is determined according to the vehicle body posture information and the height information.

19. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that: The vehicle control method further includes: In response to a land travel control signal, the drive motor is controlled so that the vehicle runs on land.

20. The vehicle control method according to claim 19, characterized in that: The land travel control signal comes from the driver's operation or from the decision of the vehicle's automatic control system.

21. The vehicle control method according to claim 20, characterized in that: The driver's operation is to step on the accelerator, brake or turn the steering wheel.

22. A vehicle (100), characterized in that: include: Car body (1); Chassis (2); A drive and transmission system (9), comprising distributed drive motors (60) for driving wheels (10); and A controller (3), wherein the controller (3) is connected to the drive and transmission system (9) and is used to control the drive motor (60) according to the vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. The vehicle (100) according to claim 22, characterized in that The perforated parts on the chassis (2) are sealed; and / or The wet area of ​​the vehicle body (1) is waterproofed, wherein the wet area of ​​the vehicle body (1) includes an area where the vehicle body (1) contacts water when the vehicle is floating on water.

24. The vehicle (100) according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that The vehicle (100) further comprises: A vehicle-mounted air conditioning system (8), wherein a first switch valve (81) is arranged at a drainage hole of the vehicle-mounted air conditioning system (8), and the first switch valve (81) is controlled to be closed when the vehicle is floating on water.

25. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that The driving and transmission system (9) further comprises an engine (90), the air inlet and / or the exhaust port of the engine (90) being provided with a second switch valve (82), and the second switch valve (82) being controlled to be closed when the vehicle is floating on water.

26. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that The vehicle (100) further comprises: A water depth detection device (4), the water depth detection device (4) is connected to the controller (3) and is used to detect the wading depth of the vehicle (100).

27. The vehicle according to claim 26, characterized in that The water depth detection device (4) is provided corresponding to each wheel (10).

28. The vehicle (100) according to claim 27, characterized in that The setting height of each water depth detection device (4) is g, and g satisfies the following conditions: G=(h+Δ), wherein h is the height between the wheel top and the chassis (2) when the wheel (10) floats, and Δ is the safety distance margin.

29. The vehicle (100) according to claim 26, characterized in that The number of the water depth detection devices (4) is less than the number of the wheels (10); The vehicle (100) further comprises a posture detection device (5), wherein the posture detection device (5) is connected to the controller (3) and is used to detect vehicle body posture information.

30. The vehicle (100) according to claim 29, characterized in that There are two water depth detection devices (4), and the two water depth detection devices (4) are arranged on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body (1), or the two water depth detection devices (4) are arranged on the left and right rearview mirrors (7).

31. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 22 to 30, characterized in that The vehicle (100) further comprises: A vehicle-mounted satellite navigation positioning device (6), the vehicle-mounted satellite navigation positioning device (6) is connected to the controller (3) and is used to detect position information when the vehicle (100) is floating on water, and the controller (3) is also used to obtain the vehicle speed based on the position information.

32. A vehicle controller (110), characterized in that: include: Processor (111); and A memory (112), the memory (112) being communicatively connected to the processor (111); a computer program is stored in the memory (112), and the processor (111) implements the vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1 to 21 when executing the computer program.

33. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed, the vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1 to 21 is implemented.