Electric vehicle assembly and quality control method

Abstract

A vehicle assembly method includes partial conveyor systems of a factory assembly line to move a vehicle assembly from a first position to a second position, wherein the vehicle assembly can self-propel autonomously at least partially of the factory assembly line. The vehicle assembly system may have self-quality control testing capabilities that provides component installation information to a server via wireless communication, wherein the server may determine a state in which the vehicle assembly is located with respect to the assembly line and instructions on a path to follow. The vehicle assembly can have sensors for implementation with the autonomous driving system and wirelessly communicates the sensors information to the server for obstacle detection and avoidance. The factory line can have sensors for implementation with obstacle avoidance and path instructions that are wirelessly transmitted to a server.

Description

ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY AND QUALITY CONTROL METHODINCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

[0001] Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57 and should be considered a part of this specification.BACKGROUNDField

[0002] The present disclosure relates broadly to a vehicle assembly method utilizing sensor data obtained from the vehicle assemblies, part of an assembly line, and factory sensor data to create a more efficient and flexible assembly process. The sensor data captured is wirelessly transmitted to a server wherein the server processes the data captured by both vehicle sensors and factory sensors and prepares instructions to be transmitted to the vehicle assembly to traverse in a determined direction while partially assembled. Further, the present disclosure relates to use of electronics in electric vehicles (EVs) during the assembly process for quality control checks, the EVs communicating wirelessly with a quality control server.Description of the Related Art

[0003] The previous process for vehicle assembly was a slow and energyconsuming process that required fixed assembly stations with rotating floors that advance the vehicle assemblies to each fixed location for a specific step in the assembly process. The advancements in assembly automation included the adaptation of autonomous guided vehicles utilized fortransporting vehicle assemblies as a replacement of fixed ridged conveyors that are attached to the factory floor for at least a portion of the assembly process allowing for the reduction of fixed factory stations. However, autonomous guided vehicles are another liability to the assembly line as they require high energy consumption, servicing, and a failure point slowing down the production process.SUMMARY

[0004] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle assembly line consists of several different types of sensors placed throughout the assembly floor and transmits data wirelessly to a server that may be hosted remotely or local to the factory. The vehicle assemblies, in the process of being assembled, host several different sensors and sensor types, typically installed as driving safety features and used further during the assembly process to collect sensor data regarding spatial information, speed information, and location information wherein the vehicle assembly transmits the sensor data wirelessly to the server. The sensor information that is collected by the factory floor sensors and vehicle assembly sensors is used to guide the vehicle assembly through the assembly line at least when it is partially assembled (e.g., when the vehicle has wheels and a battery pack installed). The sensor information may provide obstacle detection and avoidance as well as speed data, and location information.

[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle assembly starts off with the shell components of a vehicle that is placed on a floor conveyor system on the factory floor where the floor conveyor transports the vehicle assembly from a first position of the assembly line to a second position of the factory line. The first position of the factory line begins with the initial installation of components such as interior components and exterior components. The second position of the floor conveyor line may be another position in the assembly where further interior and exterior components are to be installed on the vehicle assembly. The floor conveyor system transports the vehicle assembly to a third position wherein the floor conveyor line may be another position in the assembly line where further interior and exterior components are to be installed on the vehicle assembly and a ceiling conveyor system attached to the factory ceiling removes the vehicle assembly from the floor conveyor to give access to the underside of the vehicle assembly. The first position of the ceiling conveyor system may include the initial installation of components to the underside of the vehicle assembly where the ceiling conveyor system may transport the vehicle assembly to a second position. The second position of the ceiling conveyor may be another position where components to the underside of the vehicle assembly may be installed. An example of underside components may be a battery pack, a drivetrain, wheels / tires, etc. The ceiling conveyor transports the vehicle assembly to a third position wherein the third position may beanother position where underside components may be installed and wherein the ceiling conveyor system sets the vehicle assembly to ground upon completion of underside component installation. The vehicle assembly may be transported to the remaining stations in the vehicle assembly line under the vehicle assembly’s own power source and drivetrain. The positions as discussed are merely an example of the positions of an assembly line and are not limited to the explanation of a specific number of positions and tasks conducted at said positions.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the vehicle assembly may be connected to a temporary power supply (TPS) throughout the duration of the assembly process or until the TPS is no longer required. The TPS can be removed when a battery pack or the like has been installed into the vehicle assembly allowing the vehicle assembly to operate under its own power autonomously. The vehicle assembly while on the assembly line may perform several self-quality control tests (SQCT) throughout the duration of the assembly process. The vehicle assembly performs an SQCT while connected to the TPS (e.g., before the battery pack is installed on the vehicle assembly) or while operating under its own power autonomously (e.g., after the battery pack is installed on the vehicle assembly). The SQCT data can be processed by an onboard processor (e.g., of the vehicle assembly) and analyzed for critical failures of installed components or the SQCT data can be transmitted to a server, wherein the server may analyze the data for critical failures of the installed components.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the various types of factory sensors may include one or more optical sensors, various types of distance sensors, thermal sensors, etc. The factory sensor data may be used to process information such as the location of vehicle assemblies with respect to the factory line, the location of obstacles on the factory line, the location of persons on the factory line, the distance between the vehicle assemblies, and the speed of travel. The data obtained from the factory sensors are wirelessly transmitted to a server located locally or remotely, wherein the server determines the positions on the factory line of the vehicle assemblies and the required next position. The vehicle assemblies, while on the factory line may also use the vehicle assembly sensors to determine the position of the vehicle assemblies based on sensor data obtained by the various types of sensors on the vehicle assemblies. The vehicle assembly sensor data may be used to process information such as the location of vehicle assemblies with respect to the factory line, the location of obstacles on the factory line, the location of persons on the factory line, the distance between the vehicleassemblies, and the speed of travel. The data obtained from the vehicle assembly sensors are wirelessly transmitted to a server located locally or remotely, wherein the server determines the positions of the vehicle assemblies on the factory line and the required next position.

[0008] Based on the sensor data obtained by the factory sensors and vehicle assembly sensors, the server may determine that the vehicle assembly is at a position where the vehicle assembly may traverse the factory line under its own power autonomously. The server processes the data received by the sensors and prepares instructions to be sent to a vehicle assembly controller (VAC), wherein the VAC wirelessly transmits instructions to direct the vehicle assemblies to move in a forward or reverse direction, adjust the steering of the assembly vehicle in a left or right direction, and a stop function to halt all movements. The same server analyzes (or different servers analyze) the SQCT and the sensor data from the factory sensors and vehicle assembly sensors and determines the position of the vehicle assemblies. If a vehicle assembly fails a specific SQCT test the server may decide the vehicle assembly is not at a position where it can traverse the factory line under its own power autonomously, and / or must have one or more components (e.g., electronic components) repaired or replaced.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the vehicle assembly may be an electric vehicle, or semi-electric vehicle, wherein the vehicle assembly is capable of autonomously driving at least at a first level of driving automation.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an electric vehicle assembly system for a factory, including: a first factory floor section including a floor conveyor configured to convey one or more vehicle assemblies along the first factory floor section while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a factory ceiling section of the factory including a ceiling conveyor located adjacent and distal of the floor conveyor, the ceiling conveyor including one or hangers configured to lift the one or more vehicle assemblies from a distal portion of the floor conveyor and configured to convey the one or more vehicle assemblies along the factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires, the one or more hangers configured to lower the one or more vehicle assemblies onto a second factory floor section of the factory following installation of the battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires so thatthe one or more vehicle assemblies can self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a server configured to wirelessly receive data from one or more sensors; and a vehicle assembly controller configured to wirelessly control a steering or motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the data from the one or more sensors while the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel along the second factory floor section.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of assembling an electric vehicle at a factory, including: conveying one or more vehicle assemblies along a first factory floor section of the factory while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; lifting the or more vehicle assemblies with one or more hangers from a distal portion of the first factory floor section; conveying with the one or more hangers the one or more vehicle assemblies along a factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires; lowering the one or more vehicle assemblies with the one or more hangers onto a second factory floor section following installation of the battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires so that the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; sensing data of one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies; and wirelessly controlling with a vehicle assembly controller a steering or a motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the sensed data of the one or more operational parameters while the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel along the second factory floor section.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Various features will now be described with reference to the following drawings. Throughout the drawings, reference numbers may be re-used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate examples described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG.l is an example diagram of a system including several vehicle assemblies and factory sensors wirelessly communicating with a server, and a vehicle assembly controller wirelessly communicating with the vehicle assemblies.

[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of a vehicle assembly including a system diagnostic application and vehicle assembly sensor data in accordance with illustrative examples.

[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of a server including instruction data in accordance with illustrative examples.

[0016] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of a vehicle assembly controller including instruction commands and instruction data in accordance with illustrative examples.

[0017] FIG.5 is an example diagram of a system including several vehicle assemblies in a factory assembly line with factory sensors and vehicle assembly sensor data wirelessly communicating with a server, and a vehicle assembly controller wirelessly communicating with the vehicle assemblies.

[0018] FIG.6 is another example diagram of a system including several vehicle assemblies in a factory assembly line with several different types of factory sensors and vehicle assembly sensor data wirelessly communicating with a server, a vehicle assembly controller wirelessly communicating with the vehicle assemblies.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 is a diagram of an example embodiment of a vehicle assembly factory system 100 with several vehicle assemblies 110a, 110b, and 110c that include wireless transceivers to communicate with a server 120 and Vehicle Assembly Controller (VAC)130 wirelessly. The system 100 can include factory sensors 140a, 140b, and 140c that wirelessly communicate with the server 120. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c are an example of several vehicle assemblies that are within the vehicle assembly factory system 100 and are not limited to the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c as described. Furthermore, the factory sensors 140a, 140b, and 140c are an example of several factory sensors that are within the vehicle assembly factory system 100 and are not limited to the factory sensors 140a, 140b, and 140c as described. Furthermore, server 120 can be located remotely or locally to the vehicle assembly factory system 100.

[0020] Vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c is a partially assembled vehicle in an assembly line, wherein the assembly line may have different positions, also sometimesreferred to as states, where each state of the assembly line may have different tasks assigned to them. For example, there may be a state of the assembly line in which the interior components are installed, exterior components are installed, the drivetrain is installed, and the like. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c begins as a bare shell and moves onto a different state of the assembly as designed. The different states of the assembly may include a floor conveyor and / or ceiling conveyor system that guides the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c to the next state. Furthermore, the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c can selfpropel autonomously to the next state once the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c has been assembled to include at least some of the interior components and drivetrain system (e.g., battery pack) and wheels.

[0021] The interior components may include at least a type of processing unit, wireless transceiver, electronic sensors, etc. The drivetrain system may include at least a battery pack, a driving motor and a type of transmission in order to rotate the wheels / tires of the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c is configured to self-propel autonomously through the assembly line at least for a portion of the assembly line. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c may use sensor data captured by the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c sensors to autonomously move to the next state of the assembly process. The inclusion of the autonomously driving vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c through an assembly line may significantly reduce hazards for people working on the assembly line as there are fewer moving mechanical parts. Further, there may be a reduction in energy consumption as there are fewer fixed conveyor systems to utilize.

[0022] The VAC 130 wirelessly communicates with the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c for an indication of routing information for moving to a different state of the assembly line. Furthermore, the VAC 130 can transmit, wirelessly, guidance to the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c as instructions to move in a particular direction or avoidance of an object in the path of travel, including halting all movements. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c may be fitted with a notification system (e.g., light, sound) to alert as a form of obstacle detection notification. The vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c may autonomously avoid obstacles detected. The VAC 130 may override the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c autonomous driving system for obstacle avoidance, providing guidance to change a path travelled or to stop.

[0023] The server 120 may further receive sensor data from the factory sensor(s) 140a, 140b, and 140c for guidance of the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c with the VAC 130. The factory sensor(s) 140a, 140b, and 140c are used as another safety measure to be deployed for observation information regarding vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c states and object detection. The server 120 may process the data received from the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c and the factory sensor(s) 140a, 140b, and 140c to provide safe and efficient guidance for the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c.

[0024] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of a vehicle assembly 110 with autonomous driving capabilities when the vehicle assembly 110 is at least partially assembled within an assembly line. The general architecture of the vehicle assembly 110 is depicted in FIG. 2 including hardware and software components that may be used to implement the aspects of the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c. As illustrated, the vehicle assembly 110 includes a processing unit 202, a network interface 204, a computer readable medium drive 206, an input / output device interface 208, a wireless transceiver 210, a drivetrain interface 212, battery pack interface 214, temporary power system (TPS) interface 216, and a memory 230. The processing unit 202 may receive instructions from the VAC to enable autonomous driving of the vehicle assembly 110 based on sensor data received.

[0025] The input / output device interface 208 may enable a notification system for the obstacle detection of the vehicle assembly 110 using a type of notification system (e.g., lights, sounds) to indicate an obstacle is in the path of travel. The information can be communicated to the processing unit 102 for processing obstacle avoidance for autonomous driving. The input / output device interface 208 may further enable sensor data acquisition of the various different sensors on the vehicle assembly 110. The wireless transceiver 210 may transmit the sensor data to a server for the server to process guidance instructions to be transmitted by the VAC and received by vehicle assembly 110 for safe guidance to the next state.

[0026] The drivetrain interface 212 may communicate with the processing unit 202 to implement autonomous driving of the vehicle assembly 110. The processing unit 202 may provide instructions to the drivetrain interface 212 for autonomously driving to the next state in the assembly line as well as obstacle avoidance of objects within the path of travel. The battery pack interface 214 provides information to the processing unit 202 regardinginformation related to the battery pack of the vehicle assembly 1 10 when installed. The TPS interface 216 provides power to the vehicle assembly 110 when the battery pack has not been installed yet allowing for the processing unit 202 to perform self-quality control tests (SQCT) of the components installed on the vehicle assembly 110.

[0027] The network interface 204 can provide connectivity of the vehicle assembly 110 to a network within a local area to enable communication with a server via a network. The processing unit 232 can also communicate to and from memory 230.

[0028] Memory 230 can correspond to a non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer program instructions that the processing unit 202 executes in order to implement self-quality control tests (SQCT), TPS enablement across vehicle assembly 110 components, and autonomous driving. Memory 230 generally includes RAM, ROM, or other persistent or non-transitory memory. Memory 230 can store an operating system 234 that provides computer program instructions for use by the processing unit 202. Memory 230 can further include computer program instructions and other information for implementing aspects of the vehicle assembly 110. For example, the memory 230 includes system diagnostic application 236 for implementing the SQCT. Furthermore, the memory 230 may contain vehicle assembly sensor data 240 to transmit wirelessly to a server for implementation in the guidance of the vehicle assembly 110.

[0029] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of the server 120 processing information for a guidance path for the vehicle assemblies, wherein the data is being received wirelessly from vehicle assemblies and factory sensors. The general architecture of the server 120 includes arrangements of hardware and software components that may be used to implement aspects of the server 120. As illustrated, the server 120 includes a processing unit 302, a network interface 304, a computer readable medium drive 306, an input / output device interface 308, a wireless transceiver 310, and a memory 330. The processing unit may receive instructions to generate guidance information for the vehicle assembly based on sensor data obtained by the vehicle assembly sensors and factory sensors. The input / output device interface 308 can provide a user interface for a user to review SQCT data and input commands to be transmitted to the vehicle assemblies to override the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c autonomous driving system for obstacle avoidance. The wireless transceiver 310 provides wireless communication with the vehicle assemblies and factory sensors for data transmission.

[0030] The network interface 304 can provide connectivity of the server 120 to a network within a local area to enable communication with a vehicle assembly, factory sensors, and the VAC via a network. The processing unit 302 can also communicate to and from memory 330.

[0031] Memory 330 can correspond to a non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer program instructions that the processing unit 302 executes in order to implement one or more examples of the server 120. The Memory 330 generally includes RAM, ROM, or other persistent or non-transitory memory. The memory 330 can store an operating system 334 that provides computer program instructions for use by the processing unit 302. The memory 330 can further include computer program instructions and other information for implementing aspects of the server 120. For example, the memory 330 includes interface software 332 for communicating with the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c and factory sensor(s) 140a, 140b, and 140c of FIG. 1.

[0032] The memory 330 further includes instruction data 340, as the server 120 receives sensor from the vehicle assemblies, the data is stored in vehicle assembly sensor data 336 of the memory 330 and processed by the processing unit 302. Furthermore, as the server 120 receives sensor data from the factory sensors, the data is stored in factory sensor data 338 of the memory 330 and processed by the processing unit 302. The server may receive selfquality control test data 342 from the vehicle assemblies that provide informational data regarding quality control data of the components installed. The processing unit 302 is able to provide instructions information to the instruction data 340 to which the instruction data might be transmitted wirelessly to the vehicle assemblies or to the VAC to provide guidance instruction.

[0033] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of an example architecture of the vehicle assembly controller (VAC) 130 processing guidance instructions for the vehicle assemblies, wherein the data is being received by the server via wired or wireless communication. The general architecture of the VAC 130 includes arrangements of hardware and software components that may be used to implement aspects of the VAC 130. As illustrated, the VAC 130 includes a processing unit 402, a network interface 404, a computer-readable medium drive 406, an input / output device interface 408, a wireless transceiver 410, and a memory 430.The processing unit may receive instructions to transmit guidance information to the vehicle assemblies based on sensor data obtained by the vehicle assembly sensors and factory sensors.

[0034] The input / output device interface 408 can provide a user interface for a user to input commands to be transmitted to the vehicle assemblies to override the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c autonomous driving system for obstacle avoidance, providing guidance to change a path travelled or to stop. The wireless transceiver 410 provides wireless communication with the vehicle assemblies utilized for guidance transmission.

[0035] The network interface 404 can provide connectivity to the server or another remote computing device for remote access via a network. The processing unit 402 can receive information and instructions from other computing systems or services via a network. The processing unit 402 can also communicate to and from memory 430.

[0036] Memory 430 can correspond non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer program instructions that the processing unit 402 executes in order to implement one or more examples of the VAC 130. The memory 430 generally includes RAM, ROM, or other persistent or non-transitory memory. The memory 430 can store an operating system 434 that provides computer program instructions for use by the processing unit 402. The memory 430 can further include computer program instructions and other information for implementing aspects of the server VAC 130. For example, the memory 430 includes interface software 432 for communicating with the vehicle assembly 110a, 110b, and 110c, and the server 120 of FIG. 1.

[0037] The memory 430 further includes instruction commands 436 which are transmitted to a vehicle assembly based on the instruction data 438 received from a server. Furthermore, as the VAC 130 receives instruction data 438 from the factory sensors, the data is stored in the instruction data 438 of the memory 430 and processed by the processing unit 402. The processing unit 302 is able to provide instructions commands 436 from the instruction data 438 to which the instruction commands are transmitted via wireless transceiver 410 to the vehicle assemblies to provide guidance instruction.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a system diagram of an example embodiment of the system 500 for implementing a vehicle assembly method with several vehicle assemblies 510A-510I that comprise wireless transceivers to communicate with a server and vehicle assembly controller wirelessly. Furthermore, the system 500 illustrates the floor conveyor 570 and ceiling conveyor580 (following the floor conveyor 570) used at least for moving the vehicle assemblies 510A- 5101 partially through the assembly line. In one example, the floor conveyor 570 is fixed in the factory floor. In another example, the floor conveyor 570 can be a separate device or component installed onto the factory floor. The floor conveyor 570 is typically used for the installation of interior components and some exterior components of the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I, wherein once completed, the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I move to another state of the assembly line. The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I are equipped with a temporary power supply (TPS) 530 for providing power to the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I prior to the installation of the battery back.

[0039] The TPS is used for providing power to vehicle assemblies 510A-510I so the processor can execute SQCT on the components as they are installed. The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I collected SQCT data and wirelessly transmitted via a wireless transceiver 520 to a server, wherein the server processes that data and determined the state of the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I. Some non-limiting examples of interior components are electronic control units, wiring harnesses, soundproofing, etc., and some non-limiting examples of exterior components are powertrain and luggage compartment wiring, piping, cooling, soundproofing, etc. The floor conveyor 570 proceeds the vehicle assemblies 510A- 5101 to the next state once the said interior and exterior components are installed and the SQCT data is collected.

[0040] The ceiling conveyor 580 lifts the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I into the air using hangers 590, wherein the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I may still be attached to a TPS to provide power for the SQCT that is performed for components installed. The ceiling conveyor 580 allows for the installation of components on the underside of the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I. Some non-limiting examples of the components on the underside are the powertrain, chassis systems, battery packs, additional cooling elements, etc. Wherein the ceiling conveyor may require the utilization of a marriage station 550 to install the underside components. The ceiling conveyor 580 may keep the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I suspended until the installation of the full drivetrain, battery packs 552, brakes, and wheels / tires 554 are installed. Advantageously, the wheels can be installed shortly after installation of the battery pack (see vehicle assembly 510E), allowing the vehicle assembly 510E to thereafter operateautonomously to self-propel itself along the factory floor while assembly operations continue on the vehicle assembly 510E.

[0041] The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I are continuously transmitting SQCT data to a server of the components installed and the state at which the vehicle assemblies 510A- 5101 are in with respect to the assembly line. The SQCT data may determine that a battery pack has been installed and the TPS may be removed, wherein the SQCT begins operating via the power provided by the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I battery pack. The server may determine that the vehicle assemblies 510A-5101 are at the end of a ceiling conveyor 580 states where the full drivetrain and safety systems are installed and an autonomous system of the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I may be operable. The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I are lowered to the floor and the autonomous system takes control of the vehicle assemblies 510A- 5101 and the state to which the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I should begin traveling autonomously.

[0042] The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I autonomous system may use data collected by the vehicle assembly sensors 540 to travel through the assembly line autonomously while avoiding obstructions. Furthermore, the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I may transmit vehicle assembly sensor information to a server wherein the server may determine, with factory sensor data, a guidance instruction to be transmitted to the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I via the VAC to move to the correct state of the assembly line. The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I while autonomously traveling through the assembly are performing SQCT and transmitting that data to a server for component verification and functionality.

[0043] The vehicle assemblies 510A-510I may further be instructed by a VAC in which received data from factory sensors that comprise information regarding the distance between multiple vehicle assemblies 510A-510I, the distance between objects, the distance between persons, and thermal signatures. The VAC may transmit instruction commands to the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I based on sensor data received by the factory sensors indicating an object is too close, instructing the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I to avoid the object or to execute a full halt. The vehicle assemblies 510A-5101 may further include notification systems (e.g., lights, sounds) to indicate that the vehicle assemblies 510A-5101 are moving close to an object detected by the vehicle assembly sensors or factory sensors.

[0044] The utilization of the vehicle assemblies 510A-510I autonomous features reduces the cost of manufacturing requirements such as improving energy efficiency, reducing fixed conveyor systems, and promoting safety on the factory line, reducing the risk of damage to property and personnel on the factory line. The vehicle assemblies 510A-5101 are not limited to one model of vehicle that is being produced on the assembly line, the reduced fixed conveyor systems promote mixed model assembly on the same factory line. Vehicle assemblies 510A- 5101 are examples of mixed model assemblies that may occur on the same factory line.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a system diagram of an example embodiment of system 600 for implementing the vehicle assembly method with several vehicle assemblies 610A-610C that comprise wireless transceivers to communicate with a server 120 and vehicle assembly controller (VAC) 130 wirelessly. Furthermore, the system 600 illustrates an example of factory sensors 620A- 620J and 640A-640F placed within a factory floor and on the factory line. The factory sensors 620A- 620J and 640A-640F illustrated are non-limiting examples of the disbursement of the sensors and are limited to the placement as depicted with respect to FIG. 6. Furthermore, factory sensors 620A- 620J and 640A-640F may individually be different types of sensors (e.g., camera, distance sensor, motion sensor, thermal sensor, etc.) and are wirelessly communicable to a server 120 that may be located locally or remotely to the assembly line.

[0046] The factory sensors 620A- 620J and 640A-640F transmit data wirelessly to server 120 wherein the server processes the data received and transmits instruction data to the VAC 130 wherein the VAC wirelessly transmits instruction guidance to the vehicle assemblies 610A-610C on the factory line. The factory sensors 620A- 620J and 640A-640F may detect objects located in the path of travel for the vehicle assemblies 610A-610C wherein the server processes the sensor data obtained and transmits instruction information to the VAC to transmit obstacle avoidance instructions.

[0047] The vehicle assemblies 610A-610C, traversing through the assembly line autonomously, are transmitting sensor data wirelessly to server 120, from the vehicle assembly sensors installed. The server 120 may further process data received by the vehicle assemblies 610A-610C and factory sensors 620 A- 620 J and 640A-640F and determine instruction data to be transmitted to the vehicle assemblies 610A-610C from the VAC 130. The VAC 130 furtherincludes a user interface system in which a user may manually override the autonomous feature of the vehicle assemblies 610A-610C on the assembly line.

[0048] The advantages of the vehicle assembly process described above (e.g., one in which the vehicle assemblies traverse the assembly line autonomously once the wheels, drive train and battery pack are installed, and one in which the vehicle assemblies’ own electronics are used for quality control diagnostics), may include, but is not limited to, at least a reduction of assembly line type of material and machinery that is involved with the transportation of the vehicle assemblies from a first state to at least a second state, and therefore a reduction in factory investments in conveyor equipment to move the vehicles by leveraging the vehicle’s own propulsion system to move the vehicle along the factory floor during at least a portion of the assembly process. Additionally, the vehicle assembly process described above advantageously results in a reduction of factory investments in quality control equipment (e.g., reduction of component verification and self-testing, such as diagnostic tools, component testing tools, etc. connected to or installed onto the vehicle assemblies for quality control testing) by leveraging the vehicle’s own electrical / electronic architecture to conduct quality control diagnostic checks. The self-testing ability of the vehicle assemblies advantageously reduces the requirements for testing equipment and test plans for specific components of the vehicle assemblies, further reducing costs of the factory line and possible failure points reducing assembly line production speed. Further, the vehicle assembly process described above advantageously increases the flexibility of the assembly line layout in terms of where assembly operations take place, and how to manage the production mix when more than one vehicle model are produced on the same assembly line. Additionally, the vehicle assembly process described above advantageously increases the reliability of quality control procedures, removing the need for additional operations and therefore inhibit (e.g., avoid, prevent) intrinsic error probabilities therefrom. Another advantage of the vehicle assembly process described above is potential energy savings due to not needing energy to operate conveyor systems once the vehicle assemblies can self-propel (e.g., move autonomously once the drive train, battery pack and wheels are installed). Further, the vehicle assembly process described above advantageously increases factory floor safety of people and property, with all vehicles always alert of surroundings (via the sensors described above), and vehicle safety systems such as steering and brakes being part of factory safety measure that are controlled.Additional Examples

[0049] In examples of the present disclosure, an electric vehicle assembly system and method may be in accordance with any of the following clauses:Clause 1. An electric vehicle assembly system for a factory, comprising: a first factory floor section comprising a floor conveyor configured to convey one or more vehicle assemblies along the first factory floor section while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a factory ceiling section of the factory comprising a ceiling conveyor located adjacent and distal of (e.g., located in the factory following) the floor conveyor, the ceiling conveyor comprising one or more hangers configured to lift the one or more vehicle assemblies from a distal portion of the floor conveyor and configured to convey the one or more vehicle assemblies along the factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires, the one or more hangers configured to lower the one or more vehicle assemblies onto a second factory floor section of the factory following installation of the battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires so that the one or more vehicle assemblies can self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a server configured to wirelessly receive data from one or more sensors; and a vehicle assembly controller configured to wirelessly control a steering or motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the data from the one or more sensors while the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel along the second factory floor section.Clause 2. The system of Clause 1, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors are disposed in the one or more vehicle assemblies.Clause 3. The system of any preceding clause, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors are disposed in the second factory floor section.Clause 4. The system of any preceding clause, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors communicate diagnostic information for one or more self-quality control tests of the one or more components of the one or more vehicle assemblies to the server.Clause 5. The system of any preceding clause, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors communicate speed and location information for the one or more vehicle assemblies to the server.Clause 6. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more cameras, one or more optical sensors, one or more distance or proximity sensors, one or more location sensors, or one or more motion sensors.Clause 7. The system of any preceding clause, wherein one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics of the one or more vehicle assemblies are powered by a temporary power supply prior to installation of the battery pack.Clause 8. The system of any preceding clause, wherein one or both of the server and vehicle assembly controller are located in the factory.Clause 9. A method of assembling an electric vehicle at a factory, comprising: conveying one or more vehicle assemblies along a first factory floor section of the factory while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; lifting the or more vehicle assemblies with one or more hangers from a distal portion of the first factory floor section; conveying with the one or more hangers the one or more vehicle assemblies along a factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires; lowering the one or more vehicle assemblies with the one or more hangers onto a second factory floor section following installation of the battery pack, drive train, and wheels and tires so that the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; sensing data of one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies; and wirelessly controlling with a vehicle assembly controller a steering or a motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the sensed data of the one or more operational parameters while the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel along the second factory floor section.Clause 10. The method of clause 9, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors disposed in the one or more vehicle assemblies.Clause 11. The method of any of clauses 9-10, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors disposed in the second factory floor section.Clause 12. The method of any of clauses 9-11 , wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors diagnostic information for one or more self-quality control tests of the one or more components of the one or more vehicle assemblies and wirelessly communicating the diagnostic information to a server.Clause 13. The method of any of clauses 9-12, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing speed and location information for the one or more vehicle assemblies and wirelessly communicating to a server.Clause 14. The method of any of clauses 9-13, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more cameras, one or more distance or proximity sensors, or one or more motion sensors.Clause 15. The method of any of clauses 9-14, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics of the one or more vehicle assemblies and powering the one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics with a temporary power supply prior to installation of the battery pack.Clause 16. The method of any of clauses 9-15, wherein one or both of a server and vehicle assembly controller are located in the factory.

[0050] While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present inventions is defined only by reference to the appended claims.

[0051] Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specificationunless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and / or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

[0052] Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0053] Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and / or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed, others may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations,and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0054] For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0055] Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and / or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0056] Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0057] Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree.

[0058] The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.

[0059] Of course, the foregoing description is that of certain features, aspects and advantages of the present invention, to which various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, the devices described herein need not feature all of the objects, advantages, features and aspects discussed above. Thus, for example, those of skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications and methods of use, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of these specific features and aspects of embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the discussed devices.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electric vehicle assembly system for a factory, comprising: a first factory floor section comprising a floor conveyor configured to convey one or more vehicle assemblies along the first factory floor section while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a factory ceiling section of the factory comprising a ceiling conveyor located adjacent and distal of the floor conveyor, the ceiling conveyor comprising one or more hangers configured to lift the one or more vehicle assemblies from a distal portion of the floor conveyor and configured to convey the one or more vehicle assemblies along the factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, a drive train, and wheels and tires, the one or more hangers configured to lower the one or more vehicle assemblies onto a second factory floor section of the factory following installation of the battery pack, the drive train, and the wheels and the tires so that the one or more vehicle assemblies can self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; a server configured to wirelessly receive data from one or more sensors; and a vehicle assembly controller configured to wirelessly control a steering or motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the data from the one or more sensors while the one or more vehicle assemblies self-propel along the second factory floor section.

2. The system of Claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors are disposed in the one or more vehicle assemblies.

3. The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors are disposed in the second factory floor section.

4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors communicate diagnostic information for one or more self-quality control tests of the one or more components of the one or more vehicle assemblies to the server.

5. The system of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the one or more sensors communicate speed and location information for the one or more vehicle assemblies to the server.

6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more cameras, one or more optical sensors, one or more distance or proximity sensors, one or more location sensors, or one or more motion sensors.

7. The system of any preceding claim, wherein one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics of the one or more vehicle assemblies are powered by a temporary power supply prior to installation of the battery pack.

8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein one or both of the server and vehicle assembly controller are located in the factory.

9. A method of assembling an electric vehicle at a factory, comprising: conveying one or more vehicle assemblies along a first factory floor section of the factory while one or more components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; lifting the one or more vehicle assemblies with one or more hangers from a distal portion of the first factory floor section; conveying with the one or more hangers the one or more vehicle assemblies along a factory ceiling section while one or more additional components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies, the one or more additional components including a battery pack, a drive train, and wheels and tires; lowering the one or more vehicle assemblies with the one or more hangers onto a second factory floor section following installation of the battery pack, the drive train, and the wheels and the tires so that the one or more vehicle assemblies can self-propel themselves along the second factory floor section while one or more further components are installed on the one or more vehicle assemblies; sensing data of one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies; and wirelessly controlling with a vehicle assembly controller a steering or a motion of the one or more vehicle assemblies based at least in part on the sensed data of theone or more operational parameters while the one or more vehicle assemblies selfpropel along the second factory floor section.

10. The method of Claim 9, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors disposed in the one or more vehicle assemblies.

11. The method of any of Claims 9- 10, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors disposed in the second factory floor section.

12. The method of any of Claims 9-11, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors diagnostic information for one or more self-quality control tests of the one or more components of the one or more vehicle assemblies and wirelessly communicating the diagnostic information to a server.

13. The method of any of claims 9-12, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing speed and location information for the one or more vehicle assemblies and wirelessly communicating to a server.

14. The method of any of claims 9-13, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more cameras, one or more distance or proximity sensors, or one or more motion sensors.

15. The method of any of claims 9-14, wherein sensing data of the one or more operational parameters of the one or more vehicle assemblies includes sensing with one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics of the one or more vehicle assemblies and powering the one or more sensors and wireless communication electronics with a temporary power supply prior to installation of the battery pack.

16. The method of any of claims 9-15, wherein one or both of a server and vehicle assembly controller are located in the factory.

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