Observer-Based Vehicle Control for Unknown State Estimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle control systems face challenges in generating control commands when the state of a vehicle is unknown, requiring additional processing power for complex algorithmic calculations based on advanced control theory techniques, especially when only output measurements from sensors like IMUs and rate gyros are available.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an observer-based control system that uses state observers to estimate unknown vehicle states, incorporating adaptive control methods and observer models to adjust commands based on sensor measurements, and performing squaring-up modifications to ensure minimum phase dynamics and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If observer-based control is implemented to estimate unknown vehicle states, then control accuracy is improved, but processing power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate estimation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is divided into modular components: state observers that estimate specific unmeasured states, adaptive controllers that adjust parameters online, and separate calculation modules for different control objectives. This segmentation allows efficient resource utilization while maintaining accurate state estimation through specialized sub-systems rather than monolithic complex calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The state observers continuously pre-estimate unknown vehicle states using available sensor measurements before control decisions are required. By maintaining real-time estimates of states like position, velocity, or orientation through Kalman filters or other observer algorithms, the system prepares control-relevant information in advance, reducing computational burden during critical control moments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If adaptive control methods are used to handle uncertain dynamics, then system adaptability is improved, but control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling uncertain dynamicsVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system employs adaptive parameters and gains that dynamically adjust based on operating conditions and uncertainty levels. Observer matrices and control gains are modified in real-time according to measured system behavior, allowing the controller to adapt to changing dynamics without requiring a complete redesign of the control architecture for each scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses continuous feedback from state observers and performance monitors to adjust control parameters adaptively. By comparing estimated states with actual measurements and observing prediction errors, the controller automatically tunes its parameters to handle uncertain dynamics, reducing the need for complex manual configuration while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If complex algorithmic calculations are performed for state estimation, then control reliability is improved, but computational time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol reliabilityVSAvoidcomputational time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The state estimation and control updates are performed at optimized periodic intervals rather than continuously at maximum computational rate. By calculating observer updates and control commands at strategically selected time steps based on system dynamics and stability requirements, the system maintains reliable control while reducing unnecessary computational overhead and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts observer and controller parameters such as gain matrices, filter bandwidths, and prediction horizons based on operating conditions. During normal operation, parameters are tuned for computational efficiency, while during critical maneuvers or high-uncertainty conditions, parameters are adjusted to prioritize accuracy over speed, optimizing the balance between reliability and computational time adaptively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3379367B1Methods and apparatus to perform observer-based control of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 THE BOEING CO
  • EP3379367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3379367B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3379367B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to perform observer based control of a vehicle are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an error module to calculate a difference between a first state of a vehicle and a second state of the vehicle, the second state based on a measurement from a sensor, an observer module todetermine a third state of the vehicle based on the difference, a baseline control module to generate a first command based on the third state, and a vehicle module to execute the first command to control the vehicle.