Truck-Trailer Load and COG Estimation From Wheel Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack the ability to accurately determine the total mass and center of gravity of a truck-trailer combination, which is crucial for safe maneuvering, as these factors significantly influence driving behavior and are often estimated by human drivers through visual inspection and experience.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing image sensors and weight sensors at a hub to measure the total mass and center of gravity of a truck-trailer combination by determining distance changes between wheel center points and ground contact points, incorporating tire and chassis stiffness characteristics, and employing machine learning algorithms to enhance accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspection and driver experience are used to estimate mass and center of gravity, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the measurement precision is insufficient for safe autonomous maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and driver experience with an automated optical measurement system using image sensors. The system captures images of the vehicle from multiple angles, extracts geometric features, and calculates mass and center of gravity through image processing algorithms, eliminating the need for human driver assessment while significantly improving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces image sensors and processing algorithms as intermediary tools between the vehicle and the autonomous control system. These intermediaries capture visual data, process it through computational algorithms, and provide accurate mass and center of gravity information to the autonomous driving system, enabling precise maneuvering without direct human intervention.
2Reliability
If manual visual inspection is used to assess mass and center of gravity, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the reliability of autonomous vehicle maneuvering is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the autonomous vehicle to self-assess its own mass and center of gravity properties through onboard or hub-based image sensors. The vehicle poses itself or is captured by the system, and the processing algorithms automatically calculate the required parameters without requiring external human assessment, thereby improving reliability while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs mass and center of gravity determination as a preliminary action before autonomous maneuvering begins. By capturing images and calculating parameters in advance (either at a hub before departure or onboard before maneuvering), the system ensures accurate data is available for safe autonomous operation, eliminating the need for continuous manual assessment during operation.
3Measurement precision
If image sensors and processing algorithms are implemented to determine mass and center of gravity, then measurement precision improves, but the loss of time for data collection and processing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs image capture and processing as a preliminary action before the autonomous vehicle begins its journey or maneuvering sequence. By determining mass and center of gravity in advance at a hub or during vehicle preparation, the system obtains accurate parameters without causing time loss during actual operation, enabling efficient autonomous maneuvering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system rapidly captures images from multiple angles and quickly processes them through optimized algorithms to determine mass and center of gravity. By rushing through the data collection and processing steps efficiently, the system minimizes time loss while maintaining high measurement precision, allowing the vehicle to quickly obtain necessary parameters and proceed with autonomous operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise determination of the total mass and center of gravity, improving the safety and maneuverability of autonomous trucks by providing accurate data for autonomous driving systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first set of plurality of image sensors... determining a first distance between a center point of a wheel and a touch point on a ground surface... based on first sensor data
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes at least one processor configured to: (i) determining a first distance between a center point of a wheel of an unloaded vehicle and a touch point on a ground surface of a first section of a driving path based on first sensor data of a first set of plurality of image sensors; (ii) determining a second distance between the center point and the touch point on the ground surface of the first section for the loaded vehicle based on second sensor data of the first set of plurality of image sensors; and (iii) based upon a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and characteristics of a respective tire of each wheel, determining a load at each wheel for determining a total mass of the vehicle and a first coordinates of a COG of the vehicle with respect to a front axle of the vehicle.