US 11,858,491 B2
System and method for controlling braking functions in an autonomous vehicle
Peter James, Denver, CO (US); Gary Seminara, Golden, CO (US); and Lawrence S. Klein, Bend, OR (US)
Assigned to Outrider Technologies, Inc., Brighton, CO (US)
Filed by Outrider Technologies, Inc., Brighton, CO (US)
Filed on Oct. 29, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/667,830.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/752,687, filed on Oct. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0139950 A1, May 7, 2020
Int. Cl. B60T 8/00 (2006.01); B60T 8/92 (2006.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60T 8/17 (2006.01); B60T 8/34 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC B60T 8/92 (2013.01) [B60T 8/1701 (2013.01); B60T 8/342 (2013.01); B60W 60/0059 (2020.02); G05D 1/0061 (2013.01); G05D 1/021 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for allowing failover between an autonomously controlled braking system and a human controlled braking system in a truck having pneumatic brake lines comprising:
a cab-mounted brake actuator arranged to be handled by the human operator and arranged to selectively deliver pressurized air to truck brakes and a trailer brake air supply;
a controller that performs autonomous braking operations in response to control inputs and that senses when a human operator is handling the actuator; and
a plurality of valves, interconnected in a pressure circuit between a pressurized air source on the truck, the actuator, the truck brakes and the trailer brake air supply, responsive to the controller, and arranged to override selective delivery of pressurized air to the truck brakes and the trailer brake air supply in response to the autonomous braking operations in favor of selective delivery of pressurized air via the actuator,
wherein the pressure circuit includes a tank monitor adapted to determine whether tank pressure falls below a predetermined threshold, and wherein, in response thereto, the valves apply at least one of the service brakes and the parking brakes, and
wherein the tank monitor is adapted to direct the controller to ignore predetermined sensors and switches within the pressure circuit.