US 11,703,480 B2
Transducer-based structural health monitoring of autonomous vehicles
Jeffrey Brandon, Phoenix, AZ (US); and Amanda Lind, Brooklyn, NY (US)
Assigned to GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/95,835.
Prior Publication US 2022/0146456 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 29/04 (2006.01); G01C 21/34 (2006.01); G01L 1/16 (2006.01); G01M 17/007 (2006.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); H04R 1/40 (2006.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/045 (2013.01) [G01C 21/3407 (2013.01); G01L 1/16 (2013.01); G01M 17/007 (2013.01); G01N 29/2437 (2013.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); H04R 1/406 (2013.01); H04R 3/005 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0234 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0289 (2013.01); H04R 2499/13 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for monitoring structural integrity of a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of piezoelectric transducers positioned in the vehicle configured to generate transducer data, wherein at least one of the plurality of transducers is positioned at an interconnect between a vehicle frame and a vehicle fascia, and wherein the at least one transducer captures interconnect data indicating strain at the interconnect;
a data acquisition module configured to receive the transducer data and generate combined transducer data; and
a processor configured to:
process the combined transducer data;
identify outlier data, wherein the outlier data indicates a change in the structural integrity of the vehicle; and
detect a vehicle structural issue based on the outlier data.