US 11,814,042 B1
Reducing hydraulic fluid pressure based on predicted collision
Johannes Edren, Belmont, CA (US); Markus Jost, San Mateo, CA (US); Ahditya Melkote, Foster City, CA (US); and Amanda Brown Prescott, Half Moon Bay, CA (US)
Assigned to Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed by Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/117,015.
Int. Cl. B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B60G 17/019 (2006.01); G08G 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 30/09 (2013.01) [B60G 17/01941 (2013.01); G08G 1/166 (2013.01); B60G 2202/154 (2013.01); B60G 2202/413 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a suspension system including a strut, a fluid reservoir, an accumulator, a first valve, and a second valve in fluid connection;
a sensor;
a processor; and
non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle to perform operations comprising:
receiving data captured by the sensor, the data representing at least a portion of an environment of the vehicle;
detecting, based at least in part on the data, an object within the environment;
determining a probability associated with a collision between the vehicle and the object, wherein the probability is determined based at least in part on a first trajectory associated with the vehicle and a second trajectory associated with the object;
determining that the probability meets or exceeds a threshold probability;
determining an impact location on the vehicle associated with the collision;
determining, based at least in part on the probability meeting or exceeding the threshold probability and the impact location, a first mitigating action to be performed by the vehicle, wherein the first mitigating action includes opening the first valve to route hydraulic fluid from the accumulator to the fluid reservoir, wherein routing the hydraulic fluid from the accumulator to the fluid reservoir maintains a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the strut;
causing the first mitigating action to be performed;
determining that the collision occurred;
determining, based at least in part on the collision occurring, a second mitigating action to be performed by the vehicle, wherein the second mitigating action includes opening the second valve to release a pressurized gas within the accumulator to reduce the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the strut; and
causing the second mitigating action to be performed.