US 12,258,004 B2
Independent control of vehicle wheels
Joseph Funke, Redwood City, CA (US); Johannes Edren, Belmont, CA (US); Ali Javidan, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Jacob Lee Askeland, San Jose, CA (US); and Vasumathi Raman, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed by Zoox, Inc., Foster City, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/468,499.
Application 17/468,499 is a continuation of application No. 15/787,474, filed on Oct. 18, 2017, granted, now 11,136,021.
Prior Publication US 2021/0402984 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 30/04 (2006.01); B60T 8/24 (2006.01); B60W 10/184 (2012.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 30/18 (2012.01); B62D 7/06 (2006.01); B62D 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 30/04 (2013.01) [B60T 8/243 (2013.01); B60W 10/184 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 30/18145 (2013.01); B62D 7/06 (2013.01); B62D 17/00 (2013.01); B60W 2520/18 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wheel control system configured to facilitate control of a vehicle, the wheel control system comprising:
a first steering assembly configured to independently control one or more of a steering angle, a caster angle, a camber angle, tire pressure, or a toe angle of a first wheel or a second wheel at a first end relative to remaining wheels of the vehicle;
a second steering assembly configured to be coupled proximate to a second end of the vehicle and control one or more of a steering angle, a caster angle, a camber angle, a toe angle, or a speed of a third wheel or a fourth wheel coupled proximate to the second end of the vehicle;
a wheel controller configured to:
determine tire-surface parameterization data, the tire-surface parameterization data determined based on a force imposed on the first wheel by an adjustment to one or more of the steering angle, caster angle, camber angle, tire pressure, or toe angle of the first wheel relative to the remaining wheels,
cause the first steering assembly to pivot at least one of the first wheel or the second wheel at a first steering angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle,
cause the second steering assembly to pivot at least one of the third wheel or the fourth wheel at a second steering angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and
control the vehicle based at least in part on the tire-surface parameterization data; and
an acceleration system comprising:
a motor coupled to at least one of the first wheel, the second wheel, the third wheel, or the fourth wheel; and
a motor controller configured to cause the motor to supply torque to one or more of at least one of the first wheel, the second wheel, the third wheel, or the fourth wheel based at least in part on the tire-surface parameterization data.