US 12,485,910 B2
Automated swarming vehicle test environment
Brian Stewart, Smithfield, UT (US); Paul Lewis, Mendon, UT (US); Ben Hill, Mendon, UT (US); Dave Hollingshead, Mendon, UT (US); Sean Gardner, Mendon, UT (US); John Peterson, Mendon, UT (US); Kasper Woiceshyn, Mendon, UT (US); and Eric Budd, Mendon, UT (US)
Assigned to Autonomous Solutions, Inc., Mendon, UT (US)
Filed by Autonomous Solutions, Inc., Mendon, UT (US)
Filed on Sep. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/031,288.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/905,272, filed on Sep. 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0086784 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. B60W 50/04 (2006.01); B60W 30/09 (2012.01); G06F 11/3668 (2025.01); G06F 11/3698 (2025.01)
CPC B60W 50/045 (2013.01) [B60W 30/09 (2013.01); G06F 11/3692 (2013.01); G06F 11/3696 (2013.01); G06F 11/3698 (2025.01); B60W 2050/048 (2013.01); B60W 2554/408 (2020.02)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated swarming vehicle test system comprising:
a vehicle automation platform that:
receives data for a system test plan from a user, wherein the test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that includes:
time intervals,
test vehicle location (Vx),
test vehicle location (Vy),
first swarming vehicle location (TI x),
first swarming vehicle location (TI y),
second swarming vehicle location relative to the test v (T2 x),
second swarming vehicle location (T2 y),
test vehicle speed (VSpeed),
first swarming vehicle speed (TISpeed),
second swarming vehicle speed (T2Speed),
test vehicle direction (Vheading),
first swarming vehicle direction (TIHeading);
second swarming vehicle direction;
creates a first test plan based on the system test plan, the first test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers for a first swarming vehicle relative to a test vehicle that vary over time,
wherein the test vehicle is different than the first swarming vehicle and creates a second test plan based on the system test plan,
the second test plan being different than the first test plan,
the second test plan comprises a time series of trajectory data that define specific choregraphed maneuvers for a second swarming vehicle relative to the test vehicle that vary over time;
the first swarming vehicle comprising: a first vehicle control unit in communication with the vehicle automation platform that receives the first test plan from the vehicle automation platform;
a first throttle subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
a first steering subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
and a first brake subsystem in communication with and controlled by the first vehicle control unit;
wherein the first vehicle control unit controls the operation of the first throttle subsystem, the first steering subsystem, and the first brake subsystem based on the first test plan;
the second swarming vehicle comprising: a second vehicle control unit in communication with the vehicle automation platform that receives the second test plan from the vehicle automation platform;
a second throttle subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
a second steering subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
and a second brake subsystem in communication with and controlled by the second vehicle control unit;
wherein the second vehicle control unit controls the operation of the second throttle subsystem, the second steering subsystem, and the second brake subsystem based on the second test plan,
wherein the vehicle automation platform does not send the first test plan or the second test plan to the test vehicle.