Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Mutasim A Salman

Yilu Zhang

Shengbing Jiang

Shuqing Zeng

Paul Edward Krajewski

Yao Hu

Shiming Duan

Xinyu Du

Jinsong Wang

Chih-Hung Yen

Alexander Kade

Wen-Chiao Lin

Azeem Sarwar

Steven W Holland

Xiaoyu Huang

Harland G Hopkins

Nader M Boustany

Steve J Eckert

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining an offset detection for a fuel level sensor fault. The method includes receiving an electrical resistance reading from a potentiometer of a fuel level sensor and generating an estimated fuel level based on an established fuel usage table that references the electrical resistance reading. The fuel level sensitivity is calculated based on the change in electrical resistance readings divided by the change in the estimated fuel levels (R/F). The fuel level sensitivity is compared to a predetermined sensitivity curve to determine any necessary offset to the electrical resistance reading. Finally, the fuel usage table is updated with the offset to the electrical resistance reading.

Offset detection for fuel level sensor fault

An autonomic vehicle control system includes a perception module of a spatial monitoring system that is disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle. A method for evaluating vehicle dynamics operation includes determining a desired trajectory for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the desired trajectory includes desired vehicle positions including an x-position, a y-position and a heading. Vehicle control commands are determined based upon the desired trajectory, and include a commanded steering angle, an acceleration command and a braking command. Actual vehicle states responsive to the vehicle control commands are determined. An estimated trajectory is determined based upon the actual vehicle states, and a trajectory error is determined based upon a difference between the desired trajectory and the estimated trajectory. The trajectory error is monitored over a time horizon, and a first state of health (SOH) is determined based upon the trajectory error over the time horizon.

Method and apparatus for monitoring of an autonomous vehicle

An autonomic vehicle control system is described, and includes a vehicle spatial monitoring system including a subject spatial sensor that is disposed to monitor a spatial environment proximal to the autonomous vehicle. A controller is in communication with the subject spatial sensor, and the controller includes a processor and a memory device including an instruction set. The instruction set is executable to evaluate the subject spatial sensor, which includes determining first, second, third, fourth and fifth SOH (state of health) parameters associated with the subject spatial sensor, and determining an integrated SOH parameter for the subject spatial sensor based thereupon.

A perception module of a spatial monitoring system to monitor and characterize a spatial environment proximal to an autonomous vehicle is described. A method for evaluating the perception module includes capturing and storing a plurality of frames of data associated with a driving scenario for the autonomous vehicle, and executing the perception module to determine an actual spatial environment for the driving scenario, wherein the actual spatial environment for the driving scenario is stored in the controller. The perception module is executed to determine an estimated spatial environment for the driving scenario based upon the stored frames of data associated with the driving scenario, and the estimated spatial environment is compared to the actual spatial environment for the driving scenario. A first performance index for the perception module is determined based upon the comparing, and a fault can be detected.

Systems and method are provided for collaboration between autonomous vehicles. In one embodiment, a processor-implemented method for coordinating travel between multiple autonomous vehicles is provided. The method includes sending a collaboration request to one or more vehicles in an area to form a group to perform a mission, receiving an acceptance of the collaboration request to join the group wherein the group includes a plurality of vehicles, cooperating in assigning leading functions for the group to one or more of the plurality of vehicles in the group, cooperating in mission negotiations for the group, cooperating in determining a formation for the group, and cooperating in generating a trajectory for the group. The vehicles in the group are operated in accordance with the determined formation and generated trajectory.

Systems and methods for collaboration between autonomous vehicles

A hierarchical brake controller is described having two control levels, a high level supervisory controller and a low local controller. The supervisory controller receives a vehicle deceleration rate command from the vehicle operator and determines a commanded brake line pressure value to establish the actual vehicle deceleration at the operator commanded rate. The supervisory controller then proportions the commanded brake line pressure between the front and rear brakes based on a determined proportioning factor. The local controller at each wheel functions to establish the respective commanded front or rear brake line pressure. In addition, the local controller for each of the rear brake limits the applied brake pressure in response to a sensed incipient wheel lockup condition to prevent lockup of the braked wheel. The local controller for a rear brake that is limiting brake pressure to prevent a lockup condition provides a maximum allowable rear brake pressure value to the supervisory controller. The supervisory controller then limits the commanded brake line pressure and therefore the commanded front brake line pressure to values based on the maximum allowable rear brake pressure and the proportioning value between the front and rear brakes.

Hierarchical brake controller

A wheel lock control system in which when an incipient wheel lockup condition is first sensed, the brake pressure at that time is used to estimate a brake pressure value that is substantially equal to but greater than the brake pressure required to produce an incipient wheel lockup condition. The brake pressure is then dumped to allow wheel speed recovery. Following wheel speed recovery, the estimated brake pressure is applied to the wheel brake. At the same time, the brake torque tending to accelerate the wheel is computed by an expression taking into consideration the rate of change in wheel speed as the brake pressure is reapplied. When a peak brake torque value is identified, the optimum brake pressure that will result in the identified peak brake force is determined from the same expression used to calculate the brake torque but with the term associated with the rate of change in wheel speed being eliminated. The pressure to the wheel brake is then established to produce the optimum brake pressure and the wheel-to-vehicle speed ratio that existed at the time the peak brake torque was identified.

Antilock brake control system

A brake control system is described that prevents a wheel lockup condition by identifying the brake pressure that produces the maximum possible braking effort during each brake pressure application period and applying a predetermined fraction of the identified pressure after an incipient wheel lockup condition is sensed. The predetermined fraction provides for adaptive adjustment of the brake pressure if the identified brake pressure is in error until a pressure is applied that produces substantially the maximum possible braking effort.

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Madison, WI, United States of America

Mutasim A Salman