Method and system for estimation of mass and a center of gravity of a truck-trailer

1 . A system, comprising:

a first set of plurality of image sensors positioned in a first section of a driving path of a hub; and

at least one processor configured to execute instructions stored in at least one memory to perform operations comprising:

for each wheel of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the first section and not loaded, determining a first distance between a center point of a wheel and a chassis spring of the vehicle based on first sensor data of the first set of plurality of image sensors;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the first section and loaded, determining a second distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the first set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and based at least in part upon characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the first section; and

based upon the load at each wheel in the first section, determining a total mass of the vehicle and first coordinates of a center of gravity of the vehicle along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with respect to a front axle of the vehicle,

wherein an autonomy computing system of the vehicle is configured to control operation of the vehicle, based on the determined total mass of the vehicle and the determined first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the driving path further includes a second section, the second section includes a laterally sloped surface and a second set of plurality of image sensors positioned in the second section of the driving path, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operations comprising:

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the second section and not loaded, determining a third distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on first sensor data of the second set of plurality of image sensors;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the second section and loaded, determining a fourth distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the second set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the third distance and the fourth distance, and based at least in part upon the characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the second section;

based upon the load at each wheel in the second section, determining second coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis; and

based upon a change in the first coordinates of the center of gravity and the second coordinates of the center of gravity along the lateral axis, determining a coordinate of the center of gravity along a vertical axis.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the laterally sloped surface is inclined at a predetermined angle.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined angle is 15°.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operations comprising transmitting, to a computing device of the vehicle, the determined total mass of the vehicle, the first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, and the determined coordinate of the center of gravity along the vertical axis.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the operations comprising transmitting, to a computing device of the vehicle, the determined total mass of the vehicle and the first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the chassis spring include chassis spring stiffness.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the chassis spring is an air spring.

9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

for each wheel of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in a first section of a driving path of a hub on a surface of the first section and not loaded, determining a first distance between a center point of a wheel and a chassis spring of the vehicle based on first sensor data of a first set of plurality of image sensors positioned in the first section;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the first section on the surface and loaded, determining a second distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the first set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and based at least in part upon characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the first section; and

based upon the load at each wheel in the first section, determining a total mass of the vehicle and first coordinates of a center of gravity of the vehicle along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with respect to a front axle of the vehicle,

wherein an autonomy computing system of the vehicle is configured to control operation of the vehicle, based on the determined total mass of the vehicle and the determined first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in a second section of the driving path and not loaded, determining a third distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on first sensor data of a second set of plurality of image sensors positioned in the second section of the driving path that includes a laterally sloped surface;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the second section and loaded, determining a fourth distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the second set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the third distance and the fourth distance, and based at least in part upon the characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the second section;

based upon the load at each wheel in the second section, determining second coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis; and

based upon a change in the first coordinates of the center of gravity and the second coordinates of the center of gravity along the lateral axis, determining a coordinate of the center of gravity along a vertical axis.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the laterally sloped surface is inclined at a predetermined angle.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined angle is 15°.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting, to a computing device of the vehicle, the determined total mass of the vehicle, the first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, and the determined coordinate of the center of gravity along the vertical axis.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, to a computing device of the vehicle, the determined total mass of the vehicle and the first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the characteristics of the chassis spring include chassis spring stiffness.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the chassis spring is an air spring.

17 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (CRM) storing instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor of a system, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

for each wheel of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in a first section of a driving path of a hub on a surface of the first section and not loaded, determining a first distance between a center point of a wheel and a chassis spring of the vehicle based on first sensor data of a first set of plurality of image sensors positioned in the first section;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the first section on the surface and loaded, determining a second distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the first set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and based at least in part upon characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the first section; and

based upon the load at each wheel in the first section, determining a total mass of the vehicle and first coordinates of a center of gravity of the vehicle along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with respect to a front axle of the vehicle,

wherein an autonomy computing system of the vehicle is configured to control operation of the vehicle, based on the determined total mass of the vehicle and the determined first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle.

18 . The at least one non-transitory CRM of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the operations further comprising:

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in a second section of the driving path and not loaded, determining a third distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on first sensor data of a second set of plurality of image sensors positioned in the second section of the driving path that includes a laterally sloped surface;

for each wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped in the second section and loaded, determining a fourth distance between the center point and the chassis spring based on second sensor data of the second set of plurality of image sensors;

based at least in part upon a difference between the third distance and the fourth distance, and based at least in part upon the characteristics of the chassis spring, determining a load at each wheel in the second section;

based upon the load at each wheel in the second section, determining second coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis; and

based upon a change in the first coordinates of the center of gravity and the second coordinates of the center of gravity along the lateral axis, determining a coordinate of the center of gravity along a vertical axis.

19 . The at least one non-transitory CRM of claim 18 , wherein the laterally sloped surface is inclined at a predetermined angle of 15°.

20 . The at least one non-transitory CRM of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the operations further comprising transmitting, to a computing device of the vehicle, the determined total mass of the vehicle, the first coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis, and the determined coordinate of the center of gravity along the vertical axis.