IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,487,598
Granted Patent B2
US 12,487,598 · App. 18/108,453 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Systems and methods for risk-bounded control barrier functions

Inventors: Mitchell Black (Ann Arbor, MI); Bardh Hoxha (Canton, MI); Georgios Fainekos (Novi, MI); Tomoya Yamaguchi (Ann Arbor, MI); Danil V. Prokhorov (Canton, MI)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
G05D1/0212B60W60/0015
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,487,598
App. No.
18/108,453
Filed
Feb 10, 2023
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3666
USPC
701/23
Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to implementing risk-bounded control barrier functions. In one embodiment, a method includes estimating a state of a vehicle; planning a trajectory based on the state of the vehicle; determining a nominal control input based on the trajectory; applying a risk-bounded control barrier function to determine a control input; and applying the control input to the vehicle.

Claims (37)

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

estimate a state of a vehicle;

plan a trajectory based on the state of the vehicle;

determine a nominal control input based on the trajectory;

apply a risk-bounded control barrier function based on a Lipschitz continuous function a selected with respect to a stochastic analog generator and a function modifying an integral of the stochastic analog generator to determine a control input; and

execute the control input on the vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to plan the trajectory is further based on start-to-goal motion planning.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle is a robotic or medical device.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the state of the vehicle is at least one of a delivery rate, a filtering, or a titration rate.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the state of the vehicle is at least one of a location, heading, or velocity.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to apply a risk-bounded control barrier function further includes modifying the integral of the stochastic analog generator based on a tolerable system risk parameter.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the tolerable system risk parameter is bounded in relation to a Gauss error function.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to determine the nominal control input based on the trajectory is performed via automated driving assistance.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

estimate a state of a vehicle;

plan a trajectory based on the state of the vehicle;

determine a nominal control input based on the trajectory;

apply a risk-bounded control barrier function based on a Lipschitz continuous function α selected with respect to a stochastic analog generator and a function modifying an integral of the stochastic analog generator to determine a control input; and

execute the control input on the vehicle.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instruction to plan the trajectory is further based on start-to-goal motion planning.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the state of the vehicle is at least one of a delivery rate, a filtering, or a titration rate.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the state of the vehicle is at least one of a location, heading, or velocity.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instruction to apply a risk-bounded control barrier function further includes modifying the integral of the stochastic analog generator based on a tolerable system risk parameter.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the tolerable system risk parameter is bounded in relation to a Gauss error function.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instruction to determine the nominal control input based on the trajectory is performed via automated driving assistance.

16 . A method, comprising:

estimating a state of a vehicle;

planning a trajectory based on the state of the vehicle;

determining a nominal control input based on the trajectory;

applying a risk-bounded control barrier function based on a Lipschitz continuous function a selected with respect to a stochastic analog generator and a function modifying an integral of the stochastic analog generator to determine a control input; and

executing the control input on the vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein planning the trajectory is further based on start-to-goal motion planning.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein applying a risk-bounded control barrier function further includes modifying the integral of the stochastic analog generator based on a tolerable system risk parameter.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the tolerable system risk parameter is bounded in relation to a Gauss error function.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the nominal control input based on the trajectory is performed via automated driving assistance.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2025
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 073100/0277 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2023
From: BLACK, MITCHELL; HOXHA, BARDH; FAINEKOS, GEORGIOS; YAMAGUCHI, TOMOYA; PROKHOROV, DANIL V.
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 062865/0543 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240272636A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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