IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,560,034
Granted Patent B1
US 11,560,034 · App. 17/710,803 · Granted Jan 24, 2023

Situation-based vehicle configuration

Inventors: Thomas Rocroi (Richmond, CA); Nathaniel Isaac Gallinger (Emeryville, CA); Erik Robert Glaser (San Mateo, CA); Jeffrey Park (Redwood City, CA); Andrea Marie Best (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Rivian IP HOLDINGS, LLC
B60G17/017B60W10/22B60W40/105B60W50/0097B60G2400/204B60G2400/302B60G2400/41B60G2500/30B60H1/00642B60R25/24B60W2520/04B60W2520/16B60W2520/18B60W2710/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,560,034
App. No.
17/710,803
Granted
Jan 24, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Particular embodiments may enable configuring settings of a vehicle in a designated mode. A signal to place the vehicle in a designated mode may be received. A roll angle and a pitch angle of the vehicle as parked may be assessed based on data received from a position sensor built into the vehicle. Signals to adjust an electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to reduce the roll angle or the pitch angle so that the vehicle is level as parked may be sent based on the assessed roll angle and pitch angle exceeding a threshold value. One or more settings of the vehicle to change default operating characteristics by the vehicle while in the designated mode may be modified.

Claims (109)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a control module, a signal to place a vehicle in a designated mode;

in response to receiving the signal:

assessing, by the control module and based on data received from a position sensor built into the vehicle, a roll angle and a pitch angle of the vehicle as parked;

sending, by the control module and based on the assessed roll angle and pitch angle of the vehicle, signals to adjust an electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to reduce the roll angle or the pitch angle so that the vehicle is level as parked; and

modifying, by the control module, one or more settings of the vehicle to change default operating characteristics by the vehicle while in the designated mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the control module, that status indicators of the vehicle satisfy leveling conditions for the sending the signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle, wherein the leveling conditions comprise:

a speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

a gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

a parking brake of the vehicle being engaged;

a steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range;

occupancy-related sensors of the vehicle indicating the vehicle as being unoccupied;

position sensors of the vehicle indicating all closures of the vehicle as being closed;

sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level; or

a computed range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension required to level the vehicle being within a maximum possible range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

prior to the sending the signals:

determining, by the control module, that not all leveling conditions are satisfied;

generating, by the control module, a notification when not all leveling conditions are satisfied; and

detecting, by the control module, an update to each of the status indicators correlating to at least one of the leveling conditions such that the leveling conditions are satisfied.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

assessing, by the control module, a starting state of the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle;

determining, by the control module and based on the status indicators of the vehicle, a change to the status indicators correlating that not all moving conditions are met, wherein the moving conditions comprise:

the speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

the gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

the parking brake of the vehicle being engaged; or

the steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range; and

sending, by the control module, signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to the starting state.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with the objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level comprises:

computing, by the control module, a space occupied by the vehicle once adjusted to be level, wherein the space occupied by the vehicle includes accessories attached to the vehicle;

determining, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects above or below the space occupied by the vehicle; and

determining, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects proximate to the vehicle when operating doors of the vehicle or the accessories attached to the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified operating characteristics while in the designated mode is based on the selected personalization profile.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal to place the vehicle in the designated mode is provided by an interactive user interface displayed in the vehicle or by an application executing on a mobile device and associated with the vehicle.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or more computing devices, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, by a control module, a signal to place a vehicle in a designated mode;

in response to receiving the signal:

assess, by the control module and based on data received from a position sensor built into the vehicle, a roll angle and a pitch angle of the vehicle as parked;

send, by the control module and based on the assessed roll angle and pitch angle of the vehicle, signals to adjust an electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to reduce the roll angle or the pitch angle so that the vehicle is level as parked; and

modify, by the control module, one or more settings of the vehicle to change default operating characteristics by the vehicle while in the designated mode.

9. A control system for a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more processors and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:

receive a signal to place a vehicle in a designated mode;

in response to receipt of the signal:

assess, based on data received from a position sensor built into the vehicle, a roll angle and a pitch angle of the vehicle as parked;

send, based on the assessed roll angle and pitch angle of the vehicle, signals to adjust an electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to reduce the roll angle or the pitch angle so that the vehicle is level as parked; and

modify one or more settings of the vehicle to change default operating characteristics by the vehicle while in the designated mode.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to:

determine, by the control module, that status indicators of the vehicle satisfy leveling conditions for the sending the signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle, wherein the leveling conditions comprise:

a speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

a gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

a parking brake of the vehicle being engaged;

a steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range;

occupancy-related sensors of the vehicle indicating the vehicle as being unoccupied;

position sensors of the vehicle indicating all closures of the vehicle as being closed;

sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level; or

a computed range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension required to level the vehicle being within a maximum possible range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising instructions to:

prior to the sending the signals:

determine, by the control module, that not all leveling conditions are satisfied;

generate, by the control module, a notification when not all leveling conditions are satisfied; and

detect, by the control module, an update to each of the status indicators correlating to at least one of the leveling conditions such that the leveling conditions are satisfied.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising instructions to:

assess, by the control module, a starting state of the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle;

determine, by the control module and based on the status indicators of the vehicle, a change to the status indicators correlating that not all moving conditions are met, wherein the moving conditions comprise:

the speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

the gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

the parking brake of the vehicle being engaged; or the steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range; and

send, by the control module, signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to the starting state.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with the objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level comprises:

compute, by the control module, a space occupied by the vehicle once adjusted to be level, wherein the space occupied by the vehicle includes accessories attached to the vehicle;

determine, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects above or below the space occupied by the vehicle; and

determine, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects proximate to the vehicle when operating doors of the vehicle or the accessories attached to the vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the modified operating characteristics while in the designated mode is based on the selected personalization profile.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the signal to place the vehicle in the designated mode is provided by an interactive user interface displayed in the vehicle or by an application executing on a mobile device and associated with the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 9 , the processors being further operable when executing the instructions to:

determine, by the control module, that status indicators of the vehicle satisfy leveling conditions for the sending the signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle, wherein the leveling conditions comprise:

a speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

a gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

a parking brake of the vehicle being engaged;

a steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range;

occupancy-related sensors of the vehicle indicating the vehicle as being unoccupied;

position sensors of the vehicle indicating all closures of the vehicle as being closed;

sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level; or

a computed range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension required to level the vehicle being within a maximum possible range of travel of the electronically controlled suspension.

17. The system of claim 16 , the processors being further operable when executing the instructions to:

prior to the sending the signals:

determine, by the control module, that not all leveling conditions are satisfied;

generate, by the control module, a notification when not all leveling conditions are satisfied; and

detect, by the control module, an update to each of the status indicators correlating to at least one of the leveling conditions such that the leveling conditions are satisfied.

18. The system of claim 16 , the processors being further operable when executing the instructions to:

assess, by the control module, a starting state of the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle;

determine, by the control module and based on the status indicators of the vehicle, a change to the status indicators correlating that not all moving conditions are met, wherein the moving conditions comprise:

the speed of the vehicle being zero;

the vehicle being in a park mode;

the gear selection of the vehicle being in park;

the parking brake of the vehicle being engaged; or the steering angle of the vehicle being within a prescribed steering range; and

send, by the control module, signals to adjust the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle to the starting state.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the sensors of the vehicle predicting zero likelihood of collision with the objects near the vehicle once the electronically controlled suspension of the vehicle is adjusted to be level comprises the processors being further operable when executing the instructions to:

compute, by the control module, a space occupied by the vehicle once adjusted to be level, wherein the space occupied by the vehicle includes accessories attached to the vehicle;

determine, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects above or below the space occupied by the vehicle; and

determine, by the control module, zero likelihood of collision with objects proximate to the vehicle when operating doors of the vehicle or the accessories attached to the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 9 , wherein the modified operating characteristics while in the designated mode is based on the selected personalization profile.

21. The system of claim 9 , wherein the signal to place the vehicle in the designated mode is provided by an interactive user interface displayed in the vehicle or by an application executing on a mobile device and associated with the vehicle.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2022
From: ROCROI, THOMAS; GALLINGER, NATHANIEL ISAAC; GLASER, ERIK ROBERT; PARK, JEFFREY; BEST, ANDREA
To: RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC
Reel/Frame 059473/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2022
From: RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC
To: RIVIAN IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 059473/0100 →
Cited By (3)
US 1,089,253 US 1,089,257 US 12,539,737