Granted Patent B2

US 12,367,715 · App. 18/077,592 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Inventor: Christopher R. Conklin (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC

G07C5/006G07C5/008G07C5/0808G07C5/0825

Abstract

Claims (60)

1. A method for determining a maintenance schedule for a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a control module of the vehicle, signals generated by a plurality of sensors built into specific locations on the vehicle, the plurality of sensors comprising at least one vibration sensor;

identifying, by the control module of the vehicle, one or more indicators of a vibrating component of the vehicle based on features of the generated signals by:

applying a first transfer function to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a strain-based wear on the vibrating component due to component strain; and

applying a second transfer function, different from the first transfer function, to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a vibration-based wear on the vibrating component due to component vibration;

transmitting, by a telecommunications module of the vehicle to a vehicle data analysis system, information associated with the one or more indicators;

receiving, by the telecommunications module of the vehicle from the vehicle data analysis system, a recommendation for servicing the vehicle, wherein the recommendation is based on a prediction related to the one or more indicators and is identified by the vehicle data analysis system; and

displaying, by a user interface module of the vehicle, a notification regarding the recommendation for servicing the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises determining, by the control module of the vehicle, a measurement of damage associated with the vibrating component.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the measurement of damage comprises:

determining, by the control module of the vehicle, a measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component based on a measurement of force associated with the vibrating component.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein transmitting the information associated with the one or more indicators comprises transmitting the measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

aggregating, by the control module of the vehicle, the measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component over time to generate an aggregate measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component;

comparing, by the control module of the vehicle, the aggregate measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component to a threshold; and

transmitting, by the telecommunications module to the vehicle data analysis system, information based on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

tracking, by the control module of the vehicle, the measurement of damage associated with the vibrating component over time to generate a trend of damage associated with the vibrating component;

identifying, by the control module of the vehicle, a change in a rate of mechanical wear associated with the vibrating component based on the trend; and

transmitting, by the telecommunications module to the vehicle data analysis system, the information based on identifying the change in the rate of mechanical wear.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises mapping a feature of a frequency domain representation of at least a portion of the signals to the vibrating component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the notification comprises displaying an indication of the vibrating component.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a microphone and wherein receiving the signals comprises receiving microphone data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises mapping a feature of an audio signature of the microphone data to the vibrating component.

11. A vehicle system for determining a maintenance schedule for a vehicle comprising:

a vibration sensor built into a specific location on the vehicle;

a display; and

one or more computing devices comprising:

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more storage media, the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:

receive signals generated by the vibration sensor;

identify one or more indicators of a vibrating component of the vehicle based on features of the generated signals by:

applying a first transfer function to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a strain-based wear on the vibrating component due to component strain; and

applying a second transfer function, different from the first transfer function, to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a vibration-based wear on the vibrating component due to component vibration;

transmit to a vehicle data analysis system information associated with the one or more indicators;

receive from the vehicle data analysis system a recommendation for servicing the vehicle, wherein the recommendation is based on a prediction related to the one or more indicators and is identified by the vehicle data analysis system; and

display, via the display, a notification regarding the recommendation for servicing the vehicle.

12. The vehicle system of claim 11 , wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises determining a measurement of damage associated with the vibrating component.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein determining the measurement of damage comprises:

determining a measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component based on a measurement of force associated with the vibrating component.

14. The vehicle system of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the information associated with the one or more indicators comprises transmitting the measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component.

15. The vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

aggregate the measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component over time to generate an aggregate measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component;

compare the aggregate measurement of fatigue cycles associated with the vibrating component to a threshold; and

transmit to the vehicle data analysis system the information based on the comparison.

16. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

track the measurement of damage associated with the vibrating component over time to generate a trend of damage associated with the vibrating component;

identify a change in a rate of mechanical wear associated with the vibrating component based on the trend; and

transmit to the vehicle data analysis system the information based on identifying the change in the rate of mechanical wear.

17. The vehicle system of claim 11 , wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises mapping a feature of a frequency domain representation of at least a portion of the signals to the vibrating component.

18. The vehicle system of claim 11 , wherein displaying the notification comprises displaying an indication of the vibrating component.

19. The vehicle system of claim 11 , further comprising a microphone and wherein receiving the signals comprises receiving microphone data and wherein identifying the one or more indicators comprises mapping a feature of an audio signature of the microphone data to the vibrating component.

20. 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 signals generated by a vibration sensor built into a specific location on a vehicle;

identify one or more indicators of a vibrating component of the vehicle based on features of the generated signals by:

applying a first transfer function to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a strain-based wear on the vibrating component due to component strain; and

applying a second transfer function, different from the first transfer function, to at least a portion of the generated signals to determine a vibration-based wear on the vibrating component due to component vibration;

transmit to a vehicle data analysis system information associated with the one or more indicators;

receive from the vehicle data analysis system a recommendation for servicing the vehicle, wherein the recommendation is based on a prediction related to the one or more indicators and is identified by the vehicle data analysis system; and

display, via a display of the vehicle, a notification regarding the recommendation for servicing the vehicle.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (10)