Granted Patent B2

US 12,728,937 · App. 18/400,956 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Tessa Ronan (Denver, CO); Vittorio Ziparo (Golden, CO); Lawrence Klein (Bend, OR); Ky Woodard (Denver, CO)

Assignee: Outrider Technologies, Inc.

B62D49/007B62D53/0821B62D53/12

Abstract

Claims (59)

1 . A method for detecting and preventing stall of a drive motor of an autonomous electric tractor, comprising:

receiving, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor;

determining when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold;

when the motor current value reaches or exceeds the first current threshold, inhibiting a throttle controlling the drive motor;

setting a motor stall flag;

determining a stall location based on a current location of the autonomous electric tractor;

starting a timer;

determining when, after exceeding the first current threshold, the motor current value is below a second current threshold or when the timer reaches a first time-limit; and

when the motor current value is below the second current threshold or when the timer reaches the first time-limit:

clearing the motor stall flag; and

un-inhibiting the throttle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying brakes when the motor current value reaches or exceeds the first current threshold.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

waiting until the motor stall flag is cleared; and

initiating a stall recovery routine for the autonomous electric tractor.

4 . The method of claim 3 , the initiated stall recovery routine when attempting to couple with a trailer further comprising:

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to move forward a predetermined distance; and

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to attempt coupling with the trailer using a greater throttle setting than previously used.

5 . The method of claim 3 , the initiated stall recovery routine when attempting to reverse a trailer against at least one dock pad of a loading dock further comprising:

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to move forward a predetermine distance;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to reverse the trailer against the at least one dock pad; and

determining the trailer is docked when the motor stall flag is set.

6 . The method of claim 3 , the initiated stall recovery routine of an apron maneuver when the autonomous electric tractor is traversing an apron of an autonomous yard further comprising:

triggering remote assist functionality;

receiving an instruction to retry the apron maneuver;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to reverse direction for a predetermined distance; and

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to repeat the apron maneuver with a higher throttle setting.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

detecting when the current location of the autonomous electric tractor passes the stall location; and

setting the throttle of the autonomous electric tractor to a nominal throttle setting.

8 . A method for preventing stall of a motor of an autonomous electric tractor, comprising:

receiving, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor; and

when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold, inhibiting a throttle controlling the drive motor for a predefined period;

determining a stall location based on a current location of the autonomous electric tractor; and

implementing, after the predefined period, a stall recovery routine for the autonomous electric tractor, the stall recovery routine comprising:

determining the stall location indicates the autonomous electric tractor is attempting to hitch to a trailer;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to move forward a predetermined distance; and

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to attempt coupling with the trailer using a greater throttle setting than previously used.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising applying brakes when the motor current value reaches or exceeds the first current threshold.

10 . A method for preventing stall of a motor of an autonomous electric tractor, comprising:

receiving, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor; and

when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold, inhibiting a throttle controlling the drive motor for a predefined period;

determining a stall location based on a current location of the autonomous electric tractor; and

implementing, after the predefined period, a stall recovery routine for the autonomous electric tractor, the stall recovery routine comprising:

determining the stall location indicates the autonomous electric tractor is attempting to reverse a trailer against at least one dock pad of a loading dock;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to move forward a predetermined distance;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to reverse the trailer against the at least one dock pad; and

determining the trailer is docked when the motor current value reaches or exceeds the first current threshold.

11 . A method for preventing stall of a motor of an autonomous electric tractor, comprising:

receiving, at intervals, a motor current value from a drive circuit of the autonomous electric tractor; and

when the motor current value reaches or exceeds a first current threshold, inhibiting a throttle controlling the drive motor for a predefined period;

determining a stall location based on a current location of the autonomous electric tractor; and

implementing, after the predefined period, a stall recovery routine for the autonomous electric tractor, the stall recovery routine comprising:

determining the stall location indicates the autonomous electric tractor is traversing an apron of an autonomous yard;

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to reverse direction for a predetermined distance; and

controlling the autonomous electric tractor to repeat the traversing of the apron with a higher throttle setting.

12 . The method of claim 11 , the stall recovery routine further comprising:

detecting when the current location of the autonomous electric tractor passes the stall location; and

setting the throttle of the autonomous electric tractor to a nominal throttle setting.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (58)