IP Library Patent Application 18470906
Patent Application
App. No. 18/470,906

PATH TRACKING CONTROL FOR SELF-DRIVING OF VEHICLE WITH YAW MOMENT DISTRIBUTION

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/470,906
Abstract

A method includes determining a desired yaw moment to be applied to an ego vehicle during travel. The method also includes identifying yaw moment changes that are achievable using different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle. The method further includes selecting at least one of the torque vectoring techniques based on the identified yaw moment changes. In addition, the method includes using the at least one selected torque vectoring technique to obtain the desired yaw moment and create lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel. In some cases, a desired response time associated with the lateral movement of the ego vehicle may be used, where steering control provides a faster response time and torque vectoring control provides a slower response time. The at least one torque vectoring technique may be selected based on different energy efficiencies associated with different ones of the torque vectoring techniques.

Claims (61)

1 . A method comprising:

determining a desired yaw moment to be applied to an ego vehicle during travel;

identifying yaw moment changes that are achievable using different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle;

selecting at least one of the torque vectoring techniques based on the identified yaw moment changes; and

using the at least one selected torque vectoring technique to obtain the desired yaw moment and create lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a weight that identifies an extent to which torque vectoring control is used to implement the desired yaw moment and an extent to which steering control is used to implement the desired yaw moment;

wherein the at least one selected torque vectoring technique is used to obtain the desired yaw moment when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the torque vectoring control.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

using the steering control to obtain the desired yaw moment and create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the steering control.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the weight is based on a desired response time associated with the lateral movement of the ego vehicle, the steering control providing a faster response time, the torque vectoring control providing a slower response time.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a desired longitudinal force to be applied to the ego vehicle during the travel; and

identifying longitudinal force changes that are achievable using the different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle;

wherein the at least one torque vectoring technique is selected based on the identified yaw moment changes and the identified longitudinal force changes.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one torque vectoring technique is selected based on different energy efficiencies associated with different ones of the torque vectoring techniques.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one selected torque vectoring technique comprises one or more of:

using energy regeneration or regenerative braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring;

using braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring; and

driving motors of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired yaw moment is based on a lateral offset of the ego vehicle from the identified path, a heading offset of the ego vehicle, and a rate of curvature of the identified path.

9 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

determine a desired yaw moment to be applied to an ego vehicle during travel;

identify yaw moment changes that are achievable using different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle;

select at least one of the torque vectoring techniques based on the identified yaw moment changes; and

initiate use of the at least one selected torque vectoring technique to obtain the desired yaw moment and create lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the at least one processing device is further configured to determine a weight that identifies an extent to which torque vectoring control is used to implement the desired yaw moment and an extent to which steering control is used to implement the desired yaw moment; and

the at least one processing device is configured to initiate use of the at least one selected torque vectoring technique when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the torque vectoring control.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to initiate use of the steering control to obtain the desired yaw moment and create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the steering control.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the weight is based on a desired response time associated with the lateral movement of the ego vehicle, the steering control providing a faster response time, the torque vectoring control providing a slower response time.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the at least one processing device is further configured to:

determine a desired longitudinal force to be applied to the ego vehicle during the travel; and

identify longitudinal force changes that are achievable using the different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle; and

the at least one processing device is configured to select the at least one torque vectoring technique based on the identified yaw moment changes and the identified longitudinal force changes.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing device is configured to select the at least one torque vectoring technique based on different energy efficiencies associated with different ones of the torque vectoring techniques.

15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one selected torque vectoring technique comprises one or more of:

using energy regeneration or regenerative braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring;

using braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring; and

driving motors of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring.

16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

determine a desired yaw moment to be applied to an ego vehicle during travel;

identify yaw moment changes that are achievable using different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle;

select at least one of the torque vectoring techniques based on the identified yaw moment changes; and

initiate use of the at least one selected torque vectoring technique to obtain the desired yaw moment and create lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel.

17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , further containing instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine a weight that identifies an extent to which torque vectoring control is used to implement the desired yaw moment and an extent to which steering control is used to implement the desired yaw moment;

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to initiate use of the at least one selected torque vectoring technique comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to initiate use of the at least one selected torque vectoring technique when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the torque vectoring control.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , further containing instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to initiate use of the steering control to obtain the desired yaw moment and create the lateral movement of the ego vehicle during the travel when the weight identifies a non-zero extent for the steering control.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the weight is based on a desired response time associated with the lateral movement of the ego vehicle, the steering control providing a faster response time, the torque vectoring control providing a slower response time.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , further containing instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to determine a desired longitudinal force to be applied to the ego vehicle during the travel and identify longitudinal force changes that are achievable using the different torque vectoring techniques supported by the ego vehicle;

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to select the at least one torque vectoring technique comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to select the at least one torque vectoring technique based on the identified yaw moment changes and the identified longitudinal force changes.

21 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to select the at least one torque vectoring technique comprise:

instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to select the at least one torque vectoring technique based on different energy efficiencies associated with different ones of the torque vectoring techniques.

22 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the at least one selected torque vectoring technique comprises one or more of:

using energy regeneration or regenerative braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring;

using braking systems of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring; and

driving motors of the ego vehicle differently to create torque vectoring.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2026
From: CANOO TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: WHS ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075311/0490 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2023
From: KIM, KILSOO; CHOI, JONGMOO; SHANBHAG, VISHAL U.; JAN, LUNG EN; SINGH, AVIRAL K.; PUCCI, PAOLO E.
To: CANOO TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 064971/0882 →