CN112061244B - Removable interior portion for reconfigurable vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A reconfigurable vehicle may include a vehicle frame body and a removable floor. The removable backplane may be configurable based on usage of the reconfigurable vehicle. The removable floor may be configured for passenger transport, cargo transport, or both. The removable base plate may include a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly may include a wheel and a grasping element. The removable backplane may include one or more connection interfaces.

Description

Removable interior portion for reconfigurable vehicle

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisional application No. 62/900,761 filed on 16.9.2019 and U.S. application No. 16/710,102 filed on 11.12.2019, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to reconfigurable vehicles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to removable interior portion configurations for reconfigurable vehicles.

Background

One key challenge to the economic viability of an automated vehicle fleet is the need for high utilization to offset the high cost of sensors, computing devices, and other hardware systems. One important concept that facilitates higher utilization of vehicles is higher utilization of reconfigurable vehicles, enabling the same basic automated vehicle to be used in various use cases, such as transporting passengers, goods or as a mobile store or mobile office. To achieve this reconfigurability, a significant portion of the payload area of the vehicle needs to be reconfigured or the entire payload area needs to be exchanged in its entirety, for example by attaching a new vehicle body to the autopilot base. Currently, these methods are time consuming and may require costly equipment to reconfigure the vehicles, which reduces the advantage of utilization because these vehicles cannot be operated while they are being reconfigured.

Typical solutions include a low-seat self-sliding plate-like base onto which specific components are lowered using a crane or other implementation for use. The challenge with these solutions is that it is time consuming to have large equipment such as cranes to transfer the vehicle and a large part of the sensing equipment needed for autonomous driving will have to be present on replaceable parts (e.g. cameras, lidar) to achieve the required line of sight. It also means that each replaceable component will have to be configured for the relevant use case (e.g. passenger transport) and will not allow easy simultaneous use of a part of the vehicle payload for different types of use cases.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of a reconfigurable vehicle are disclosed herein. A reconfigurable vehicle may include a vehicle frame body and a removable platform. The removable platform may be configurable based on usage of the reconfigurable vehicle. The removable platform may be configured for passenger transport, freight transport, mobile office, mobile restaurant, mobile hotel, mobile store, any other use case, or any combination thereof.

In one aspect, the vehicle frame body may include a fixed vehicle floor. The vehicle frame body may include a connection interface. The fixed vehicle floor may include one or more rails. The fixed vehicle floor may include one or more attachment points.

The removable platform may include one or more rotating assemblies. Each rotating assembly may include wheels, gripping elements, or both. The removable backplane may include one or more connection interfaces. The removable floor may include one or more latches.

In one aspect, a removable backplane may include a rotating assembly, a first connection interface, and a second connection interface. The rotating assembly may include wheels, gripping elements, or both. The first connection interface may be configured to connect to a connection interface of a vehicle. The second connection interface may be configured to connect to another removable backplane.

Drawings

The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawing figures. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. Rather, the dimensions of the various features are randomly expanded or reduced for clarity.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of one embodiment of the control system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Fig. 4 is an illustration of one example of a side view of a vehicle including a vehicle control system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of an embodiment of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 6 is an illustration of one embodiment of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is an illustration of one embodiment of the automated vehicle of fig. 6 with internal elements attached, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of another example of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 9A is an illustration of a side view of one example of a removable interior attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9B is an illustration of a top view of one example of a removable internal attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 9C is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a removable internal attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10A is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment system of a reconfigurable automated vehicle in an unlocked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 10B is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment system of a reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 is an illustration of a top view of one embodiment of a removable internal attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Fig. 12 is an illustration of a rear view of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Embodiments disclosed herein include reconfigurable vehicles that provide fast reconfigurability within minutes, as opposed to hours or days. Reconfigurable vehicles offer high utilization due to minimal down time during the reconfiguration process. Reconfigurable vehicles can be reconfigured without the use of costly equipment such as cranes. In some implementations, the reconfiguration process may be fully automated. Reconfigurable vehicles include interchangeable internals, and the interchangeable internals may not accommodate safety critical sensors used in Dynamic Driving Tasks (DDT).

One challenge to the economic viability of automated vehicle fleets is the need for high utilization to offset the high cost of sensors, computing devices, and other hardware systems. Reconfigurable vehicles can be used to facilitate higher utilization so that the same basic automated vehicle can be used for various use cases, such as transporting passengers, goods, or as a mobile store or mobile office. To achieve fast reconfigurability, removable internal modules may be used. The removable internal module can be quickly and securely attached to features integrated into the vehicle floor. The removable inner module may include a removable base plate configured for easy insertion and extraction. The removable internal module may be configured to securely connect to the vehicle and provide a connection for power, data, or both to and from the vehicle. Removable interior modules may allow multiple interior portions to be installed in a single vehicle. The removable inner modules may be of different sizes.

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

As used herein, the term "computer" or "computing device" includes any unit or combination of units capable of performing any of the methods disclosed herein or any one or more portions thereof.

As used herein, the term "processor" refers to one or more processors, such as one or more special purpose processors, one or more digital signal processors, one or more microprocessors, one or more controllers, one or more microcontrollers, one or more application processors, one or more Central Processing Units (CPUs), one or more Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), one or more Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), one or more application specific standard products, one or more field programmable gate arrays, any other type or combination of integrated circuits, one or more state machines, or any combination thereof.

As used herein, the term "memory" refers to any computer-usable or computer-readable medium or device capable of tangibly housing, storing, communicating, or transporting any signal or information that may be used by or in connection with any processor. For example, the memory may be one or more Read Only Memories (ROMs), one or more Random Access Memories (RAMs), one or more registers, a low power double speed (LPDDR) memory, one or more cache memories, one or more semiconductor memory devices, one or more magnetic media, one or more optical media, one or more magneto-optical media, or any combination thereof.

As used herein, the term "instructions" may include directions or expressions for performing any of the methods disclosed herein or any one or more portions thereof, and may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. For example, the instructions may be implemented as information, e.g., a computer program, stored in a memory that is executable by a processor to perform any of the respective methods, algorithms, aspects, or combinations thereof, as described herein. The instructions, or portions thereof, may be implemented as a special purpose processor or circuitry that may include specialized hardware for performing any of the methods, algorithms, aspects, or combinations thereof, as described herein. In some implementations, portions of the instructions may be distributed on multiple processors on a single device, on multiple devices, which may communicate directly or over a network, such as a local area network, a wide area network, the internet, or a combination thereof.

As used herein, the terms "determine" and "identify," or any variation thereof, include selecting, confirming, calculating, reviewing, receiving, determining, establishing, obtaining, or otherwise identifying or determining what is shown and described herein using one or more of the apparatus and methods in any way.

As used herein, the terms "embodiment," "implementation," "aspect," "feature," or "element" are intended to be functional as an embodiment, example, or illustration. Unless expressly stated otherwise, any embodiment, implementation, aspect, feature or element is independent of every other embodiment, implementation, aspect, feature or element and may be used in combination with any other embodiment, implementation, aspect, feature or element.

As used herein, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, "X comprises a or B" is intended to indicate any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X includes A; x comprises B; or X includes both a and B, then "X includes a or B" is satisfied under any of the above examples. In addition, the articles "a" and "an," as used in this application and the appended claims, will generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

Moreover, for simplicity of explanation, while the figures and descriptions herein may include a sequence or series of steps or stages, the elements of the methods disclosed herein may occur in various orders or concurrently. Moreover, elements of the methods disclosed herein may occur with other elements not expressly set forth or described herein. Moreover, not all elements of a method described herein may be required to implement a method in accordance with the present disclosure. Although aspects, features and elements are described herein in particular combinations, each aspect, feature or element can be used alone or in various combinations with or without other aspects, features and elements.

Fig. 1 is an illustration of an example of a vehicle 1000 according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The vehicle 1000 may be an Automated Vehicle (AV) or a semi-automated vehicle. As shown in fig. 1, the vehicle 1000 includes a control system 1010. The control system 1010 may be referred to as a controller. The control system 1010 includes a processor 1020. The processor 1020 is programmed to command application of one of up to a predetermined steering torque value and up to a predetermined net asymmetric braking force value. Each predetermined force is selected to achieve a predetermined vehicle yaw torque that is at most the lesser of a first maximum yaw torque from actuating steering system 1030 and a second maximum yaw torque from actuating the brake system.

The steering system 1030 may include a steering actuator 1040, the steering actuator 1040 being an electrically-assisted steering actuator. The brake system may include one or more brakes 1050 coupled to respective wheels 1060 of the vehicle 1000. Further, processor 1020 may be programmed to command the brake system to apply a net asymmetric braking force by each brake 1050 applying a different braking force than the other brakes 1050.

Processor 1020 may be further programmed to command the brake system to apply a braking force, such as a net asymmetric braking force, in response to a failure of steering system 1030. Additionally or alternatively, processor 1020 may be programmed to provide an alert to an occupant in response to a failure of steering system 1030. The steering system 1030 may be a power steering control module. The control system 1010 may include a steering system 1030. Further, the control system 1010 may include a brake system.

The steering system 1030 may include a steering actuator 1040, the steering actuator 1040 being an electrically-assisted steering actuator. The brake system may include two brakes 1050 coupled to respective wheels 1060 on opposite sides of the vehicle 1000. Further, the method may include commanding the brake system to apply a net asymmetric braking force by applying a different braking force with each brake 1050.

The control system 1010 allows one of the steering system 1030 and the brake system to take over for the other of the steering system 1030 and the brake system if the other fails while the vehicle 1000 is performing a turn. Whichever of the steering system 1030 and the braking system remains operable, it can then apply sufficient yaw torque to the vehicle 1000 to continue turning. The vehicle 1000 is therefore less likely to hit an object, such as another vehicle or a road barrier, and any occupant of the vehicle 1000 is less likely to be injured.

The vehicle 1000 may operate in one or more of the levels of automatic vehicle operation. For purposes of this disclosure, an automatic mode is defined as a mode in which each of the power (e.g., through a powertrain including an electric motor and/or an internal combustion engine), braking, and steering of the vehicle 1000 is controlled by the processor 1020; in the semi-autonomous mode, the processor 1020 controls one or both of power, braking, and steering of the vehicle 1000. Thus, in one embodiment, the non-automatic mode of operation may refer to SAE levels 0-1, the partially automatic or semi-automatic mode of operation may refer to SAE levels 2-3, and the fully automatic mode of operation may refer to SAE levels 4-5.

Referring to fig. 2, the control system 1010 includes a processor 1020. A processor 1020 is included in the vehicle 1000 to perform various operations, including as described herein. The processor 1020 is a computing device that generally includes a processor and memory, including one or more forms of computer-readable media, and that stores instructions executable by the processor to perform various operations, including as disclosed herein. The memory of the processor 1020 also generally stores remote data received through various communication mechanisms; for example, the processor 1020 is generally configured for communication over a communication network within the vehicle 1000. The processor 1020 may also have a connection to an on-board diagnostic connector (OBD-II). While one processor 1020 is shown in fig. 2 for ease of illustration, it will be understood that the processor 1020 may include one or more computing devices and that various operations described herein may be performed by one or more computing devices. The processor 1020 may be a control module, such as a power steering control module, or a control module that may be included in other computing devices.

The control system 1010 may transmit the signals over a communication network, which may be a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, an ethernet, a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), bluetooth, and/or through any other wired or wireless communication network. Processor 1020 may be in communication with, among other components, power system 2010, steering system 1030, brake system 2020, sensors 2030, and/or user interface 2040.

With continued reference to fig. 2, the power system 2010 of the vehicle 1000 generates and converts energy into motion of the vehicle 1000. Powertrain 2010 may be a known vehicle powertrain, such as a conventional powertrain, including an internal combustion engine coupled to a transmission that transmits rotational motion to road wheels 1060; an electric powertrain including a battery, an electric motor, and a transmission that transmits rotational motion to road wheels 1060; a hybrid powertrain comprising elements of a conventional powertrain and an electric powertrain; or any other type of power. The powertrain 2010 is in communication with the processor 1020 and receives input from the processor 1020 and from the human driver. A human driver may control power system 2010 through, for example, an accelerator pedal and/or a gear shifter (not shown).

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the steering system 1030 is typically a known vehicle steering subsystem and controls the turning of road wheels 1060. A steering system 1030 is in communication with the steered wheel 1070 and the processor 1020 and receives input from the steered wheel 1070 and the processor 1020. Steering system 1030 may be a rack and pinion system with electric power assisted steering by steering actuator 1040, a steer-by-wire system, as both are known in the art, or any other suitable system. The steering system 1030 may include a steering wheel 1070 secured to a steering column 1080 coupled to a steering rack 1090.

Referring to fig. 1, a steering rack 1090 is rotatably coupled to road wheels 1060, for example in a four-bar linkage. Translational movement of the steering rack 1090 causes rotation of the road wheels 1060. The steering column 1080 may be coupled to the steering rack 1090 via a rack and pinion, i.e., a gear mesh (not shown) between the pinion and rack gears.

The steering column 1080 transfers the rotation of the steering wheel 1070 to the motion of the steering rack 1090. The steering column 1080 may be, for example, a shaft connecting the steering wheel 1070 to the steering rack 1090. The steering column 1080 may house a torque sensor and a clutch (not shown).

The steering wheel 1070 allows an operator to steer the vehicle 1000 by transmitting the rotation of the steering wheel 1070 to the motion of the steering rack 1090. The steering wheel 1070 may be, for example, a rigid ring fixedly attached to the steering column 1080, as is known.

With continued reference to fig. 1, a steering actuator 1040 is coupled to a steering system 1030, such as a steering column 1080, causing rotation of road wheels 1060. For example, the steering actuator 1040 may be an electric motor that is rotatably coupled to the steering column 1080, i.e., coupled so as to be capable of applying a steering torque to the steering column 1080. The steering actuator 1040 may be in communication with the processor 1020.

The steering actuator 1040 may provide power assist to the steering system 1030. In other words, steering actuator 1040 may provide a torque in the direction that steering wheel 1070 is being rotated by a human driver, allowing the driver to turn steering wheel 1070 with less effort. Steering actuator 1040 may be an electrically-assisted steering actuator.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, brake system 2020 is typically a known vehicle braking subsystem and resists movement of vehicle 1000 to thereby slow and/or stop vehicle 1000. Brake system 2020 includes a brake 1050 coupled to road wheel 1060. Brake 1050 may be a friction brake, such as a disc brake, drum brake, band brake, or the like; a regenerative brake; any other suitable type of brake; or a combination thereof. The brakes 1050 may be coupled to respective road wheels 1060, for example, on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle 1000. The brake system 2020 is in communication with the processor 1020 and receives input from the processor 1020 and the human operator. The driver may control the braking by means of, for example, a brake pedal (not shown).

Referring to fig. 2, the vehicle 1000 may include sensors 2030. The sensors 2030 may detect internal conditions of the vehicle 1000, such as wheel speed, wheel orientation, and engine and transmission variables. The sensors 2030 may detect a position or orientation of the vehicle 1000, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors; accelerometers, such as piezoelectric or micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS); gyroscopes, such as rate, ring lasers or fiber optic gyroscopes; an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU); and a magnetometer. The sensors 2030 may detect the outside world, such as radar sensors, laser scanning rangefinders, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices, and image processing sensors such as cameras. The sensors 2030 may include communication devices, such as vehicle-to-infrared structure (V2I) devices, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) devices, or vehicle-to-everything (V2E) devices.

The user interface 2040 presents information to occupants of the vehicle 1000 and receives information from occupants of the vehicle 1000. The user interface 2040 may be located, for example, on a dashboard in the passenger cabin (not shown) of the vehicle 1000, or any location that may be readily visible to an occupant. The user interface 2040 may include dials, digital readings, screens, speakers, etc. for output, i.e., providing information to the occupant, including, for example, a Human Machine Interface (HMI) such as known elements. User interface 2040 may include buttons, knobs, keypads, touch screens, microphones, and the like for receiving input from an occupant, i.e., information, instructions, and the like.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of a vehicle control system 3000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle control system 3000 may include various components depending on the requirements of a particular implementation. In certain embodiments, the vehicle control system 3000 may include a processing unit 3010, an image acquisition unit 3020, a position sensor 3030, one or more memory units 3040, 3050, a map database 3060, a user interface 3070, and a wireless transceiver 3072. Processing unit 3010 may include one or more processing devices. In some embodiments, the processing unit 3010 may include an application processor 3080, an image processor 3090, or any other suitable processing device. Similarly, the image acquisition unit 3020 may include any number of image acquisition devices and components depending on the requirements of a particular application. In some embodiments, the image acquisition unit 3020 may include one or more image capture devices (e.g., a camera, a CCD, or any other type of image sensor), such as image capture device 3022, image capture device 3024, and image capture device 3026. The system 3000 may also include a data interface 3028 to communicatively connect the processing unit 3010 to the image acquisition unit 3020. For example, the data interface 3028 may include any one or more wired and/or wireless links for transferring image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 3020 to the processing unit 3010.

The wireless transceiver 3072 may include one or more devices configured to exchange transmissions over an air interface to one or more networks (e.g., a cellular network, the internet, etc.) using radio frequencies, infrared frequencies, magnetic fields, or electric fields. The wireless transceiver 3072 may transmit and/or receive data using any known standard (e.g., Wi-Fi,

Bluetooth smart, 802.15.4, ZigBee, etc.). Such transmission may include communication from the host vehicle to one or more remotely located servers. Such transmissions may also include communications (one-way or two-way) between the host vehicle and one or more target vehicles in the environment of the host vehicle (e.g., to account for or to assist in coordination with navigation of the host vehicle in the environment of the host vehicle), or even broadcast transmissions to unspecified recipients in the vicinity of the transmitting vehicle.

Both the application processor 3080 and the image processor 3090 may include various types of hardware-based processing devices. For example, either or both of the application processor 3080 and the image processor 3090 may include a microprocessor, a pre-processor (e.g., an image pre-processor), a graphics processor, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), support circuits, a digital signal processor, an integrated circuit, a memory, or any other type of device suitable for running an application program and for image processing and analysis. In some embodiments, the application processor 3080 and/or the image processor 3090 may include any type of single or multi-core processor, mobile device microcontroller, central processing unit, or the like.

In some embodiments, the application processor 3080 and/or the image processor 3090 may include multiple processing units with local memory and instruction sets. Such a processor may include a video input for receiving image data from multiple image sensors and may also include video output capabilities. In one embodiment, the processor may use 90nm micron technology operating at 332 Mhz.

Any of the processing devices disclosed herein may be configured to perform certain functions. Configuring a processing device, such as any of the described processors, other controllers, or microprocessors, to perform certain functions may include programming of computer-executable instructions and making these instructions available to the processing device for execution during operation of the processing device. In some embodiments, configuring the processing device may include directly programming the processing device with the architectural instructions. In other embodiments, configuring the processing device may include storing executable instructions on a memory accessible to the processing device during operation. For example, a processing device may access memory to obtain and execute stored instructions during operation. In any case, the processing device configured to perform sensing, image analysis, and/or navigation functions disclosed herein represents a specialized hardware-based system that controls multiple hardware-based components of a host vehicle.

Although fig. 3 depicts two separate processing devices included in processing unit 3010, more or fewer processing devices may be used. For example, in some embodiments, a single processing device may be used to implement the tasks of the application processor 3080 and the image processor 3090. In other embodiments, these tasks may be performed by more than two processing devices. Further, in some embodiments, the vehicle control system 3000 may include one or more of the processing units 3010 without including other components, such as the image acquisition unit 3020.

Processing unit 3010 may include various types of devices. For example, the processing unit 3010 may include various devices such as a controller, image preprocessor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), support circuits, digital signal processor, integrated circuit, memory, or any other type of device for image processing and analysis. The image preprocessor may include a video processor for capturing, digitizing, and processing imagery from the image sensor. The CPU may include any number of microcontrollers or microprocessors. The support circuits may be any number of circuits commonly known in the art, including cache, power supplies, clocks, and input-output circuits. The memory may store software that, when executed by the processor, controls the operation of the system. The memory may include a database and image processing software. The memory may include any number of random access memories, read only memories, flash memories, disk drives, optical memories, tape memories, removable memories, and other types of storage. In one case, the memory can be separate from the processing unit 3010. In another case, memory may be integrated into processing unit 3010.

Each memory 3040, 3050 can include software instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., application processor 3080 and/or image processor 3090), can control the operation of various aspects of the vehicle control system 3000. These memory units may include various databases and image processing software, as well as trained systems, such as neural networks or deep neural networks. The memory units 3040, 3050 may include random access memory, read only memory, flash memory, disk drives, optical memory, tape memory, removable memory, and/or any other type of storage. In some embodiments, the memory units 3040, 3050 can be separate from the application processor 3080 and/or the image processor 3090. In other embodiments, these memory units may be integrated into the application processor 3080 and/or the image processor 3090.

The position sensor 3030 may include any type of device suitable for determining a position associated with at least one component of the vehicle control system 3000. In some embodiments, the location sensor 3030 may include a GPS receiver. Such a receiver can determine the user's position and velocity by processing signals broadcast by global positioning system satellites. The position information from the position sensor 3030 may be made available to the application processor 3080 and/or the image processor 3090.

In certain embodiments, the vehicle control system 3000 may include components for measuring the speed of the vehicle 1000, such as a speed sensor (e.g., a speedometer). The vehicle control system 3000 may also include one or more accelerometers (single or multiple axis) for measuring acceleration of the vehicle 1000 along one or more axes.

The memory units 3040, 3050 may include a database of locations indicating known landmarks or data organized in any other form. Sensory information of the environment (e.g., LIDAR or stereo processed images from two or more images, radar signals, depth information) may be processed in conjunction with location information such as GPS coordinates, vehicle's self-motion, etc. to determine the current location of the vehicle relative to known landmarks, and to update the vehicle location.

The user interface 3070 may include any device suitable for providing information to one or more users of the vehicle control system 3000 or for receiving input from one or more users of the vehicle control system 3000. In some embodiments, the user interface 3070 may include user input devices including, for example, a touch screen, a microphone, a keyboard, a pointing device, a track wheel, a camera, knobs, buttons, or the like. Using such input devices, a user may be able to provide information input or commands to the vehicle control system 3000 by entering instructions or information, providing voice commands, selecting on-screen menu options using buttons, pointers, or eye-tracking capabilities, or by any other suitable technique for communicating information to the vehicle control system 3000.

The user interface 3070 may be equipped with one or more processing devices configured to provide and receive information to or from a user and process the information for use by, for example, the application processor 3080. In some embodiments, such a processing device may execute instructions for recognizing and tracking eye movements, receiving and interpreting voice commands, recognizing and interpreting touches and/or gestures made on a touch screen, responding to keyboard inputs or menu selections, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user interface 3070 may include a display, a speaker, a haptic device, and/or any other device for providing output information to a user.

The map database 3060 can include any type of database for storing map data that is available to the vehicle control system 3000. In some implementations, the map database 3060 may include data regarding the location of various items in the reference coordinate system, including roads, water features, geographic features, businesses, points of interest, restaurants, gas stations, and the like. The map database 3060 may store not only the locations of such entries, but also descriptors about the entries, including, for example, names associated with any of the stored features. In some embodiments, the map database 3060 may be physically located relative to other components of the vehicle control system 3000. Alternatively or additionally, the map database 3060 or portions thereof may be remotely located with respect to other components of the vehicle control system 3000 (e.g., the processing unit 3010). In such embodiments, information from the map database 3060 may be downloaded to the network via a wired or wireless data connection (e.g., via a cellular network and/or the Internet, etc.). In some cases, the map database 3060 may store sparse data models, including polynomial representations of certain road features (e.g., lane lines) or target trajectories for host vehicles. The map database 3060 may also include stored representations of various identified landmarks that may be used to determine or update a known position of the host vehicle relative to the target trajectory. Landmark representations may include data segments such as landmark type, landmark location, among other potential identifiers.

The image capturing means 3022, 3024, 3026 may each comprise any type of means suitable for capturing at least one image from the environment. Further, any number of image capture devices may be used to acquire images for input to the image processor. Some embodiments may include only a single image capture device, while other embodiments may include two, three, or even four or more image capture devices. The image capturing devices 3022, 3024, 3026 will be further described below with reference to fig. 4.

One or more cameras (e.g., image capture devices 3022, 3024, 3026) may be part of a sensing device included on the vehicle. Various other sensors may be included in the sensing device, and any or all of the sensors may be relied upon to produce a sensed navigational state of the vehicle. In addition to the camera (forward, sideways, backwards, etc.), other sensors such as radar, LIDAR and acoustic sensors may be included in the sensing device. Further, the sensing device may include one or more components configured to communicate and transmit/receive information about the environment of the vehicle. For example, such components may include a wireless transceiver (radio frequency, etc.) that may receive information about the host vehicle sensor-based or any other type of information about the environment of the host vehicle from a remotely located source. Such information may include sensor output information other than the host vehicle or related information received from the vehicle system. In some implementations, such information may include information received from a remote computing device, a central server, or the like. Furthermore, the camera may take many different configurations: single camera unit, multiple cameras, camera cluster, long field of view, short field of view, wide angle, fisheye lens, or the like.

Fig. 4 is an illustration of one example of a side view of a vehicle 1000 including a vehicle control system 3000, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the vehicle 1000 may be equipped with the processing unit 3010 and any of the other components of the vehicle control system 3000, as described above with respect to fig. 3. While in some embodiments the vehicle 1000 may be equipped with only a single image capture device (e.g., a camera), in other embodiments multiple image capture devices may be used. For example, either of the image capture devices 3022 and 3024 of the vehicle 1000, as shown in fig. 4, may be part of an automated driving system imaging suite.

The image capture device included on the vehicle 1000 as part of the image acquisition unit 3020 may be positioned in any suitable location. In some embodiments, the image capture device 3022 may be located near the rear view mirror. This location may provide a line of sight similar to that of the driver of the vehicle 1000, which may assist in determining what is visible to the driver and what is not. The image capture device 3022 may be positioned anywhere near the rear view mirror, but placing the image capture device 3022 on the driver's side of the rear view mirror may further assist in obtaining an image representative of the driver's field of view and/or line of sight.

Other locations of the image capturing device of the image capturing unit 3020 may also be used. For example, the image capture device 3024 may be located on a bumper surface or within the vehicle 1000. Such a position may be particularly suitable for image capture devices having a wide field of view. The line of sight of the image capture device located at the bumper may be different from the line of sight of the driver, and thus the bumper image capture device and the driver may not always see the same object. The image capture devices (e.g., image capture devices 3022, 3024, 3026) may also be located in other locations. For example, the image capture device may be located on one or both surfaces or interior of the side mirrors of the vehicle 1000, on the roof of the vehicle 1000, on the enclosure of the vehicle 1000, on the body of the vehicle 1000, on the sides of the vehicle 1000, mounted on any of the windows of the vehicle 1000, positioned behind any of the windows of the vehicle 1000 or positioned in front of any of the windows of the vehicle 1000, and mounted in or near the lighting of the front and/or back of the vehicle 1000.

In addition to the image capture device, the vehicle 1000 may include various other components of the vehicle control system 3000. For example, the processing unit 3010 may be included on the vehicle 1000, integral with an Engine Control Unit (ECU) of the vehicle or separate from the engine control unit of the vehicle. The vehicle 1000 may also be equipped with a position sensor 3030, such as a GPS receiver, and may also include a map database 3060 and memory units 3040 and 3050.

As discussed above, the wireless transceiver 3072 may transmit and/or receive data over one or more networks (e.g., a cellular network, the internet, etc.). For example, the wireless transceiver 3072 may upload data collected by the vehicle control system 3000 to one or more servers and download data from the one or more servers. Via the wireless transceiver 3072, the vehicle control system 3000 may receive periodic or on-demand updates of data stored in, for example, the map database 3060, the memory 3040, and/or the memory 3050. Similarly, the wireless transceiver 3072 may upload any data from the vehicle control system 3000 (e.g., images captured by the image acquisition unit 3020, data received by the position sensor 3030 or other sensors, the vehicle control system, etc.) and/or any data processed by the processing unit 3010 to the one or more servers.

The vehicle control system 3000 can upload data to a server (e.g., to the cloud) based on the privacy level setting. For example, the vehicle control system 3000 may implement privacy level settings to adjust or limit the type of data (including metadata) sent to the server that can uniquely identify the vehicle and/or the driver/owner of the vehicle. Such settings may be set by the user through, for example, the wireless transceiver 3072, initialized through factory default settings, or initialized through data received by the wireless transceiver 3072.

Fig. 5 is an illustration of one embodiment of a vehicle system architecture 5000, according to an implementation of the present disclosure. The vehicle system architecture 5000 can be implemented as part of the host vehicle 5010.

The vehicle system architecture 5000 includes a navigation device 5090, a decision unit 5130, an object detector 5200, a V2X communication 5160, and a vehicle controller 5020. The navigation device 5090 may be used by the decision unit 5130 to determine a travel path to a destination for the host vehicle 5010. The travel path may include, for example, a travel route or a navigation path. The navigation device 5090, decision unit 5130 and vehicle controller 5020 can collectively be used to determine where to turn the host vehicle 5010 along a road such that the host vehicle 5010 is properly located on the road with respect to, for example, lane lines, curbs, traffic signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc., determine a route based on the digital map 5120 that the host vehicle 5010 is instructed to follow to reach a destination, or both.

To determine where the host vehicle 5010 is located on the digital map 5120, the navigation device 5090 can include a positioning device 5140. The camera 5170, radar unit 5190, sonar unit 5210, LIDAR unit 5180, or any combination thereof, may be used to detect relatively permanent objects, such as traffic signals, buildings, etc., indicated on the digital map 5120 that are proximate to the host vehicle 5010, and determine the relative location with respect to these objects to determine where the host vehicle 5010 is located on the digital map 5120. This process may be referred to as map location. The functionality of the navigation device 5090, the information provided by the navigation device 5090 or both may be provided, in whole or in part, by means of V2I communications, V2V communications, vehicle to pedestrian (V2P) communications or a combination thereof, which may be generally designated V2X communications 5160. The navigation device 5090, the positioning device 5140, or both, may include a processor such as a microprocessor or other control circuitry such as analog circuitry, digital circuitry, or both, including an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for processing data. The navigation device 5090, the positioning device 5140, or both, may include memory, including non-volatile memory, such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), for storing one or more routines, thresholds, captured data, or a combination thereof.

In some implementations, the object detector 5200 may include a sonar unit 5210, a camera 5170, a LIDAR unit 5180, and a radar unit 5190. The object detector 5200 can be used to detect the relative location of another entity and determine an intersection point at which the other entity will intersect the travel path of the host vehicle 5010. To determine the intersection and the relative timing of when the host vehicle 5010 and another entity will reach the intersection, the object detector 5200 can be used by the vehicle system architecture 5000 to determine, for example, the relative speed, the separation distance of the other entity from the host vehicle 5010, or both. The functionality of object detector 5200, the information provided by object detector 5200, or both, may be communicated, in whole or in part, via V2I, V2V, V2P, or a combination thereof, which may be generally labeled as V2X communication 5160. Accordingly, the vehicle system architecture 5000 may include a transceiver to enable such communication.

The vehicle system architecture 5000 includes a decision unit 5130 in communication with an object detector 5200 and a navigation device 5090. Communication may be by way of, but not limited to, wire, wireless communication, or fiber optic. The decision unit 5130 may include one or more processors, such as a microprocessor or other control circuitry, such as analog circuitry, digital circuitry, or both, including an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for processing data. The decision unit 5130 may include a memory, including a non-volatile memory, such as an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), for storing one or more routines, thresholds, captured data, or a combination thereof. The decision unit 5130 may determine or control route or path planning, local driving behavior, and trajectory planning for the host vehicle 5010. Host vehicle 5010 includes interface 5300. Interface 5300 is configured to connect to a configurable internal removable platform.

The vehicle system architecture 5000 includes a vehicle controller or trajectory tracker 5020 that communicates with a decision unit 5130. The vehicle controller 5020 may execute a defined geometric path by applying appropriate vehicle commands such as steering, deceleration, braking, and the like to physical controls such as steering wheel, throttle, brake, and the like, which guide the vehicle along the geometric path. The vehicle controller 5020 can include a processor, such as a microprocessor or other control circuitry, such as analog circuitry, digital circuitry, or both, including an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for processing data. The vehicle controller 5020 can include memory, including non-volatile memory, such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), for storing one or more routines, thresholds, captured data, or a combination thereof.

The host vehicle 5010 can operate in an automated mode in which a human operator is not required to operate the vehicle 5010. In the automated mode, the vehicle control system 5000 (using, for example, the vehicle controller 5020, the decision unit 5130, the navigation device 5090, the object detector 5200, and other described sensors and devices) automatically controls the vehicle 5010. Alternatively, the host vehicle may operate in a manual mode in which the degree or level of automation may be no more than providing turn advice to a human operator. For example, in the manual mode, the vehicle system architecture 5000 can assist a human operator as needed to reach a selected destination, avoid interference or collision or both with another entity, where the other entity can be another vehicle, a pedestrian, a building, a tree, an animal, or any other object that the vehicle 5010 can encounter.

Figure 6 is an illustration of one embodiment of a reconfigurable automatic vehicle 6000, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 6, the automated vehicle 6000 may be reconfigured between use cases by exchanging only the interior elements 6100, 6200 of the vehicle and using removable platforms 6110, 6210 with the relevant elements pre-attached to minimize the time required for reconfiguration. Different types of platforms may be preconfigured for different use cases. As shown in fig. 6, a removable platform 6110 is configured for cargo and may accommodate a bracket or other cargo attachment, and a removable platform 6210 is configured for passenger transport and may accommodate a seat or handle. The removable platforms 6110, 6210 are configured to attach to the floor of the vehicle to make a "second floor". One or both ends of the automated vehicle 6000 can be configured to be lifted upward, outward, or detached to allow the removable platforms 6110, 6210 to be inserted into the vehicle. In some implementations, the left side, the right side, or both sides of the automated vehicle 6000 can be configured to be lifted upward to allow the removable platforms 6110, 6210 to be inserted into the vehicle. Each removable platform 6110, 6120 may be configured with a dedicated connection and computing device 6120, 6220.

As shown in fig. 6, the dedicated connection and computing devices 6120, 6220 each include an interface configured to connect to interface 6300 of the automated vehicle 6000 for power and communications. This allows the removable platforms 6110, 6210 to have sensing units related to usage that can be remotely monitored over the same communication channel that the automated vehicle 6000 uses to communicate with the operation center. The automated vehicle 6000 may include a communication element 6400, such as an antenna on the roof of the vehicle. The communication element 6400 may be configured to communicate with an operator or monitor activities via cellular, satellite communication (SATCOM), radio, or other communication methods. Furthermore, the power and communication connections may be used for other usage-dependent systems, such as climate control, lighting or entertainment systems.

Fig. 7 is an illustration of an embodiment of the automated vehicle 6000 of fig. 6, wherein the inner element 6200 is attached. As shown in fig. 7, the present embodiment allows all of the high cost vehicle sensing and hardware systems required for autonomous operation to reside on the automated vehicle base and frame, and only minimal cost will be associated with the removable interior portions. For each use case, only the hardware, sensors, and computing devices associated with that use case will be installed on the removable platform. Once the removable platform 6210 has been inserted and attached to the vehicle, the lifted end of the vehicle may be lowered to close the vehicle for use.

The present embodiment includes both physical attachment between the platform and the vehicle base and connections for power and communication. This allows the platform to have sensing units related to usage that can be remotely monitored over the same communication channel that the automated vehicle uses to communicate with the operation center. Furthermore, the power and communication connections may be used for other usage-dependent systems, such as climate control, lighting or entertainment systems.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of another embodiment of a reconfigurable automated vehicle 8000. The design of the platform allows for variable sizes of the platform such that two or more platforms can be inserted into the same vehicle to support multiple use cases simultaneously. As shown in fig. 8, exemplary removable platforms 8100 may include a combination of a platform 8110 for passenger transport and a platform 8120 for cargo transport. In another exemplary removable platform 8200, a standard human-driven transport vehicle may be simulated by combining passenger transport platform 8210 with driving platform 8220. In this latter case, the communication connection would allow the control elements (e.g., steering wheels and pedals) to interface directly with the drive-by-wire system in the vehicle to manually drive the vehicle in a standard manner. As shown in fig. 8, each of the platforms 8110, 8120, 8210, and 8220 may be configured with a respective dedicated connection and computing device 8130, 8140, 8230, and 8240.

Fig. 9A is an illustration of a side view of one embodiment of a removable internal attachment mechanism 9000 of a reconfigurable automated vehicle, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The removable internal attachment mechanism 9000 comprises a fixed vehicle floor 9010. Fixed vehicle floor 9010 may be permanently fixed to a reconfigurable automated vehicle and configured to receive a removable floor (not shown). The fixed vehicle floor 9010 includes one or more rails 9020. The one or more rails 9020 may be embedded (i.e., recessed) into the fixed vehicle floor 9010. In certain embodiments, the one or more rails 9020 may protrude from a surface of the fixed vehicle floor 9010. Each of the one or more tracks 9020 includes a plurality of attachment points 9030 along the length of each track. Attachment points 9030 may include bars, ribs, cutouts, or any other suitable structure configured to adjustably attach the removable floor to the closest attachment point.

Each of the one or more tracks 9020 has a width configured to accommodate a wheeled assembly (not shown). The attachment point 9030 is configured to have a width that is less than the width of the track. The width of the attachment point 9030 is less than the width of the wheeled assembly so that the wheels of the wheeled assembly can smoothly travel the length of each of the one or more rails 9020.

As shown in fig. 9A, the fixed vehicle floor 9010 is configured with one or more latches 9040. The one or more latches 9040 may include any type of latch, such as a lockbolt latch, a spring latch, a latch bolt, a spring lock, a tow hook, a spring bolt safety, a strike latch, a cam lock, a nofort latch, a safftk latch, a cross-bar switch, a door and window hook, a toggle latch, a pawl, or any combination thereof. As shown in fig. 9A, the one or more latches 9040 may be located toward the front of the automated vehicle. The position of the one or more latches 9040 may be adjusted based on the automatic vehicle configuration. For example, certain automatic vehicle configurations may require the location of the one or more latches 9040 to be toward the rear of the automatic vehicle, one or more of the sides of the automatic vehicle, or any other location within the automatic vehicle.

Fig. 9B is an illustration of a top view of one example of a removable internal attachment mechanism 9000 of a reconfigurable automated vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The removable internal attachment mechanism 9000 comprises a fixed vehicle floor 9010. Fixed vehicle floor 9010 may be permanently fixed to a reconfigurable automated vehicle and configured to receive a removable floor (not shown). The fixed vehicle floor 9010 includes one or more rails 9020. The one or more rails 9020 may be embedded in the fixed vehicle floor 9010. In certain embodiments, the one or more rails 9020 may protrude from a surface of the fixed vehicle floor 9010. Each of the one or more tracks 9020 includes a plurality of attachment points 9030 along the length of each track. In this view, attachment point 9030 may not be visible, and is therefore shown in dashed lines. Attachment points 9030 may include bars, ribs, cutouts, or any other suitable structure configured to adjustably attach the removable floor to the closest attachment point.

Each of the one or more rails 9020 has a width configured to accommodate a wheeled assembly (not shown). The attachment point 9030 is configured to have a width that is less than the width of the track. The width of the attachment point 9030 is less than the width of the wheeled assembly so that the wheels of the wheeled assembly can smoothly travel the length of each of the one or more rails 9020.

As shown in fig. 9B, the fixed vehicle floor 9010 is configured with one or more latches 9040. In this embodiment, the one or more latches 9040 are shown as being attached to a top surface of the fixed vehicle floor 9010. In other embodiments, the one or more latches 9040 may be embedded in the fixed vehicle floor 9010 such that a top surface of the fixed vehicle floor 9010 is flat. The one or more latches 9040 may include any type of latch, such as a lockbolt latch, a spring latch, a latch bolt, a snap lock, a tow hook, a spring bolt safety, a slam latch, a cam lock, a nofort latch, a savock latch, a cross switch, a door and window hook, a toggle latch, a pawl, or any combination thereof.

The fixed vehicle floor 9010 may be configured with a connection interface 9050. Connection interface 9050 may be configured to provide power, data, compressed air, and/or hydraulic pressure between the removable floor and the autonomous vehicle, or any combination thereof. Connection interface 9050 may be configured to receive data from a removable backplane. For example, the removable backplane may send an indication of its configuration to the automated vehicle via connection interface 9050. Automated vehicles may be configured to adjust their driving behavior based on the configuration of the removable floor (i.e., passenger or cargo). As shown in fig. 9B, the one or more latches 9040 and connection interface 9050 may be located toward the front of the automated vehicle. The position of the one or more latches 9040 and connection interface 9050 may be adjusted based on the automated vehicle configuration. For example, certain automatic vehicle configurations may require the location of the one or more latches 9040, connection interfaces 9050, or both to be toward the rear of the automatic vehicle, one or more of the sides of the automatic vehicle, or any other location within the automatic vehicle.

Fig. 9C is an illustration of a cross-sectional view along line a-a of fig. 9A of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment mechanism 9000 of a reconfigurable autonomous vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The removable internal attachment mechanism 9000 comprises a fixed vehicle floor 9010. Fixed vehicle floor 9010 may be permanently fixed to a reconfigurable automated vehicle and configured to receive a removable floor (not shown). The fixed vehicle floor 9010 includes one or more rails 9020. The one or more rails 9020 may be embedded in the fixed vehicle floor 9010. In certain embodiments, the one or more rails 9020 may protrude from a surface of the fixed vehicle floor 9010. Each of the one or more tracks 9020 includes a plurality of attachment points 9030 along the length of each track. In this view, attachment point 9030 may not be visible, and is therefore shown in dashed lines. Attachment points 9030 may include bars, ribs, cutouts, or any other suitable structure configured to adjustably attach the removable floor to the closest attachment point.

Each of the one or more rails 9020 has a width configured to accommodate a wheeled assembly (not shown). The attachment point 9030 is configured to have a width that is less than the width of the track 9020. The width of the attachment point 9030 is less than the width of the wheeled assembly so that the wheels of the wheeled assembly can smoothly travel the length of each of the one or more rails 9020.

Fig. 10A is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment system 10000 for a reconfigurable automated vehicle in an unlocked position according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Fig. 10B is an illustration of a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of a removable interior attachment mechanism of a reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 10A and 10B, a removable interior attachment system 10000 includes a fixed vehicle floor 10100. One embodiment of fixed vehicle floor 10100 can be fixed vehicle floor 9010 shown in fig. 9A-9C. The fixed vehicle floor 10100 can be permanently affixed to the reconfigurable autonomous vehicle and configured to receive a removable floor 10200. The fixed vehicle floor 10100 comprises one or more rails 10110. The one or more rails 10110 may be embedded in a fixed vehicle floor 10100. In certain embodiments, the one or more rails 10110 can protrude from a surface of the fixed vehicle floor 10100. Each of the one or more rails 10110 includes a plurality of attachment points 10120 along the length of each rail. Attachment point 10120 may comprise a bar, rib, cut-out, or any other suitable structure configured to adjustably attach the removable floor to the closest attachment point.

The removable backplane 10200 comprises one or more rotating assemblies 10300. Each rotating assembly 10300 includes a wheel 10310 and a grasping element 10320. Each wheel 10310 is configured to rotate along the floor of the respective track to allow for smooth installation and removal of the removable floor 10200. Each of the one or more tracks 10110 has a width configured to accommodate the rotating assembly 10300. The attachment point 10120 is configured to have a width that is less than the width of the track 10110. The width of the attachment point 10120 is less than the width of the rotation assembly 10300 such that each wheel 10310 of the rotation assembly 10300 can smoothly travel the length of each of the one or more rails 10110.

Each wheel 10310 is connected to a bar element 10400 via a respective arm. Each grasping element 10320 is connected to the bar element 10400 via a respective arm. In certain embodiments, a respective arm of each grasping element 10320 can be connected to a respective arm of the wheel 10310. Each respective arm of the wheel 10310, the grip element 10320, or both, may comprise a spring element or a hydraulic element. As shown in fig. 10A, the rotation assembly 10300 is attached to the bar element 10400 such that when the bar element 10400 is pulled towards the rear of the vehicle the wheel 10310 is lowered onto the fixed vehicle floor 10100 and the grabber element 10320 is lifted out of engagement with the attachment point 10120. The rotation assembly 10300 is attached to the bar element 10400 such that when the bar element 10400 is pushed towards the front of the vehicle the wheel 10310 is lifted off the fixed vehicle floor 10100 and the grip element 10320 is lowered into the attachment point 10120, as shown in fig. 10B. The gripping elements 10320, as shown in fig. 10B, are configured to engage the attachment points 10120 to lock the removable floor 10200 in place. In this way, the removable floor 10200 can be rolled into the vehicle using the wheeled arrangement, and then the bar elements 10400 can be pushed to lift each wheel 10310 and engage each grasping element 10320 with a respective attachment point 10120 of the fixed vehicle floor 10100.

When the bar element 10400 is pushed towards the front of the vehicle, the end of the bar element 10400 is configured to engage with one or more latches 10500 to provide a second fixed attachment point. The one or more latches 10500 can be attached to a fixed vehicle floor 10100 or any other part of the vehicle, such as an interior wall. The one or more latches 10500 can include any type of latch, such as a lockbolt latch, a spring latch, a latch bolt, a snap lock, a tow hook, a spring bolt safety, a slam latch, a cam lock, a nofort latch, a savock latch, a cross switch, a door and window hook, a toggle latch, a pawl, or any combination thereof. The fixed vehicle floor 10100 or any other part of the vehicle, such as an interior wall, can be configured with a connection interface 10600. The connection interface 10600 may be configured to provide power, data, compressed air, hydraulic pressure between the removable floor and the autonomous vehicle, or any combination thereof. The connection interface 10600 may be configured to receive data from a removable backplane. For example, the removable backplane may send an indication of its configuration over the connection to the automated vehicle. Automated vehicles may be configured to adjust their driving behavior based on the configuration of the removable floor (i.e., passenger or cargo). As shown in fig. 10A and 10B, the one or more latches 10500 and connection interfaces 10600 can be located toward the front of the automated vehicle. The positions of the one or more latches 10500 and connection interfaces 10600 can be adjusted based on an automated vehicle configuration. For example, certain automatic vehicle configurations may require the location of the one or more latches 10500, connection interfaces 10600, or both, toward the rear of the automatic vehicle, one or more of the sides of the automatic vehicle, or any other location within the automatic vehicle. When the one or more latches 10500 are secured to the removable floor 10200, the connection interface 10600 is connected.

The bar element 10400 may comprise a rotatable connection 10700. The rotatable connection may include an attached handle to allow a user to rotate the bar element 10400 relative to the forward/rearward axis so that the removable floor 10200 can be pushed into the vehicle without disengaging from the wheels and engaging with the grasping elements. The removable floor 10200 can include one or more latches 10800. The one or more latches 10800 can be similar to the one or more latches 10500. The one or more latches 10800 are configured to allow an additional removable base plate to be inserted behind the removable base plate 10200. The removable backplane 10200 can also include a connection interface 10900. Connection interface 10900 may be similar to connection interface 10600. The connection interface 10900 is configured to connect an additional removable floor behind the removable floor 10200 and provide power, data, or both.

Fig. 11 is an illustration of a top view of one embodiment of a removable internal attachment mechanism 11000 of the reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The removable internal attachment mechanism 11000 includes a removable bottom plate 11200. The removable base plate 11200 includes one or more rotating assemblies 11300. Each rotating assembly 11300 includes a wheel (not shown) and a grasping element (not shown). Each wheel is configured to rotate along the floor of a respective track of the fixed vehicle floor to allow for smooth installation and removal of the removable floor 11200.

Each rotating assembly 11300 is connected to a bar element 11400. The swivel assembly 11300 is attached to the bar element 11400 such that when the bar element 11400 is pulled toward the rear of the vehicle the wheel is lowered onto the fixed vehicle floor and the grasping element is raised out of engagement with the fixed vehicle floor attachment point. The swivel assembly 11300 is attached to the bar element 11400 such that when the bar element 11400 is pushed towards the front of the vehicle the wheel is lifted off the fixed vehicle floor and the grasping element is lowered into the attachment point. In this manner, the removable floor 11200 may be rolled into the vehicle using the wheeled configuration, and then the bar elements 11400 may be pushed to lift each wheel and engage each grasping element with a respective attachment point of the fixed vehicle floor.

When the bar element 11400 is pushed toward the front of the vehicle, the ends of the bar element 11400 are configured to engage with the one or more latches 11500 to provide a second fixed attachment point. The one or more latches 11500 can be attached to a fixed vehicle floor or any other part of the vehicle, such as an interior wall. The one or more latches 11500 may include any type of latch, such as a lockbolt latch, a spring latch, a latch bolt, a spring lock, a tow hook, a spring bolt safety, a slam latch, a cam lock, a nofort latch, a savock latch, a cross switch, a door and window hook, a toggle latch, a pawl, or any combination thereof. Removable floor 11200 includes a connection interface 11600, which connection interface 11600 is configured to connect with a connection portion of a fixed vehicle floor or any other part of a vehicle, such as an interior wall. Connection interface 11600 can be configured to provide power, data, compressed air, hydraulic pressure between removable floor 11200 and an autonomous vehicle, or any combination thereof. For example, removable backplane 11200 can send an indication of its configuration to an automated vehicle via connection interface 11600. The autonomous vehicle may be configured to adjust its driving behavior based on the configuration of the removable floor 11200 (i.e., passenger or cargo). As shown in fig. 11, the one or more latches 11500 and connection interface 11600 can be located toward the front of the automated vehicle. The positions of the one or more latches 11500 and connection interface 11600 can be adjusted based on the automatic vehicle configuration. For example, certain automatic vehicle configurations may require the location of the one or more latches 11500, connection interfaces 11600, or both to be toward the rear of the automatic vehicle, one or more of the sides of the automatic vehicle, or any other location within the automatic vehicle. When the one or more latches 11500 are secured to the removable baseplate 11200, the connection interface 11600 is connected.

The bar element 11400 may be configured in a "U-shape," as shown in fig. 11, to allow an additional removable bottom plate to be inserted while preventing the additional removable bottom plate from interfering with the bar element 11400. The removable baseplate 11200 can include one or more latches 11800. The one or more latches 11800 can be similar to the one or more latches 11500. The one or more latches 11800 are configured to allow an additional removable bottom plate to be inserted behind the removable bottom plate 11200. The removable baseplate 11200 may also include a connection interface 11900. Connection interface 11900 may be similar to connection interface 11600. The connection interface 11900 is configured to connect an additional removable floor behind the removable floor 10200 and provide power, data, or both.

Fig. 12 is an illustration of a back view of one embodiment of a removable internal attachment mechanism 12000 of the reconfigurable automated vehicle in a locked position, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The removable internal attachment mechanism 12000 includes a removable base plate 12200. Removable base plate 12200 includes one or more rotating assemblies 12300. Each rotating assembly 12300 includes a wheel 12310 and a grasping element 12320. The width of each wheel 12310 may be less than the width of each respective grasping element 12320. Each wheel 12310 is configured to rotate along the floor of a respective track of a fixed vehicle floor (not shown) to allow for smooth installation and removal of the removable floor 12200. The removable floor 12200 is configured with one or more cutouts 12330 extending parallel to the one or more rails of the fixed vehicle floor. Each of the one or more cutouts 12330 has a width configured to accommodate a rotating assembly 12300. The width of each of the one or more cutouts 12330 is greater than the width of the rotation assembly 10300 and each wheel 12310 of the rotation assembly 10300 along the length of each of the one or more cutouts 12330.

Each wheel 12310 is connected to a bar element 12400 via a respective arm. Each grasping element 12320 is connected to bar element 12400 via a respective arm. In some embodiments, a respective arm of each grasping element 12320 may be connected to a respective arm of the wheel 12310. Each respective arm of the wheel 12310, the grasping element 12320, or both, may include a spring element or a hydraulic element. As shown in fig. 12, rotating assembly 12300 is attached to bar element 12400 such that when bar element 12400 is pulled toward the rear of the vehicle, wheels 12310 are lowered onto the fixed vehicle floor and grasping element 12320 is raised into cutout 12330 to disengage from the attachment point of the fixed vehicle floor. The rotation assembly 12300 is attached to the bar element 12400 such that when the bar element 12400 is pushed towards the front of the vehicle the wheel 12310 is lifted out of the fixed vehicle floor into the cutout 12330 and the grip element 12320 is lowered into the attachment point of the fixed vehicle floor. The grasping elements 12320 are configured to engage the attachment points of the fixed vehicle floor to lock the removable floor 12200 in place. In this manner, the removable bottom panel 12200 can be rolled into the vehicle using this wheeled arrangement, and then the bar elements 12400 can be pushed to lift each wheel 12310 and engage each grasping element 12320 with a respective attachment point of the fixed vehicle bottom panel.

As shown in fig. 12, the removable base plate 12200 can be configured to allow additional removable base plates to be inserted into the vehicle and attached to the removable base plate 12200. The removable base plate 12200 can include one or more latches 12800. The one or more latches 12800 may include any type of latch, such as a lockbolt latch, a spring latch, a latch bolt, a snap lock, a tow hook, a spring bolt safety, a slam latch, a cam lock, a nofort latch, a savock latch, a cross switch, a door and window hook, a toggle latch, a pawl, or any combination thereof. The one or more latches 12800 are configured to allow an additional removable base plate to be inserted behind the removable base plate 12200. The removable backplane 12200 can also include a connection interface 12900. The connection interface 12900 is configured to connect an additional removable base plate behind the removable base plate 12200 and provide power, data, or both. The removable base plate 12200 can also include one or more cutouts 12910. The one or more cutouts 12910 may be configured to accommodate lifting devices, such as forklifts, to aid in movement, insertion, and removal of the removable floor 12200 from the vehicle.

Although certain embodiments are referred to herein as methods, those skilled in the art will appreciate that they may also be implemented as a system or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "processor," device, "or" system. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied therein. Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical memory device, a magnetic memory device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C + + or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions.

These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications, combinations, and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.

Claims (14)

1. A reconfigurable vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame body, wherein the vehicle frame body comprises a fixed vehicle floor and a first connection interface, wherein the fixed vehicle floor comprises a rail and a plurality of attachment points; and

a removable backplane configurable based on usage of the reconfigurable vehicle, the removable backplane comprising:

a rotating assembly, comprising a wheel and a gripping element,

a second connection interface configured to be connected to the first connection interface, an

A plurality of latches.

2. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the removable floor is configured for passenger transport or cargo transport.

3. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1 wherein the removable floor comprises a first portion configured for passenger transport and a second portion configured for cargo transport.

4. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle frame body comprises a vehicle sensing section configured for autonomous operation or a hardware system for autonomous operation.

5. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the track and the plurality of attachment points are recessed into the fixed vehicle floor.

6. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein a width of the wheel is greater than a width of one of the plurality of attachment points.

7. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 6, wherein the wheels are configured to roll on a floor of the track and past the attachment point.

8. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the grasping element is configured to engage one of the plurality of attachment points to lock the removable floor in place.

9. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 8, wherein the wheel is configured to lift off a floor of the track when the grasping element engages one of the plurality of attachment points.

10. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first connection interface is configured to supply power to the removable backplane; the second connection interface is configured to receive power from the first connection interface.

11. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first connection interface is a data interface, the second connection interface configured to send data to the first connection interface.

12. The reconfigurable vehicle of claim 1, wherein the removable backplane further comprises a third connection interface configured to supply power to another removable backplane.

13. A removable backplane comprising:

a rotating assembly comprising a wheel and a grasping element;

a first connection interface configured to connect to a connection interface of a vehicle; and

a second connection interface configured to connect to another removable backplane;

a bar element to which the rotating assembly is attached, the bar element configured to raise and lower the wheel and the grasping element.

14. The removable backplane of claim 13, further comprising:

a cutout configured to receive a lifting device.

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