Patents by Inventor Leo Laine

Leo Laine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220155130
    Abstract: A method for determining a mass property of a land-based vehicle for cargo transport. The method comprises registering one or more properties of a cargo unit entering the vehicle, wherein at least one of the properties is related to a mass of the cargo unit, estimating a location of the cargo unit in the vehicle, and determining at least one vehicle mass property of the vehicle based on the one or more registered properties and on the estimated location of the cargo unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leo LAINE, Leon HENDERSON
  • Publication number: 20220144279
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for controlling torque applied to a vehicle wheel provided with a tyre, wherein the control unit comprises or is operatively connected to a data storage, which data storage has a stored tyre model for the tyre, wherein, in the tyre model, longitudinal tyre force is represented as at least a function of longitudinal wheel slip, longitudinal wheel slip being dependent on rotational speed of the wheel and velocity of the vehicle. The control unit is configured to correct said function based on a tyre parameter input and to convert a wheel torque request to a wheel rotational speed request based on the corrected function, and to send the wheel rotational speed request to an actuator for providing a rotational speed of the wheel corresponding to said wheel rotational speed request. The invention also relates to a method and to a kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adithya ARIKERE, Niklas FRÖJD, Leo LAINE, Leon HENDERSON, Sidhant RAY
  • Publication number: 20220144355
    Abstract: A single axle dolly vehicle unit for a heavy duty vehicle combination, the dolly vehicle unit comprising an electrical energy source arranged to power at least one electric machine configured to drive left and right wheels of the single axle, the dolly vehicle unit further comprising a drawbar and a fifth wheel connection for mating with first and second trailer units, respectively, wherein the fifth wheel connection is arranged to be adjusted in height over ground by a variable height suspension system, the dolly vehicle unit further comprising a control unit arranged to control the variable height suspension system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ulf STENBRATT, Leo LAINE, Joao MENDONCA
  • Publication number: 20220144280
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling at least one actuator of a vehicle, the actuator being configured to apply a torque on at least one wheel of the vehicle, wherein the applied torque is determined by a control function associated with a control bandwidth, the method comprising configuring the control function to control the applied torque to reduce a difference between a first parameter value related to a current rotational speed of the wheel and a second parameter value related to target rotational speed of the wheel; obtaining data indicative of a current operating condition of the vehicle; setting the control bandwidth of the control function in dependence of the current operating condition of the vehicle; and controlling the actuator using the control function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Adithya Arikere, Leo Laine, Ray Sidhant, Leon Henderson, Mattias Åsbogård, Johan Lindberg
  • Publication number: 20220135040
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle motion management system as well as a motion support system for a vehicle. The vehicle motion management system and the motion support system are arranged to control operation of at least one actuator configured to apply a torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle motion management system is configured to transmit a control signal indicative of a desired torque and a wheel speed limit to the motion support system, whereby the motion support system is, based on the received signal, configured to transmit an actuator signal to the actuator for the actuator to generate an operating torque on the at least one wheel without exceeding an actuator rotational speed limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Adithya Arikere, Ray Sidhant, Leo Laine, Leon Henderson, Mattias Åsbogård
  • Publication number: 20220126934
    Abstract: A propulsion arrangement for a self-powered dolly vehicle unit, the propulsion arrangement comprising a first electric machine, a second electric machine, a gearbox, and an open differential for driving first and second wheels of a driven axle, wherein the first and second electric machines are arranged in parallel and connected to the open differential via the gearbox at respective gear ratios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jesper BLOMSTRAND, Leo LAINE
  • Publication number: 20220126799
    Abstract: A control unit (130, 140) for controlling a heavy duty vehicle (100), wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain input data indicative of a desired wheel force (Fx, Fy) to be generated by at least one wheel (210) of the vehicle (100), and to translate the input data into a respective equivalent wheel speed or wheel slip to be maintained by the wheel (210) to generate the desired wheel force (Fx, Fy) based on an inverse tyre model (f?1) for the wheel (210), wherein the control unit (130, 140) is arranged to obtain the inverse tyre model in dependence of a current operating condition of the wheel (210), and wherein the control unit (130, 140) is arranged to control the heavy duty vehicle (100) based on the equivalent wheel speed or wheel slip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adithya ARIKERE, Niklas FRÖJD, Leon HENDERSON, Sidhant RAY, Leo LAINE, Mats RYDSTRÖM
  • Publication number: 20220126801
    Abstract: A control unit (130, 140, 300) for controlling a heavy duty vehicle (100), wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain an acceleration profile (areq) and a curvature profile (creq) indicative of a desired maneuver by the vehicle (100), the control unit (130, 140, 300) comprising a force generation module (310) configured to determine a set of global vehicle forces and moments required to execute the desired maneuver, the control unit (130, 140, 300) further comprising a motion support device, MSD, coordination module (320) arranged to coordinate one or more MSDs to collectively provide the global vehicle forces and moments by generating one or more respective wheel forces, and an inverse tyre model (330) configured to map the one or more wheel forces into equivalent wheel slips (?), wherein the control unit (130, 140, 300) is arranged to request the wheel slips (?) from the MSDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leo LAINE, Adithya ARIKERE, Sidhant RAY, Mattias ÅSBOGÅRD, Leon HENDERSON
  • Publication number: 20220097780
    Abstract: A first vehicle unit is couplable a second vehicle unit, so that a vehicle combination is formed, wherein the first vehicle unit comprises a transceiver configured to establish a sidelink to a transceiver of the second vehicle unit. In one embodiment, the first vehicle unit is configured to perform an automatic coupling procedure for coupling itself to the second vehicle unit, wherein the sidelink is established prior to completion of the coupling procedure. In another embodiment, the sidelink adds redundancy to wired communication link between respective vehicle unit computers. In yet another embodiment, the transceivers of the vehicle units remain independently addressable even after the vehicle combination has been formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Mats Rydström, Leo Laine
  • Publication number: 20220063575
    Abstract: A motion support device, MSD, control unit for a heavy duty vehicle, configured to control one or more MSDs associated with a wheel on the vehicle, wherein the MSD control unit is configured to be communicatively coupled to a vehicle motion management, VMM, unit for receiving control commands from the VMM unit comprising wheel speed and/or wheel slip requests to control vehicle motion by the one or more MSDs. The MSD control unit is configured to obtain a capability range indicating a range of wheel behaviors of the wheel for which the VMM unit is allowed to influence the behavior of the wheel by the control commands, monitor wheel behavior and to detect if wheel behavior is outside of the capability range, and trigger a control intervention function in case the monitored wheel behavior is outside of the capability range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Leo Laine, Leon Henderson, Johan Lindberg, Adithya Arikere, Sidhant Ray
  • Publication number: 20220068047
    Abstract: A wheel end computer, WEC, (220) for hosting and executing one or more motion support device abstraction modules (MSDA, 221) configured to monitor and/or to control operations of one or more respective motion support devices, MSDs, (240, 250, 260, 270) on a heavy duty vehicle, where an MSDA provides a control and/or a monitoring interface between an external vehicle unit computer (VUC, 210), and a respective MSDs operational functionality, wherein the WEC (220) is arranged to identify a matching MSDA for each MSD in a set of MSDs, such that each MSD connected to the WEC is matched to a respective MSDA, and wherein the WEC (220) is arranged to receive a monitor and/or a control command from the VUC (210) for monitoring and/or controlling an MSD connected to the WEC, and to control the MSD via the respective matching MSDA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ulf STENBRATT, Leo LAINE, Peter HANSSON, Lance HIGGINS, Anders MAGNUSSON
  • Publication number: 20220042808
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a computer implemented method for operating a vehicle (104, 106, 108), specifically in relation to efficient transporting of a predefined cargo. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding arrangement and computer program product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Jonas Hellgren, Leo Laine
  • Patent number: 11235747
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a steering system of a vehicle (100). The steering system comprises individually controllable wheel torque actuators (103, 105) on a respective left (104) and right (106) steerable wheel of the vehicle, wherein the wheel torque actuators (103, 105) are controlled during a turning maneuver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Björn Källstrand, Leo Laine, Leon Henderson, Patrick Volz
  • Publication number: 20210387613
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for having a vehicle (100) follow a desired curvature path (C1), said vehicle (100) comprising at least one differential (10, 20, 30) with a differential lock connected to at least one driven wheel axle (40, 50) of said vehicle (100), said method comprising at least the following steps: —providing (S1) information regarding state of said differential lock, said state being either that said differential lock is activated or unlocked, and when said differential lock is activated: —calculating (S2) a yaw moment, Mdiff, of said vehicle (100), caused by said differential lock; and —compensating (S3) for a deviation from said desired curvature path (C1) caused by said yaw moment, Mdiff, such that a resulting steering angle is equal to or less than a maximum allowed steering angle of said vehicle (100), whereby said compensation is a feed forward compensation. The invention also relates to a control unit, a vehicle, a computer program and a computer readable medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leo LAINE, Karthik Ramanan VAIDYANATHAN
  • Publication number: 20210276614
    Abstract: The invention relates to a steering assembly (12) for a vehicle (10). The steering assembly (12) comprises a first steering actuator (14) and a second steering actuator (16). The first steering actuator (14) is adapted to be actuated in accordance with at least one signal issued from a motion control system (18) to control a steering angle of at least one steerable ground engaging member (20, 22) of the vehicle (10) to thereby control the steering of the vehicle (10). The first steering actuator (14) is associated with a first nominal steering capability, defining at least one limitation of at least one of the following: steering angle, steering angle rate and steering torque, for the at least one steerable ground engaging member (20, 22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Leo Laine, Jan-Inge Svensson, Lionel Farres, Christian Oscarsson, Leon Henderson, Jose Vilca, Kristoffer Tagesson, Johanna Majqvist
  • Publication number: 20210237703
    Abstract: A brake control device (10) for delivering air under controlled pressure to a pneumatic brake actuator (BA), comprising an inlet port (51) coupled to a compressed air supply circuit, a working port (54) coupled to a service brake chamber (C2) of the brake actuator (BA), a venting port (56), first and second inlet solenoid valves (31,32) for selectively connecting inlet port(s) to the working port, first and second outlet solenoid valves (41,42) for selectively connecting the working port to venting port(s), a biased check valve (12), for coupling the working port to venting port(s), the brake control unit device further comprising first and second local electronic control units (21,22) for controlling independently first and second inlet solenoid valves and first and second outlet solenoid valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Leon Henderson, Christian Oscarsson, Leo Laine
  • Publication number: 20210155289
    Abstract: A method for steering an articulated vehicle traveling on a road, the vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the method comprising determining a position of the tractor in relation to the road, and adjusting the steering in dependence on the determined tractor position. The method further comprises determining an orientation of the trailer in relation to the road, and/or an angular velocity of the trailer in relation to the road, and adjusting the steering in dependence on the determined trailer orientation and/or the determined angular velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter NILSSON, Leo LAINE
  • Patent number: 11007988
    Abstract: A control system is provided for a vehicle including an autonomous emergency braking system, characterized in that the control system includes: a brake control arrangement adapted to apply a friction-estimating braking when the autonomous emergency braking system has initiated a possible intervention; a brake force capacity estimation arrangement adapted to estimate the brake force capacity of the vehicle as a function of longitudinal wheel slip based on the applied friction-estimating braking; a road information arrangement adapted to obtain information about road curvature ahead of the vehicle; a lateral tyre force prediction arrangement adapted to predict lateral tyre force needed during autonomous emergency braking based on the obtained information about road curvature; and a brake strategy adaptation arrangement configured to adapt the brake strategy of the autonomous emergency braking system based on the estimated brake force capacity and the predicted lateral tyre force needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leo Laine, Fredrik Sandblom
  • Patent number: 10974705
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wheel controller (108) for a vehicle (100), comprising a wheel slip calculation module (212) arranged to calculate a longitudinal wheel slip value for a wheel slip between a surface of the wheel (102) and a road surface thereof; a wheel force estimation module (214) arranged to estimate a longitudinal wheel force value for a wheel force between the surface of the wheel (102) and the road surface; a tire model generator (216) arranged to receive longitudinal wheel slip values from the wheel slip calculation module (212) and longitudinal wheel force values from the wheel force estimation module (214); said tire model generator (216) being configured to generate a model (300, 400) representing a relationship between the calculated longitudinal wheel slip and the estimated longitudinal wheel force by using at least three longitudinal wheel force values and three corresponding longitudinal wheel slip values; and a vehicle wheel capability module (218) arranged in communication wi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leo Laine, Leon Henderson, Mats Sabelström
  • Publication number: 20210078556
    Abstract: A control arrangement for a vehicle motion system including a braking function, comprising motion actuators with one or more brake actuators pertaining to the braking function, a first vehicle motion management controller (VMM1) and a second vehicle motion management controller (VMM2), forming a redundant assembly to control the braking function, wherein, in riding conditions, the first vehicle motion management controller controls the brake actuators with a current nominal expected braking performance, while the second vehicle motion management controller (VMM2) is in a waiting-to-operate mode, the control arrangement comprising a hot swap functionality in which the second vehicle motion management controller (VMM2) is configured to take over control of the brake actuators from the first vehicle motion management controller, with the current nominal expected braking performance, in a short time period (SWT) less than one second, preferably less than 0.5 second, preferably less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Leo Laine, Lionel Farres, Christian Oscarsson, Leon Henderson, Johanna Majqvist, Jose Vilca, Kristoffer Tagesson, Karthik Ramanan Vaidyanathan, Nicolas Soulier