Autonomous ganged vehicles

• US 10,254,766 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: High, Donald R., Winkle, David C., Atchley, Michael D., McHale, Brian G., Antel, Nicholas Ray, O'Brien, John J., Mattingly, Todd D., Jones, Nathan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/708,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20180129223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet

Abstract

Some embodiments include systems, methods, and apparatuses capable of determining a leader of a group of autonomous vehicles. In some embodiments, a system of autonomous vehicles comprises two or more autonomous vehicles each having a communication device and in communication with one another, each of the two or more autonomous vehicles configured to travel as a group, receive and transport goods, communicate with others of the two or more autonomous vehicles in the group, and conduct a negotiation to establish at least one leader, wherein any one of the two or more autonomous vehicles can become the at least one leader.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

two or more autonomous vehicles each having a communication device and in communication with one another, each of the two or more autonomous vehicles including;

one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to detect information for use in self navigation of each of the two or more autonomous vehicles relative to others of the two or more autonomous vehicles;

a propulsion unit;

a communications device configured to communicate with others of the two or more autonomous vehicles; and

a control circuit, the control circuit configured to conduct a negotiation to establish at least one leader, wherein any of the two or more autonomous vehicles can become the at least one leader;

wherein each of the one or more autonomous vehicles is configured to;

travel as a group; and

receive and transport goods.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the two or more autonomous vehicles are configured to leave the group.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operation to conduct a negotiation to establish at least one leader reoccurs after one or more of autonomous vehicles leave the group and autonomous vehicles join group.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more autonomous vehicles are further configured to:

share power with others of the two or more autonomous vehicles.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more autonomous vehicles are one of land-based autonomous vehicles, water-based autonomous vehicles, and aerial autonomous vehicles.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more autonomous vehicles are physically connected to at least one of the others of the two or more autonomous vehicles.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one leader is established based on one or more of a collective goal, a power supply, sensors associated with at least one of the two or more autonomous vehicles, a destination, and features of at least one of the one or more autonomous vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one leader includes two or more leaders, wherein each of the two or more leaders is a leader of an aspect of the group.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the aspect includes one or more of sensors, navigation, propulsion, lighting, communications, power usage, and route-planning.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the negotiation to establish the least one leader is based on communications between the two or more autonomous vehicles regarding capabilities of the two or more autonomous vehicles.

11. An autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle comprising:

one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to detect information for use in navigation by the autonomous vehicle relative to other autonomous vehicles;

a propulsion unit, the propulsion unit configured to propel the autonomous vehicle;

a communications device; and

a control circuit communicatively coupled to the communications device, the control circuit configured to;

conduct a negotiation with other autonomous vehicles in a group of autonomous vehicles to determine at least one leader of the group of autonomous vehicles, wherein any autonomous vehicle in the group of autonomous vehicles can be the at least one leader.

12. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein at least some of the autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles is capable of leaving the group of autonomous vehicles.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the operation to conduct a negotiation occurs when at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles leaves the group.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

conduct a negotiation with the autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles to share power between the autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the autonomous vehicle is one of a land-based autonomous vehicle, a water-based autonomous vehicle, and an aerial autonomous vehicle.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, further comprising:

a connection mechanism, the connection mechanism configured to secure the autonomous vehicle to at least on other autonomous vehicle.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one leader is established based on one or more of a collective goal, a power supply, sensors associated with at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles, a destination, and features of at least one of the one or more autonomous vehicles.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one leader includes two or more leaders, wherein each of the two or more leaders is a leader of an aspect of the group of autonomous vehicles.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein the aspect includes one or more of sensors, navigation, propulsion, lighting, communications, power usage, and route-planning.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the negotiation with other autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles to determine the least one leader of the group of autonomous vehicles is based on communications with the other autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles regarding capabilities of the other autonomous vehicles in the group of autonomous vehicles.