Method and device for operating a plurality of vehicles

• US 10,363,961 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nordbruch, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US15/531,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20170327151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A method for operating a plurality of vehicles includes sending over a communication network and to a first vehicle navigation data for an autonomous navigation of the first vehicle in a parking facility, the first vehicle being assigned as a guide vehicle to a second vehicle that is to autonomously follow the first vehicle, a target signal being sent to the second vehicle via the communication network while the second vehicle is following the guide vehicle during the autonomous navigation of the guide vehicle in the parking facility, the signal indicating that the second vehicle is to terminate the following and to park at a target position.

Claims

1. A method for operating a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

sending, to a first vehicle and via a communication network, navigation data for an autonomous navigation of the first vehicle in a parking facility,

assigning the first vehicle to a second vehicle as a guide vehicle that the second vehicle is to follow autonomously;

controlling the second vehicle to autonomously follow the first vehicle;

sending, to the second vehicle, via the communication network, and while the second vehicle is following the first vehicle during the autonomous navigation of the first vehicle, a target signal that indicates that the second vehicle is to terminate the following and to park at a target position; and

controlling the second vehicle to terminate the autonomous following of the first vehicle and to autonomously park at the target position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation data includes the target position and a command that, during the autonomous navigation, the guide vehicle is to travel past the target position.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring, via a vehicle-external monitoring system, a travel of at least one of the first and second vehicles.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring, via the vehicle-external monitoring system, whether the second vehicle is following the guide vehicle without error.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring, via the vehicle-external monitoring system, whether other objects in the parking facility are disturbing travel of either of the first and second vehicles.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring, via the vehicle-external monitoring system, whether the guide vehicle is traveling to the target position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the target position is a retrieval position at which a driver is to retrieve the second vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the target position includes both a first position at which the second vehicle is to initially park and a second position at which the second vehicle is to be retrieved by a driver, so that the second vehicle follows the guide vehicle to the first position and parks there, leaves the first position at a later time, and then follows the guide vehicle, or a further guide vehicle, to the second position at which the second vehicle stops.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising guiding a plurality of second vehicles travel in a column behind the first vehicle to their respective target positions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a sequence of the plurality of the second vehicles in the column is arranged according to their corresponding target positions in such a way that a last of the plurality of the second vehicle in the column is always associated with a next target position.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein an assignment signal that indicates that the first vehicle is the guide vehicle and the second is to follow the first vehicle is sent via the communication network to at least one of the first and second vehicles.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, for the assignment, the second vehicle acquires, at a pre-specified position, a sensor signal that indicated presence of the first vehicle, so that the second vehicle recognizes that the first vehicle is the guide vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pre-specified position is a drop-off position, so that the second vehicle situated at the drop-off position recognizes the first vehicle as the guide vehicle if it is situated in front of the second vehicle at the pre-specified position.

7. The method as recited in 1, wherein a target parking trajectory for the second vehicle to park in the target position is communicated to the second vehicle via the communication network.

15. A device for operating a plurality of vehicles, the device comprising:

a communication interface; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

generate an assignment signal for assigning a first vehicle as a guide vehicle which a second vehicle is to autonomously follow;

send the assignment signal to the second vehicle via the communication interface and over a communication network;

send, via the communication interface, over the communication network, and to a first vehicle, navigation data for an autonomous navigation of the first vehicle in a parking facility;

control the second vehicle to autonomously follow the first vehicle;

ascertain, and send to the second vehicle via the communication interface and over the communication network, a target signal for the second vehicle, indicating that the second vehicle is to terminate following the first vehicle and park in a target position; and

control the second vehicle to terminate the autonomous following of the first vehicle and to autonomously park at the target position.

16. A parking system comprising:

a parking facility; and

a device for operating a plurality of vehicles, the device comprising;

a communication interface; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

generate an assignment signal for assigning a first vehicle as a guide vehicle which a second vehicle is to autonomously follow;

send the assignment signal to the second vehicle via the communication interface and over a communication network;

send, via the communication interface, over the communication network, and to a first vehicle, navigation data for an autonomous navigation of the first vehicle in the parking facility; and

ascertain, and send to the second vehicle via the communication interface and over the communication network, a target signal for the second vehicle, indicating that the second vehicle is to terminate following the first vehicle and park in a target position.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions that are executable by a processor and that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method for operating a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

sending, to a first vehicle and via a communication network, navigation data for an autonomous navigation of the first vehicle in a parking facility,

assigning the first vehicle to a second vehicle as a guide vehicle that the second vehicle is to follow autonomously;

controlling the second vehicle to autonomously follow the first vehicle;

sending, to the second vehicle, via the communication network, and while the second vehicle is following the first vehicle during the autonomous navigation of the first vehicle, a target signal that indicates that the second vehicle is to terminate the following and to park at a target position; and

controlling the second vehicle to terminate the autonomous following of the first vehicle and to autonomously park at the target position.