Devices, systems, and methods for transmitting vehicle data
First Claim
1. A method for maintaining a relationship between a plurality of vehicles, comprising:
- receiving lead vehicle data from a lead vehicle at a rear vehicle platooning electronic control unit (PECU), wherein the lead vehicle data comprises data provided by multiple electronic control units, wherein the multiple electronic control units include;
(1) a lead vehicle engine electronic control unit (EECU), (2) a lead vehicle brake electronic control unit (BECU), (3) a lead vehicle transmission electronic control unit (TECU), and (4) a lead vehicle retarder electronic control unit (RECU), and wherein the rear vehicle PECU is remote from a rear vehicle EECU;
receiving a current distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle at the rear vehicle PECU;
receiving a target distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle at the rear vehicle PECU;
determining a distance difference between the target distance and the current distance;
determining a time offset based at least in part on the speed of the rear vehicle and the speed of the lead vehicle;
achieving the target distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle, wherein achieving the target distance is based at least on the distance difference and the time offset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking to form a platoon. In one aspect, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration or deceleration, and speed. In some aspects, a lead vehicle can wirelessly transmit information from various electronic control units (ECUs) to ECUs in a rear vehicle. A rear vehicle can then apply transformations to the information to account for a desired following distance and a time offset. ECUs onboard the rear vehicle may then be controlled based on the ECUs of the lead vehicle, the desired following distance, and the time offset.
252 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for maintaining a relationship between a plurality of vehicles, comprising:
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receiving lead vehicle data from a lead vehicle at a rear vehicle platooning electronic control unit (PECU), wherein the lead vehicle data comprises data provided by multiple electronic control units, wherein the multiple electronic control units include;
(1) a lead vehicle engine electronic control unit (EECU), (2) a lead vehicle brake electronic control unit (BECU), (3) a lead vehicle transmission electronic control unit (TECU), and (4) a lead vehicle retarder electronic control unit (RECU), and wherein the rear vehicle PECU is remote from a rear vehicle EECU;receiving a current distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle at the rear vehicle PECU; receiving a target distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle at the rear vehicle PECU; determining a distance difference between the target distance and the current distance; determining a time offset based at least in part on the speed of the rear vehicle and the speed of the lead vehicle; achieving the target distance between the lead vehicle and the rear vehicle, wherein achieving the target distance is based at least on the distance difference and the time offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for communicating information between vehicles, comprising:
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receiving first vehicle data from a first vehicle at a platooning electronic control unit (PECU) included in a second vehicle, wherein the first vehicle data contains at least in part torque data, and wherein the first vehicle data comprises data provided by a first vehicle engine electronic control unit (EECU), a first vehicle brake electronic control unit (BECU), a first vehicle transmission electronic control unit (TECU), and a first vehicle retarder electronic control unit (RECU), and wherein the PECU included in the second vehicle is remote from an EECU included in the second vehicle; and determining at least one action at the second vehicle based in part on the received first vehicle data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for maintaining a target gap between a plurality of vehicles, the system comprising:
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a first vehicle configured to transmit data, wherein the data is at least in part provided by an engine electronic control unit (EECU) included in the first vehicle, a brake electronic control unit (BECU) included in the first vehicle, (3) a transmission electronic control unity (TECU) included in the first vehicle, and (4) a retarder electronic control unit (RECU) included in the first vehicle, and wherein the data is at least in part associated with an amount of torque; and a second vehicle configured to receive the data at a platooning electronic control unit (PECU) included in the second vehicle, wherein the PECU included in the second vehicle is remote from an EECU included in the second vehicle, and wherein the second vehicle performs an action based at least in part on the transmitted data and information associated with a target gap. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification