VEHICLE APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING PLATOON TRAVEL AND METHOD FOR SELECTING LEAD VEHICLE

• US 20140244144A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: You, Byung Yong
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle apparatus, a platoon travel control system and a method for selecting a lead vehicle using the vehicle apparatus and the platoon travel control system. Specifically, charges for platoon travel of surrounding vehicles is calculated based on input charge calculation conditions and the calculated charges are output by matching the conditions with images of surrounding vehicles. Additionally, a vehicle selected by the user is designated as a lead vehicle, thereby performing a platoon travel procedure.

Claims

1. A vehicle apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive images of surrounding vehicles and information on the surrounding vehicles transmitted from a platoon travel control system;

calculate charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles based on a charge calculation criteria input, or receive charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles transmitted from the platoon travel control system;

output the transmitted charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles by matching the charges with the images of the surrounding vehicles; and

execute a platoon travel procedure by designating a vehicle selected by the user from among the surrounding vehicles matched with the charges for platoon travel as a lead vehicle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle apparatus calculates the charges for platoon travel, the controller is further configured to:

receive and manage the charge calculation conditions input by a user; and

calculate the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicle using the information on the surrounding vehicle and the charge calculation conditions.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle apparatus receives the charges for platoon travel from the platoon travel control system, the controller is further configured to:

transmit charge calculation conditions input by the user to the platoon travel control system; and

receive the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicle transmitted from the platoon travel control system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charge calculation conditions include one or more items and weights selected from a group consisting of:

a departure point, a destination, a stopover point, a minimum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a maximum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a travel time, a driving experience, an accident rate, a driver'"'"'s age, driver'"'"'s gender, a vehicle model, an engine displacement, a model year, a charge designated by a lead vehicle, and recommendation points.

5. A platoon travel control system, comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive charge calculation conditions input by a user or transmitted from a vehicle apparatus to manage the conditions by matching with identification information of the vehicle apparatus;

receive information for calculating charges from a plurality of vehicle apparatuses;

receive an image of the vehicle matched with the identification of the vehicle apparatus from a plurality of imaging devices;

calculate charges for platoon travel for surrounding vehicles based on predetermined charge calculation conditions of a vehicle apparatus of which the charges for platoon travel have been requested; and

transmit the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles and the images of the surrounding vehicles with respect to the vehicle apparatus of which the charges for the platoon travel have been requested to the vehicle apparatus which has requested the charges for the platoon travel by matching the conditions with the identification information of the vehicle apparatus.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the charge calculation conditions include one or more items and weights selected from a group consisting of:

a departure point, a destination, a stopover point, a minimum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a maximum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a travel time, a driving experience, an accident rate, a driver'"'"'s age, driver'"'"'s gender, a vehicle model, an engine displacement, a model year, a charge designated by a lead vehicle, and recommendation points.

7. A method for selecting a lead vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a controller of a vehicle apparatus, charge calculation conditions via an input ;

receiving, by the controller, images of surrounding vehicles and information on the surrounding vehicles matched with identification information of the vehicle apparatus transmitted from a platoon travel control system;

calculating, by the controller, charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicle based on the charge calculation condition and the information on the surrounding vehicles;

outputting, by the controller, the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles via an output by matching the images of the surrounding vehicles with the conditions; and

designating, by the controller, a vehicle selected by a user from among the surrounding vehicles matched with the charges for platoon travel as a lead vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the charge calculation conditions include one or more items and weights selected from a group consisting of:

a departure point, a destination, a stopover point, a minimum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a maximum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a travel time, a driving experience, an accident rate, a driver'"'"'s age, driver'"'"'s gender, a vehicle model, an engine displacement, a model year, charge designated by a lead vehicle, and recommendation points.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the outputting of the charges includes:

outputting, by the controller, the images of the surrounding vehicles based on the identification information matched with the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles.

10. A method for selecting a lead vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a platoon travel control system, charge calculation conditions input by a user or transmitted from a vehicle apparatus;

storing, by the platoon travel control system, the charge calculation conditions by matching the conditions with identification information of the vehicle apparatus;

collecting, by the platoon travel control system, information for calculating charges transmitted from a plurality of vehicles and images of the vehicles matched with identification information of the vehicle transmitted from a plurality of imaging devices;

calculating, by the platoon travel control system, charges for platoon travel of surrounding vehicles based on predetermined charge calculation conditions of a vehicle apparatus of which charges for platoon travel has been requested; and

transmitting, by the platoon travel control system, charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles and images of the surrounding vehicles with respect to the vehicle apparatus of which charges for platoon travel has been requested by matching with identification information of the vehicle to a vehicle which has requested charges for platoon travel.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that receive charge calculation conditions via an input ;

program instructions that receive images of surrounding vehicles and information on the surrounding vehicles matched with identification information of the vehicle apparatus transmitted from a platoon travel control system;

program instructions that calculate charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicle based on the charge calculation condition and the information on the surrounding vehicles;

program instructions that output the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles via an output by matching the images of the surrounding vehicles with the conditions; and

program instructions that designate a vehicle selected by a user from among the surrounding vehicles matched with the charges for platoon travel as a lead vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the charge calculation conditions include one or more items and weights selected from a group consisting of:

a departure point, a destination, a stopover point, a minimum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a maximum number of vehicles in platoon travel, a travel time, a driving experience, an accident rate, a driver'"'"'s age, driver'"'"'s gender, a vehicle model, an engine displacement, a model year, charge designated by a lead vehicle, and recommendation points.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions that output the images of the surrounding vehicles based on the identification information matched with the charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that receive charge calculation conditions input by a user or transmitted from a vehicle apparatus;

program instructions that store the charge calculation conditions by matching the conditions with identification information of the vehicle apparatus;

program instructions that collect information for calculating charges transmitted from a plurality of vehicles and images of the vehicles matched with identification information of the vehicle transmitted from a plurality of imaging devices;

program instructions that calculate charges for platoon travel of surrounding vehicles based on predetermined charge calculation conditions of a vehicle apparatus of which charges for platoon travel has been requested; and

program instructions that transmit charges for platoon travel of the surrounding vehicles and images of the surrounding vehicles with respect to the vehicle apparatus of which charges for platoon travel has been requested by matching with identification information of the vehicle to a vehicle which has requested charges for platoon travel.