LANE CHANGE SYSTEM FOR PLATOON OF VEHICLES

• US 20170011633A1
• Filed: 07/07/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boegel, Ruediger K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,115,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A platoon control system includes a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls associated with respective platoon vehicles of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane. The platoon control determines if there is sufficient clearance in another lane for the platoon of vehicles. Responsive to the platoon control, the individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane to the other lane in a manner that limits or substantially precludes other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles. Responsive to the platoon control, the individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles enters the other lane first and then the other platoon vehicles enter the other lane ahead of the last vehicle in a predetermined controlled manner.

Claims

1. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together, said platoon control system comprising:

a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls;

wherein each individual platoon vehicle control of said plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls is associated with a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane, and wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises a lead platoon vehicle, a last platoon vehicle and at least one middle platoon vehicle between the lead platoon vehicle and the last platoon vehicle;

wherein, responsive to at least one sensor disposed at each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control determines if there is sufficient clearance in another lane for the platoon of vehicles;

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon vehicles to another lane in a manner that limits or substantially precludes other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles; and

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles enters the other lane first and then the other platoon vehicles enter the other lane ahead of the last vehicle in a predetermined controlled manner.

2. The platoon control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in order from the last platoon vehicle to the lead platoon vehicle.

3. The platoon control system of claim 2, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles to decelerate together to allow traffic in the other lane that is ahead of the last platoon vehicle after the last platoon vehicle has changed lanes to pass the platoon vehicles.

4. The platoon control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in a different order than they were in the initial traffic lane.

5. The platoon control system of claim 4, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle and one or more of the at least one middle platoon vehicle immediately ahead of the last platoon vehicle enter the other lane, whereby the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles are controlled to generate gaps between the platoon vehicles in the other lane and to align the platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane with the gaps, and wherein, when the platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane are aligned with the gaps and the speeds of the platoon vehicles are substantially the same, said individual platoon vehicle controls of the respective platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane control those platoon vehicles to enter the other lane in the gaps.

6. The platoon control system of claim 5, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls adjust the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles to allow traffic in the other lane ahead of the last platoon vehicle after the last platoon vehicle has changed lanes to pass the platoon vehicles and to align the platoon vehicles remaining in the initial traffic lane with respective gaps between the platoon vehicles that have moved into the other lane.

7. The platoon control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles to the other lane responsive to a determination of clearance in the other lane as determined by a short range sensing system of the respective platoon vehicles.

8. The platoon control system of claim 1, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles to the other lane responsive to a determination of a vehicle or obstacle in a lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles.

9. The platoon control system of claim 8, wherein the determination of the vehicle or obstacle in the lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles is responsive to at least one of (i) a long range sensing system of the lead platoon vehicle and (ii) a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

10. The platoon control system of claim 8, wherein the determination of the vehicle or obstacle in the lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles is made by said platoon control.

11. The platoon control system of claim 1, wherein each of said individual platoon vehicle controls control (i) an accelerator of the respective platoon vehicle, (ii) steering of the respective platoon vehicle, (iii) a brake system of the respective platoon vehicle and (iv) a turn signal indicator of the respective platoon vehicle.

12. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together, said platoon control system comprising:

a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls;

wherein each individual platoon vehicle control of said plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls is associated with a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane, and wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises a lead platoon vehicle, a last platoon vehicle and at least one middle platoon vehicle between the lead platoon vehicle and the last platoon vehicle;

wherein said platoon control is disposed at one of the platoon vehicles of the platoon of vehicles;

wherein, responsive to at least one short range sensing system of each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control determines if there is sufficient clearance in another lane for the platoon of vehicles;

wherein, responsive to a determination by said platoon control that a vehicle or obstacle is in a lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon vehicles to another lane in a manner that limits or substantially precludes other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles; and

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles enters the other lane first and then the middle platoon vehicles and the lead platoon vehicle enter the other lane ahead of the last vehicle in a predetermined controlled manner.

13. The platoon control system of claim 12, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in order from the last platoon vehicle to the lead platoon vehicle.

14. The platoon control system of claim 13, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles to decelerate together to allow traffic in the other lane that is ahead of the last platoon vehicle after the last platoon vehicle has changed lanes to pass the platoon vehicles.

15. The platoon control system of claim 12, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in a different order than they were in the initial traffic lane.

16. The platoon control system of claim 15, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle and one or more of the middle platoon vehicles enter the other lane, whereby the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles are controlled to generate gaps between the platoon vehicles in the other lane and to align the platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane with the gaps, and wherein, when the platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane are aligned with the gaps and the speeds of the platoon vehicles are substantially the same, said individual platoon vehicle controls of the respective platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane control those platoon vehicles to enter the other lane in the gaps.

17. The platoon control system of claim 16, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls adjust the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles to allow traffic in the other lane ahead of the last platoon vehicle after the last platoon vehicle has maneuvered into the other lane to pass the platoon vehicles and to align the platoon vehicles remaining in the initial traffic lane with respective gaps between the platoon vehicles that have moved into the other lane.

18. The platoon control system of claim 12, wherein the determination of the vehicle or obstacle in the lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles is made by said platoon control responsive to at least one of (i) a long range sensing system of the lead platoon vehicle and (ii) a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

19. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together, said platoon control system comprising:

a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls;

wherein each individual platoon vehicle control of said plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls is associated with a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane, and wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises a lead platoon vehicle, a last platoon vehicle and at least one middle platoon vehicle between the lead platoon vehicle and the last platoon vehicle;

wherein, responsive to a short range sensing system of each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control determines if there is sufficient clearance in another lane for the platoon of vehicles;

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon vehicles to another lane in a manner that limits or substantially precludes other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles;

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that, responsive to a determination by said platoon control of clearance in the other lane, the last platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles enters the other lane first and then the middle platoon vehicles and the lead platoon vehicle enter the other lane ahead of the last vehicle in a predetermined controlled manner;

wherein the predetermined controlled manner comprises one of (i) maneuvering the platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in order from the last platoon vehicle to the lead platoon vehicle and (ii) maneuvering the platoon vehicles so that the platoon vehicles enter the other lane in a different order than they were in the initial traffic lane; and

wherein, responsive to said platoon control, each of said individual platoon vehicle controls control at least (i) an accelerator of the respective platoon vehicle, (ii) steering of the respective platoon vehicle, (iii) a brake system of the respective platoon vehicle and (iv) a turn signal indicator of the respective platoon vehicle.

20. The platoon control system of claim 19, wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane to the other lane responsive to a determination of a vehicle or obstacle in a lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles, and wherein the determination of the vehicle or obstacle in the lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles is made by said platoon control responsive to at least one of (i) a long range sensing system of the lead platoon vehicle and (ii) a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.