METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLATOONING OF VEHICLES

• US 20180018605A1
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Light-Holets, Jennifer Kay, Kershner, Daniel E., Andreae, Morgan M., Matthews, Jeffrey A., Young, Kristopher Ray
• Granted Patent: US 11,107,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules

Abstract

Platooning vehicles can result in operational cost savings. Disclosed is a method of apportioning costs that are incurred/saved as a result of platooning vehicles, as well as assigning penalties for unfair platoon participation. For example, platooning history of a vehicle can be tracked, and if that vehicle acts too often as a trailing vehicle in a series of platoons then a penalty might be assigned to that vehicle. Also disclosed is a technique for operating a platoon in the presence of external factors such as municipal regulations, merging traffic, emergency vehicles, etc.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

recording platooning data of a vehicle that participates in a vehicle platoon;

evaluating a history of platooning data of the vehicle as a result of its participation in a plurality of vehicle platoons; and

determining an economic action to be assessed to the vehicle as a result of the history of platooning.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the evaluating includes evaluating the history of platooning against a predetermined criteria, and wherein the history of platooning data includes the placement of the vehicle in the plurality of vehicle platoons.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the economic actions include at least one of:

(1) payment for serving as a lead vehicle in a vehicle platoon;

(2) a monetary charge for participating in a trailing position in a vehicle platoon;

(3) re-ordering of vehicles in a current vehicle platoon; and

(4) prohibiting participation in a vehicle platoon.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a vehicle identifier associated with a vehicle fleet, wherein a plurality of vehicles participate according to the vehicle identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes sharing platooning data with other vehicles, and wherein the determining is based upon a shared group policy.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes sharing platooning data with a central clearinghouse used to monitor the history, and wherein the determining is on the basis of a predetermined group policy.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle controller used to participate in a vehicle platoon, the vehicle controller structured to;

regulate its position in a vehicle platoon;

receive an information signal indicating the need to provide spacing in the vehicle platoon; and

change a speed of the vehicle to increase distance between the vehicle and a neighboring vehicle to permit passage of a non-platooning vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information is one of:

an upcoming on ramp or off ramp;

a municipality having regulation of vehicle platoons;

emergency vehicles which need to cut in and/or through the vehicle platoon;

detection of a drifting non-platoon vehicle;

a turn signal of a non-platooning vehicle;

detection of traffic density.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller is further structured to formulate an information signal for broadcast to other vehicles in the vehicle platoon.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller formulates signals for regulation of vehicle indicia to indicate participation in a vehicle platoon.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller is hosted in a vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle controller is further structured to inhibit participation in an existing vehicle platoon if such participation is not permitted according to a legal requirement.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information signal is calibratable based upon at least one of vehicle speed, road condition, and traffic density.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle controller used to participate in a vehicle platoon, the vehicle controller structured to;

regulate its position in a vehicle platoon in a first mode of operation;

evaluate an information signal indicating the need to de-platoon a vehicle platoon; and

de-activate the first mode of operation based upon the information signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information signal is at least one of:

a municipality that regulates vehicle platoons;

a vehicle indicates it cannot maintain its position in the vehicle platoon;

a vehicle in the platoon must be re-routed in light of a road condition.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the road condition is at least one of a bridge height, bridge or road load restriction, width restrictions and cargo type.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the vehicle controller is further structured to re-activate the first mode when the information signal is no longer valid.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information signal is received from a broadcast.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the vehicle controller is further structured to formulate an information signal for broadcast to other vehicles in the vehicle platoon.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the vehicle controller is further structured to broadcast a request to join an existing vehicle platoon.