APPLICATIONS FOR USING MASS ESTIMATIONS FOR VEHICLES

• US 20180186381A1
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Application Number:
  US15/908,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20180186381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/12 Trucks; Load vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/145 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/203 Presence of trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 : Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 : Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 : Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 : Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/35 : Data fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 : Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0627 : Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0661 : Speed change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 : Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 : Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 : Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/50 : Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 : Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 : Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 : Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/022 : for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies in motion G01G19/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/086 : wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 : with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 : Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 : using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0285 : using signals transmitted via a public communication network, e.g. GSM network
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 : involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 : Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 : by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 : to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 : Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 : for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks

Abstract

Various applications for use of mass estimations of a vehicle, including to control operation of the vehicle, sharing the mass estimation with other vehicles and/or a Network Operations Center (NOC), organizing vehicles operating in a platoon and/or partially controlling the operation of one or more vehicles operating in a platoon based on the relative mass estimations between the platooning vehicles. When vehicles are operating in a platoon, the relative mass between a lead and a following vehicle may be used to scale torque and/or brake commands generated by the lead vehicle and sent to the following vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for performing a mass estimation calculation for a vehicle, comprising:

collecting sensor data indicative of one or more operational parameter(s) of the vehicle while operating;

generating a first mass estimation using a primary mass estimation algorithm over a long horizon period of time;

generating a second mass estimation using a secondary mass estimation algorithm over a short horizon period of time relative to the long horizon period of time;

comparing results of the first mass estimation and the second mass estimation; and

determining that the first mass estimation is valid based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first mass estimation is valid when the results of the comparison between the first mass estimation and the second mass estimation yields a difference that is less than a threshold amount.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising designating the first mass estimation as compromised when the results of the comparison yields a difference that is more than the threshold amount.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount is defined by a percentage difference between the first and second mass estimations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the percentage difference ranges from a ten percent (10%) to fifteen percent (15%).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first mass estimation using a primary mass estimation algorithm over the long horizon period of time further comprising continually generating first mass estimation samples using the primary mass estimation algorithm provided the vehicle has not stopped for more than a threshold period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold period of time is approximately 1 minute or more.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second mass estimation using the secondary mass estimation algorithm over the short horizon period further comprises:

(a) generating second mass estimation samples using the secondary mass estimation algorithm;

(b) determining when the short horizon period of time has expired; and

(c) resetting the secondary mass estimation algorithm; and

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) while the vehicle is operating.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the short horizon period of time ranges from 2 to 5 minutes.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the vehicle and a second vehicle in a platoon; and

dissolving the platoon when the results comparison indicates that the first mass estimation is not valid.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the vehicle and a second vehicle in a platoon; and

modifying a gap distance between the vehicle and the second vehicle when the results of the comparison indicate that the first mass estimation is not valid.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting the first mass estimation using the primary mass estimation algorithm to one of the following:

(a) a remote data processing center;

(b) a second vehicle;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

13. A method, comprising:

perform a mass estimation calculation for the vehicle while in operation;

stopping the calculation of the mass estimation when a reset event occurs; and

re-starting the mass calculation estimation after the reset event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reset event is an external trigger received from either another vehicle or from a Network Operations Center.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the reset event is the vehicle has come to a stop for more than a threshold period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the threshold period of time is approximately 1 minute.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the reset event is the vehicle is travelling below a threshold speed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the threshold speed is approximately 5 miles per hour or less.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the reset event is the vehicle is located at a designated location.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing the vehicle from operating in a platoon with a second vehicle during the reset event.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing the vehicle to operate in a platoon with a second vehicle after re-starting the mass calculation estimation.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein stopping the calculation and re-starting the calculation further comprises pausing the calculation and re-starting the calculation using at least some data collected prior to the stopping.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein stopping the calculation and re-starting the calculation further comprises resetting the calculation using only data collected after the stopping.

24. A method comprising:

operating a first vehicle as a lead vehicle and a second vehicle as a following vehicle in a platoon;

providing a first mass estimation of the first vehicle to the second vehicle;

scaling a command generated by the first vehicle and transmitted to the second vehicle, the command scaled based at least partially on the first mass estimation of the first vehicle relative to a second mass estimation of the second vehicle; and

implementing the scaled command at the second vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein scaling the command further comprises scaling the command using a scaling multiplier derived at least partially from a product of a magnitude of the command multiplied by a ratio defined by the second mass estimation divided by the mass estimation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the scaling multiplier further factors in one or more of the following:

number of trailer(s) being pulled by either the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle;

condition of the braking system of either the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle;

differences in engines between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

maintenance condition of either the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle;

tire pressure of either the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle;

tire condition of either the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle; and

/or

road and or driving conditions.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the command is either a braking command or a engine torque command.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising sharing the first mass estimation with the second vehicle and the second mass estimation with the first vehicle while the two vehicles are operating in or engaging the platoon.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

transmitting to a data processing center a first set of sensor data pertinent to the first vehicle;

transmitting to the data processing center a second set of sensor data pertinent to the second vehicle;

calculating the first mass estimation of the first vehicle and the second mass estimation of the second vehicle at the data processing center using the first and the second sets of sensor data respectively;

designating the first vehicle as the lead vehicle and the second vehicle as the following vehicle in a platoon based on a comparison between the first mass estimation and the second mass estimation; and

coordinating, from the data processing center, the first vehicle and the second vehicle to engage in the platoon such that the vehicles know their position at a point of contact.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the data processing center is a Network Operations Center.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising designating the first vehicle or the second vehicle having the larger mass estimation as the lead vehicle and the other vehicle as the following vehicle in the platoon.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

collecting sensor data from the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and

calculating the first mass estimation and the second mass estimation from the sensor data collected from the first vehicle and the second vehicle respectively.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor data, from the two vehicles, includes one or more of the following:

(a) engine torque;

(b) transmission gear ratios;

(c) GPS or positioning information; and

/or

(d) wheel speed;

(e) actual delivered engine torque;

(f) tire pressure;

(g) tire condition;

(h) presence or position of aerodynamic aids

(i) configuration of any trailers;

(j) a number of trailers; and

/or

(k) one or more trailer axles.