"V" SHAPED AND WIDE PLATOON FORMATIONS
First Claim
1. A system operable in associated platooning vehicles comprising an associated leading vehicle and a plurality of associated following vehicles cooperatively travelling seriatim as a linear column platoon in an associated geographical area on an associated roadway in a first direction along a forward path for controlling reorganization of the platooning vehicles from the linear column platoon to a non-linear platoon, the system comprising:
- a platoon control unit configured to be disposed in the associated leading vehicle, the platoon control unit comprising;
a processor;
a non-transient memory device operatively coupled with the processor; and
logic stored in the non-transient memory and executable by the processor to selectively reorganize the platooning vehicles;
a communication receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the communication receiver being operable to;
receive performance capability signals from one or more of the plurality of associated following vehicles, the performance capability signals comprising performance data representative of one or more performance characteristics of the one or more of the plurality of associated following vehicles;
a global position sensor (GPS) receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the GPS receiver being operable to;
receive a global position signal from an associated source of global position information, the global position signal comprising global position data representative of a position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area; and
a communication transmitter operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the transmitter comprising;
a first communication interface, the first communication interface being responsive to a reorganization initiate signal to selectively transmit, to a first set of first and second following vehicles of the plurality of following vehicles;
a first lateral offset distance signal comprising first lateral offset distance data representative of first lateral offset distances in a direction perpendicular to the forward path and offset from the forward path to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the forward path; and
a first longitudinal gap distance signal comprising first longitudinal gap distance data representative of first longitudinal gap distances in a direction along the first direction to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by the each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the leader vehicle;
wherein the logic of the platoon control unit is executable by the processor to generate the first lateral offset distance data and the first longitudinal gap distance data in accordance with a predetermined combination of the global position data representative of the position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area, the performance data representative of the one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of associated following vehicles, and the reorganization initiate signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Platoon management control systems and methods rearrange three of more vehicles cooperatively travelling seriatim as a platoon along an associated roadway into a platoon arrangement other than the linear or single file formation. Multi roadway lane platoon management control systems and methods control the three or more vehicles cooperatively travelling as a multi-lane platoon along an associated multi-lane roadway into a platoon arrangement other than the linear or single file formation. Larger platoon sizes are provided thereby enabling more vehicles to participate in the larger multi-lane platoon. A platoon management control uses a combination of the GPS position of the lead vehicle representative of the position of the vehicle relative to the associated geographical area, and braking performance data representative of the braking capabilities of following vehicles to rearrange the vehicles into the non-columnar formation.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system operable in associated platooning vehicles comprising an associated leading vehicle and a plurality of associated following vehicles cooperatively travelling seriatim as a linear column platoon in an associated geographical area on an associated roadway in a first direction along a forward path for controlling reorganization of the platooning vehicles from the linear column platoon to a non-linear platoon, the system comprising:
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a platoon control unit configured to be disposed in the associated leading vehicle, the platoon control unit comprising; a processor; a non-transient memory device operatively coupled with the processor; and logic stored in the non-transient memory and executable by the processor to selectively reorganize the platooning vehicles; a communication receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the communication receiver being operable to; receive performance capability signals from one or more of the plurality of associated following vehicles, the performance capability signals comprising performance data representative of one or more performance characteristics of the one or more of the plurality of associated following vehicles; a global position sensor (GPS) receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the GPS receiver being operable to; receive a global position signal from an associated source of global position information, the global position signal comprising global position data representative of a position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area; and a communication transmitter operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, the transmitter comprising; a first communication interface, the first communication interface being responsive to a reorganization initiate signal to selectively transmit, to a first set of first and second following vehicles of the plurality of following vehicles; a first lateral offset distance signal comprising first lateral offset distance data representative of first lateral offset distances in a direction perpendicular to the forward path and offset from the forward path to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the forward path; and a first longitudinal gap distance signal comprising first longitudinal gap distance data representative of first longitudinal gap distances in a direction along the first direction to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by the each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the leader vehicle; wherein the logic of the platoon control unit is executable by the processor to generate the first lateral offset distance data and the first longitudinal gap distance data in accordance with a predetermined combination of the global position data representative of the position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area, the performance data representative of the one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of associated following vehicles, and the reorganization initiate signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling reorganization of associated platooning vehicles comprising an associated leading vehicle and a plurality of associated following vehicles cooperatively travelling seriatim as a linear column platoon in an associated geographical area on an associated roadway in a first direction along a forward path from the linear column platoon to a non-linear platoon, the method comprising:
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providing a platoon control unit in the associated leading vehicle, the platoon control unit comprising a processor, a non-transient memory device operatively coupled with the processor, and logic stored in the non-transient memory and executable by the processor to selectively reorganize the platooning vehicles; receiving, by a communication receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, performance capability signals from the plurality of associated following vehicles, the performance capability signals comprising performance data representative of one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of associated following vehicles; receiving, by a global position sensor receiver operatively coupled with the platoon control unit, a global position signal from an associated source of global position information, the global position signal comprising global position data representative of a position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area; and responsive to a reorganization initiate signal, selectively transmitting to a first set of first and second following vehicles of the plurality of following vehicles, by a first communication interface of a communication transmitter operatively coupled with the platoon control unit; a first lateral offset distance signal comprising first lateral offset distance data representative of first lateral offset distances in a direction perpendicular to the forward path and offset from the forward path to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the forward path; and a first longitudinal gap distance signal comprising first longitudinal gap distance data representative of first longitudinal gap distances in a direction along the first direction to be maintained in the non-linear platoon by the each of the first and second vehicles of the first set relative to the leader vehicle; and executing the logic of the platoon control unit the processor to generate the first lateral offset distance data and the first longitudinal gap distance data in accordance with a predetermined combination of the global position data representative of the position of the associated leading vehicle relative to the associated geographical area, and the performance data representative of the one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of associated following vehicles, and the reorganization initiate signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification