APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VEHICLES IN A PLATOON

• US 20180210461A1
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Cremona, Michael D., Carbaugh, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,281,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/32 Vehicle surroundings
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17 Using electrical or electronic regulation means to control braking detecting or indicating faulty operation B60T8/885
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A system for controlling vehicles in a platoon includes a lead vehicle controller on a lead vehicle in the platoon and a following vehicle controller on a following vehicle in the platoon. The lead vehicle controller is adapted to determine a braking distance, based on an initial speed of the lead vehicle and a percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle, and transmit a braking distance signal indicating the braking distance. The following vehicle controller is adapted to identify the braking distance upon receiving the braking distance signal, determine a percent of full service brake application of the following vehicle based on an initial speed of the following vehicle and the braking distance, and transmit a signal to a following vehicle service brake to apply the following vehicle service brake at the determined percent of full service brake application.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon, the controller adapted to:

receive a signal from another vehicle in the platoon, the other vehicle being positioned in front of the following vehicle;

identify a stopping distance of the other vehicle based on the signal;

determine a percentage of full service brake application of the following vehicle based on an initial speed of the following vehicle and the identified stopping distance; and

transmit a signal for applying a service brake of the following vehicle to achieve the percentage of full service brake application.

2. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

transmit a first lookup signal to a lookup table on the following vehicle, the first lookup signal indicating the initial speed of the following vehicle and the identified stopping distance; and

receive a second lookup signal from the lookup table indicating the percentage of full service brake application.

3. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

transmit a lookup signal to update the lookup table based on an actual stopping distance, the initial speed and percentage of full brake application of the following vehicle.

4. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

wirelessly receive the signal form the other vehicle.

5. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

determine an actual stopping distance of the following vehicle based on the initial speed and percentage of full service brake application; and

transmit an update lookup signal to a lookup table on the following vehicle, the update lookup signal indicating the initial speed of the following vehicle, the actual stopping distance and the percentage of full service brake application.

6. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

receive the signal from a lead vehicle of the platoon.

7. The controller for controlling a following vehicle in a platoon as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

transmit a second signal, identifying the stopping distance, from the following vehicle to a second following vehicle.

8. A system for controlling vehicles in a platoon, the system including:

a lead vehicle controller on a lead vehicle in the platoon, the lead vehicle controller adapted to;

determine a braking distance based on an initial speed of the lead vehicle and a percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle; and

transmit a braking distance signal indicating the braking distance; and

a following vehicle controller on a following vehicle in the platoon, the following vehicle controller adapted to;

identify the braking distance upon receiving the braking distance signal;

determine a percent of full service brake application of the following vehicle based on an initial speed of the following vehicle and the braking distance; and

transmit a signal to a following vehicle service brake to apply the following vehicle service brake at the determined percent of full service brake application.

9. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 8, further including:

a lead vehicle speed sensor electrically communicating with the lead vehicle controller, the lead vehicle controller determining the lead vehicle speed based on a signal received from the lead vehicle speed sensor; and

a following vehicle speed sensor electrically communicating with the following vehicle controller, the following vehicle controller determining the following vehicle speed based on a signal received from the following vehicle speed sensor.

10. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 8, further including:

a lead vehicle service brake sensor electrically communicating with the lead vehicle controller, the lead vehicle controller identifying a start of a braking event upon receiving an electronic signal from the lead vehicle service brake sensor;

wherein the lead vehicle controller determines the initial speed of the lead vehicle at the start of the braking event and transmits the braking distance signal based on the initial speed at the start of the braking event.

11. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 8, the lead vehicle controller further adapted to:

a lead vehicle lookup table electrically communicating with the lead vehicle controller, the lead vehicle controller transmitting a signal to the lookup table, indicating the initial speed of the lead vehicle and the percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle, receiving signal from the lookup table indicating the braking distance.

12. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 11, the lead vehicle controller further adapted to:

update the lookup table.

13. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 12, further including:

a lead vehicle distance measuring device;

a lead vehicle service brake sensor; and

a lead vehicle speed sensor;

the lead vehicle controller further adapted to;

receive a signal from the lead vehicle service brake sensor upon activation of the service brake of the lead vehicle;

receive a signal from the distance measuring device indicating the actual braking distance; and

transmit a signal to the lookup table to update the lookup table with the actual braking distance based on the initial speed and percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle.

14. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 13, further including:

a following vehicle lookup table;

a following vehicle distance measuring device;

a following vehicle service brake sensor; and

a following vehicle speed sensor;

the following vehicle controller further adapted to;

receive a signal from the following vehicle service brake sensor upon activation of the service brake of the following vehicle;

receive a signal from the distance measuring device indicating the actual braking distance; and

transmit a signal to the lookup table to update the lookup table with the actual braking distance based on the initial speed and percent of full service brake application of the following vehicle.

15. The system for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 13, the lead vehicle controller further adapted to:

upon receiving the signal indicating activation of the service brake of the lead vehicle, transmit a signal to the lead vehicle distance measuring device to begin measuring an actual braking distance; and

upon receiving a signal from the lead vehicle speed sensor indicating an end of the braking event, transmit a signal to the lead vehicle distance measuring device to stop measuring the actual braking distance, determine the actual braking distance and transmit a signal to the lead vehicle controller indicating the actual braking distance.

16. A method for controlling vehicles in a platoon, the system including:

determining a braking distance of a lead vehicle based on an initial speed of the lead vehicle and a percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle; and

transmitting a braking distance signal, indicating the braking distance, from the lead vehicle;

receiving the braking distance signal at a following vehicle;

determining a percent of full service brake application of the following vehicle based on an initial speed of the following vehicle and the braking distance; and

transmitting a signal to a following vehicle to apply the following vehicle service brake at the determined percent of full service brake application.

17. The method for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 16, further including:

determining the initial speed of the lead vehicle.

18. The method for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step of determining the braking distance includes:

transmitting a signal to a lead vehicle lookup table indicating the initial speed of the lead vehicle and the percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle;

identifying the braking distance, based on the initial speed of the lead vehicle and the percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle, in the lookup table; and

transmitting the braking distance from the lookup table.

19. The method for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 18, further including:

determining an actual braking distance at the initial speed and the percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle;

updating the lookup table with the actual braking distance at the initial speed and the percent of full service brake application of the lead vehicle.

20. The method for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 16, further including:

transmitting the braking distance signal to a second following vehicle.

21. The method for controlling vehicles in a platoon as set forth in claim 20, further including:

determining a percent of full service brake application of the second following vehicle based on an initial speed of the second following vehicle and the braking distance.