SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN VEHICLES

• US 20200135032A1
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Switkes, Joshua P, Erlien, Stephen, Twitty, Colleen, Nakano, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 10,762,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/69 Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/693 for avoiding collisions between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/695 for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.

Claims

1. A method for managing platoonable vehicles comprising:

establishing a wireless link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;

attempting to start a draw-in portion of a platooning engagement between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

in response to receiving at least a threshold amount of packets per a period of time over the wireless link;

(1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;

or

(2) continuing a steady state portion of the platooning engagement; and

in response to receiving less than the threshold amount of packets per a period of time over the wireless link;

(1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;

or

(2) starting the dissolve portion of the platooning engagement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of packets is based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount of packets includes a threshold amount of non-corrupt packets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the packets are safety critical.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless link is one of a plurality of wireless links between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

6. A method for managing communications between a plurality of vehicles comprising:

determining an attribute associated with a communication link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of;

latency, a number of packets, a rate of packets, signal strength, speed, quality of packets, an amount of data, and timing of data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the attribute associated with the communication link at least partially causes one or more of:

an activation of an automated vehicle function;

a deactivation of an automated vehicle function;

or

an adjustment of an automated vehicle function.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the activation of the automated vehicle function, the deactivation of the automated vehicle function, or the adjustment of the automated vehicle function is based on one or more of:

a measurement and/oran estimation of one or more of;

a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, a lateral positioning of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, a relative speed of the first vehicle and the second vehicle, a braking capability of the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle, information sensed by the first vehicle or the second vehicle, obstacles sensed by the first vehicle or the second vehicle, or hazards sensed by the first vehicle or the second vehicle.

9. A method for managing platoonable vehicles comprising:

transmitting data packets over a wireless link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle; and

performing an action in response to receiving;

(1) less than a threshold amount of data packets per an amount of time over the wireless link;

(2) data packets at rate below a threshold rate over the wireless link;

or (3) data packets with a latency below a threshold latency over the wireless link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the action performed includes one or more of:

(1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start a draw-in portion of a platooning engagement;

or

(2) starting a dissolve portion of the platooning engagement.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold amount of data packets per an amount of time is based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold rate is based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold latency is based at least in part on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

14. A method for managing platoonable vehicles comprising:

establishing a wireless link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;

attempting to start a draw-in portion of a platooning engagement between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

in response to receiving a first amount of packets per an amount of time over the wireless link at a first location, causing a first action to occur including;

(1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;

(2) continuing a steady state portion of the platooning engagement;

(3) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;

or

(4) starting a dissolve portion of the platooning engagement; and

in response to receiving a second amount of packets per an amount of time over the wireless link at a second location, causing a second action to occur including;

(1) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to start the draw-in portion of the platooning engagement;

(2) continuing a steady state portion of the platooning engagement;

(3) causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to not start the draw-in period of the platooning engagement;

or

(4) starting the dissolve portion of the platooning engagement.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first amount of packets and the second amount of packets are the same amount of packets.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first location is at a first chip, and wherein the second location is at a second chip.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first location is at a first ECU, and wherein the second location is at a second ECU.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the second amount of packets is greater than the first amount of packets.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second location is configured to unpack packets that are safety critical.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first location is configured to unpack packets that are not safety critical.