Automatic sequencing based on wireless connectivity

• US 8,081,573 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shackleton, John J., Yi, Yunjung
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US12/944,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/238
• 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 method of determining the sequence of traversing nodes in a communication network is provided. The method comprises with each node, determining other nodes in the network it can reach in a single hop. Creating a local sequence connection order based on the determined other nodes the node can reach in a single communication hop. Storing historical data of local sequence connection order information and determining a new local sequence connection order based in part on the historical data and communication information.

Claims

1. A method of determining order of neighbor vehicles for each vehicle in a vehicle convoy communication network, the method comprising:

forming a vehicle convoy communication network including a lead vehicle, a rear vehicle, and one or more intermediate vehicles, wherein the lead vehicle, the rear vehicle, and the one or more intermediate vehicles are configured to intercommunicate, wherein connections between vehicles and neighboring vehicles are defined as link connections wherein the maximum number of link connections are as follows;

one for the lead vehicle, one for the rear vehicle, and two for each of the intermediate vehicles;

for each vehicle in the convoy, determining a local sequence of neighbor vehicles in the vehicle convoy communication network based on order in past history of the vehicles in the convoy communication network; and

upon receipt of a message from any vehicle in the vehicle convoy, modifying the local sequence to reflect the revised order of the communicatively linked neighbor vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the past history based on a change in local sequence.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a local sequence further comprises:

determining other vehicles that can be communicated with in a single hop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the local sequence further comprises:

using probabilities on historical data and on a change in received messages to determine a change in the local sequence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the local sequence is further based at least in part on one of receiving messages from vehicles that are not established as nodes within the current convoy, on not receiving messages from vehicles in the current convoy, and on a time period since a message was last received from a vehicle in the convoy.

6. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium which stores processor executable instructions to perform the following:

forming a vehicle convoy communication network including a lead vehicle, a rear vehicle, and one or more intermediate vehicles, wherein the lead vehicle, the rear vehicle, and the one or more intermediate vehicles are configured to intercommunicate, wherein connections between vehicles and neighboring vehicles are defined as link connections wherein the maximum number of link connections are as follows;

one for the lead vehicle, one for the rear vehicle, and two for each of the intermediate vehicles;

for each vehicle in the convoy, determining a local sequence of neighbor vehicles in the vehicle convoy communication network based on order in past history of the vehicles in the convoy communication network; and

upon receipt of a message from any vehicle in the vehicle convoy, modifying the local sequence to reflect the revised order of the communicatively linked neighbor vehicles.

7. A method of determining order of neighbor vehicles for each vehicle in a vehicle convoy communication network, the method comprising:

forming a vehicle convoy communication network;

for each vehicle in the convoy, determining a local sequence of neighbor vehicles in the vehicle convoy communication network based on order in past history of the vehicles in the convoy communication network;

upon receipt of a message from any vehicle in the vehicle convoy, modifying the local sequence to reflect the revised order of the communicatively linked neighbor vehicles into a best order, wherein the best order is determined based upon assignment of a fitness value based upon at least one of the following criteria;

number of refused messages, history of radio strength, history of established connections, number of connection requests, or number of must connect requests; and

revising the local sequence so that the neighboring vehicles are in order of greatest fitness value to least fitness value.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

updating the past history based on a change in local sequence.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining a local sequence further comprises:

determining other vehicles that can be communicated with in a single hop.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein modifying the local sequence further comprises:

using probabilities on historical data and on a change in received messages to determine a change in the local sequence.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein modifying the local sequence is further based at least in part on one of receiving messages from vehicles that are not established as nodes within the current convoy, on not receiving messages from vehicles in the current convoy, and on a time period since a message was last received from a vehicle in the convoy.

12. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium which stores processor executable instructions to perform the following:

forming a vehicle convoy communication network;

for each vehicle in the convoy, determining a local sequence of neighbor vehicles in the vehicle convoy communication network based on order in past history of the vehicles in the convoy communication network;

upon receipt of a message from any vehicle in the vehicle convoy, modifying the local sequence to reflect the revised order of the communicatively linked neighbor vehicles into a best order, wherein the best order is determined based upon assignment of a fitness value based upon at least one of the following criteria;

number of refused messages, history of radio strength, history of established connections, number of connection requests, or number of must connect requests; and

revising the local sequence so that the neighboring vehicles are in order of greatest fitness value to least fitness value.

13. A system for determining order of neighbor vehicles for each vehicle in a vehicle convoy communication network, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory processor readable storage medium containing instructions which are executable by the processor and perform the following;

forming a vehicle convoy communication network including a lead vehicle, a rear vehicle, and one or more intermediate vehicles, wherein the lead vehicle, the rear vehicle, and the one or more intermediate vehicles are configured to intercommunicate, wherein connections between vehicles and neighboring vehicles are defined as link connections, wherein the maximum number of link connections are as follows;

one for the lead vehicle, one for the rear vehicle, and two for each of the intermediate vehicles;

for each vehicle in the convoy, determining a local sequence of neighbor vehicles in the vehicle convoy communication network based on order in past history of the vehicles in the convoy communication network; and

upon receipt of a message from any vehicle in the vehicle convoy, modifying the local sequence to reflect the revised order of the communicatively linked neighbor vehicles.