Method for controlling the driving of a big rig and drive control system

• US 9,274,522 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Greul, Roland, Gaedke, Alexander, Boos, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/288,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20150198949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/36, 701/41, 701/49, 701/50, 340/995.28, 359/843, 172/4.5, 172/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling a big rig comprises a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train which can be electronically actuated by the control of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit can be driven automatically. The control of the tractor unit have a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig can be remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control means of the tractor unit transmit at least one activation status to the touchscreen device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one articulation angle is limited while the big rig is being driven.

4. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and

wherein the big rig is graphically represented on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, in particular in a top view from above.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the graphical representation of the big rig on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device comprises at least one active part and at least one passive part.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the big rig is being backed up, the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device is a trailer, and the at least one passive part is the tractor unit, or a further trailer if multiple trailers are present.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the big rig is being driven forward, the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device is the tractor unit, and the at least one passive part is at least one trailer.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when a user touches the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, the touchscreen device remotely controls the control means of the tractor unit so that the big rig is set in motion in a predefined driving direction, in particular at a predefined driving speed (v1 to v4).

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein a user predefines a lateral movement direction of the big rig, in particular in the form of a target articulation angle Φ

_TARGET between the active part and the passive part, by laterally displacing the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein a target articulation angle Φ

_TARGET between the active part and the passive part is calculated from a lateral position of the displaced active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, and the following applies;

lateral position (y) of the displaced active part/maximal lateral position y_max of the displaced active part=target articulation angle φ

_TARGET/maximal articulation angle.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein, during driving, a user sets a driving speed (v1 to v4) by longitudinally displacing the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the user no longer touches the at least one active part, the control means of the tractor unit are actuated by the touchscreen device so that the tractor unit is immediately stopped.

13. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein a driving direction and/or a driving speed (v1 to v4) of the big rig are predefined on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device prior to starting to drive.

14. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein the tractor unit comprises at least one transceiver system, which is electrically connected to the control means of the tractor unit and which is suitable for communicating with a transceiver system of the touchscreen device.

15. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein at least one predefined driving direction, a predefined driving speed (v1 to v4), a target articulation angle φ

_TARGET and an activation status are transmitted from the touchscreen device to the control means of the tractor unit.

16. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein the big rig comprises multiple trailers, and wherein additionally at least one articulation angle between the longitudinal axes of the respective trailers that are coupled to each other are continuously regulated when the big rig is being driven automatically.

17. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein the at least one articulation angle is automatically regulated during driving by way of a steering system of the electronically actuatable drive train of the tractor unit.

18. A touchscreen device which for use in controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link,

wherein the touchscreen device is configured to link to the control means by said wireless communication link;

and

wherein the touchscreen device is configured to provide remote control for automatic driving of the big rig, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated.

19. A drive control system for a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, in conjunction with a touchscreen device, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to the touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the at least one trailer is continuously regulated.

20. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit have a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, the method comprising:

displaying on a touchscreen of the touchscreen device a graphical representation of the big rig so as to display at least one active part and at least one passive part of the big rig;

receiving an input at the touchscreen that changes a lateral displacement of said at least one active part;

wirelessly communicating the input from the touchscreen device to the control means;

detecting lateral displacement of said at least one active part on the touchscreen to control a lateral movement direction of the big rig; and

electronically actuating the drive train based on said detected lateral displacement to provide said automatic driving of the tractor unit.