System and method for adjusting vehicle platoon distances based on predicted external perturbations

• US 9,632,507 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WABCO USA LLC (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Korn, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/010,512
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 23- 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• 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: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• 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: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A control system is provided for platooning a plurality of vehicles, each of which equipped with vehicle braking control systems and V2V communication system components. The system determines nominal following distances for each of said following vehicles relative to an immediately preceding vehicle, based in part on brake performance capabilities. Vehicle sensors throughout the platoon are implemented to monitor target vehicles positioned relative to the platoon, and some or all of the nominal following distances are dynamically adjusted to account for braking event risks associated with the target vehicles. Adjustment to following distances for trailing vehicles may be proactively applied even before braking reaction is determined or applied for a lead vehicle, and control signals are simultaneously generated implementing vehicle movement adjustments based on the following distance adjustments. Adjustments may be based on threshold violations associated with target vehicles in front, laterally merging into, or tailgating behind the platoon.

Claims

1. A control system for a platoon orientation comprising a lead vehicle and one or more following vehicles,

each of the vehicles in said platoon orientation respectively equipped with one or more vehicle braking control systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communication system components,

wherein the control system comprises a processor configured to execute a computer program product and thereby direct the performance of operations comprising:

determining a nominal following distance for each of said following vehicles with respect to an immediately preceding vehicle in the platoon, using at least data corresponding to brake performance capabilities for each of said vehicles;

continuously monitoring, via sensors associated with at least the lead vehicle, parameters associated with one or more target vehicles positioned relative to the platoon;

dynamically adjusting one or more of said determined nominal following distances based on a threshold violation with respect to the monitored parameters; and

simultaneously generating control signals implementing vehicle movement adjustments based on the following distance adjustments.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the continuously monitored parameters comprise relative distance, velocity and acceleration/deceleration for each of one or more target vehicles positioned directly in front of the lead vehicle.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the continuously monitored parameters further comprise relative distance, velocity and acceleration/deceleration of one or more target vehicles potentially merging into the lane of the lead vehicle and directly in front of the lead vehicle.

4. The control system of claim 3, further comprising continuously monitoring, via sensors associated with each of the following vehicles, parameters associated with one or more target vehicles positioned relative to the platoon.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the continuously monitored parameters comprise relative distance, velocity and acceleration/deceleration for each of one or more target vehicles positioned directly behind a trailing vehicle in the platoon or potentially merging into the lane of the platoon and in between a respective pair of vehicles in the platoon.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the continuously monitored parameters further comprise potential non-vehicular obstructions or disturbances relative to the lead vehicle.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control signals are generated prior to an actual reaction by the lead vehicle based on the predicted external disturbance.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein a degree of adjustment to the one or more of said determined nominal following distances is inversely correlated with respect to a relative proximity of a respective following vehicle to a predicted external disturbance.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein each of the vehicles are equipped with one or more sensors collectively configured to monitor at least

a following distance between said vehicle and the other one or more vehicles,

a relative deceleration value for said vehicle, and

a pressure value with respect to a braking actuator for said vehicle,

further wherein the nominal following distance is determined based at least in part on a respective expected deceleration value per unit pressure applied to the braking actuator for each vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the nominal following distance for each of said following vehicles with respect to an immediately preceding vehicle in the platoon is determined based on vehicle speed, load, road conditions and ambient conditions.

11. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an actual following distance between respective vehicles in the platoon orientation, and

directing an adjustment of the actual following distance between any respective vehicles in the platoon orientation upon the actual following distance violating a threshold range determined in accordance with the nominal following distance.

12. A control system for a platoon orientation comprising a lead vehicle and one or more following vehicles,

each of the vehicles in said platoon orientation respectively equipped with one or more vehicle braking control systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communication system components,

wherein the control system comprises a processor configured to execute a computer program product and thereby direct the performance of operations comprising:

determining a nominal following distance for each of said following vehicles with respect to an immediately preceding vehicle in the platoon;

determining a braking event risk for each of said following vehicles based on sensed activity of one or more target vehicles relative to the platoon, and independently of a braking event risk for said lead vehicle;

dynamically adjusting one or more of said determined nominal following distances based on the braking event risk for respective following vehicles; and

simultaneously generating control signals implementing vehicle movement adjustments based on the following distance adjustments.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to direct the performance of obtaining and processing data corresponding to relative braking performance capabilities for each of said vehicles.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the operation of determining a braking event risk for each of said following vehicles comprises

continuously monitoring, via sensors associated with each of the vehicles in the platoon, activity with respect to one or more target vehicles positioned relative to the platoon.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the continuously monitored activity comprises one or more of relative velocity, lateral movement, braking activity and deceleration for each of one or more target vehicles positioned directly in front of the lead vehicle, directly behind a trailing vehicle, or potentially merging in between a respective pair of vehicles in the platoon.

16. The control system of claim 12, wherein said control signals are generated independently of any detected reaction by the lead vehicle.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein a degree of adjustment to the one or more of said determined nominal following distances is inversely correlated with respect to a relative proximity of a respective following vehicle to a determined source of braking event risk.

18. The control system of claim 12, wherein each of the vehicles are equipped with one or more sensors collectively configured to monitor at least

a following distance between said vehicle and the other one or more vehicles,

a relative deceleration value for said vehicle, and

a pressure value with respect to a braking actuator for said vehicle,

further wherein respective braking performance capabilities for each vehicle are determined in part based on an expected deceleration value per unit pressure applied to the braking actuator.

19. The control system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to direct the performance of:

monitoring an actual following distance between respective vehicles in the platoon orientation, and

directing an adjustment of the actual following distance between any respective vehicles in the platoon orientation upon the actual following distance violating a threshold range determined in accordance with the nominal following distance.

20. A control system for a platoon orientation comprising at least a lead vehicle and a rear vehicle,

each of the vehicles in said platoon orientation respectively equipped with one or more vehicle braking control systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communication system components,

wherein the control system comprises a processor configured to execute a computer program product and thereby direct the performance of operations comprising:

determining a nominal traveling velocity for each vehicle, and a nominal following distance for each vehicle with respect to an immediately preceding vehicle in the platoon, using at least data corresponding to brake performance capabilities for each of said vehicles;

continuously monitoring, via sensors associated with at least the rear vehicle, parameters associated with one or more target vehicles positioned relative to the platoon;

dynamically adjusting a nominal traveling velocity for one or more of the vehicles in the platoon based on the determined nominal following distances and on a threshold violation with respect to the monitored parameters; and

simultaneously generating control signals implementing vehicle movement adjustments based on the corresponding traveling velocity adjustments.