Coordinated testing in vehicle platoons

• US 9,823,166 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M., Makki, Imad Hassan, Tseng, Fling
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERRIGAN, MICHAEL V
• Application Number:
  US14/932,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20170122841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A vehicle computer is communicatively coupled to a portable computing device and is programmed to determine, in a lead vehicle, that one or more conditions for a diagnostic test, such as an onboard diagnostic (OBD) test, are met and to send a vehicle-to-vehicle message to one or more following vehicles at a specified time. The sent message provides data to indicate to each following vehicle to perform the test at a specified time. The vehicle computer is further programmed to perform the test in the lead vehicle at the specified time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, in a lead vehicle, that one or more conditions for initiating a diagnostic test are met;

sending a vehicle-to-vehicle message to one or more following vehicles, the message providing data to indicate to each following vehicle to perform the test at a specified time determined by the lead vehicle; and

performing the test in the lead vehicle at the specified time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, from the lead vehicle, operating instructions to the one or more following vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include an instruction to perform the test at the specified time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include an instruction to indicate to at least one of the following vehicles to modify the operations of the at least one of the following vehicles and an instruction to the at least one of the following vehicles to modify a testing protocol of the diagnostic test.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include information about a roadway ahead of the lead vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include a lead vehicle sensor measurement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data include a lead vehicle sensor measurement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions include at least one of an ambient temperature, a fuel volume, a vehicle speed, and a vehicle acceleration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a second vehicle-to-vehicle message to the one or more following vehicles from the lead vehicle instructing the one or more following vehicles to suspend the test.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test is an onboard diagnostic (OBD) test.

11. A system, comprising:

a vehicle computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

determine, in a lead vehicle, that one or more conditions for initiating a diagnostic test are met;

send a vehicle-to-vehicle message to a plurality of following vehicles, the message providing data to indicate to each following vehicle to perform the test at a specified time determined by the lead vehicle; and

perform the test in the lead vehicle at said time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is further programmed to provide, from the lead vehicle, operating instructions to the plurality.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the data includes an instruction to perform the test at said time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data includes an instruction to at least one of the plurality to modify the operations of the at least one of the plurality and an instruction to the at least one of the plurality to modify a testing protocol of the diagnostic test.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the data include information about a roadway ahead of the lead vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is further programmed to receive test results from the plurality.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the data include a lead vehicle sensor measurement.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the conditions include at least one of an ambient temperature, a fuel volume, a vehicle speed, and a vehicle acceleration.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is further programmed to send a second vehicle-to-vehicle message to the plurality instructing the plurality to suspend the test.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic test is an onboard diagnostic (OBD) test.