Lane change system for platoon of vehicles
First Claim
1. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together as a platoon of vehicles, said platoon control system comprising:
- a platoon control in wireless communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls;
a platoon vehicle control disposed at a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane;
wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises at least (i) a lead platoon vehicle, (ii) a middle platoon vehicle following the lead platoon vehicle and (iii) a last platoon vehicle following the middle platoon vehicle;
wherein at least one sensor is disposed at each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles for sensing a region of another traffic lane immediately adjacent to the initial traffic lane to determine if another vehicle is present in the other traffic lane at or near the respective platoon vehicle;
wherein, responsive to wireless communications from said individual platoon vehicle controls that are indicative of the at least one sensor disposed at the respective platoon vehicles sensing the region of the other traffic lane, said platoon control determines if the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane;
wherein, responsive to said platoon control determining that the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane, said platoon control communicates control signals to said individual platoon vehicle controls;
wherein, responsive to the control signals communicated by said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon of vehicles to the other traffic lane in a manner that limits other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles; and
wherein, responsive to wireless communication from the individual platoon vehicle control of the middle platoon vehicle that is indicative of the middle platoon vehicle departing from the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control communicates to the individual platoon vehicle controls of the remaining platoon vehicles and, responsive to that communication from said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle control of at least one of the remaining platoon vehicles controls the at least one respective platoon vehicle to regroup the platoon of vehicles and close a gap caused by the departure of the middle platoon vehicle.
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Abstract
A platoon control system includes a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls associated with respective platoon vehicles of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane. The platoon control determines if there is sufficient clearance in another lane for the platoon of vehicles. Responsive to the platoon control, the individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane to the other lane in a manner that limits or substantially precludes other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles. Responsive to the platoon control, the individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to allow a new platoon vehicle to enter the platoon of vehicles and/or to regroup following departure of a platoon vehicle from the platoon of vehicles.
18 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together as a platoon of vehicles, said platoon control system comprising:
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a platoon control in wireless communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls; a platoon vehicle control disposed at a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane; wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises at least (i) a lead platoon vehicle, (ii) a middle platoon vehicle following the lead platoon vehicle and (iii) a last platoon vehicle following the middle platoon vehicle; wherein at least one sensor is disposed at each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles for sensing a region of another traffic lane immediately adjacent to the initial traffic lane to determine if another vehicle is present in the other traffic lane at or near the respective platoon vehicle; wherein, responsive to wireless communications from said individual platoon vehicle controls that are indicative of the at least one sensor disposed at the respective platoon vehicles sensing the region of the other traffic lane, said platoon control determines if the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane; wherein, responsive to said platoon control determining that the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane, said platoon control communicates control signals to said individual platoon vehicle controls; wherein, responsive to the control signals communicated by said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon of vehicles to the other traffic lane in a manner that limits other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles; and wherein, responsive to wireless communication from the individual platoon vehicle control of the middle platoon vehicle that is indicative of the middle platoon vehicle departing from the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control communicates to the individual platoon vehicle controls of the remaining platoon vehicles and, responsive to that communication from said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle control of at least one of the remaining platoon vehicles controls the at least one respective platoon vehicle to regroup the platoon of vehicles and close a gap caused by the departure of the middle platoon vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together as a platoon of vehicles, said platoon control system comprising:
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a platoon control in wireless communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls; a platoon vehicle control disposed at a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane; wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises at least (i) a lead platoon vehicle, (ii) a middle platoon vehicle following the lead platoon vehicle and (iii) a last platoon vehicle following the middle platoon vehicle; wherein at least one sensor is disposed at each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles for sensing a region of another traffic lane immediately adjacent to the initial traffic lane to determine if another vehicle is present in the other traffic lane at or near the respective platoon vehicle; wherein, responsive to wireless communications from said individual platoon vehicle controls that are indicative of the at least one sensor disposed at the respective platoon vehicles sensing the region of the other traffic lane, said platoon control determines if the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane; wherein, responsive to said platoon control determining that the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane, said platoon control communicates control signals to said individual platoon vehicle controls; wherein, responsive to the control signals communicated by said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles from the initial traffic lane traveled by the platoon of vehicles to the other traffic lane in a manner that limits other vehicles from interrupting the platoon of vehicles; wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles to maneuver the platoon vehicles to the other traffic lane responsive to a determination of a vehicle or obstacle in the initial traffic lane ahead of the platoon of vehicles; and wherein, responsive to a wireless communication from another vehicle that is approaching the platoon of vehicles to join the platoon of vehicles, said platoon control communicates to the individual platoon vehicle controls of the respective platoon vehicles and, responsive to that communication from said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls of at least some of the platoon vehicles control the respective platoon vehicles to create a gap between two of the platoon vehicles to accommodate the other vehicle in the platoon of vehicles at the gap. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A platoon control system for controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling together as a platoon of vehicles, said platoon control system comprising:
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a platoon control in wireless communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls; a platoon vehicle control disposed at a respective platoon vehicle of a platoon of vehicles traveling along an initial traffic lane; wherein the platoon of vehicles comprises at least (i) a lead platoon vehicle, (ii) a first middle platoon vehicle following the lead platoon vehicle, (iii) a second middle platoon vehicle following the first middle platoon vehicle, (iv) a third middle platoon vehicle following the second middle platoon vehicle and (v) a last platoon vehicle following the third middle platoon vehicle; wherein at least one sensor is disposed at each platoon vehicle of the platoon of vehicles for sensing a region of another traffic lane immediately adjacent to the initial traffic lane to determine if another vehicle is present in the other traffic lane at or near the respective platoon vehicle; wherein, responsive to wireless communications from said individual platoon vehicle controls that are indicative of the at least one sensor disposed at the respective platoon vehicles sensing the region of the other traffic lane, said platoon control determines if the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane; wherein, responsive to said platoon control determining that the platoon of vehicles can change lane to the other traffic lane, said platoon control communicates control signals to said individual platoon vehicle controls; wherein, responsive to communication from said platoon control, said individual platoon vehicle controls control the respective platoon vehicles so that the last platoon vehicle and one or more of the middle platoon vehicles ahead of the last platoon vehicle enter the other traffic lane; wherein said individual platoon vehicle controls adjust the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles to allow traffic in the other traffic lane ahead of the last platoon vehicle after the last platoon vehicle has changed lanes to pass the platoon vehicles and to align the platoon vehicles remaining in the initial traffic lane with respective gaps between the platoon vehicles that have moved into the other traffic lane; wherein the speeds of the respective platoon vehicles are controlled to generate gaps between the platoon vehicles that have moved into the other traffic lane and to align the platoon vehicles that are in the initial traffic lane with the gaps; and wherein, when the platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane are aligned with the gaps, said individual platoon vehicle controls of the respective platoon vehicles in the initial traffic lane control those platoon vehicles to enter the other traffic lane in the gaps. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification