Apparatus for controlling braking force of platooning vehicle, system including the same, and method thereof

• US 10,618,503 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lim, Jong Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Shudy, Angelina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Algehaim, Mohamed Abdo
• Application Number:
  US15/927,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20190176783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 701 70, 701 1, 701 93, 701 96, 701301, 701 74, 701 83, 701 325, 701 38, 701 94
• 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: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/32 responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17 ; B60T8/28 takes precedence; electric devices on electrically propelled vehicles indicating the wheel slip B60L3/10; measuring linear or angular speed per se G01P3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/323 Systems specially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for controlling a braking force of a platooning vehicle. The apparatus includes a braking distance predicting unit configured to predict a predicted braking distance of a host vehicle, a braking restriction determining unit configured to determine whether a braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted, by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with predicted braking distances of following vehicles. The apparatus further includes a braking restriction degree determining unit configured to determine a braking restriction degree of the braking distance of the host vehicle in the case in which it is necessary to restrict the braking distance of the host vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a braking force of a platooning vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a braking distance predicting unit configured to predict a predicted braking distance of a host vehicle;

a braking restriction determining unit configured to determine whether the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted, by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with predicted braking distances of following vehicles shared from the following vehicles; and

a braking restriction degree determining unit configured to determine a braking restriction degree of the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle in the case in which it is necessary to restrict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle,

wherein the braking restriction degree determining unit is configured to determine the braking restriction degree such that a value obtained by multiplying a braking distance of the host vehicle, a value obtained by dividing a total braking force of the host vehicle measured periodically by a weight of the host vehicle, and a value obtained by dividing a weight of the following vehicle by a total braking force of the following vehicle is equal to the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the braking distance predicting unit calculates the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle by using a speed, a frictional coefficient, a gravitational acceleration, a weight, and a measured total braking force of the host vehicle during braking of the host vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the braking restriction determining unit compares the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with a maximum value of the predicted braking distances of the following vehicles.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the braking restriction determining unit determines a location of the host vehicle in a platoon, and compares the maximum value of the predicted braking distances of the following vehicles with the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with reference to the determined location of the host vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the braking restriction determining unit determines whether the predicted braking distance of the following vehicles are larger than the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle, and determines that it is necessary to restrict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle to a maximum braking distance of the following vehicle in the case in which the braking distance of the following vehicle is larger than the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the braking restriction determining unit determines that the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be maintained in the case in which the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle is smaller than or equal to the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the braking restriction degree determining unit restricts a braking request degree of the host vehicle to a specific ratio based on a ratio of a maximum value of the predicted braking distances of the following vehicles to the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

8. A system for controlling a braking force of a platooning vehicle, the system comprising:

a communication unit configured to perform communication between platooning vehicles;

a platooning vehicle braking force control apparatus configured to predict a predicted braking distance of a host vehicle in a platoon, determine whether the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with predicted braking distances of following vehicles; and

a display configured to display a braking force restriction result of the host vehicle in the platoon,

wherein the platooning vehicle braking force control apparatus is configured to determine a braking restriction degree such that a value obtained by multiplying a braking distance of the host vehicle, a value obtained by dividing a total braking force of the host vehicle measured periodically by a weight of the host vehicle, and a value obtained by dividing a weight of the following vehicle by a total braking force of the following vehicle is equal to the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a display unit displays a ratio of a restricted braking force to an existing braking force.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the platooning vehicle braking force control apparatus includes:

a braking distance predicting unit configured to predict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle;

a braking restriction determining unit configured to determine whether the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted, by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with the predicted braking distances of following vehicles; and

a braking restriction degree determining unit configured to determine a braking restriction degree of the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle in the case in which it is necessary to restrict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the braking distance predicting unit calculates the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle by using a speed, a frictional coefficient, a gravitational acceleration, a weight, and a measured total braking force of the host vehicle during braking of the host vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the braking restriction determining unit compares the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with a maximum value of the predicted braking distances of the following vehicles.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the braking restriction determining unit determines whether the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle are larger than the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle, and determines that it is necessary to restrict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle to a maximum braking distance of the following vehicle in the case in which the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle is larger than the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the braking restriction determining unit determines that the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be maintained in the case in which the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle is smaller than or equal to the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the braking restriction degree determining unit restricts a braking request degree of the host vehicle to a specific ratio based on a ratio of a maximum value of the predicted braking distances of the following vehicles to the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle.

16. A method for controlling a braking force of a platooning vehicle, the method comprising:

predicting a predicted braking distance of a host vehicle;

determining whether the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle is to be restricted, by comparing the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle with a maximum value of predicted braking distances of following vehicles;

in the case in which it is necessary to restrict the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle, determining a braking restriction degree of the braking distance; and

braking the host vehicle by applying the braking restriction degree,

wherein the step of determining whether the predicted braking distance of the host vehicle determines the braking restriction degree such that a value obtained by multiplying a braking distance of the host vehicle, a value obtained by dividing a total braking force of the host vehicle measured periodically by a weight of the host vehicle, and a value obtained by dividing a weight of the following vehicle by a total braking force of the following vehicle is equal to the predicted braking distance of the following vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a braking force restriction result of the host vehicle in a platoon.