SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTONOMOUSLY CONVOYING VEHICLES

• US 20080059007A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Inventors: Peterson, Kevin, Whittaker, William, Urmson, Chris
• Application Number:
  US11/761,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses providing for navigation of a convoy of autonomous vehicles including a lead vehicle and at least one following vehicle wherein a master which sets the free parameters of a navigation strategy may be any one of the vehicles including the following vehicles. It is possible to control the convoy of the present invention firm any position including the rear position.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the navigation of a convoy of vehicles comprising:

a lead autonomous vehicle; and

at least one follower vehicle following the lead vehicle;

wherein one of the at least one follower vehicle is a master vehicle, and the lead vehicle is a slave vehicle; and

wherein the master vehicle sets at least one convoy control parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein any follower vehicle of the at least one vehicle that is not the master vehicle is a slave vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one convoy control parameter set by the master vehicle is speed.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one convoy control parameter set by the master vehicle is vehicle spacing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each vehicle in the convoy is adapted for operating alternatively as a slave and a master vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each vehicle in the convoy is adapted for operating alternatively as a lead and a follower vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the master vehicle is operated autonomously.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the master vehicle is operated autonomously under human supervision.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the master vehicle is human-operated.

5. The system of claim l, wherein in each vehicle comprises:

a communicator for communicating with other vehicles;

at least one environmental sensor for sensing environmental conditions;

a global position satellite receiver;

an inertial measurement unit; and

a controller.

11. A method of controlling the navigation of a convoy of vehicles comprising:

providing an autonomous lead vehicle at the beginning of a convoy of autonomous vehicles;

providing at least one follower vehicle following the lead vehicle;

setting at least one convoy control parameter by a master vehicle that is one of the at least one follower vehicle; and

communicating the convoy control parameters from the master vehicle to the other vehicles.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one convoy control parameter set by the master vehicle is speed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one convoy control parameter set by the master vehicle is vehicle spacing.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each vehicle in the convoy is adapted for operating alternatively as a slave and a master vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each vehicle in the convoy is adapted for operating alternatively as a lead and a follower vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the master vehicle is operated autonomously.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the master vehicle is operated autonomously under human supervision.