Automatic vehicle following system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of a following vehicle to follow the path of a preceding vehicle, comprising:
- first means for generating first signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the preceding vehicle, wherein each position vector component is derived by integrating the corresponding velocity vector component with respect to time;
second means for generating second signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the following vehicle, wherein each position vector component is derived by integrating the corresponding velocity vector component with respect to time; and
third means for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of the following vehicle by generating a performance index based on an integration with respect to time of the differences between the state vector components of a first signal at a first time and the corresponding state vector components of a second signal at a second time following the first time controlling the speed and steering of the following vehicle such that the performance index is less than a predetermined value to cause the following vehicle to follow the path of the preceding vehicle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic vehicle following system is provided for controlling a following vehicle to maintain at least a predetermined distance behind a preceding vehicle and to substantially follow the path of the preceding vehicle. An on-line measurement system of the preceding vehicle generates signals indicative of the velocity (having speed and directional components) of the preceding vehicle, and a communication system transmits the velocity signals to the following vehicle. The following vehicle likewise has a communication system for receiving the signals from the preceding vehicle, and an on-line measurement system for providing signals indicative of the velocity of the following vehicle and signals indicative of the distance between the two vehicles. A signal processing system of the following vehicle is coupled to the communication system and on-line measurement system for estimating motion trajectory of the preceding vehicle based on the difference in the velocities of the preceding and following vehicles and the following distance. A control system generates control signals and takes action so as to perform speed control and maintain at least a predetermined safe following distance between the two vehicles, and steering control to substantially follow the path of the preceding vehicle.
176 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of a following vehicle to follow the path of a preceding vehicle, comprising:
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first means for generating first signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the preceding vehicle, wherein each position vector component is derived by integrating the corresponding velocity vector component with respect to time; second means for generating second signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the following vehicle, wherein each position vector component is derived by integrating the corresponding velocity vector component with respect to time; and third means for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of the following vehicle by generating a performance index based on an integration with respect to time of the differences between the state vector components of a first signal at a first time and the corresponding state vector components of a second signal at a second time following the first time controlling the speed and steering of the following vehicle such that the performance index is less than a predetermined value to cause the following vehicle to follow the path of the preceding vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle following system for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of a following vehicle to follow the path of a preceding vehicle, comprising:
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a first measurement system mounted on the preceding vehicle for generating first signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the preceding vehicle each position vector component being generated by integrating the respective velocity vector component with respect to time; a first communication system coupled to the first measurement system for transmitting the first signals; a second measurement system mounted on the following vehicle for generating second signals indicative of a state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the following vehicle, each position vector component being generated by integrating the respective velocity vector component with respect to time; a second communication system mounted on the following vehicle for receiving the first signals transmitted by the first communication system; and a control unit coupled to the second measurement and communication systems, the control unit being responsive to the first and second signals to generate control signals for controlling the speed and steering of the following vehicle to follow the path of the preceding vehicle control signals being based on changes in a performance index generated by integrating with respect to time the difference between the velocity and position vector components of a first signal of the preceding vehicle at a first time and the corresponding velocity and position vector components of a second signal of the following vehicle at a second time following the first time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of a following vehicle to follow the path of a preceding vehicle, comprising:
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means for measuring state vector data of each vehicle, each state vector comprising velocity and position vector components of the respective vehicle, each position vector component being generated by integrating the respective velocity vector component with respect to time; means for communicating state vector data from the preceding vehicle to the following vehicle; means coupled to the measurement and communication means for estimating the motion trajectory of the preceding vehicle-based on a performance index generated by integrating with respect to time the differences between the velocity and position vector components of the state vector data of the preceding vehicle at a first time and the corresponding velocity and position vector components of the state vector data of the following vehicle at a second time following the first time; and means for controlling the longitudinal and lateral motion of the following vehicle such that the performance index is less than a predetermined value to cause the following vehicle to follow the path of the preceding vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification