Systems and methods for semi-autonomous vehicular convoys

• US 8,744,666 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Switkes, Joshua P., Gerdes, Joseph Christian, Berdichevsky, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/542,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 701/28, 701/70, 298/8.R, 280/292
• US Class Current: 701/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0217 in accordance with energy consumption, time reduction or distance reduction criteria
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for vehicles to safely closely follow one another through partial automation. Following closely behind another vehicle has significant fuel savings benefits, but is unsafe when done manually by the driver. On the opposite end of the spectrum, fully autonomous solutions require inordinate amounts of technology, and a level of robustness that is currently not cost effective.

Claims

1. A computerized vehicular convoying control system, useful in association with a lead vehicle, at least one follower vehicle and a central server, the control system comprising:

at least one computerized controller configured to monitor and control acceleration and deceleration of one of a lead vehicle and at least one follower vehicle, thereby maintaining a safe vehicular spacing between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle while moving;

a user interface configured to receive an input from the at least one computerized controller and to provide vehicular data to a driver;

an inter-vehicular transceiver configured to communicate between the computerized controller associated with at least the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

a long-range vehicular transceiver configured to communicate between a central server and the computerized controller of at least one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

a vehicular separation sensor configured to detect a distance between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle, and further configured to detect a relative speed between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle, and to provide such distance and relative speed to the at least one computerized controller;

a braking actuation sensor configured to measure brake actuation and to provide such brake actuation measurements to the computerized controller;

a supplemental braking actuator responsive to inputs from the computerized controller to vary braking of one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

an acceleration actuation sensor for measuring acceleration actuation and providing such measured acceleration to the computerized controller;

a supplemental acceleration actuator responsive to the computerized controller to vary acceleration of one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle; and

a forward-facing camera configured to substantially capture a substantially frontal image as viewed from one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle and to provide such frontal image to the computerized controller.

2. The convoying control system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicular positioning sensor such as a global positioning system (GPS).

3. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the braking actuation sensor senses an air pressure or a hydraulic pressure.

4. The convoying control system of claim 1 where the front image of the lead vehicle view is provided to the at least one follower vehicle via the inter-vehicular transceiver.

5. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the inter-vehicular transceiver is further configured to transmit using a radio frequency, a visible spectrum, an infra-red spectrum or an ultraviolet spectrum.

6. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the inter-vehicular transceiver is coupled to and further configured to operate a rear brake light in dependently of the lead vehicle'"'"'s braking system.

7. The convoying control system of claim 6 wherein the inter-vehicular transceiver is further configured to operate a rear brake light as a transmitter of vehicular control signals from the lead vehicle to the at least one follower vehicle.

8. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to compute an estimated gross weight of one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle by measuring or estimating engine torque and measuring or estimating vehicle acceleration.

9. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller computes at least one vehicular trajectory for smoothly linking the at least one follower vehicle with the lead vehicle.

10. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller safely decelerates at least one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle in the event of a malfunction of the convoying control system.

11. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller detects at least one hazardous condition including a lane drift, a lane obstacle, a road surface hazard such as wet or icy conditions, a truck malfunction including tire blowouts or other mechanical problems, location and direction of travel of pedestrians or animals in the lane of travel, or headed toward the lane of travel, and construction zones or equipment or personnel.

12. The convoying control system of claim 11 wherein the controller safely brakes at least one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle upon detection of the at least one hazardous condition.

13. The convoying control system of claim 11 wherein the controller alerts the driver upon detection of the at least one hazardous condition.

14. The convoying control system of claim 13 wherein the controller alerts the driver by providing a deceleration impulse.

15. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller computes an ordering of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle in accordance with at least one of a vehicle weight, a vehicle load, weather condition, road condition, fuel remaining, fuel saving, accrued linking time, braking technology, brake pad wear, a vehicular linking location and a destination address.

16. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller optimizes fuel consumption by activating a grade-aware cruise control algorithm.

17. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller optimizes fuel consumption by providing at least one recommendation to the driver, the at least one recommendation including at least one of gear selection, speed reduction to attain a desired fuel economy within constraints such as arrival time and speed limits, and a recommended vehicular relative lateral position.

18. The convoying control system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to communicate vehicular information with the central server via the long-range transceiver, the vehicular information including one of actual fuel savings of one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle, a vehicle location, a vehicular speed, a direction of travel, a vehicular load, a vehicular destination, driver information, a vehicular origin, a cargo classification, an engine operating parameter, a controller performance parameter such as a vehicular spacing, lateral positions relative to another vehicle and the lane, a relative speed, video data, and a control system malfunction.

19. In a computerized vehicular convoying control system, a vehicular convoying method for controlling a lead vehicle and at least one follower vehicle, the convoying method comprising:

in a computerized controller, monitoring and controlling acceleration and deceleration of one of a lead vehicle and at least one follower vehicle, thereby dynamically and semi-autonomously maintaining a safe vehicular spacing between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

providing vehicular data to a driver;

communicating between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

communicating between a central server and one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

detecting a distance between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle, and detecting a relative speed between the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

measuring brake actuation;

providing supplemental braking to one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle;

measuring acceleration actuation;

providing supplemental acceleration of one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle; and

capturing a substantially frontal image as viewed from one of the lead vehicle and the at least one follower vehicle.

20. The convoying method of claim 19 wherein detecting the distance and the relative speed includes emitting a radar signal.

21. The convoy method of claim 19 further comprising adjusting an aerodynamic feature of one of the lead vehicle and the follower vehicle.