Apparatus and method for grouping vehicles for cooperative driving

• US 9,182,764 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Kolhouse, Steven J., Lana, Carlos A., Sujan, Vivek A., Vajapeyazula, Phani, Wills, J. Stephen, Yonushonis, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/450,926
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.3, 701/25, 701/96, 701/117, 701/301, 180/167, 244/49, 244/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0217 in accordance with energy consumption, time reduction or distance reduction criteria
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus includes a logistics manager that includes a processor. The logistics manager is communicably coupled to at least one of a first wireless communication module onboard a first vehicle and a second wireless communication module onboard a second vehicle. The logistics manager is configured to: receive, via the first wireless communication module, first data regarding the first vehicle, where the first data is provided by a first sensor module onboard the first vehicle; receive, via the second wireless communication module, second data regarding the second vehicle, where the second data is provided by a second sensor module onboard the second vehicle; and provide navigational commands to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on a cost and benefit analysis in response to at least one the first data and the second data.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a logistics manager comprising a processor, wherein the logistics manager is communicably coupled to at least one of a first wireless communication module onboard a first vehicle and a second wireless communication module onboard a second vehicle, and wherein the logistics manager is configured to;

receive, via the first wireless communication module, first data regarding the first vehicle, wherein the first data is provided by a first sensor module onboard the first vehicle;

receive, via the second wireless communication module, second data regarding the second vehicle, wherein the second data is provided by a second sensor module onboard the second vehicle; and

provide navigational commands to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on a cost and benefit analysis in response to at least one the first data and the second data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logistics manager is communicably coupled to the first vehicle and the second vehicle via a public network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the public network comprises the World Wide Web.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logistics manager is communicably coupled to the first vehicle and the second vehicle via a private network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises destination data related to the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on the destination data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises proximity data related to a proximity between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on the proximity data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises vehicle size data related to the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on the vehicle size data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises vehicle type data the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on the vehicle type data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises vehicle weight data related the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on the vehicle weight data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data comprises vehicle class type data related the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and wherein the cost and benefit analysis is based on a vehicle class type similarity.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module comprises a tablet or smartphone.