# US 12,190,737 B2 · Cryptography-based platooning mechanism for autonomous vehicle fleet management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,190,737 B2 - Document ID: US12190737B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/359,274 - Filed: 2021-06-25 - Published: 2021-10-14 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-25 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Antonino Mondello; Alberto Troia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190737B2 ## CPC - G08G 1/22: {Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles} - H04L 9/3239: {involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD} - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - G05D 1/0293: {Convoy travelling} - G05D 1/226: Communication links with the remote-control arrangements - G05D 1/69: Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles - H04L 9/0637: {Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]} - H04L 9/3236: {using cryptographic hash functions} - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04L 63/0823: {using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263)} - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - H04W 4/46: for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V] - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees} - H04L 2209/805: Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor - H04L 2209/84: Vehicles - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Disclosed are techniques for managing a platoon of autonomous vehicles. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising establishing a network connection between a plurality of autonomous vehicles, the plurality of autonomous vehicles operating as a platoon; receiving a request from a first autonomous vehicle to deviate from the platoon, the request comprising a digitally signed message from the first autonomous vehicle; assigning the first autonomous vehicle as a second master autonomous vehicle; permanently recording the assignment in a blockchain data structure; instantiating a new platoon path using the first autonomous vehicle as a head of the new platoon path; and disconnecting one or more autonomous vehicles associated with the new platoon path upon determining that the new platoon path is stable, the disconnecting causing the second master autonomous vehicle to manage the one or more autonomous vehicles using a second blockchain stored on the second master autonomous vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: establishing a network connection between a plurality of autonomous vehicles, the plurality of autonomous vehicles operating as a platoon; receiving a digitally signed request from a first autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles to deviate from the platoon wherein the digitally signed request is secured using a DICE-RIoT protocol; reading a public key corresponding to the first autonomous vehicle from a blockchain data structure; validating the digitally signed request using the public key; instantiating a new platoon path using the first autonomous vehicle as a head of the new platoon path when validating the digitally signed request is successful; recording the new platoon path in the blockchain data structure; and disconnecting a subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles including the first autonomous vehicle and at least one other vehicle from the platoon when the new platoon path has been recorded in the blockchain data structure, wherein the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles are associated with the new platoon path based on future routes of the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles, and the disconnecting causes the first autonomous vehicle to manage the at least one other vehicle using a local blockchain data structure stored on the first autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning the first autonomous vehicle as the head of the new platoon path to generate an assignment; and permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises achieving a consensus to record the assignment in the blockchain data structure among a plurality of head autonomous vehicles, each of the plurality of head autonomous vehicles managing respective platoons of autonomous vehicles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises recording a block to the blockchain data structure, the block comprising an identifier, a certificate, the public key, a timestamp, and service information related to the assignment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising denying the digitally signed request when validating the digitally signed request is not successful. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of autonomous vehicles comprise a head vehicle of the platoon and the blockchain data structure is managed by the head vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the first autonomous vehicle, a block header in the local blockchain data structure for the new platoon path; recording, in the local blockchain data structure, changes to platoon data associated with the new platoon path; and achieving consensus among the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles to validate new blocks added to the local blockchain data structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the blockchain data structure includes a block comprising: a vehicle identifier of the first autonomous vehicle; a certificate associated with the first autonomous vehicle; the public key of the first autonomous vehicle; and service information comprising at least one of: a current path of the first autonomous vehicle, a disconnection point for the new platoon path, an identifier of a current active master of the platoon, or an identifier of the first autonomous vehicle as the head of the new platoon path. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions that when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform steps comprising: establishing a network connection between a plurality of autonomous vehicles, the plurality of autonomous vehicles operating as a platoon; receiving a digitally signed request from a first autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles to deviate from the platoon, wherein the digitally signed request is secured using a DICE-RIoT protocol; reading a public key corresponding to the first autonomous vehicle from a blockchain data structure; validating the digitally signed request using the public key; instantiating a new platoon path using the first autonomous vehicle as a head of the new platoon path when validating the digitally signed request is successful; recording the new platoon path in the blockchain data structure; and disconnecting a subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles including the first autonomous vehicle and at least one other vehicle from the platoon when the new platoon path has been recorded in the blockchain data structure, wherein the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles are associated with the new platoon path based on future routes of the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles, and the disconnecting causes the first autonomous vehicle to manage the at least one other vehicle using a local blockchain data structure stored on the first autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the steps further comprising: assigning the first autonomous vehicle as the head of the new platoon path to generate an assignment; and permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises achieving a consensus to record the assignment in the blockchain data structure among a plurality of head autonomous vehicles, each of the plurality of head autonomous vehicles managing respective platoons of autonomous vehicles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises recording a block to the blockchain data structure, the block comprising an identifier, a certificate, the public key, a timestamp, and service information related to the assignment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the steps further comprising denying the digitally signed request when validating the digitally signed request is not successful. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of autonomous vehicles comprise a head vehicle of the platoon and the blockchain data structure is managed by the head vehicle. ### Claim 15 A device comprising: a processor configured to: establish a network connection between a plurality of autonomous vehicles, the plurality of autonomous vehicles operating as a platoon; receive a digitally signed request from a first autonomous vehicle of the plurality of autonomous vehicles to deviate from the platoon, wherein the digitally signed request is secured using a DICE-RIoT protocol; read a public key corresponding to the first autonomous vehicle from a blockchain data structure; validate the digitally signed request using the public key; instantiate a new platoon path using the first autonomous vehicle as a head of the new platoon path when validating the digitally signed request is successful; record the new platoon path in the blockchain data structure; and disconnect a subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles including the first autonomous vehicle and at least one other vehicle from the platoon when the new platoon path has been recorded in the blockchain data structure, wherein the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles are associated with the new platoon path based on future routes of the subset of the plurality of autonomous vehicles, and the disconnecting causes the first autonomous vehicle to manage the at least one other vehicle using a local blockchain data structure stored on the first autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, the processor further configured to: assign the first autonomous vehicle as the head of the new platoon path to generate an assignment; and permanently record the assignment in the blockchain data structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises achieving a consensus to record the assignment in the blockchain data structure among a plurality of head autonomous vehicles, each of the plurality of head autonomous vehicles managing respective platoons of autonomous vehicles. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein permanently recording the assignment in the blockchain data structure comprises recording a block to the blockchain data structure, the block comprising an identifier, a certificate, the public key, a timestamp, and service information related to the assignment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, the processor further configured to deny the digitally signed request when validating the digitally signed request is not successful. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of autonomous vehicles comprise a head vehicle of the platoon and the blockchain data structure is managed by the head vehicle.