# US 2020/0286387 A1 · System and method for vehicle platooning

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- Number: US 2020/0286387 A1
- Document ID: US20200286387A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/292,862
- Filed: 2019-03-05
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-05
- Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc.
- Applicants: Denso International America, Inc.
- Inventors: Yumeng Zhou; Jin Kurumisawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200286387A1

## CPC

- G08G 1/22: {Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles}
- G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)}
- G05D 1/0293: {Convoy travelling}
- G05D 1/0295: {by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet}
- G08G 1/0175: {by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules}
- G08G 1/096725: {where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control}
- G08G 1/096758: {where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information}
- G08G 1/096783: {where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element}
- G08G 1/162: {event-triggered}
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection}
- 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})
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

In one embodiment, example systems and methods related to vehicle platooning are provided. Vehicles are equipped with a vehicle platooning system that allows the vehicles to exchange messages related to vehicle platooning. When a following vehicle desires to follow a leading vehicle, the following vehicle sends a request to the leading vehicle, and the leading vehicle sends the following vehicle information such as its current speed. The following vehicle may then use the information, along with sensor data such as images of the rear of the leading vehicle, to follow the leading vehicle from a following distance. When the leading vehicle desires to change lanes, the leading vehicle sends a message to the following vehicle to determine if the following vehicle is able to change lanes. If the following vehicle determines that it can change lanes (i.e., the lane is clear from other vehicles or objects), the following vehicle can send a message to the leading vehicle indicating that it can change lanes. The leading and following vehicles may then change lanes at approximately the same time.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for vehicle platooning comprising:
driving behind a first vehicle by a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle includes an operator and is operating in a manual mode;
determining to follow the first vehicle by the second vehicle;
in response to the determination, transmitting a request to follow the first vehicle to the first vehicle from the second vehicle;
in response to the request, receiving vehicle status data from the first vehicle; and
using the vehicle status data to follow the first vehicle by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle maintains a following distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and further wherein the second vehicle operates in one of an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode while following the first vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining to follow the first vehicle by the second vehicle comprises receiving an instruction to follow the first vehicle from the operator, and determining to follow the first vehicle in response to the instruction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein received vehicle status data includes one or more of a velocity of the first vehicle, a time stamp, a yaw rate of the first vehicle, a road curvature, a lane width, a lane offset, and a road clothoid.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically receiving the vehicle status data from the first vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
collecting sensor data from one or more sensors of the first vehicle; and
using the collected sensor data and the vehicle status data to follow the first vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises one or more of an image of a license plate of the first vehicle or an image of the back of the first vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a first message from the first vehicle by the second vehicle, wherein the message indicates that the first vehicle has determined to change lanes from a current lane to an adjacent lane, and further wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the current lane;
determining that the adjacent lane is clear for the second vehicle;
in response to the determination, transmitting a second message to the first vehicle from the second vehicle, wherein the second message indicates that the adjacent lane is clear for the second vehicle; and
changing lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle changes lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a first message from the first vehicle by the second vehicle, wherein the message indicates that the first vehicle has determined to change lanes from a current lane to an adjacent lane, and further wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the current lane;
determining that there is an object between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;
in response to the determination that there is the object between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, transmitting a second message to the first vehicle from the second vehicle, wherein the second message indicates the determined object;
determining that the object is no longer between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;
in response to the determination that the object is no longer between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, transmitting a third message to the first vehicle from the second vehicle, wherein the second message indicates the determined object is no longer between the vehicles; and
changing lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle changes lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the object is a motorcycle.

### Claim 10

A method for vehicle platooning, the method comprising:
receiving a request to follow at a first vehicle from a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is traveling behind the first vehicle;
in response to receiving the request to follow, transmitting vehicle status data to the second vehicle from the first vehicle, wherein the second vehicle uses the vehicle status data to maintain a following distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;
receiving a first message from the second vehicle at the first vehicle, the first message indicating that the second vehicle has lost the first vehicle; and
in response to the first message, transmitting a location of the first vehicle from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining to change lanes from a current lane to an adjacent lane by the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the current lane;
in response to the determination, activating a turn signal of the first vehicle and transmitting a second message to the second vehicle, the second message indicating that the first vehicle has determined to change lanes;
receiving a third message from the second vehicle at the first vehicle, the third message indicating that the adjacent lane is clear for the second vehicle; and
in response to receiving the third message, changing lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane by the first vehicle, wherein the second vehicle changes lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are one or both of autonomous vehicles or semi-autonomous vehicles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining to change lanes from a current lane to an adjacent lane by the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the current lane;
in response to the determination, activating a turn signal of the first vehicle and transmitting a second message to the second vehicle, the second message indicating that the first vehicle has determined to change lane to change lanes;
receiving a third message from the second vehicle at the first vehicle, the third message indicating that there is an object between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;
receiving a fourth message from the second vehicle at the first vehicle, the fourth message indicating that the object is no longer between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and
in response to receiving the fourth message, changing lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane by the first vehicle, wherein the second vehicle changes lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the object is a motorcycle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining to merge onto a highway from a merging lane by the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the merging lane;
in response to the determination, activating a turn signal of the first vehicle and transmitting a second message to the second vehicle, the second message indicating that the first vehicle has determined to merge onto the highway;
receiving a third message from the second vehicle at the first vehicle, the third message indicating that it is safe for the second vehicle to merge onto the highway; and
in response to receiving the third message, increasing the speed of the first vehicle and merging onto the highway from the merging lane, wherein the second vehicle merges onto the highway at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
approaching an intersection by the first vehicle, wherein the intersection includes a traffic light, and the traffic light is in a go state;
receiving traffic-light information from the traffic light by the first vehicle, wherein the traffic-light information indicates how much time the traffic light will remain in the go state;
determining whether the second vehicle will arrive at the intersection while the traffic light is in the go state based on the received information; and
if it is determined that the second vehicle will arrive at the intersection while the traffic light is in the go state, drive through the intersection by the first vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the second vehicle will arrive at the intersection while the traffic light is in the go state based on the received information comprises:
receiving one or both of a velocity of the second vehicle and a location of the second vehicle; and
determining whether the second vehicle will arrive at the intersection while the traffic light is in the go state based on the received information and one or both of the velocity of the second vehicle and the location of the second vehicle.

### Claim 18

A system for vehicle platooning, the system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing:
a following module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
drive behind a first vehicle by a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle includes an operator and is operating in a manual mode;
determine to follow the first vehicle by the second vehicle; and
in response to the determination, transmit a request to follow the first vehicle to the first vehicle from the second vehicle; and
a lane change module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
receive a first message from the first vehicle by the second vehicle, wherein the first message indicates that the first vehicle has determined to change lanes from a current lane to an adjacent lane, and further wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are both traveling in the current lane;
determine that the adjacent lane is clear for the second vehicle;
in response to the determination, transmit a second message to the first vehicle from the second vehicle, wherein the second message indicates that the adjacent lane is clear for the second vehicle; and
change lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane by the second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle changes lanes to the adjacent lane from the current lane at approximately the same time as the first vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein received vehicle status data includes a velocity of the first vehicle, a time stamp, a yaw rate of the first vehicle, a road curvature, a lane width, a lane offset, and a road clothoid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the following module periodically receives the vehicle status data from the first vehicle.