US 2020/0402407 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN VEHICLES

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for managing communications between a plurality of vehicles comprising:

transmitting data packets over a communication link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
determining a communication attribute associated with the communication link between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein:
the communication attribute is at least in part dependent on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and
the communication attribute is safety critical;
and
causing the first vehicle and the second vehicle to perform an action based on the communication attribute, wherein the action includes one or more of:
an activation of an automated vehicle function,
a deactivation of an automated vehicle function, or
an adjustment of an automated vehicle function.

6 more elements

A system for managing communications between a plurality of vehicles comprising:

a computer processor;
and
a platoon control module executing on the computer processor and configured to enable the computer processor to:
transmit data packets over a communication link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
determine, by the computer processor, a communication attribute associated with the communication link between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein:
the communication attribute is at least in part dependent on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and
the communication attribute is safety critical;
and
cause the first vehicle and the second vehicle to perform an action based on the communication attribute, wherein the action includes one or more of:
an activation of an automated vehicle function,
a deactivation of an automated vehicle function, or
an adjustment of an automated vehicle function.

9 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions for managing communications between a plurality of vehicles, the plurality of instructions configured to execute on at least one computer processor to enable the at least one computer processor to:

transmit data packets over a communication link between a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
determine, by the at least one computer processor, a communication attribute associated with the communication link between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein:
the communication attribute is at least in part dependent on a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and
the communication attribute is safety critical;
and
cause the first vehicle and the second vehicle to perform an action based on the communication attribute, wherein the action includes one or more of:
an activation of an automated vehicle function,
a deactivation of an automated vehicle function, or
an adjustment of an automated vehicle function.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for managing communications between vehicles

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for managing communications between vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20