WO2004077378A1

WO2004077378A1 - Method and system for leading a plurality of vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2004077378A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/050097
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andras Montvay; Martin Elixmann; Heribert Baldus; Henning Maass; Thomas Falck
Original assignee: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards Gmbh; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.,
Priority date: 2003-02-25
Filing date: 2004-02-11
Publication date: 2004-09-10

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle guide system, with the aid of which two or more vehicles (1, 2, 3) can drive in convoy to a common destination even without visual contact. Arranged in the vehicles are guide devices (10, 20, 30) which can communicate wirelessly with one another and thereby communicate in particular vehicle movement data (for example acceleration, stopping) of a lead vehicle (1) in front. The vehicle movement data is displayed to the driver in the following vehicles (2, 3) by the associated guide devices (20, 30), so that the driver can follow the lead vehicle (1). The guide devices (10, 20, 30) can preferably carry out in parallel the role as leading or following guide device selectively or optionally in relation to various vehicles.

Description

Method and system for leading a plurality of vehicles

The invention relates to a vehicle guide system and a method for assisting a plurality of vehicles during a journey to a common destination.

A system for leading a vehicle convoy is known from US 6 032 097, in which a leading vehicle sends movement data wirelessly to a following vehicle driving behind it. This data is used there for automatic vehicle control in order to thus successively fonn a convoy from a plurality of passenger cars driving a short distance apart. A system of this type assumes an advanced infrastructure such as, for example position marking systems in the carriageway and reliable apparatus for automatic vehicle control. The formation of a convoy of vehicles driving as close as possible one behind the other is furthermore only implementable on particular stretches, such as, for example motorways, but not in town traffic.

Against this background it was an object of the present invention to provide means which are economical to implement and with which one or more vehicles can follow a lead vehicle to a common destination, even under difficult conditions such as, for example, in town traffic. This object is achieved by a vehicle guide system with the features of claim 1 as well as by a method with the features of claim 14. Advantageous embodiments are contained in the sub-claims.

The vehicle guide system according to the invention comprises a) a "leading" guide device for use in a lead vehicle, wherein the leading guide device has a data collection module for collecting vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle and a communication module for wireless transmission of said vehicle movement data; b) at least one "following" guide device for use in a following vehicle driving behind the lead vehicle, wherein the following guide device has a communication module for receiving wirelessly transmitted vehicle movement data from the leading guide device and a display module for displaying said vehicle movement data for the driver of the following vehicle.

The described vehicle guide system, in a relatively simple and economical manner, allows two or more vehicles to arrive in a coordinated manner at a common destination, wherein one lead vehicle drives in front and determines the route. The at least one following vehicle can then follow the lead vehicle on the same route when there is no visual contact between the vehicles as the vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle is displayed to the driver of the following vehicle. Moreover, it can be seen from the following vehicle whether particular situations are occurring in the lead vehicle, for example a stop to have a break or owing to an accident, so there can be a corresponding reaction.

The data collection module present in the leading guide device may comprise sensors for independent collection of vehicle movement data. These sensors may in particular be an acceleration sensor for measuring spatial accelerations and/or a position determination system (for example GPS: Global Positioning System). Integration of a camera into the data collection module is also conceivable, so images can be recorded at regular intervals or at striking points and transmitted to the following vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the data collection module may also have an interface, via which it can be connected to existing onboard sensors present on the vehicle in order to be able to use their information signals. The on-board sensors may in particular be sensors for the vehicle speed and/or the steering angle. Furthermore, the data collection module of the leading and/or the display module of the following guide device may also be coupled to a navigation system present in the vehicle. In this case, use can be made of the resources of the navigation system, such as in particular its user interface, positioning system (GPS) and map material. For example, the leading guide device can infer the current vehicle position from the navigation system and transmit it to the following guide device. The following guide device can optionally adjust the vehicle movement data received from the leading guide device with its navigation system and, for example, display the leading vehicle on a map for the driver.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the following guide device also has a data collection module for collecting vehicle movement data, wherein the data collecting module can be equipped in the above-described manner with sensors or interfaces.

The integration of a data collection module in the following guide device, in a first development of the vehicle guide system, allows the following guide device to be set up in relation to a further guide device in a third vehicle to take on the function of the leading guide device; in other words, the following guide device transmits the collected vehicle movement data of the following vehicle to the further guide device where it is displayed to the driver by a display module, so the driver can follow the following vehicle (for him the lead vehicle). In this manner, a successive chain of vehicles with associated guide devices can be formed, so a group of vehicles of basically any size, in a loose convoy can follow a lead vehicle driving at the head to a common destination, each of the following vehicles being orientated to its direct (or an indirect) forerunner vehicle.

The integration of a data collection module into the following guide device can be used for an embodiment of the vehicle guide system, in which the following guide device transmits vehicle movement data of the following vehicle to the leading guide device where it is shown on a display module coupled to the leading guide device. It is thus possible for the driver of the lead vehicle to receive feedback on the movement of the following vehicle and can therefore check, for example, whether the following vehicle is following him correctly or whether a particular situation such as, for example, a stop or an accident has happened in the case of the following vehicle.

According to a preferred embodiment of the vehicle guide system, the guide devices involved (leading and following) are all equipped with a respective data collection module, a display module and a communication module and equipped to selectively take on the function of a lead or a following guide device. The owner of a guide device of this type can then decide as a function of the situation, which vehicle should take on the lead, in each case and which should follow. In particular, even during a journey to a specific destination the role of lead vehicle and following vehicle can be exchanged, if for example various drivers are familiar with the area on various stretches of the route.

In a development of the presently described vehicle guide system, the guide devices are set up, upon the selection initiated, for example by the driver by pressing a button, of one of the guide devices as the leading guide device, to switch over the remaining guide devices into an operating mode as the following guide device. It is thus ensured that only one of the guide devices always carries out a function as a leading guide device and the remaining guide devices operate in a following mode. The guide devices may also optionally be set up to assist the exchange of drivers, messages of the drivers among themselves. These messages may, for example, consist of speech messages and/or text messages, wherein predefined communication modules can be used to simplify operation. In a further development of the invention, the following guide device has a position estimation module, which is set up to determine the current relative position of the following guide device with respect to the leading guide device. A determination of this type of the relative position may take place, for example using position determining systems in the guide devices/vehicles or by integration of acceleration data to determine a route covered. The (approximate) recognition of the relative position of the vehicle in front can be used to indicate the direction and distance of the lead vehicle to the driver of the following vehicle.

The above-described vehicle guide system can be further improved in that the guide devices are set up to measure the relative position of the guide devices in certain situations, such as for example non-attainment of a predetermined distance between the guide devices. The accuracy of the relative position determined by the position estimation module can then be ensured by its adjustment by the measurement. A measurement of the relative position may consist, for example, in that the non-attainment of a predetermined short distance between the vehicles is established. According to another development of the vehicle guide system, the guide devices thereof are set up to generate a reference signal for the driver of the respective vehicle in the case of interruption of the communication connection between them. In this manner, the driver is informed that a guide function is no longer being carried out currently owing to the failed communication, so the driver can react to this accordingly. For example, the guide vehicle may be stopped to wait for the following vehicle to catch up.

The described vehicle guide system is generally used in such a way that the role of the lead vehicle and following vehicle or leading and following guide device is predetermined. Moreover, the guide devices may, however, also be set up to assist the search for a lead vehicle. In other words, the drivers involved in the vehicle convoy do not know each other in advance and do not have to have discussed the journey to a common destination. A searching guide device can instead take up contact with guide devices in other vehicles with the query as to whether the respective vehicle is on the way to the same destination as the searching vehicle and can optionally take on a lead function to this destination. If a vehicle with the same destination and a driver who knows the area is found, its guide device can automatically take on the function as a leading guide device and guide the searching guide device to the destination.

The invention also relates to a method for leading at least one following vehicle by a lead vehicle, wherein a) vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle are collected and transmitted wirelessly to the following vehicle, and b) the transmitted vehicle movement data are displayed for the driver in the following vehicle.

Using the described method, a (loose) vehicle convoy can be formed in a simple manner, in which a driver who knows the area in the lead vehicle leads the at least one following vehicle to a destination. The method can be implemented, in particular, by a vehicle guide system of the above-described type. The preferred configurations of the vehicle guide system can show corresponding developments of the method.

The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying Figure. The single Figure schematically shows a traffic situation in which three vehicles equipped with a vehicle guide system according to the invention are driving to a common destinatio a

When a larger group of people with a plurality of vehicles would like to drive to a common destination, often not all the drivers know the route there, so they have to be orientated exclusively by the vehicle in front. Directly following the vehicle in front may, however, lead to dangerous situations, in particular owing to risky driving maneuvers to maintain the connection, owing to waiting for a following vehicle at points which cannot clearly be seen and by distracting the attention of the remaining traffic. A journey by convoy of this type is particularly difficult in the dark or with a plurality of vehicles in town center traffic. A further problem occurs in longer convoy journeys, in which breaks have to be taken. If the vehicles lose sight of one another in this instance, the planned resting stages have to be discussed in advance and known to all drivers.

To solve the described problems, a vehicle guide system is provided according to the invention which consists of a plurality of guide devices 10, 20, 30 which are carried in each case in one of the vehicles 1, 2, 3 belonging to the vehicle convoy. The function of the vehicle guide system is initially explained with reference to the two vehicles 1 and 2 shown in the Figure, the vehicle 1 in front as the lead vehicle determining the route to a destination and the vehicle 2 located behind it being a following vehicle which wishes to follow the lead vehicle 1 on the same route. The lead vehicle 1 and the following vehicle 2 have a "leading" guide device 10 or a "following" guide device 20 on board. These two guide devices 10, 20 are connected to one another by a suitable radio connection with typically a range of some kilometers and license- free data transmission (for example in accordance with ETS-PMR on 464 MHz). The leading guide device 10 in the lead vehicle 1 receives, via a data collection module, information about driving direction changes, accelerations, a stop and the like and sends this movement data to the following guide device 20 in the following vehicle 2 via the radio connection. The data collection module here may contact its own sensors such as, for example, acceleration sensors and/or have an interface to receive vehicle movement data from sensors (for example speedometer or steering) present in the lead vehicle 1.

In the following guide device 20, the received movement data of the lead vehicle 1 is shown on a display module for the driver of the following vehicle 2, so he is informed, even without direct visual contact to the lead vehicle 1, about its important driving maneuvers such as, for example, a turning off process and can carry out this driving maneuver on reaching the corresponding road position.

The leading guide device 10 and the following guide device 20 are preferably designed in the same way, so they can selectively take on the function as the leading guide device or the following guide device on pressing a button. The operating modes can be switched over, for example, when one of the drivers is familiar with the area at the beginning of the stretch and the other driver in the region of the destination. The following driver then uses his guide device 20 initially in the following operation mode, until the vehicles reach a region in which the driver of the following vehicle 20 knows his way around. At this point in time, the driver then switches his guide device 20 (for example by pressing a key) into the lead mode and this is communicated via the radio connection to the guide device 10 of the vehicle 1 which was in front until then. This guide device 10 informs its driver that the other driver is now taking on the lead and automatically switches into following operating mode. The driver in the vehicle 1 can then fall behind the other vehicle 2 and follow it to the destination.

If suitable radio technology or another infrastructure such as, for example, a GPS or telematics service are available, the guide device 20 in the following vehicle 2 can also determine the distance and the direction of the guide vehicle 10 and display them to the driver. Alternatively, the functionality can also be implemented by a precise sensor system in both vehicle 1, 2 and integration, for example, of the acceleration values. The determination of the relative position can then always be calibrated when the vehicles 1, 2 (for example at traffic lights) are directly one behind the other, in other words do not attain a predetermined maximum distance apart. The calibration can be initiated, for example by the drivers pressing a button or by additional radio technology with a short range (typically up to a few tens of meters). The guide devices 10, 20 may have independent, mobile devices. However, they can also be integrated into other devices, such as for example a mobile telephone. It is particularly advantageous if the guide devices 10, 20 are incorporated as an additional module in a navigation system. In this case the user interface, the GPS system, the map material etc. of the navigation system is available to them, so they can carry out the desired guide function better and more precisely.

Apart from license- free radio technology, the mobile radio system can be used for wireless communication between the guide devices 10, 20, economical possibilities for transmitting short data packets (corresponding to SMS) preferably being used in this case. The communication connection between the guide devices 10, 20 is preferably also used to exchange news items between the drivers of the vehicles 1, 2. These news items may consist here, in particular, of data, written text or spoken messages. In this instance, it is advantageous for facilitating operation, to provide a selection of predefined messages ("please take a break", etc.) for selection.

If the communication connection between the lead vehicle 10 and the following vehicle 20 fails, for example, owing to the radio range being exceeded, various strategies can be followed to eliminate this situation. Thus, for example, the driver of the lead vehicle 10 can be requested by the leading guide device 10 to stop. Corresponding with this, the driver of the following vehicle 20 is requested by his following guide device 2 to continue to follow the previous route including the previously reported vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle 10 until radio contact again exists. Alternatively or in addition, the driver of the lead vehicle 10 may also be requested to turn and to retrace the route driven.

Preferably, vehicle movement data of this vehicle is sent by the following guide device 20 in the following vehicle 2 to the leading guide device 10 in the leading vehicle 1 where it is shown on a suitable display module. In this manner, changes in direction of the following vehicle 2, for example, can be notified, so the driver of the lead vehicle 1 can check whether the following vehicle 2 has turned off correctly. Moreover, he can generally also estimate from the point in time of turning off, the distance at which the following vehicle 2 is located. With additional guide devices, three or more vehicles can also drive in "convoy". In relation to this, a further vehicle 3 with a further guide device 30 on board is shown by way of representation in the Figure, basically the same statements applying to the guide device 30 as to the guide device 20 on board the second vehicle 2. In a group of a plurality of vehicles, in the simplest case all guide devices 20, 30 of the following vehicles operate in a following operation mode, in which they follow the leading guide device 10 of the lead vehicle 1. However, a chain can also alternatively be built up, in which each guide device is operated in parallel, on the one hand, to the vehicle in front in the following operating mode and, on the other hand, to the vehicle behind in the lead mode. For example, the guide device 20 in the central vehicle 2 of the convoy of three vehicles shown in the Figure can operate in the following operating mode with respect to the leading guide device 10 in the lead vehicle 1 and simultaneously be a leading guide device with respect to the further guide device 30 in the last vehicle 3 of the convoy.

According to a development of the functionality, a driver familiar with the area can also drive in the last vehicle of a convoy and if the chains are broken, take on the lead function for the other following vehicles.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vehicle guide system, comprising, a) a leading guide device (10) for use in a lead vehicle (1), wherein the leading guide device has a data collection module for collecting vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle and a communication module for wireless transmission of the vehicle movement data; b) at least one following guide device (20) for use in a following vehicle (2), wherein the following guide device has a communication module for receiving vehicle movement data from the leading guide device and a display module for displaying the vehicle movement data for the driver of the following vehicle.

2. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the data collection module has sensors, preferably an acceleration sensor and/or a position deteπnination system, and/or an interface for connection to on-board sensors of the vehicle

3. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data collection module and/or the display module is coupled to a navigation system.

4. A vehicle guide system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the following guide device (20) has a data collection module.

5. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the following guide device (20) is adapted to take on the function of the leading guide device in relation to a further guide device (30).

6. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the following guide device (20) is adapted to transmit vehicle movement data to the leading guide device (10).

7. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide devices (10, 20, 30) have a data collection module, a display module and a communication module and are adapted to selectively take on the function of the leading or the following guide device.

8. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, on selection of one of them as the leading guide device, the guide devices (10, 20, 30) are adapted to switch over the remaining guide devices into an operating mode as the following guide device.

9. A vehicle guide system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide devices (10, 20, 30) are adapted to assist the exchange of the drivers' messages among themselves.

10. A vehicle guide system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the following guide device (20) has a position estimation module which determines the cuπent position of the following guide device (20) relative to the leading guide device (10).

11. A vehicle guide system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the guide devices (10, 20) are adapted to measure their relative position in predeteπnined situations.

12. A vehicle guide system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the guide devices (10, 20, 30) are adapted to generate a reference signal for the driver on interruption of the communication connection.

13. A vehicle guide system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the guide devices (10, 20, 30) are adapted to assist the search for a lead vehicle.

14. A method of leading at least one following vehicle (2) by means of a lead vehicle (1), wherein a) vehicle movement data of the lead vehicle (1) is collected and wirelessly transmitted to the following vehicle (2), and b) the transmitted vehicle movement data is displayed for the driver in the following vehicle (2).