Automatic Navigation Control for Platooning on Overlapping Routes

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle automatic navigation systems fail to effectively reduce air resistance and fuel consumption when vehicles have different starting points and destinations, leading to suboptimal fuel saving effects, as they do not efficiently form platoons even when their routes overlap.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for vehicle automatic navigation control that allows vehicles to dynamically form platoons by determining overlapping navigation information and controlling vehicles to follow each other based on steering wheel angle, throttle, and brake information, even when starting points and destinations differ, thereby reducing air resistance and fuel consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If vehicles form platoons only when having the same starting point and destination, then the platoon formation is simple and reliable, but the fuel saving effect is suboptimal when routes overlap but starting points or destinations differ

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidplatoon formation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters for platoon formation from requiring identical starting points and destinations to allowing different starting points and destinations as long as there is route overlap. This parameter relaxation enables more vehicles to form platoons, increasing fuel saving opportunities while maintaining platoon stability through the overlap requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the route matching process into identifying overlapping segments between different vehicle routes. Instead of requiring complete route identity, the system identifies and utilizes overlapping portions to form platoons, allowing vehicles to cooperate on shared segments while maintaining independence on non-overlapping portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of energy

If vehicles move separately with different starting points and destinations, then each vehicle maintains its independent navigation route, but air resistance cannot be effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair resistanceVSAvoidnavigation control
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the navigation control of vehicles with overlapping routes into a coordinated platoon system. By combining multiple vehicles into a platoon structure on overlapping segments, the system reduces air resistance through aerodynamic drafting while maintaining overall navigation independence through the server-coordinated approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of energy

If the platoon formation requires high route overlap, then fuel saving effect is maximized, but the number of vehicles that can form platoons is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoidnumber of vehicles in platoon
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the route requirement into minimal overlap segments, allowing platoon formation with any degree of route overlap rather than requiring high overlap. This segmentation approach enables more vehicles to qualify for platoon formation by having even small overlapping segments, thereby increasing the number of vehicles that can benefit from reduced fuel consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3886071B1Method, apparatus, medium, and device for vehicle automatic navigation control
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECH CO LTD
  • EP3886071B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3886071B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3886071B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a method, apparatus, medium, and device for vehicle automatic navigation control. With the solutions according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, in a vehicle automatic navigation control process, a first vehicle-mounted server can receive automatic navigation information corresponding to another vehicle, and determine a vehicle-mounted server identifier of a vehicle to form a platoon with a vehicle where the first vehicle-mounted server is located based on automatic navigation information corresponding to the vehicle where the first vehicle-mounted server is located, and transmit a platooning request to a second vehicle-mounted server corresponding to the determined vehicle-mounted server identifier of the vehicle to form the platoon, such that the vehicle where the first vehicle-mounted server is located can form the platoon with another vehicle, and the vehicle where the first vehicle-mounted server is located can be controlled to move as a following vehicle of the other vehicle.