HD Platooning Maneuver Selection Under V2V QoS Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-density platooning (HDPL) driving maneuvers in vehicles face challenges due to varying quality of service (QoS) in vehicle-to-vehicle communication links, particularly in heterogeneous cellular network access and the presence of scattering and shadowing objects, which can affect the safety and efficiency of convoy operations by altering inter-vehicle distances and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method for determining HDPL driving maneuvers that involves selecting closing and opening maneuvers based on predicted quality of service (QoS) profiles, using packet inter-reception time as a key parameter, and adjusting inter-vehicle distances to ensure safe and energy-efficient operations by testing maneuvers against energy consumption and QoS criteria, with the option to wait and reselect if initial criteria are not met.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If high-density platooning is implemented with small inter-vehicle distances, then energy consumption is reduced and traffic efficiency is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates due to varying QoS in heterogeneous cellular networks and scattering/shadowing effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidcommunication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary QoS prediction before executing HDPL maneuvers by evaluating packet inter-reception time profiles from the cellular network. This advance assessment allows the system to determine whether communication conditions are suitable for high-density platooning, preventing energy-efficient maneuvers from being executed when communication reliability would be compromised.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the platoon configuration based on real-time QoS conditions. When packet inter-reception time exceeds thresholds indicating poor communication quality, the system transitions from high-density platooning to more spaced-out formations, and vice versa. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making inter-vehicle distance a variable parameter rather than a fixed setting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If HDPL maneuvers are executed without QoS prediction, then maneuver execution speed is improved, but safety deteriorates due to potential communication failures affecting inter-vehicle distance control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaneuver execution speedVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system executes preliminary QoS assessment and maneuver feasibility testing before actual HDPL maneuver execution. By pre-evaluating packet inter-reception time profiles and testing whether predicted QoS meets safety thresholds, the system ensures that only safe maneuvers are executed, maintaining safety without significantly delaying maneuver implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If inter-vehicle distance is reduced for energy efficiency, then energy consumption decreases, but communication quality deteriorates due to scattering and shadowing effects in heterogeneous networks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidcommunication quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors packet inter-reception time as feedback on communication quality and uses this information to adjust inter-vehicle distances. When feedback indicates deteriorating communication quality due to scattering or shadowing effects, the system increases inter-vehicle distance to restore communication reliability, creating a closed-loop control system that balances energy efficiency with communication quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If QoS prediction is performed with high accuracy, then maneuver safety is improved, but computational complexity increases due to extensive testing and evaluation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaneuver safetyVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system focuses QoS prediction on the critical parameter of packet inter-reception time rather than attempting to predict all possible communication metrics. By concentrating computational resources on measuring and predicting this single key parameter that directly affects safety, the system achieves high accuracy maneuver safety assessment without excessive computational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3751536B1Method for determining a high-density platooning driving maneuver, apparatus, vehicle and computer program
Publication Date: 2024.03.27 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3751536B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3751536B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3751536B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The proposal concerns a method for determining a high-density platooning HDPL driving maneuver comprising the steps of selecting a HDPL closing maneuver (412), and a step of selecting a HDPL opening maneuver (414). Closing maneuver means a maneuver with which the inter-vehicle distance between platoon members is decreased. Opening maneuver means a maneuver with which the inter-vehicle distance between platoon members is increased. The proposal also concerns a step of testing the selected HDPL maneuvers in terms of energy consumption (416), thereby taking into account a predicted quality of service QoS of a vehicle-to-vehicle V2V communication link (PC5) for the communication between the platoon members (PV1 to PL). If said selected HDPL driving maneuvers do not fulfill the test criteria, the method comprises the steps of waiting a time and performing the steps of selecting a HDPL closing maneuver and HDPL opening maneuver and testing the newly chosen HDPL maneuver again.