Platoon Maneuver Control for Fuel-Efficient Gap Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current platooning systems face challenges in optimizing fuel efficiency during maneuvers, particularly due to trade-offs between transitional and overall fuel efficiency, where deceleration maneuvers are more fuel-efficient but hinder overall platoon progress, and the need for adaptive quality of service to maintain low inter-vehicle distances for reduced drag force.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling platoon maneuvers that evaluates fuel efficiency by considering fuel consumptions from an initial to a target state, maintaining the target state, and reverting, using predicted quality of service to determine optimal inter-vehicle distances and maneuver times, with the option to use different reference points within the platoon for deceleration or acceleration, thereby optimizing overall fuel efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If deceleration maneuvers are used to reduce inter-vehicle distance for lower fuel consumption, then fuel efficiency is improved, but overall platoon progress is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic maneuver selection by evaluating multiple factors (inter-vehicle distance, maneuver type, communication quality) in real-time to determine whether to perform deceleration or acceleration maneuvers, allowing the system to adapt between fuel efficiency and progress based on current conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the inter-vehicle distance parameter dynamically based on communication quality predictions and maneuver evaluations, adjusting the distance to optimize the balance between fuel consumption and platoon progress for each specific situation
2Use of energy by moving object
If inter-vehicle distance is reduced to reduce drag force and fuel consumption, then fuel efficiency is improved, but communication quality requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of communication quality predictions before executing maneuvers, using predicted quality of service metrics to determine whether current communication conditions support reduced inter-vehicle distances and to plan maneuvers that maintain reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from communication quality monitoring and prediction to continuously adjust inter-vehicle distances and maneuver decisions, ensuring that distance reductions are only implemented when communication quality can support the maneuver
3Use of energy by moving object
If maneuver evaluations consider only transitional fuel efficiency, then short-term fuel savings are achieved, but overall maneuver justification is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fuel efficiency evaluation into distinct components: transitional fuel efficiency (for the maneuver itself) and overall fuel efficiency (for the complete maneuver cycle including returning to initial state), evaluating each separately to provide comprehensive justification
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple evaluation criteria (transitional fuel efficiency, overall fuel efficiency, communication quality predictions, and maneuver type) into a unified decision-making framework that comprehensively justifies whether to perform maneuvers
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments provide a method, a computer program, an apparatus, a vehicle, and a network component for controlling a maneuver within a platoon of a plurality of vehicles. The method (10) for controlling a maneuver within a platoon of a plurality of vehicles (100; 102) comprises receiving (12) information related to a maneuver for the platoon, determining (14) information on a fuel efficiency of the maneuver based on fuel consumptions for maneuvering from an initial state to a maneuver target state, keeping the maneuver target state, and reverting from the maneuver target state to the initial state, and deciding (16) on whether to perform the maneuver based on the information on the fuel efficiency.