Platooning Vehicle Steering Control for Trailer Lane Keeping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steering control technologies for platooning vehicles are ineffective in preventing trailers from departing from the road on curved roads, especially in tractor-trailer configurations where the trailer's angle and weight affect its alignment.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that include sensors to measure distances from the tractor and trailer centers to lane edges, a communication device for data exchange between vehicles, and a controller to adjust steering based on these measurements and road curvature, applying different steering control offsets for left and right curved roads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional steering control technology is applied to tractor trailers, then the tractor can follow the center of the road, but the trailer cannot be prevented from departing from the curved road
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the trailer into multiple segments by installing sensors at different positions (front and rear of the trailer). This segmentation allows the system to measure the actual lateral positions of different parts of the trailer independently, capturing the trailer's complex movement behavior on curved roads more accurately than a single-point measurement would provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation step that determines the trailer's bent angle based on the difference in lateral positions measured at the front and rear of the trailer. This intermediary parameter (bent angle) serves as a mediator between the raw sensor measurements and the final steering control command, enabling the system to account for the trailer's unique geometry and movement characteristics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the trailer type, size, or weight is changed, then the trailer can be adapted to different cargo needs, but the bending angle on curved roads varies making conventional steering control ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic measurement and control system that continuously monitors the actual lateral positions of the trailer at different points and adjusts the steering control in real-time. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to varying trailer configurations, sizes, and weights without requiring pre-programmed parameters for each specific trailer type, maintaining reliable control across diverse configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control by using sensors to continuously measure the actual lateral positions of the trailer and feeding this information back to the steering control system. The controller uses this feedback to calculate the trailer's bent angle and adjust the steering commands accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that automatically compensates for variations in trailer configuration, size, and weight.
3Measurement precision
If sensors measure distance from the tractor center to lane edges, then basic positioning is achieved, but the trailer's actual position relative to lanes cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement task by placing sensors at multiple locations on the trailer (front and rear) in addition to the tractor. This segmentation of the measurement system enables the collection of spatial information from different parts of the trailer, allowing the system to calculate the trailer's lateral position and bent angle by comparing the relative positions of these segmented measurement points.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling steering of a platooning vehicle to prevent a trailer from departing from the road on a curved road by controlling steering of a tractor in consideration of a distance between the center of an overall width of the trailer and a left lane and a distance between the center of the overall width of the trailer and a right lane.