DE102019210664A1 - Method for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operating a vehicle (10a ... 10n) in a vehicle group, comprising the steps: - providing information for determining at least one braking force parameter of the vehicle (10a ... 10n); - computationally determining the braking force parameter using the information provided; and- enabling the vehicle (10a ... 10n) for participation in the vehicle group with a position in the vehicle group based on the determined braking force parameter.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group. The invention also relates to a control device for carrying out the method. The invention also relates to a computer program. The invention also relates to a machine-readable storage medium.

State of the art

Systems are known in which vehicles form automated convoys (so-called vehicle platoons), especially on motorways. Here, vehicles collect one behind the other and drive over limited periods of time at a uniform speed at close intervals. The coordination for the formation, maintenance and dissolution of such a vehicle group or platoon takes place via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Approaches are known which, via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, allow all vehicles in the platoon to start or stop together. This results in a strong improvement in the flow of traffic and, in the case of existing traffic jams, the potential to resolve them more quickly. Driving together in a platoon can also save fuel and avoid rear-end collisions, with realizable fuel savings in the range of approx. 10% for the following vehicle and approx. 2% to approx. 3% for the vehicle in front.

DE 195 17 708 B4 discloses a method and an apparatus for electronic control of the braking system of a vehicle.

DE 195 21 872 B4 discloses a method for controlling the braking system of a vehicle.

DE 196 48 936 B4 discloses a method and an apparatus for controlling a brake system of a vehicle.

Disclosure of the invention

One object of the invention is to provide an improved method for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group.

• - Drahtloses Bereitstellen von Informationen zur Ermittlung wenigstens eines Bremskraftkennwerts des Fahrzeugs;
• - Rechnerisches Ermitteln des Bremskraftkennwerts mittels der bereitgestellten Informationen; und
• - Freigeben des Fahrzeugs für eine Teilnahme im Fahrzeugverbund mit einer Position im Fahrzeugverbund basierend auf dem ermittelten Bremskraftkennwert.

The object is achieved according to a first aspect with a method for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group, comprising the steps:

• - Wireless provision of information for determining at least one braking force parameter of the vehicle;
• - Computational determination of the braking force parameter using the information provided; and
• - Release of the vehicle for participation in the vehicle group with a position in the vehicle group based on the determined braking force parameter.

In this way, distances between vehicles in the vehicle group can advantageously be made as small as possible. Adapted to a braking capacity of the individual vehicle, the distances in the vehicle group can be minimized in this way, whereby the mentioned advantages of driving in the vehicle group can be achieved in the best possible way.

According to a second aspect, the object is achieved with a control device which is set up to carry out the proposed method. The control device can preferably be an electronic brake control device of the vehicle, which is connected to sensors and actuators and also other control devices. Alternatively, the control device can also be designed as an engine control device or as a vehicle management computer.

According to a third aspect, the object is achieved with a computer program which comprises commands which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the proposed method.

According to a fourth aspect, the object is achieved with a machine-readable storage medium on which the proposed computer program is stored.

The dependent claims relate to advantageous developments of the method.

An advantageous further development of the method provides that the information is at least one of: configuration data, vehicle data, computing algorithm. In this way, different types of information can be used to implement the operation of the vehicle in the vehicle group.

Another advantageous development of the method provides that functionalities of a braking system of the vehicle are recharged wirelessly. In this way, the vehicle can advantageously be operated with knowledge of the most varied of parameters of the brake system.

A further advantageous development of the method provides that the information includes at least one of the following: wet braking capacity of a braking system of the vehicle, temperature of components of the braking system, latency times and jitter in the effective path between components of the braking system. With precise knowledge of various components of its braking system, the vehicle can advantageously be operated very precisely in accordance with the requirements of operation within the vehicle group.

Another advantageous development of the method provides that at least one of: deceleration, braking force, braking torque, braking power is determined as the braking characteristic value. In this way, different parameters are advantageously provided for the operation of the vehicle within the vehicle group.

Another advantageous development of the method is characterized in that the computational determination of the braking force parameter is carried out in a defined and cyclical manner. In this way, current data of the braking force parameter can be determined by taking into account wear, heating, etc. of the brakes. It is therefore advantageously not necessary to assume the lowest possible performance of the braking system.

Another advantageous development of the method is characterized in that the determined braking force parameter influences at least one of the following of the vehicle: engine drag torque, friction brake, engine brake, retarder, electrical recuperation brake, torque control, wheel-specific braking torque. In this way, a comprehensive possibility of influencing the braking system is advantageously used.

Another advantageous development of the method provides that the information is downloaded before and / or while the vehicle is in operation. This enables up-to-date knowledge of the performance of the vehicle's braking system.

Another advantageous development of the method provides that the determined braking force parameter is transmitted to all participants in the vehicle group. As a result, the individual vehicles within the vehicle group can advantageously be operated in an optimized manner based on their braking performance.

Another advantageous development of the method provides that when determining the braking power while driving, a brake model with axle loads and brake data is used to predict deceleration. In this way, a mathematical and / or physical model is used to determine the performance of the vehicle's braking system even more precisely.

The invention is described in detail below with further features and advantages on the basis of several figures. All of the features described or shown form the subject matter of the invention individually or in any combination, regardless of their summary in the patent claims or their back-reference, and regardless of their formulation or representation in the description or in the figures. The figures are primarily intended to clarify the principles essential to the invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Disclosed method features result analogously from corresponding disclosed device features and vice versa. This means in particular that features, technical advantages and designs relating to the method result in an analogous manner from corresponding designs, features and advantages of the control device and vice versa.

• 1 eine prinzipielle Darstellung einer Erläuterung der Wirkungsweise des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens; und
• 2 einen prinzipiellen Ablauf einer Ausführungsform des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens zum Betreiben eines Fahrzeugs in einem Fahrzeugverbund.

In the figures shows:

• 1 a basic illustration of an explanation of the mode of operation of the proposed method; and
• 2 a basic sequence of an embodiment of the proposed method for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group.

Description of embodiments

In the following, the term automated motor vehicle is used synonymously in the meanings of partially automated motor vehicle, autonomous motor vehicle and partially autonomous motor vehicle.

A core concept of the invention is to provide an improved method and an improved device for operating a vehicle in a vehicle group.

A key concept of the invention is, in particular, a performance determination of the brakes of an automated vehicle group vehicle (e.g. platoon truck) before the vehicle group vehicle is admitted to the automated vehicle group and in a corresponding position in the vehicle group and, if not as a lead vehicle, then with a corresponding distance to the vehicle group vehicle in front is recorded.

In this context, the term “brake system” of a vehicle can be understood to mean all subsystems that cause the vehicle to decelerate, such as an engine drag torque, a friction brake, an engine brake, a retarder, an electrical one Recuperation brake, preferably finely tuned torque control (with the shortest possible response times and, if possible, without overshoot), etc.

For this purpose, a feature “determination of the performance of the wheel brakes” is previously provided by a server device 100 selected according to vehicle type, manufacturer, model and equipment-specific, in at least one electronic control device (preferably in the brake control device) of the vehicle 10a ... 10n downloaded and activated. The mentioned feature can be associated functional software and / or application (so-called application data such as characteristic curves, maps, fixed values, etc.) and / or complete control device software.

The advantage of the proposed method lies in an optimized-reduced distance between the vehicles with regard to the current and individual performance of wheel brakes and the associated braking system (including sensors, actuators, controls / regulators, etc.) 10a ... 10n in the vehicle group, whereby the wind resistance and thus the fuel and energy consumption of the vehicle group can advantageously be reduced. Under the assumption that no data is known, the distance between the vehicles in the group of vehicles must be sufficiently large (with spacing provisions or reserves).

1 shows several vehicles 10a , 10b , 10c , e.g. trucks that are on a roadway 1 (e.g. a motorway) and intend to form a vehicle network in the near future. The number three is only an example and it is of course also conceivable that fewer or more than three vehicles 10a ... 10n want to form a vehicle group. For this purpose each of the vehicles sends 10a , 10b , 10c among other things, a radio-based requirement for a server device 100 in order to obtain from this corresponding data relating to a braking functionality of the vehicles 10a , 10b , 10c download wirelessly. Corresponding data or information relating to the braking parameters can then be generated within the vehicles 10a , 10b , 10c calculated, activated and, for example, in at least one electronic control unit of the vehicles 10a , 10b , 10c Loading.

The result is an order of the vehicles 10a ... 10n defined within the vehicle group as follows: In principle, the vehicles would have to 10a ... 10n with increasingly longer braking distances in the direction of the lead vehicle of the vehicle group (in the case of 1 : Vehicle 10a) be placed in order to be able to achieve minimal distances between the vehicles with the existing braking power. In this way, the braking capacity can be used to the maximum in the event of emergency braking. This does not take into account the possibility of anticipatory driving and adapted braking of the lead vehicle while taking the vehicle into account 10a ... 10n with the longest braking distance in the vehicle group.

As a result, the braking functionality can advantageously be expanded with the aid of standardization or manufacturing information from the vehicles. In a first step, for example, it can be checked whether the specific vehicle is involved 10a ... 10n type and / or manufacturer and / or model and / or equipment-specific an update of the function and / or the application data, etc. on the server device 100 exists, which is then applied to the assigned vehicle 10a ... 10n is downloaded.

In a second step, the braking performance of the vehicle is checked 10a ... 10n or at least one braking parameter in driving and / or test bench operation, etc. is determined. Due to the performance of the drive train and / or the brake, the distance between the vehicles 10a ... 10n can be optimized in the vehicle group.

As soon as the performance, function and faultlessness have been determined, which is expressed by the “Platoon-Ready” signal, the vehicle can 10a ... 10n must be positioned at a correspondingly reduced distance compared to the standard value before registration and inclusion in the vehicle group.

As a result, the optimized positioning of the vehicles 10a ... 10n within the vehicle group turbulence effects, tear-off effects, etc. due to the air flow between the vehicles 10a ... 10n can be largely avoided, reducing the fuel consumption of the participating vehicles 10a ... 10n of the vehicle group is advantageously optimized.
Communication between the vehicles 10a , 10b , 10c of the vehicle group is preferably carried out wirelessly, for example via vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V) or indirectly via an infrastructure in the area and / or a backend / cloud of a service provider (vehicle -to-Infrastructure, V2X). Inside the vehicle 10a ... 10n, data of the determined braking parameter can be transmitted via an internal bus, whereby individual components of the vehicle's braking system 10a ... 10n can be controlled appropriately.

It is conceivable that, due to the shortened vehicle distances, the determinable fuel saving compared to a larger one Default value to a user of the update, at least in part, to the service provider or operator of the server device 100 is credited.

The determined braking force parameter can advantageously be at least one of the following of the vehicle 10a ... 10n influence: engine drag torque, friction brake, engine brake, retarder, electrical recuperation brake, torque control, individual wheel braking torque. In this way, it is advantageous to have a wide range of influences on the vehicle's braking system 10a ... 10n supported.

• - Optimierung von Ansprechzeiten der Bremse, z.B. durch Vorsteuerung
• - Bremsleistung in Abhängigkeit von Straßenbedingungen (z.B. Reibwerte, Temperaturen, usw.)
• - Zusätzliche Sensorik, z.B. durch Nachrüstung in die Erfassung und Bestimmung der Bremsleistung integrieren, dadurch sind genauere Daten verfügbar und Sicherheitsvorhalte können vorteilhaft entfallen (z.B. Kraftbestimmungen im Bremssystem)
• - Eine Reduzierung von Latenzzeiten und Jitter zur Übermittlung der Nachrichten betreffend die Bremsleistungsfähigkeit zwischen einzelnen Komponenten/Elementen des Bremssystems der Fahrzeuge 10a... 10n. Dies kann mittels Softwareupdates erreicht werden, die die Berechnungen (Software Timing/Scheduling) und Kommunikation (interne und externe Steuergeräte Busse und Gateways) der Bremssoftwarefunktionen bezüglich Jitter und Latenzzeiten weiter reduzieren können.

The functions or software in the server setup 100 with regard to the determination of the braking power, which includes software for downloading or the calculation in the cloud or the backend of the service provider, can include the following features:

• - Optimization of the brake response times, e.g. through pre-control
• - Braking performance as a function of road conditions (e.g. coefficients of friction, temperatures, etc.)
• - Integrate additional sensors, e.g. by retrofitting into the recording and determination of the braking power, so that more precise data is available and safety provisions can advantageously be omitted (e.g. force determinations in the braking system)
• - A reduction in latency times and jitter for the transmission of messages relating to the braking performance between individual components / elements of the vehicle's braking system 10a ... 10n. This can be achieved by means of software updates, which can further reduce the calculations (software timing / scheduling) and communication (internal and external control units, buses and gateways) of the brake software functions with regard to jitter and latency times.

The performance of the wheel brakes can be determined, for example, as follows: The stated performance can be determined using a brake model, with the braking performance being monitored, for example, using a roller brake tester. A fixed towing vehicle - trailer combination (“Married Combination”) with a variable load condition is assumed as a boundary condition.

The determination can be carried out offline, whereby the vehicles are checked e.g. at regular time intervals (e.g. weekly) on a brake test bench. The system pressure and the brake parameter can be determined for each axle and stored in a permanent electronic memory of the vehicle. Alternatively, the determination by means of the brake model can also be carried out online while driving, with the deceleration being able to be predicted using estimated / measured axle loads and using the brake data.

It is also conceivable to use a resolved towing vehicle-trailer combination for the determination by means of the brake model. For example, the towing vehicle can be measured regularly using a roller brake stand, whereby the trailer can be identified online. It is also possible for the towing vehicle and trailer to be identified online.

• - maximale Schwellzeiten/Lösezeiten aus einschlägigen Normen (z.B. ECE R13) berücksichtigt werden oder
• - mittels eines Verfahrens zur Bestimmung der Schwellzeiten/Lösezeiten aus einschlägigen Normen (z.B. ECE R13) kontrolliert und in einem elektronischen Speicher des Fahrzeugs 10a... 10n geschrieben werden oder
• - online eine Identifikation der Schwell-/Lösezeiten der Bremssysteme mittels an sich bekannter Verfahren durchgeführt werden

Alternatively, to determine the dynamics of the braking system

• - maximum swell times / release times from relevant standards (e.g. ECE R13) are taken into account or
• - Controlled by means of a procedure for determining the swell times / release times from relevant standards (e.g. ECE R13) and stored in an electronic memory of the vehicle 10a ... 10n are written or
• - An identification of the threshold / release times of the brake systems can be carried out online using methods known per se

Using future braking systems, e.g. using force sensors in the braking system, information can also be provided via a feedback channel, e.g. via CAN bus / Flexray / Ethernet. Current information can be made available to higher levels of the functional software for overall vehicle optimization via one of the data interfaces mentioned. A maximum deceleration and / or a maximum braking force and / or a maximum braking torque can be made available for an entire vehicle and / or a partial vehicle and / or for each individual wheel and made available to all participants via the data interface mentioned.

As a result, the current state of the brake system can be taken into account and further safety margins can be reduced in the safety margin. Based on this, information on longitudinal stability in the vehicle group can be used for a specific sequence and distances between the vehicles in the vehicle group while driving.

The underlying premise is that bus systems such as Ethernet will enable new additional participants (e.g. intelligent sensors and / or control devices) can be retrofitted with plug-and-play capability.

If, after the self-test, the tested vehicle is not compatible with a multibrand vehicle group, this can be done by downloading or updating the functionality from the server device 100 be compensated. This is based on the assumption that the first implementations of vehicle groups are so-called monobrand vehicle groups, ie the same vehicles from the same manufacturer and thus the necessary or minimum possible distances between vehicles can be determined through tests, etc.

In the event that vehicles 10a ... 10n different manufacturers (multibrand) are put together in a vehicle group, starting from the worst case, one would then have to define significantly larger distances between the vehicles compared to the monobrand vehicle group.

It is also conceivable that the fleet manager via the means of the server device 100 The mechanism provided can also download additional functionalities for a monobrand vehicle group from the associated manufacturer. In addition, manufacturer-independent functionalities that the respective manufacturer does not provide could also be used via the explained mechanism by means of the server device 100 implemented.

It is also conceivable that the braking capacity is made available to various service providers, whereby, for example, it is possible to offset mutual benefits from the proposed method.

The data determined relating to the braking capability are preferably transmitted to individual components of the braking system on an in-vehicle bus of the vehicle.

Optionally, it can also be provided that information relating to a coefficient of friction of the roadway 1 on which the vehicle is 10a ... 10n, outside temperature, etc. is downloaded, thereby reducing the efficiency of the vehicle's braking system 10a ... 10n can be determined even more precisely.

2 shows a basic sequence of a method for operating a vehicle 10a ... 10n in a vehicle group.

In one step 200 a provision of information for determining at least one braking force parameter of the vehicle 10a ... 10n performed.

In one step 210 a computational determination of the braking force parameter is carried out using the information provided.

In one step 220 becomes a release of the vehicle 10a ... 10n for participation in the vehicle group with a position in the vehicle group based on the determined braking force parameter.

The person skilled in the art will modify the features of the invention in a suitable manner and / or combine them with one another without deviating from the essence of the invention.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 19517708 B4 [0003]
• DE 19521872 B4 [0004]
• DE 19648936 B4 [0005]

Claims (14)

Method for operating a vehicle (10a ... 10n) in a vehicle group, comprising the steps: - Provision of information for determining at least one braking force parameter of the vehicle (10a ... 10n); - Computational determination of the braking force parameter using the information provided; and - Release of the vehicle (10a ... 10n) for participation in the vehicle group with a position in the vehicle group based on the determined braking force parameter. Procedure according to Claim 1 , whereby the release of the vehicle (10a ... 10n) for participation in the vehicle group is carried out at a distance from the vehicle group vehicle in front based on the determined braking force parameter. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the information is at least one of: configuration data, vehicle data, computing algorithm. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a wireless reloading of functionalities of a braking system of the vehicle (10a ... 10n) is carried out. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information comprises at least one of the following: wet braking capacity of a braking system of the vehicle, temperature of components of the braking system, latency times and jitter in the effective path between components of the braking system. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of: deceleration, braking force, braking torque, braking power is determined as the braking force characteristic value. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the computational determination of the braking force characteristic is carried out in a defined and cyclical manner. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the determined braking force parameter influences at least one of the following of the vehicle (10a ... 10n): engine drag torque, friction brake, engine brake, retarder, electrical recuperation brake, torque control, wheel-specific braking torque. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the information being downloaded before and / or during ongoing operation of the vehicle (10a ... 10n). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the determined braking force parameter is transmitted to all participants in the vehicle group. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein when determining the brake line during driving operation, a brake model with axle loads and brake data is used to predict deceleration. Control device that is set up, a method according to one of Claims 1 to 11 execute. Computer program comprising instructions which cause a computer to execute the computer program, a method according to one of the Claims 1 to 11 execute. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is based Claim 13 is stored.

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