Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/18—Propelling the vehicle
  • B60W30/18009—Propelling the vehicle related to particular drive situations
  • B60W30/18163—Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W50/00—Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
  • B60W50/08—Interaction between the driver and the control system
  • B60W50/14—Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/16—Anti-collision systems
  • G08G1/167—Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q9/00—Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00, e.g. haptic signalling
  • B60Q9/008—Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00, e.g. haptic signalling for anti-collision purposes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W50/00—Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
  • B60W50/08—Interaction between the driver and the control system
  • B60W50/14—Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
  • B60W2050/146—Display means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2520/00—Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
  • B60W2520/10—Longitudinal speed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2552/00—Input parameters relating to infrastructure
  • B60W2552/20—Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2554/00—Input parameters relating to objects
  • B60W2554/80—Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
  • B60W2554/804—Relative longitudinal speed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2556/00—Input parameters relating to data
  • B60W2556/45—External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
  • B60W2556/65—Data transmitted between vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/08—Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W40/00—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
  • B60W40/02—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models related to ambient conditions
  • B60W40/06—Road conditions
  • B60W40/076—Slope angle of the road
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W40/00—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
  • B60W40/12—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models related to parameters of the vehicle itself, e.g. tyre models

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and a calculation unit in a vehicle. To be more precise, the invention reveals an aid for a driver of a vehicle in planning overtaking a vehicle in front.
• rearward road users may be blocked for an extended period of time, which can lead to increased dissatisfaction in these road users, which also may result in an increased risk of accident if the overtaking attempt must be interrupted, for example by a rapid braking, due to oncoming traffic or due to the overtaking lane on a road with alternating directions of driving in a third lane coming to an end, this also may lead to an increased risk of accident since the rearward road users may have misunderstood the situation and may also themselves have commenced an overtaking manoeuvre behind the vehicle that attempted to overtake the forward vehicle.
• An interrupted or unsuccessful attempt at overtaking leads not only to an increased risk of accident but also to increased fuel consumption and thus increased fuel costs, and also an increased impact on the environment in the form of increased emissions of exhaust gases from the overtaking vehicle.
• vehicle is used in this context to denote, for example, lorries, trucks, open-back trucks, transport vehicles, truck, caravans, pick-up vehicles, working vehicles, cars, emergency vehicles, vessels, vans, four-wheel drive vehicles, forwarders, excavators, car, passenger car, mobile cranes, tank vehicles, motorbikes, bucket chargers, mopeds, scooters, limousines, sports cars, racing cars, radio-equipped cars, lawn mowers, military tanks, snowmobiles, snowcats, terrain-going vehicles, tracked vehicles, tractors, go-carts, buses, combine harvesters, agricultural machines, and other similar motor-driven manned or unmanned transport means, adapted for geographical displacement on land.
• a rearward heavy vehicle with higher drawing power in an uphill may then attempt to overtake a forward vehicle.
• the problem for the driver is to know whether this is possible before the uphill section ends, when the two vehicles will probably then have the same speed along a downhill section or along level ground, i.e. where the driver cannot pass in any case, it is of course the case that the driver of the rearward vehicle does not know in general the performance capabilities or the loading of the forward vehicle.
• a further problem during overtaking is that the overtaking driver normally does not know the nature of the section of road that comes after the overtaking manoeuvre: there may be, for example, a forward hidden curve or exit that makes if dangerous or unsuitable to overtake.
• a further problem for the driver in the rearward vehicle is that he or she does not know with certainty the traffic situation in front of the forward vehicle. There may be, for example, a long queue of vehicles as a consequence of a traffic accident or similar in front of the forward vehicle. Overtaking this vehicle then leads to increased fuel consumption without the final destination being reached more rapidly, and this makes the overtaking manoeuvre essentially meaningless.
• this purpose is achieved by a method in a calculation unit in a vehicle to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle.
• the method comprises the collection of data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle along a first section of road in the direction of travel of the driver's own vehicle, from a sensor.
• the method comprises also calculation of the change of speed of the forward vehicle along the first section of road.
• the method comprises the collection of speed-related information associated with the driver's own vehicle.
• the method comprises also the collection of route-related data associated with a forward second section of road in the direction of travel of the driver's own vehicle.
• the method comprises also calculation of the susceptibility to overtaking of the forward vehicle on the forward second section of road, based on the calculated change in speed of the forward vehicle, the speed-related information that has been collected associated with the driver's own vehicle, and the route-related data that has been collected associated with the forward second section of road.
• the method comprises also presentation to the driver of the calculation that has been made of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking, in order in this way to facilitate the planning of the driver with respect to overtaking the forward vehicle.
• a calculation unit in a vehicle to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle.
• the calculation unit comprises a receiver arranged to collect data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle along a first section of road in the direction of travel of the driver's own vehicle, from a sensor.
• the calculation unit comprises also a processor circuit, arranged to calculate the change in speed of the forward vehicle.
• the processor circuit is arranged also to collect speed-related information associated with the driver's own vehicle and is arranged also to collect route-related data associated with a forward second section of road in the direction of travel of the driver's own vehicle.
• the processor circuit is, furthermore, arranged to calculate the susceptibility to overtaking of the forward vehicle on the forward second section of road, based on the calculated change in speed of the forward vehicle, the speed-related information that has been collected associated with the driver's own vehicle, and route-related data that has been collected associated with the forward second section of road.
• the calculation unit comprises a communication connection, arranged to communicate to an indicator data that represents the calculation that has been carried out of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking.
• this information can be used to calculate and predict whether overtaking of the vehicle is possible along a forward second section of road.
• This way of assessing susceptibility to overtaking is more reliable than assessments based solely on at least one of map data and the instantaneous relative speed between the vehicles.
• a more reliable assessment of whether it is possible to overtake the forward vehicle along a certain section of road is obtained in this way, which gives safer driving of the vehicle, and saves fuel, and thus also money, in that it is possible to avoid unnecessary attempts at overtaking and attempts that are doomed to failure.
• the impact on the environment is also reduced through the avoidance of unsuccessful attempts at overtaking.
• the accessibility of the road for other road users increases, since blockage of the overtaking lane by a vehicle that cannot manage to pass another vehicle is avoided.
• Figure 1A is an illustration of a vehicle according to one embodiment.
• Figure 1 B is an illustration of a vehicle and parts of its interior according to one embodiment.
• Figure 2A is a summary illustration that shows two vehicles during driving in a first hill along a route, according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2B is a summary illustration that shows two vehicles during driving in a second hill along a route, according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 3A is an illustration that shows a display, arranged to present to the driver information related to the overtaking situation, according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 3B is an illustration that shows a display, arranged to present the calculated length of the overtaking section of road, the duration of overtaking, and the extra fuel consumption during the overtaking, according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 3C is an illustration that shows a display, arranged to advise the driver against overtaking, according to one embodiment of the invention.
• the invention is defined as a method and a calculation unit for facilitating the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle, and if can be realised in any one of the embodiments described below.
• This invention can, however, be executed in many different forms and it is not to be considered to be limited by the embodiments described here: These embodiments are instead intended to illuminate and illustrate various aspects of the invention.
• Figure 1A shows a vehicle 100 that is travelling in one direction of travel 105 along a horizontal surface 110 towards a final destination.
• the vehicle 100 has a sensor 130 placed, for example, inside the control cabin behind the windscreen such that objects or vehicles in front of the vehicle 100 can be detected, if is possible to envisage also other locations: the sensor 130 may, for example, be located on the outer surface or roof of the control cabin according to certain embodiments, or, for example, on the bumper or chassis of the vehicle. It is, however, an advantage to have the sensor 130 located inside the control cabin since it there is relatively well protected from dirt, dust and snow slush, which has a positive effect on the function, reliability and lifetime of the sensor. To a certain extent, the sensor 130 is also somewhat better protected from damage as a consequence of traffic accident, theft, vandalism and other damage from unauthorised persons when it is located inside the control cabin.
• the sensor 30 may comprise or be constituted by, for example, a radar gauge, a laser gauge such as, for example, Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) equipment, sometimes known also as LADAR or "laser-radar", a camera such as, for example, a Time-of-Fiighf camera (ToF camera), a distance gauge based on ultrasound waves or similar arrangement configured for the assessment of distance.
• a radar gauge such as, for example, Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) equipment, sometimes known also as LADAR or "laser-radar”
• a camera such as, for example, a Time-of-Fiighf camera (ToF camera)
• ToF camera Time-of-Fiighf camera
• a LiDAR is an optical measuring instrument that measures properties of reflected light in order to determine the distance (or other properties, or both the distance and other properties) of an object located at a distance.
• the technology is very similar to that of radar (Radio Detection and Ranging), but it uses light instead of radio waves.
• the distance to an object is typically measured by measuring the time delay between an emitted laser pulse and its recorded reflection.
• a Time-of-Fiighf camera is a camera system that takes a sequence of images and measures a distance to an object based on the known speed of light, by measuring the consumption of time for a light signal between the camera and the motive or object.
• a Time-of-Fiighf camera can be said to be a type of non- scanning LIDAR, where the complete scene is captured by each laser pulse or light pulse, in contrast to the point-to-point method using a laser beam that is used when scanning with a LIDAR system.
• the sensor 130 may comprise, or be constituted by, also a communication module, arranged for wireless communication with a vehicle in the surroundings, in particular with a forward vehicle, and through this wireless communication obtain information related to the vehicle with which communication has been established, such as, for example, its speed, change in speed per unit time, type of vehicle, rate of engine revolutions, gear selected, amount of load, total weight, and similar information.
• the vehicle 00 may comprise, or be constituted by, several sensors 130 either of the same type of sensor 130 or of different types of sensor 130 according to different embodiments.
• One advantage of having several sensors 130 is that it is then possible to carry out more reliable assessments of the distance/speed or identification, or of the distance/speed and identification of the forward vehicle or type of vehicle.
• it can be an advantage, furthermore, to use sensors 130 that are already mounted in the vehicle 100 for other purposes, such as, for example, to warn the driver that the distance to the forward vehicle is too small, etc., collision detectors, or other similar sensor 130. It is possible in this way to avoid mounting special sensors 130 just for this invention, which leads to a lower cost of manufacturing and a better use of resources.
• Figure 1 B illustrates one example of the driver's surroundings in the vehicle 100.
• the vehicle 100 is provided with a calculation unit 120, located in, or in association with, the control cabin of the vehicle.
• This calculation unit 120 is arranged to communicate with the sensor 130 over a wired or wireless interface according to different embodiments.
• the wired interface may, for example, be based on any one of the following technologies: Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial RS232, FireWire, Thunderbolt, just to mention some of the possibilities.
• the wireless interface may, for example, be based on any one of the following technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Access (CDMA), (CDMA 2000), Time Division Synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE); Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), defined by at least one of the institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards 802.1 1 a, ac, b, g and n, Internet Protocol (IP), Bluetooth and Near Field Communication, (NFC), according to different embodiments.
• GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
• EDGE Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution
• UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
• CDMA Code Division Access
• CDMA 2000 Code Division Synchronous CDMA
• TD-SCDMA Time Division Synchronous CDMA
• LTE Long Term Evolution
• Wi-Fi Wireless Fidelity
• IEEE institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• a forward second vehicle 140 drives in front of the driver's own vehicle 100. 5 Furthermore, there is in the vehicle 100 an indicator 125 that may be comprised within or connected to the calculation unit 120. Such an indicator 125 can be constituted by a display, but the indicator may be constituted also by one or several diode or diodes that can indicate when overtaking is suitable and when it is unsuitable. The indicator 125 may be constituted also by one or several 10 loudspeakers that are arranged to emit a sound signal in order to command that overtaking take place, or to emit a warning signal in order to warn about a dangerous or unsuitable overtaking manoeuvre.
• the method to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140 comprises that a calculation is carried out of how much speed the forward vehicle 15 140 loses relative to the driver's own vehicle 100 along a first section of road.
• This first section of road may comprise, but does not necessarily comprise, an uphill section in certain embodiments.
• the forward second section of road is constituted by a section of road of similar nature as that of the first section of road, for example an uphill section of the same or 25 comparable gradient and magnitude.
• the first section of road and the second section of road may have dissimilar natures.
• One possible advantage of allowing at least one of the first section of road and the second section of road to be constituted by an uphill section is that certain vehicles 100, 140, in particular heavily loaded vehicles such as lorries, buses, trucks and similar, often achieve only a limited speed in uphill sections, as has previously been established.
• Figure 2A shows schematically an example of a scenario in which a method in a calculation unit 120 in a vehicle 100 to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140 can be used.
• Both the driver's own vehicle 100 and the forward vehicle 140 are travelling in the same direction of travel 105.
• the vehicle 100 has a sensor 130 to collect data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle 140 along a first section of road 210 in the direction of travel 105 of the driver's own vehicle.
• the first section of road 210 may in certain embodiments have a positive gradient a relative to the horizontal plane 110, i.e. this section of road is constituted by an uphill section.
• a change in speed of the forward vehicle 140 along the first section of road 210 can be calculated. This change in speed is then related to the change in speed of the driver's own vehicle along the first section of road 210.
• the first section of road 210 is defined and the measurement of the relative change in speed of the vehicles 100, 140 relative to each other is initiated by the driver, by, for example, indicating to the calculation unit 120 the locations at which the first section of road 210 starts and stops.
• the calculation unit 120 may, in other embodiments, be arranged to initiate the measurement of the relative change in speed of the vehicles 100, 140 relative to each other, and thus also to define the first section of road 210, when a forward vehicle 140 is detected within a certain distance in front of the driver's own vehicle 100.
• the sensor 130 is arranged to identify the type of vehicle of a forward vehicle 140. According to some embodiments, the sensor 130 is arranged to identify in particular heavy traffic such as lorries, trucks, timber lorries, tankers, buses, etc. It will then become possible to activate the method according to the invention when a forward vehicle 140 of this type is detected by the sensor.
• a second section of road 220 is shown located in front of, or after, the first section of road 210, when considered in the direction of travel 105 of the vehicles.
• the second section of road 220 may in certain embodiments have a positive gradient ⁇ relative to the horizontal plane 110, i.e. this section of road is constituted by an uphill section.
• the gradient a of the first section of road 210 and the gradient ⁇ of the second section of road 220 may be the same gradient, closely similar gradients within a certain interval, or completely different gradients that are unrelated to each other, according to different embodiments, in certain embodiments at least one of the gradients ⁇ , ⁇ relative to the horizontal plane 110 is equal to 0, i.e. constituted by a horizontal section of road, in certain embodiments at least one of the gradients a, ⁇ relative to the horizontal plane 10 is less than 0, i.e. it is constituted by a downhill section of road. As has been mentioned above, it is, however, a particular advantage according to certain embodiments to allow the gradients ⁇ , ⁇ relative to the horizontal plane 10 be greater than 0, i.e. it is constituted by an uphill section of road.
• Figure 2B shows schematically an example of a scenario in which a method in a calculation unit 120 in a vehicle 100 to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140 can be used.
• the vehicles 100, 140 have in Figure 2B arrived at the second section of road 220,
• the rearward vehicle 100 can now use the measured experience with respect to the relative change in speed between the vehicles along the first section of road 5 210 to calculate whether an overtaking manoeuvre will be possible along the second section of road 220.
• Figure 3A shows a display 125 in association with the calculation unit 120 in the rearward vehicle 100.
• the second section of road 220 has been marked, whereby a calculation has been carried out in the5 calculation unit 120 that the rearward vehicle 100 has sufficient time to carry out and complete the overtaking manoeuvre before the tricky road junction that is shown in the upper left corner of the drawing.
• the driver may receive an indication in certain embodiments of at least one of when it is appropriate to commence the overtaking manoeuvre of the forward0 vehicle 140 and when it has been calculated that the overtaking manoeuvre will be complete. This may be illustrated graphically in certain cases, as in Figure 3A, or it may be illustrated by at least one of a sound signal, a light signal (a greed diode is illuminated when it is time to commence the overtaking, for example), a text message that is displayed, and a recorded sound message that if played over a5 loudspeaker, etc. in different embodiments.
• Figure 3B shows the display 125 in the rearward vehicle 100.
• an indication is comprised that shows when it is appropriate to start the overtaking, i.e. when the second section of road 220 starts, in this case, this indication is shown as a measure of time (10 seconds), but it can just as easily be shown as a measure of distance (metres), or by reference to a geographical point ("Start the overtaking after the next right-hand bend.”).
• this indication can in certain embodiments be counted down, as the vehicle 100 approaches the start of the second section of road 220.
• This information can be given to the driver also in audible form, as a voice message that imparts this information.
• One advantage of imparting this information as a voice message may be that the driver can concentrate on the driving and does not need to take his or her vision from the road in order to read a display 125.
• decision support information in the form of information related to the overtaking can be displayed to the driver.
• information related to the overtaking may comprise, for example, how long the overtaking will take, the length of the overtaking section of road in metres, the extra fuel consumption that the overtaking will lead to (above the fuel consumption in the case in which the overtaking is not carried out), and the extra cost of this fuel, and possibly also, or instead of this, it may comprise the extra emission that it is predicted that the overtaking will cause.
• the latter information may, in certain embodiments, be displayed graphically as a bar, a diagram, a graph, or similar. In other examples, the opposite can be displayed, i.e. the amount of extra emission that is avoided as a consequence of a declined overtaking manoeuvre.
• a graphical illustration of a gear-changing schedule that has been calculated to be suitable during the overtaking can be displayed for the driver, in order to facilitate the driver's gear changing during the overtaking. This is relevant for vehicles 100 with manual gearboxes. By suggesting and displaying a gear-changing schedule to the driver, the use by the driver of the wrong gear, which may lead to the vehicle 100 losing drawing power, can be avoided. This is unsuitable in particular when overtaking, particularly if the overtaking is taking place in an uphill section, since an erroneous choice of gear may lead to the overtaking manoeuvre being unsuccessful.
• Figure 3C shows the display 125 in the rearward vehicle 100.
• the calculation unit 120 has concluded in this example that overtaking of the forward vehicle 140 is not possible or advisable along the second section of road 220.
• An indication that advises the driver against overtaking can then be displayed on the display 125, in the form of, for example, at least one of a warning text and a graphical drawing with the message that overtaking should not be attempted.
• the indicator 125 in certain embodiments can be constituted by a diode, a lamp or similar, that is illuminated or extinguished.
• a green lamp or diode is illuminated when overtaking is required or possible, and a red lamp or diode is illuminated when overtaking is not possible or appropriate.
• this information can also, or alternatively, be communicated in the form of a sound signal, which may comprise also a voice message, with the content that the driver is advised against overtaking.
• this information can be supplemented further, for example by giving information about another, third forward section of road on which overtaking can be advised, and the time (minutes) or distance (metres) required to reach this section of road.
• One advantage of providing such information to the driver is that he or she then becomes more patient and less likely to take a chance on overtaking despite having been advised against it.
• the driver can, according to certain embodiments, when the calculation unit 120 has determined that an attempt at overtaking will not be 5 successful or is unsuitable for other reasons, be prevented from carrying out the overtaking of the forward vehicle 140, for example by a reduction in the power of the engine when the vehicle 100 pulls out into the overtaking lane or changes lane, according to certain embodiments. Attempts at overtaking that are doomed to failure can in this way be prevented, which leads to savings in fuel.
• Figure 4 shows an example of a method in a calculation unit 120 in a vehicle 100 to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140.
• measurement results related to the forward vehicle 140 can be collected into the calculation unit 120, according to certain embodiments.
• Such measurement results can be collected from, for example, one or several sensors 15 130 in the vehicle 100, and can refer to the configuration of the forward vehicle, such as at least one of type and speed of the forward vehicle.
• This collection of measurement results from the sensor 130 can, according to certain embodiments, be initiated by the driver by marking the start and the end of the first section of road 210, over which section a measurement is taken.
• such collection of data may be carried out continuously or periodically at a certain time interval, that may be predetermined or configurable, when at least one of topographical data and geographical data concerning the relevant section of road along the route in the direction 105 of travel indicates that a section of road that may be particularly
• the forward vehicle 140 such as, for example, an impending uphill section.
• the sensor 130 may, however, according to certain embodiments be arranged to collect measurement results independently and to transmit these to the calculation unit 120, over a wired or wireless interface as previously described. Such a transmission of measurement results can be initiated by the sensor 130 when, for example, a forward vehicle 140 that lies within a certain distance from the driver's own vehicle 100 is detected or when a forward vehicle 140 of a certain type, such as for example a lorry, is detected within a certain distance of the driver's own vehicle 100, possibly in certain embodiments, in combination with insight into at least one of topographical and geographical information that indicates, for example, an uphill section.
• the calculation unit 120 can subsequently calculate the change in speed of the forward vehicle along the first section of road 210.
• the calculation unit 120 can collect speed-related information that is related to the driver's own vehicle 100. This collection can be carried out from, for example, the navigation system of the vehicle, from GPS equipment or similar, or - quite simply - from the speed-measurement device of the vehicle, according to different embodiments.
• This speed-related information may comprise also that a time-recording function starts when the vehicle 100 reaches the first section of road 210 and ends when the vehicle 100 leaves the first section of road 210.
• the average speed of the vehicle can subsequently be calculated since the length of the first section of road can be extracted from any one of map information of this section of road 210, GPS measurement, measurement based on the trip meter of the vehicle, and a measurement of distance carried out with, for example, the sensor 130 of the vehicle, to name only some of the conceivable possibilities.
• Measurement results can be collected from, for example, a positioning system such as a global positioning system (GPS), Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), GLObalnaja NAvigatsionnaja Sputnikovaja Sistema (GLONASS) or similar, which makes it possible to determine the current position of the vehicle in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude. Furthermore, the section of road of the route, the topographical driving conditions, and similar, can be determined. It is possible in certain embodiments to use previously received and stored values from at least one of sensors, acceierometers, gyros and positioning systems, which in certain embodiments have been stored in a memory with information about time.
• GPS global positioning system
• GNSS Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System
• GLONASS GLObalnaja NAvigatsionnaja Sputnikovaja
• the speed of the driver's own vehicle can be calculated on the basis of the information described above.
• This calculated speed may comprise, for example, an average speed, a final speed when the far end of the first section of road 210 is reached, a difference in speed between the entrance to and the exit from the first section of road 210, or similar.
• the calculation unit 120 may, instead of or in addition to, calculate the relative difference in speeds between the vehicles 100, 140 at the entrance to and the exit from the first section of road 210. This information, how much speed the forward vehicle 140 loses along the first section of road 210 in relation to how much speed the driver's own vehicle 100 loses along the same section of road 210, can subsequently be used to predict the possibility of overtaking the forward vehicle 140 along the forward second section of road 220.
• This assessment may comprise also the defection of a forward second section of road 220, along which the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking is assessed or calculated.
• This detection of the second section of road 220 may comprise a search among topographical data for a second section of road 220 that demonstrates topographical properties that are similar to, or that can be compared with, the measured first section of road 210, according to certain embodiments.
• information concerning at least one of the destination and the route of the vehicle can be obtained, for example from the navigation system of the vehicle, which can be used to find a relevant second section of road 220, for example from a topographical or other point of view.
• the calculation unit 120 can carry out a calculation and assessment of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking along this second section of road 220.
• This assessment may be based on the collected relative difference in speeds between the driver's own vehicle 100 and the forward vehicle 140 along the first section of road 210. If the driver's own vehicle 100 has a relatively higher speed along the first section of road 210 than the forward vehicle 140, possibly with the addition of a hysteresis, or a threshold value that may depend, for example, on the type of vehicle, the vehicle 140 may be assessed to be liable for overtaking.
• the calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking can comprise also an evaluation of forward geographical limitations to overtaking, such as, for example, concealed exits, unattended crossings, bends in the road with poor visibility, and similar. If such a geographical limitation is discovered along the second section of road 220, from, for example, analysis of geographical data obtained from a memory, or from the navigation system, GPS receiver, or similar, of the vehicle, advice against overtaking along the relevant section of road 220 can be issued and displayed to the driver.
• forward geographical limitations to overtaking such as, for example, concealed exits, unattended crossings, bends in the road with poor visibility, and similar.
• calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking can comprise also an assessment of the forward traffic situation and an assessment of whether it is worthwhile to carry out this overtaking manoeuvre.
• this may involve at least one of the collection of traffic information and the detection of one or several factors that limit progress along the route in the direction 105 of travel of the vehicle, in front of the second section of road 220. Examples of such a factor that limits progress may be traffic accident, traffic jam, damaged or closed carriageway, control by authorities, bridge opening, railway crossing, speed limitation, roadworks, traffic light, roundabout, fog, slippery road, precipitation, and similar.
• This information may be combined also with notification of time, or if may be controlled by time, since the amount of traffic and the formation of traffic jams often has a tendency to increase in certain well known directions around towns during rush hour.
• Such information related to a factor that limits progress in the direction 105 of travel of the vehicle may be collected from either one or several of, for example, a traffic surveillance service, traffic police, traffic radio, information database, weather forecasting service, and similar.
• Detection of such a factor that limits progress may lead to advice against overtaking according to certain embodiments.
• One advantage of this is that it is possible to avoid carrying out an overtaking manoeuvre that is expensive from the point of view of fuel consumption, if there is a limitation on progress such as, for example, a traffic jam behind the top of the hill that lies in front.
• the caicuiation unit 120 can in this case carry out a caicuiation of whether the vehicle 100 has been calculated to arrive before or after the calculated or the agreed time of arrival, and if the caicuiation indicates that the vehicle 100 is in advance of the time schedule, i.e. has been assessed to arrive before the agreed time of arrival, advice against overtaking can be issued, according to certain embodiments. Overtaking manoeuvres can be avoided in this case if they lead to the driver of the vehicle 100 being compelled to wait at the destination, which may be, for example, a ferry terminal or a loading quay at which the personnel have not yet arrived.
• the calculation unit 120 can, when it has been determined whether or that the forward vehicle 140 can, should or shall be overtaken along the second section of road 220, transmit a signal to the indicator 125 in order to present to the driver the result of the estimation that has been made of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking, in order in this way to facilitate the planning of overtaking of the forward vehicle 40.
• This can be carried out by, for example, at least one of a green lamp being illuminated, a recorded speech message suggesting that overtaking be carried out, and information about the situation that has arisen being displayed on a display.
• the driver may subsequently, according to certain embodiments, use this information as decision-support information in order to assess whether an overtaking manoeuvre is to be carried out or not.
• the calculation unit 120 may in certain embodiments calculate also a gear- changing schedule that may be suitable or optimal to use during the overtaking manoeuvre. The risk that the driver is unsuccessful with the overtaking manoeuvre due to an erroneous choice of gear can in this way be reduced.
• the vehicle 100 may be arranged, fully or partially, for autonomous driving.
• Such an autonomous vehicle 100 may, when the calculation unit 120 estimates that that the forward vehicle is liable to be overtaken along the second section of road 220, independently start and carry out an overtaking manoeuvre of the forward vehicle 140 along the second section of road 220.
• the driver when the calculation unit 120 estimates that it is not possible, or not appropriate, to overtake the forward vehicle 140 along the second section of road 220, the driver can be prevented from carrying out the overtaking, by, for example, the power of the engine being reduced when the vehicle 100 enters the overtaking lane.
• FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an embodiment of the invention.
• the flow diagram in Figure 5 reveals a method 500 in a calculation unit 120 in a vehicle 100 to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140.
• the vehicle 100 comprises a calculation unit 120 installed in the vehicle 100 and arranged to collect data with respect to the forward vehicle 140, the driver's own vehicle 100, and topographical and geographical information related to at least parts of the route of the vehicle.
• information related to the forward vehicle 140 may, according to certain embodiments, be collected from one or several sensors 130 in the vehicle 100.
• the purpose of the method 500 is to provide a tool for the driver to make it possible to plan overtaking of a forward vehicle 140. It is possible in this way, according to different embodiments, that unsuccessful attempts at overtaking manoeuvres are avoided or made impossible, that dangerous overtaking manoeuvres are avoided or made impossible, that unnecessary overtaking manoeuvres are avoided or made impossible, and that suitable overtaking manoeuvres are indicated or carried out along a suitable section of road 220.
• the method 500 can comprise a number of steps, 501 - 508. It should, however, be observed that certain of the steps 501-508 described can be carried out in a somewhat different chronological order than that suggested by the numbering, and that certain of the steps can be carried out in parallel with each other, according to different embodiments. Furthermore, certain of the steps that are described, such as, for example 507 and 508, are carried out only in certain embodiments of the method.
• the method 500 comprises the following steps:
• Data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle 140 is collected along a first section of road 210 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle 100 , from a sensor 130.
• the first section of road 210 may comprise an uphill section with a positive gradient a relative to a horizontal plane 1 0, according to certain embodiments.
• the sensor 130 can comprise, or be constituted by, a radar gauge, a laser gauge, a camera, a distance gauge based on ultrasound waves or a communication unit for wireless communication, arranged to communicate with the forward vehicle 140 and in this way obtain data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle 140, along a first section of road 210 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle directly from this vehicle 140, according to certain embodiments. Furthermore, several sensors 130 can be used according to certain embodiments, in order to, for example, obtain a more reliable measurement result. These several sensors 130 may be constituted by sensors 30 of the same type, or of different types.
• the transfer of data associated with a change in speed related to the vehicle 140 from the sensor 30 in the vehicle 100 to the calculation unit 120 can in certain embodiment be carried out over a wireless interface, based on, for example, any one of the following technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Access (CDMA), (CDMA 2000), Time Division Synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE); Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), as defined by any one the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards 802.11 a, ac, b, g and n, Internet Protocol (IP), Bluetooth and Near Field Communication, (NFC).
• GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
• EDGE Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution
• UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
• CDMA Code Division Access
• CDMA 2000 Code Division Synchronous CDMA
• TD-SCDMA Time Division Synchronous CDMA
• the transfer of information can be carried out without the said units needing to be connected to a wired connection such as, for example, the vehicle bus (CAN), which can make the mounting of these units, and in particular the post-mounting, updating or exchange of these units, easier.
• a wired connection such as, for example, the vehicle bus (CAN), which can make the mounting of these units, and in particular the post-mounting, updating or exchange of these units, easier.
• CAN vehicle bus
• the information may, according to certain embodiments, however, be carried out over a wired interface such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial RS232, FireWire, Thunderbolt, just to mention some of the possibilities.
• CAN Controller Area Network
• MOST Media Oriented Systems Transport
• USB Universal Serial Bus
• RS232 Serial RS232
• FireWire FireWire
• Thunderbolt just to mention some of the possibilities.
• the transfer may be carried out continuously, at, for example, a certain interval of time, or when a triggering event occurs, such as, for example, that the forward vehicle 140 is detected by the sensor 130.
• the change in speed of the forward vehicle 140 along the first section of road 210 is calculated.
• This change in speed may comprise for example the calculation of the average speed when the forward vehicle 140 drives along the first section of road 210, the final speed when the forward vehicle 140 exits from the first section of road 210, the change in speed between the time at which the forward vehicle 140 leaves the first section of road 210 and the time at which the forward vehicle 140 enters the first section of road 210, or similar changes in speed according to different embodiments.
• Speed-related information associated with the driver's own vehicle 100 is collected.
• This change in speed may comprise for example the calculation of the average speed when the driver's own vehicle 00 drives along the first section of road 2 0, the final speed when the driver's own vehicle 100 exits from the first section of road 210, the change in speed between the time at which the driver's own vehicle 100 leaves the first section of road 210 and the time at which the driver's own vehicle 100 enters the first section of road 210, or similar changes in speed according to different embodiments.
• Step 504 Route-related data associated with a forward second section of road 220 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle is collected.
• Such route-related data may comprise at least one of topographical information with respect to differences in height along the forward second section of road 220, geographical information with respect to the route and road conditions, and information about limits to progress such as traffic jams, accidents, slippery road conditions, etc.
• the second section of road 220 may comprise an uphill section with a positive gradient ⁇ relative to a horizontal plane 1 0, according to certain embodiments.
• This positive gradient ⁇ may be equal to or comparable to the positive gradient a relative to a horizontal plane 1 10 along the first section of road 210, according to certain embodiments.
• These gradients ⁇ , ⁇ may be also unrelated to each other according to certain embodiments.
• the said gradients ⁇ , ⁇ may be identical to 0, i.e. they may be either horizontal or comprise a negative gradient, i.e. they may be constituted by a downhill section according to certain embodiments.
• the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking on the forward second section of road 220 is calculated, based on the calculated 502 change in speed of the forward vehicle 140, the speed-related information that has been collected 503 associated with the driver's own vehicle 100, and the route-related data that has been collected 504 associated with the forward second section of road 220.
• the calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking may comprise also an estimation of at least one of the length of the overtaking section of road, the duration of the overtaking manoeuvre, extra fuel consumption during overtaking, and the cost of the said extra fuel consumption, according to certain embodiments.
• the calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking may comprise also a detection, based on the collected 504 route-related data, associated with the forward second section of road 220, of obstacles that limit overtaking along the said section of road 220, or other section of road in the forward direction 105 of travel.
• the calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking may comprise also advice against overtaking, when the overtaking is assessed to be impossible, unsuitable or unnecessary.
• the forward vehicle 140 may be calculated to be liable for overtaking when the driver's own vehicle 100 has a speed along the first section of road 210 that exceeds the speed of the forward vehicle, and that the relative difference in speed between the vehicles 100, 140 exceeds a certain threshold value, according to certain embodiments.
• the calculation 505 of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking that has been carried out is presented to the driver, in order in this way to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of the forward vehicle 140.
• the presentation of the calculation 505 that has been carried out may comprise also at least one of the estimated length of the overtaking section of road, the duration of overtaking, the extra fuel consumption during the overtaking and the cost of the said extra fuel consumption, whereby the presentation is made on the display 125 that can be connected to the calculation unit 120 according to certain embodiments.
• the presentation may comprise also a visualisation of a detection of an obstacle that limits overtaking, according to certain embodiments.
• the presentation may comprise also advice against overtaking, when the calculation unit 120 has calculated that the overtaking is impossible, unsuitable or unnecessary.
• Step 507 This method step is comprised within certain, but not necessarily in all, embodiments of the invention, when the vehicle 100 is arranged for autonomous driving.
• the forward vehicle 140 is overtaken when the said vehicle 140 has been assessed to be liable for overtaking.
• This method step is comprised within certain, but not necessarily in all, embodiments of the invention.
• At least one of overtaking and an attempt at overtaking of the forward vehicle 140 is prevented when the said vehicle 140 is assessed 505 to be not susceptible to overtaking.
• Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of a calculation unit 120 in a vehicle 100 in order to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140.
• the calculation unit 120 is configured to carry out at least certain of the previously described method steps 501-508, comprised in the description of the method 500 to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140.
• the purpose of the calculation unit 120 is to carry out a calculation of a relative difference in speeds between the forward vehicle 140 and the driver's own vehicle 100 along the first section of road 210, and subsequently to use this calculation to predict the result of an attempt at overtaking along a forward second section of road 220, based on the measured experience from the first section of road 210.
• This first section of road 210 and the second section of road 220 can comprise an uphill section according to certain, but not necessarily ail, embodiments of the invention.
• the first section of road 210 and the second section of road 220 may comprise a positive gradient ⁇ , ⁇ relative to a horizontal plane 1 10 according to certain forms.
• the calculation unit 120 contains a number of components, which are described in more detail below, and in Figure 6. Certain of the units and components described are present in some, but not necessarily all, embodiments. Also additional electronic circuits may be present in the calculation unit 120 that are not fully necessary to understand the method 500 according to the steps 501-508 described above. Such additional electronic circuits have been omitted from Figure 6 for reasons of clarity in order not to make the understanding of the invention unnecessarily difficult.
• the calculation unit 120 comprises a receiver 810 arranged to collect data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle 40 along a first section of road 210 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle, from a sensor 130.
• the calculation unit 120 comprises also a processor circuit 620, arranged to calculate the change in speed of the forward vehicle 140.
• the processor circuit 820 is arranged also to collect speed-related information associated with the driver's own vehicle 100 and is arranged also to collect route- related data associated with a forward second section of road 220 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle.
• the processor circuit 620 is, furthermore, arranged to calculate the susceptibility to overtaking of the forward vehicle on the forward second section of road 220, based on the calculated change in speed of the forward vehicle 140, the speed-related information that has been collected associated with the driver's own vehicle 100, and the route-related data that has been collected associated with the forward second section of road 220.
• the processor circuit 620 may be constituted by, for example, one or several central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors or other logic circuits designed ⁇ interpret and carry out instructions and to which to [sic, extra "which to"] read and write data.
• the processor circuit 820 can handle data for the input flow, output flow or data processing of data comprising also the buffering of data, control functions and similar.
• the processor circuit 820 can, according to certain embodiments, be arranged to calculate at least one of the length of the overtaking section of road, the duration of overtaking, the extra fuel consumption during the overtaking, and the cost of the said extra fuel consumption, or similar information.
• the processor circuit 620 may be arranged also to detect an obstacle that limits overtaking on the forward second section of road 220, based on route-related data that has been collected, associated with the forward second section of road 220.
• the processor circuit 620 may, according to certain forms, be arranged to determine along the first section of road 210 whether the driver's own vehicle 100 has a speed that exceeds the speed of the forward vehicle, and to calculate the relative difference in speed between the vehicles 100, 140, to compare the said difference with a threshold value, and to calculate the forward vehicle 140 as susceptible to overtaking when the relative difference in speed between the vehicles 100, 140 exceeds a threshold value.
• the processor circuit 820 may, according to certain forms, be arranged also to initiate an overtaking manoeuvre of the forward vehicle 140 when the said vehicle 140 is calculated to be susceptible to overtaking when the driver's own vehicle 100 is arranged, fully or partially, for autonomous driving.
• the processor circuit 620 may be arranged also to prevent overtaking and attempts at overtaking of the forward vehicle 140 when the said vehicle 140 is assessed to be not susceptible to overtaking, according to certain embodiments.
• the calculation unit 120 comprises also a communication connection 830, arranged to communicate to an indicator 125 data that represents the calculation that has been carried out of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle to overtaking.
• an indicator 125 may be constituted by, for example, a display, which may be referred to as a computer screen, display or monitor, which may be an output unit arranged to display text or an image that has been created electronically.
• a display may comprise a screen with a cathode ray tube, known as a "CRT", in certain embodiments.
• such a display may have the form of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, an SED (Surface-conduction electron-emitter display) or an OLED (Organic light-emitting diode) display, a Light Emitting Diode (LED), or a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display, to name some different examples of displays.
• the said indicator 125 may also, or alternatively, comprise one or several of the following: lamp, diode, coloured lamp, coloured diode, loudspeaker, signal- emitting unit, etc.
• the calculation unit 120 may comprise, or be connected to, a memory unit 825, which in certain embodiments can be constituted by a storage medium for data.
• the memory unit 625 may be constituted by, for example, a memory card, flash memory, a USB memory, a harddisk or other similar data storage unit, for example, any member of the group: ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), Flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), etc., in different embodiments.
• the invention comprises a computer program in the calculation unit 120, in order to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of a forward vehicle 140 by executing the method 500 according to at least any one of the method steps 501 - 508, when the computer program is loaded into the processor circuit 620 in the calculation unit 120.
• the method 500 according to the steps 501-508 in order to facilitate the planning of overtaking can be implemented through one or several processor circuits 620 in the calculation unit 120 together with computer program code to carry out any one, some, certain of, or ail of the method steps 501-508 that have been described above, in this way, a computer program comprising instructions to carry out any one, some, certain of, or all of the method steps 501-508 when the program is loaded into the processor circuit 620.
• At least one of the receiver 610 and the communication connection 630 described and discussed above can, in certain embodiments, be constituted by separate transmitters and receivers.
• at least one of the receiver 610 and the communication connection 630, in the calculation unit 120 can in certain embodiments be constituted by a transceiver that is adapted to transmit and to receive radio signals, or to transmit wired signals, and where parts of the construction, for example the aerial in the case of wireless communication, is common for the transmitter and the receiver.
• the said communication may be adapted for the wireless transfer of information over radio waves, WLAN, Bluetooth, or an infrared transmitter/receiver module.
• At least one of the receiver 610 and the transmitter 630 may in certain embodiments, however, be specially adapted for the wired exchange of information.
• the invention comprises a system 600 in a vehicle 100 to facilitate the planning of overtaking of a forward vehicle 140.
• the system 600 comprises a calculation unit 120 as has been described above, a sensor 130 arranged to measure speed-related data of the forward vehicle 140, and an indicator 125, arranged to illustrate the calculation of the susceptibility of the forward vehicle that has been carried out to the driver, in order in this way to facilitate the planning of the overtaking of the forward vehicle 40.
• the sensor 130 in the system 600 can furthermore comprise also a radar gauge, a laser gauge, a camera, a distance gauge based on ultrasound waves or a communication unit for wireless communication, arranged to communicate with the forward vehicle 140 and in this way obtain data associated with a change in speed of the forward vehicle 140, along a first section of road 210 in the direction 105 of travel of the driver's own vehicle directly from this vehicle 140, according to certain embodiments.
• the indicator 125 in such a system 600 may comprise, for example, one or several of a display, arranged to illustrate at least one of the calculated length of the overtaking section of road, the duration of overtaking, the extra fuel consumption during overtaking, and the cost of the said extra fuel consumption, according to certain embodiments.
• the indicator 125 may be arranged to illustrate also the detection of obstacles along the route that limit overtaking, such as, for example, a bend with limited vision, concealed exit, slippery road, poor visibility, traffic accident, traffic jam, reduction in speed, roadworks or other similar factors that limit overtaking or speed.
• All embodiments the invention include also a vehicle 100 that comprises a system 800 according to what has been described above and illustrated in Figure 8.

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• 2013
  • 2013-04-08 SE SE1350433A patent/SE539648C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2014
  • 2014-04-03 WO PCT/SE2014/050395 patent/WO2014168557A1/en active Application Filing

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