Method for controlling the driving of a big rig and drive control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9274522-B2
Application number	US-201414288775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling a big rig comprises a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train which can be electronically actuated by the control of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit can be driven automatically. The control of the tractor unit have a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig can be remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control means of the tractor unit transmit at least one activation status to the touchscreen device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one articulation angle is limited while the big rig is being driven.

4. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and
wherein the big rig is graphically represented on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, in particular in a top view from above.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the graphical representation of the big rig on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device comprises at least one active part and at least one passive part.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, when the big rig is being backed up, the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device is a trailer, and the at least one passive part is the tractor unit, or a further trailer if multiple trailers are present.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, when the big rig is being driven forward, the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device is the tractor unit, and the at least one passive part is at least one trailer.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, when a user touches the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, the touchscreen device remotely controls the control means of the tractor unit so that the big rig is set in motion in a predefined driving direction, in particular at a predefined driving speed (v 1 to v 4 ).

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a user predefines a lateral movement direction of the big rig, in particular in the form of a target articulation angle Φ TARGET between the active part and the passive part, by laterally displacing the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a target articulation angle Φ TARGET between the active part and the passive part is calculated from a lateral position of the displaced active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device, and the following applies: lateral position (y) of the displaced active part/maximal lateral position y max of the displaced active part=target articulation angle φ TARGET /maximal articulation angle.

11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, during driving, a user sets a driving speed (v 1 to v 4 ) by longitudinally displacing the at least one active part on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device.

12. The method according to claim 5 , wherein, when the user no longer touches the at least one active part, the control means of the tractor unit are actuated by the touchscreen device so that the tractor unit is immediately stopped.

13. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein a driving direction and/or a driving speed (v 1 to v 4 ) of the big rig are predefined on the touchscreen of the touchscreen device prior to starting to drive.

14. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein the tractor unit comprises at least one transceiver system, which is electrically connected to the control means of the tractor unit and which is suitable for communicating with a transceiver system of the touchscreen device.

15. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein at least one predefined driving direction, a predefined driving speed (v 1 to v 4 ), a target articulation angle φ TARGET and an activation status are transmitted from the touchscreen device to the control means of the tractor unit.

16. A method for controlling the driving of a big rig comprising a tractor unit and one or more trailers coupled to the tractor unit, wherein the tractor unit comprises a drive train electronically actuated by control means of the tractor unit and by way of which the tractor unit is driven automatically, and wherein the control means of the tractor unit has a wireless communication link to a touchscreen device so that automatic driving of the big rig is remotely controlled by way of the touchscreen device, during which at least one articulation angle between a longitudinal axis of the tractor unit and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is continuously regulated, and wherein the big rig comprises multiple trailers, and wherein additionally at least one articulation angle between the longitudinal axes of the respective trailers that are coupled to each other are continuously regulated when the big rig is being driven automatica

Assignees

• Zf Lenksysteme Gmbh
• Bosch Gmbh Robert Automotive Steering

Inventors

• Boos Nicolas
• Greul Roland
• Gaedke Alexander

Classifications

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• G05D1/0044 Primary

  by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps (maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005) · CPC title

• B62D1/00 Primary

  Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title