US 12,079,008 B2
Dynamic autonomous vehicle train
Steven J. Harris, Saratoga, CA (US); Theobolt N. Leung, San Francisco, CA (US); and Jay T. Hieb, Bloomington, IL (US)
Assigned to STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed by STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/978,467.
Application 17/978,467 is a continuation of application No. 16/872,443, filed on May 12, 2020, granted, now 11,520,354.
Application 16/872,443 is a continuation of application No. 16/057,937, filed on Aug. 8, 2018, granted, now 10,698,421, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/568,562, filed on Oct. 5, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/562,942, filed on Sep. 25, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0052717 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G08G 1/00 (2006.01); H04W 4/42 (2018.01)
CPC G05D 1/0293 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/0289 (2013.01); G08G 1/22 (2013.01); H04W 4/42 (2018.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically controlling vehicles within an autonomous vehicle train while the autonomous vehicle train is traveling, the method comprising:
receiving, via at least one of one or more processors or associated transceivers of the autonomous vehicle train including two or more autonomous vehicles traveling, while the autonomous vehicle train is traveling, a request to join the autonomous vehicle train from a requesting autonomous vehicle that is not part of the autonomous vehicle train;
transmitting, via the at least one of the one or more processors or associated transceivers of the autonomous vehicle train, a communication to the requesting autonomous vehicle indicating that the requesting autonomous vehicle is allowed to join the autonomous vehicle train while the autonomous vehicle train is traveling; and
adjusting, via the at least one of the one or more processors or associated transceivers of the autonomous vehicle train, while the autonomous vehicle train is moving, a distance between a first autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle train and a second autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle train to allow the requesting autonomous vehicle to join the autonomous vehicle train while the autonomous vehicle train is travelling.