System and method for controlling the speed of a vehicle using vehicle configuration

• US 10,118,615 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Fairgrieve, Andrew, Woolliscroft, Daniel, Kelly, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US14/421,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20150203115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 701 93
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/14 Rough roads, bad roads, gravel roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/16 Off-road driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/04 Pedal travel sensor, stroke sensor; Sensing brake request
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/06 Active Suspension System
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/205 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 : Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 : Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 : where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 : Off-Road Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0234 : Adapting the ratios to special vehicle conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 : Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 : characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A method for use with a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises receiving readings from one or more vehicle sensors to determine the nature of the terrain over which the vehicle is traveling. The method further comprises gathering information relating to one or more parameters of the vehicle that correspond to the configuration of the vehicle. The method still further comprises determining, based on the nature of the terrain and the gathered information, whether the vehicle is appropriately configured to travel over the terrain. A system comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for use with a speed control system of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving readings from one or more vehicle sensors to determine the nature of the terrain over which the vehicle is traveling at an initial vehicle speed;

gathering information relating to one or more parameters of the vehicle that correspond to the subsystem configuration of the vehicle;

identifying, based on the nature of the terrain and the gathered information, one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters;

identifying, based upon the adjustments, a reduction in vehicle speed to a first predetermined speed for making the adjustments;

in response to the identification of said one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters, automatically reducing the speed of the vehicle to the first predetermined speed to make the adjustments, and causing at least one of the one or more of the identified adjustments to be made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced;

verifying that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced; and

in response to the verification that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made, increasing the speed of the vehicle to a second predetermined speed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically causing the one or more adjustments to be made to the one or more of the parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a message for a user of the vehicle recommending that the one or more identified adjustments be made.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a user input representative of instructions to make at least one of the one or more identified adjustments.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a desired speed for the vehicle;

wherein the one or more adjustments to the one or more of the parameters are identified based on at least the desired speed, the nature of the terrain, and the gathered information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a message for a user of the vehicle recommending that the one or more identified adjustments be made.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising making at least one of the one or more identified adjustments to at least one of the one or more parameters.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

verifying that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made; and

in response, increasing the speed of the vehicle to the desired speed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include at least a vehicle ride height.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include at least a transfer case ratio.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include at least a tire pressure.

12. An automatic speed control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to;

determine the nature of the terrain over which the vehicle is traveling at an initial vehicle speed;

obtain information relating to one or more parameters that correspond to the subsystem configuration of the vehicle; and

identify, based on the nature of the terrain and the obtained information, one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters;

identify, based upon the adjustments, a reduction in vehicle speed to a first predetermined speed for making the adjustments;

in response to the identification of said one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters, cause the speed of the vehicle to be reduced to the first predetermined speed to make the adjustments, and cause at least one of the one or more identified adjustments to be made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced;

verify that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced; and

in response to the verification that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made, cause the speed of the vehicle to increase to a second predetermined speed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a display device, and further wherein the electronic control unit is operable to:

generate a message to a user recommending that the one or more identified adjustments be made; and

control the display device to cause the message to be displayed thereon.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:

determine a desired speed for the vehicle;

wherein the one or more adjustments to the one or more of the parameters are identified based on the nature of the terrain, the obtained information, and the desired speed.

15. A vehicle comprising an automatic speed control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to;

determine the nature of the terrain over which the vehicle is traveling at an initial vehicle speed;

obtain information relating to one or more parameters that correspond to the subsystem configuration of the vehicle; and

identify, based on the nature of the terrain and the obtained information, one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters;

identify, based upon the adjustments, a reduction in vehicle speed to a first predetermined speed for making the adjustments;

in response to the identification of said one or more adjustments to one or more of the parameters, cause the speed of the vehicle to be reduced to the first predetermined speed to make the adjustments, and cause at least one of the one or more identified adjustments to be made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced;

verify that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made after the speed of the vehicle is reduced; and

in response to the verification that the at least one of the one or more identified adjustments have been made, cause the speed of the vehicle to increase to a second predetermined speed.