On-vehicle tracking control apparatus
First Claim
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1. A tracking control apparatus mounted on an own vehicle for performing a tracking control of a preceding vehicle, the tracking control apparatus comprising:
- an information acquiring unit acquiring information about surroundings of the own vehicle, the information acquiring unit including a preceding vehicle determining unit determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle;
a control unit controlling the tracking control of the preceding vehicle determined by the preceding vehicle determining unit, the control unit controlling the tracking control to be maintained or released, the tracking control being performed by controlling a travelling speed and a steering of the own vehicle; and
a turn signal determining unit determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active, whereinthe control unit is configured to maintain or release the tracking control by taking into account the surroundings of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active;
the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and determines that the surroundings of the own vehicle indicate that a change of a running direction of the preceding vehicle is prevented based on the information about the surroundings of the own vehicle acquired by the information acquiring unit;
the information acquiring unit includes an adjacent vehicle determining unit determining whether or not the surroundings of the own vehicle include an adjacent vehicle running parallel to the preceding vehicle exists, the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and the adjacent vehicle determining unit determines that the adjacent vehicle exists, the adjacent vehicle preventing the traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle; and
the information acquiring unit includes a lateral vehicle determining unit determining whether or not a lateral vehicle running parallel to the own vehicle exists and determining whether or not the lateral vehicle is running faster than the own vehicle, and the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active and the lateral vehicle determining unit determines that the lateral vehicle exists and is running faster than the own vehicle, thereby determining that the traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle is disturbed based on the turn signal determining unit determining that the turn signal of the turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active and the lateral vehicle determining unit determining that the lateral vehicle exists and is running faster than the own vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tracking control apparatus for tracking a preceding vehicle includes information acquiring unit for acquiring information about surrounding the own vehicle, preceding vehicle determining unit for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle, control unit controls the tracking control to be maintained or released, and turn signal determining unit for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active. The control unit maintains or releases the tracking control by determining the surrounding of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.
22 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A tracking control apparatus mounted on an own vehicle for performing a tracking control of a preceding vehicle, the tracking control apparatus comprising:
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an information acquiring unit acquiring information about surroundings of the own vehicle, the information acquiring unit including a preceding vehicle determining unit determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle; a control unit controlling the tracking control of the preceding vehicle determined by the preceding vehicle determining unit, the control unit controlling the tracking control to be maintained or released, the tracking control being performed by controlling a travelling speed and a steering of the own vehicle; and a turn signal determining unit determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active, wherein the control unit is configured to maintain or release the tracking control by taking into account the surroundings of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active; the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and determines that the surroundings of the own vehicle indicate that a change of a running direction of the preceding vehicle is prevented based on the information about the surroundings of the own vehicle acquired by the information acquiring unit; the information acquiring unit includes an adjacent vehicle determining unit determining whether or not the surroundings of the own vehicle include an adjacent vehicle running parallel to the preceding vehicle exists, the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active and the adjacent vehicle determining unit determines that the adjacent vehicle exists, the adjacent vehicle preventing the traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle; and the information acquiring unit includes a lateral vehicle determining unit determining whether or not a lateral vehicle running parallel to the own vehicle exists and determining whether or not the lateral vehicle is running faster than the own vehicle, and the control unit is configured to maintain the tracking control when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active and the lateral vehicle determining unit determines that the lateral vehicle exists and is running faster than the own vehicle, thereby determining that the traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle is disturbed based on the turn signal determining unit determining that the turn signal of the turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active and the lateral vehicle determining unit determining that the lateral vehicle exists and is running faster than the own vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeDENSO Corporation
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Original AssigneeDENSO Corporation
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InventorsTsuruta, Tomohiko, Tominaga, Motonori, Ueda, Yusuke, Hatoh, Takeshi
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Primary Examiner(s)Smith, Jelani A
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Assistant Examiner(s)Williams, Kelly D
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Application NumberUS13/772,844Publication NumberTime in Patent Office2,098 DaysField of SearchUS Class CurrentCPC Class CodesB60W 30/16 Control of distance between...G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. mo...
