System and method for controlling vehicle speed to enhance occupant comfort
First Claim
1. A method of operating a speed control system of a vehicle on an off-road terrain, the vehicle having a vehicle body and an electronic control unit (ECU), the method comprising:
- receiving, by the ECU, one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information;
determining, by the ECU, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met;
when it is determined by the ECU that at least one of the one or more predetermined conditions are met, automatically determining, by the ECU, a baseline set-speed for the speed control system; and
based on a signal indicative of a desired comfort level comprising an occupant excitation upper limit corresponding to a level of tolerable vehicle body movement, adjusting, by the ECU, the baseline set-speed to determine an instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system, the instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system being lower than the baseline set-speed so as to address the desired comfort level on a particular type of off-road terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, the particular type of off-road terrain being one of sand, gravel, boulders, mud or grass;
wherein the step of determining, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met comprises determining the particular type of off-road terrain; and
monitoring, using the vehicle-related information, one or more operational parameters of the vehicle and determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met based at least in part on the monitored operational parameters of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises receiving one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information. The method further comprises determining, based on the signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met. The method still further comprises automatically determining a baseline set-speed for the speed control system when it is determined that at least certain of the one or more predetermined conditions are met. The method yet still further comprises adjusting the baseline set-speed to determine an instantaneous set-speed of the speed control system based on a signal indicative of a desired comfort level. A speed control system comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.
91 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of operating a speed control system of a vehicle on an off-road terrain, the vehicle having a vehicle body and an electronic control unit (ECU), the method comprising:
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receiving, by the ECU, one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information; determining, by the ECU, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met; when it is determined by the ECU that at least one of the one or more predetermined conditions are met, automatically determining, by the ECU, a baseline set-speed for the speed control system; and based on a signal indicative of a desired comfort level comprising an occupant excitation upper limit corresponding to a level of tolerable vehicle body movement, adjusting, by the ECU, the baseline set-speed to determine an instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system, the instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system being lower than the baseline set-speed so as to address the desired comfort level on a particular type of off-road terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, the particular type of off-road terrain being one of sand, gravel, boulders, mud or grass; wherein the step of determining, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met comprises determining the particular type of off-road terrain; and monitoring, using the vehicle-related information, one or more operational parameters of the vehicle and determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met based at least in part on the monitored operational parameters of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A speed control system for a vehicle on an off-road terrain, the vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle body; a speed controller; and an electronic control unit (ECU) in communication with the speed controller, the ECU configured to; receive one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information; determine, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met; automatically determine a baseline set-speed for the speed control system when it is determined that at least certain of the one or more predetermined conditions are met; adjust the baseline set-speed to determine an instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system based on a signal indicative of a desired comfort level comprising an occupant excitation upper limit corresponding to a level of tolerable vehicle body movement, the instantaneous off-road set-speed of the speed control system being lower than the baseline set-speed so as to address the desired comfort level on a particular type of off-road terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, the particular type of off-road terrain being one of sand, gravel, boulders, mud or grass; determine, based on the one or more electrical signals representative of vehicle-related information, whether one or more predetermined conditions are met by;
determining the particular type of off-road terrain; andmonitor, using the vehicle-related information, one or more operational parameters of the vehicle and determining whether the one or more predetermined conditions are met based at least in part on the monitored operational parameters of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification