Adaptive cruise control system and vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system

• US 10,435,022 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Brandin, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Worden, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US15/499,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0016 Identification of obstacles; Selection of a target vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0033 Detecting longitudinal speed or acceleration of target vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/268 resuming distance control, e.g. changing target vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/205 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/50 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/3015 Optical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/3017 Radars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 : Determination of steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 : Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control

Abstract

A vehicle and an adaptive cruise control system (ACC) is provided. The ACC comprises a steering wheel system with a steering wheel arranged to allow the provision of manual steering input to the steering system of the vehicle and a steering angle sensor, wherein the steering system is configured to identify a specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation by comparing data from the steering angle sensor with predetermined thresholds, and to select a next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of said vehicle to control the speed of said vehicle in relation to, based on the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation indicated by the steering angle sensor.

Claims

1. An adaptive cruise control system for controlling speed of a vehicle in relation to moving or stationary objects by accelerating or retarding the vehicle, the adaptive cruise control system comprising:

a vehicle throttle controller;

a vehicle braking system controller;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects the moving or stationary objects in surroundings in front of the vehicle;

a processor configured to control a speed of the vehicle in relation to a selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects by controlling one or both of the vehicle throttle controller or the vehicle braking system controller;

a steering system with a steering wheel arranged to allow a provision of manual steering input to the steering system of the vehicle; and

a steering angle sensor, wherein the steering system is configured to identify a specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation for target object selection and a direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation, differentiable from a steering wheel actuation for change of vehicle driving directions, by comparing data from the steering angle sensor with one or more predetermined thresholds, and to select a next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and laterally to a same side of the vehicle as indicated by the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation, to control the speed of the vehicle in relation to, based on the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation indicated by the steering angle sensor, wherein the selection of the next one occurs before any lane change maneuver, and a lane change to a lane of the next one is not possible at the time of the selection of the next one.

2. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein as a default, the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects in the surroundings essentially right in front of the vehicle is used to control the speed of the vehicle in relation to and a laterally next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of the vehicle is selectable by the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation.

3. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a steering angle of at least a degrees, and wherein a is equal to at least 1.

4. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a change in steering angle of at least 10 degrees/second.

5. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a rate of change in steering angle of at least 50 degrees/s².

6. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by two different predetermined thresholds.

7. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display, wherein the display displays a representation of the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects; and

an input device, wherein the input device allows input of a confirmation of the displayed representation of the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects being an object intended to be selected.

8. A vehicle comprising an adaptive cruise control system for controlling speed of the vehicle in relation to moving or stationary objects by accelerating or retarding the vehicle, the adaptive cruise control system comprising:

a vehicle throttle controller;

a vehicle braking system controller;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects the moving or stationary objects in surroundings in front of the vehicle;

a processor configured to control a speed of the vehicle in relation to a selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects by controlling one or both of the vehicle throttle controller or the vehicle braking system controller;

a steering system with a steering wheel arranged to allow a provision of manual steering input to the steering system of the vehicle; and

a steering angle sensor, wherein the steering system is configured to identify a specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation for target object selection and a direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation, differentiable from a steering wheel actuation for change of vehicle driving directions, by comparing data from the steering angle sensor with one or more predetermined thresholds, and to select a next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and laterally to a same side of the vehicle as indicated by the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation, to control the speed of the vehicle in relation to, based on the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation indicated by the steering angle sensor, wherein the selection of the next one occurs before any lane change maneuver, and a lane change to a lane of the next one is not possible at the time of the selection of the next one.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein as a default, the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects in the surroundings essentially right in front of the vehicle is used to control the speed of the vehicle in relation to and a laterally next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of the vehicle is selectable by the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation.

10. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a steering angle of at least a degrees, and wherein a is equal to at least 1.

11. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a change in steering angle of at least 10 degrees/second.

12. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by the predetermined threshold of a rate of change in steering angle of at least 50 degrees/s².

13. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation is identifiable by two different predetermined thresholds.

14. The vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display, wherein the display displays a representation of the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects; and

an input device, wherein the input device allows input of a confirmation of the displayed representation of the selected one of the detected moving or stationary objects being an object intended to be selected.

15. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a camera sensor, a radar sensor, or a lidar sensor.