Apparatus and method for controlling vehicular velocity of host vehicle to follow preceding vehicle running ahead of host vehicle
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicular velocity of a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the host vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicular velocity detecting section that detects the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle;
an inter-vehicle distance detecting section that detects an inter-vehicle distance of the host vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
gradient variation detecting section that detects a variation of a gradient of a road segment forward to the host vehicle on which the host vehicle is to run;
control target switching section that switches a control target between an inter-vehicle distance control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to a target value of the inter-vehicle distance and a vehicular velocity control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle substantially equal to a target value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle according to a result of detection of the variation of the gradient of the road segment by the gradient variation detecting section;
a target vehicular driving force calculating section that calculates a target value of a vehicular driving force to be exerted by the host vehicle to achieve a content of the control target; and
vehicular driving force controlling section that controls the vehicular driving force on the basis of the calculated target value of the vehicular driving force of the host vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In method and apparatus for controlling a vehicular velocity of a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the host vehicle, a control target is switched between an inter-vehicle distance control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to a target value of the inter-vehicle distance and a vehicular velocity control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle substantially equal to a target value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle according to a result of a detection of a variation of a gradient of a road segment which is forward of the vehicle and on which the host vehicle is to run.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicular velocity of a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the host vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicular velocity detecting section that detects the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle;
an inter-vehicle distance detecting section that detects an inter-vehicle distance of the host vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
gradient variation detecting section that detects a variation of a gradient of a road segment forward to the host vehicle on which the host vehicle is to run;
control target switching section that switches a control target between an inter-vehicle distance control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to a target value of the inter-vehicle distance and a vehicular velocity control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle substantially equal to a target value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle according to a result of detection of the variation of the gradient of the road segment by the gradient variation detecting section;
a target vehicular driving force calculating section that calculates a target value of a vehicular driving force to be exerted by the host vehicle to achieve a content of the control target; and
vehicular driving force controlling section that controls the vehicular driving force on the basis of the calculated target value of the vehicular driving force of the host vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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12. A method for controlling a vehicular velocity of a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the host vehicle, comprising:
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detecting the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle;
detecting an inter-vehicle distance of the host vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
detecting a variation of a gradient of a road segment forward to the host vehicle on which the host vehicle is to run;
switching a control target between an inter-vehicle distance control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to a target value of the inter-vehicle distance and a vehicular velocity control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle substantially equal to a target value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle according to a result of detection of the variation of the gradient of the road segment;
calculating a target value of a vehicular driving force to be exerted by the host vehicle to achieve a content of the control target; and
controlling the vehicular driving force on the basis of the calculated target value of the vehicular driving force of the host vehicle.
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20. An apparatus for controlling a vehicular velocity of a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle which is running ahead of the host vehicle, comprising:
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vehicular velocity detecting means for detecting the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle;
inter-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance of the host vehicle to the preceding vehicle;
gradient variation detecting means for detecting a variation of a gradient of a road segment forward to the host vehicle on which the host vehicle is to run;
control target switching means for switching a control target between an inter-vehicle distance control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance substantially equal to a target value of the inter-vehicle distance and a vehicular velocity control in which the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle is controlled to make a detected value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle substantially equal to a target value of the vehicular velocity of the host vehicle according to a result of detection of the variation of the gradient of the road segment by the gradient variation detecting means;
target vehicular driving force calculating means for calculating a target value of a vehicular driving force to be exerted by the host vehicle to achieve a content of the control target; and
vehicular driving force controlling means for controlling the vehicular driving force on the basis of the calculated target value of the vehicular driving force of the host vehicle.
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Specification