Vehicle distance and speed control method and system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling vehicle distance and speed in a controlled vehicle traveling on a roadway having a plurality of lanes, comprising the steps of tracking at least one vehicle to be overtaken traveling ahead of said controlled vehicle using a vehicle distance and speed control device of said controlled vehicle, ascertaining in which one of said plurality of lanes said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling, when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is permitted based on applicable traffic rules, sensing at least one of the speed of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and the distance between said controlled vehicle and said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and, based thereon, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said at least one vehicle to be overtaken, and when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is not permitted based on applicable traffic rules, ascertaining whether said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles, when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles and when applicable traffic rules permit, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said line of vehicles.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling overtaking by a vehicle equipped with a distance/speed control device traveling a multi-lane roadway of one or more vehicles traveling ahead. The controlled vehicle tracks a vehicle ahead, ascertains the lane in which the vehicle ahead is traveling and, on the basis of the lane and speed and/or distance of the vehicle ahead relative to the controlled vehicle, the speed of the controlled vehicle is adjusted to permit overtaking in the passing lane if the vehicle ahead is traveling in a non-passing lane, and overtaking in a non-passing lane is not permitted if the vehicle ahead is traveling in a passing lane. If a line of vehicles traveling ahead is recognized, overtaking in the non-passing lane is permitted, depending on location-specific traffic rules, the speed of the controlled vehicle being adjusted as appropriate to overtake the line of vehicles.
18 Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A method for controlling vehicle distance and speed in a controlled vehicle traveling on a roadway having a plurality of lanes, comprising the steps of tracking at least one vehicle to be overtaken traveling ahead of said controlled vehicle using a vehicle distance and speed control device of said controlled vehicle, ascertaining in which one of said plurality of lanes said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling, when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is permitted based on applicable traffic rules, sensing at least one of the speed of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and the distance between said controlled vehicle and said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and, based thereon, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said at least one vehicle to be overtaken, and when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is not permitted based on applicable traffic rules, ascertaining whether said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles, when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles and when applicable traffic rules permit, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said line of vehicles.
- 13. A system for controlling vehicle distance and speed in a controlled vehicle traveling on a roadway having a plurality of lanes, comprising a vehicle distance and speed control device of said controlled vehicle, means associated with said vehicle distance and speed control device for tracking at least one vehicle to be overtaken traveling ahead of said controlled vehicle, means for ascertaining in which one of said plurality of lanes said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling, means for sensing at least one of the speed of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and the distance between said controlled vehicle and said at least one vehicle to be overtaken and, based thereon, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said at least one vehicle to be overtaken when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is permitted based on applicable traffic rules, and means for ascertaining whether said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles, and when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is part of a line of vehicles and when applicable traffic rules permit, automatically adjusting the speed of said controlled vehicle to overtake and pass said line of vehicles when said at least one vehicle to be overtaken is traveling in a lane adjacent to said controlled vehicle with respect to which overtaking and passing of said at least one vehicle to be overtaken by said controlled vehicle is not permitted based on applicable traffic rules.
Specification