AUTOMOTIVE SPEED CONTROL DISABLE SWITCH

• US 20060095190A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Edward Currie
• Original Assignee: Joseph Edward Currie
• Inventors: Currie, Joseph Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/79
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions

Abstract

A new automotive (speed control system) safety feature is disclosed. A vehicle with an engaged speed control could be dangerous to drive on a road surface that changes from dry, offering little rolling resistance, to a surface that offers increased resistance to tire rotation. Resistance to tire rotation by water or snow on a road surface will cause an engaged speed control system to try and maintain the set vehicle speed by accelerating the vehicle into the rolling resistance. A driver may lose control of the vehicle in this circumstance if the speed control cannot be disabled immediately. The new safety feature disclosed would automatically disable the vehicle speed control system when the vehicle decelerates due to significant water or snow accumulation on the road surface.

Claims

1. An automatic means to disconnect or disable a motor vehicle speed control system when a motor vehicle is decelerating, and a coincident road surface change from dry or damp to wet or snow covered is detected;

comprising;

a means to detect and to signal the presence or absence of water on a roadway surface;

a means to detect and to signal the presence or absence of accumulated snow on a roadway surface;

a means to detect and to signal the presence or absence of vehicular deceleration;

a means to logically determine that programmed requirements for outputting a disable signal has been met, and to generate and output a disable signal;

a means to logically determine that programmed requirements for generating a disable signal have not been met, and to inhibit the output of a disable signal;

a means to override a programmed logic controller and to disable the output signal of the programmed logic controller;

a means to disable or disconnect a vehicle speed control system when the presence of roadway surface water or snow is detected, and the vehicle is decelerating;

and a means to enable or re-enable a vehicle speed control system in the absence of a disable or disconnect signal from a programmed logic controller.