Deceleration controller for vehicle

• US 20070106445A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Shinji, Suzuki, Tatsuya, Nakamura, Masahide, Jimbo, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0066 responsive to vehicle path curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/24 Curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius

Abstract

A deceleration control apparatus and method for controlling deceleration of a vehicle where a controller is operable to set a target vehicular speed calculated based on a turning condition of the vehicle and a lateral acceleration limitation value. The controller is also operable to apply deceleration to the vehicle based on the actual vehicular speed and the target vehicular speed and to correct the deceleration used when the vehicle is traveling along a detected curve. Correcting the deceleration can be done by, for example, correcting the lateral acceleration limitation value.

Claims

1. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a speed sensor for detecting an actual vehicular speed; and

a controller operable to;

set a target vehicular speed calculated based on a turning condition of the vehicle and a lateral acceleration limitation value;

apply deceleration to the vehicle based on the actual vehicular speed and the target vehicular speed; and

correct the deceleration of the vehicle based on information of a curve in a path of the vehicle.

2. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection device operable to detect a radius of the curve; and

wherein the controller is further operable to correct the deceleration of the vehicle based on the radius of the curve.

3. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle based on the radius of the curve by changing the target vehicular speed based on the radius of the curve.

4. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is further operable to:

reduce the lateral acceleration limitation value to a reduced lateral acceleration limitation value as the radius of the curve decreases; and

correct the deceleration of the vehicle based on the radius of the curve by adjusting the deceleration of the vehicle based on the reduced lateral acceleration limitation value.

5. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

obtain a radius of the curve; and

reduce the lateral acceleration limitation value as a difference between a preset vehicle speed and the actual vehicular speed prior to entry of the vehicle into the curve increases, the preset vehicle speed based on the radius of the curve.

6. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle based on a position of the vehicle with respect to the curve.

7. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle by reducing the lateral acceleration limitation value as the vehicle approaches entry into the curve.

8. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle by reducing an amount of correction of the lateral acceleration limitation value as the vehicle exits the curve.

9. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle by reducing an amount of correction of the lateral acceleration limitation value as the vehicle approaches an exit of the curve, after the vehicle has passed a point where a radius of the curve is at a minimum value.

10. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

detect an acceleration operation; and

cancel correction of the deceleration of the vehicle when the accelerator operation is detected while the deceleration is being applied to attain the target vehicular speed set using the lateral acceleration limitation value.

11. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle when a turning direction of the curve matches a steering direction.

12. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the detection device is further operable to:

detect a minimum radius value within the curve.

13. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is further operable to:

correct the deceleration of the vehicle when the radius of the curve is less than a prescribed upper limit value.

14. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting an actual vehicular speed;

means for setting a target vehicular speed calculated based on a turning condition of the vehicle and a lateral acceleration limitation value;

means for applying deceleration to the vehicle based on the actual vehicular speed and the target vehicular speed; and

means for correcting the deceleration of the vehicle based on information of a curve in a path of the vehicle.

15. A method for controlling deceleration of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting a road shape in a path of the vehicle;

applying deceleration control to the vehicle when a turning speed of the vehicle is greater than a target vehicular speed; and

correcting the deceleration control when the road shape is a curve.

16. The method for controlling deceleration according to claim 15, further comprising:

setting the target vehicular speed based on a turning condition of the vehicle and a lateral acceleration limitation value.

17. The method for controlling deceleration according to claim 16 wherein correcting the deceleration control further comprises:

correcting the lateral acceleration limitation value based on a position of the vehicle with respect to the curve.

18. The method for controlling deceleration according to claim 16, further comprising:

detecting an acceleration operation;

canceling correcting the deceleration control when the accelerator operation is detected; and

attaining the target vehicular speed set using the lateral acceleration limitation value.

19. The method for controlling deceleration according to claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a radius of the curve; and

correcting the deceleration control by reducing the lateral acceleration limitation value as the radius of the curve decreases.

20. The method for controlling deceleration according to claim 17, further comprising:

computing a preset vehicle speed based on a radius of the curve; and

periodically correcting the deceleration control as a difference between the preset vehicle speed and an actual speed of the vehicle prior to entry of the vehicle into the curve increases.