Method And Computer Program At A Vehicle For Adjusting The Distance To A Vehicle Ahead

• US 20080021627A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Johnsson, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US11/720,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"

Abstract

In a method for adjusting a desired distance or a desired time window between a first vehicle and a vehicle that is ahead of the first vehicle, the first vehicle has a cruise control provided with an adjusting device that is operated by an operator, such as a button or the like, with a plus function and a minus function for adjusting the speed of the first vehicle. In a state when a vehicle ahead is detected by the cruise control and the speed of the first vehicle is essentially the same as the speed of the vehicle ahead, the plus function and the minus function of the adjusting device are changed automatically or by an action of an operator from adjusting the speed of the first vehicle to adjusting a distance or a time window between the first vehicle and the vehicle ahead, so that, after the said change of function, upon the operation of the plus function and the minus function of the adjusting device, the selected distance or the selected time window between the first vehicle and the vehicle ahead is increased or decreased, while, at the same time, the cruise control controls the motor and/or brakes of the first vehicle in order to adjust the selected distance/selected time window.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting at least one of a desired distance and a desired time window between a first vehicle and a vehicle that is ahead of the first vehicle, the first vehicle comprising a cruise control provided with an adjusting device that can be operated by an operator with a plus function and a minus function for adjusting a speed of the first vehicle, comprising:

when the vehicle ahead is detected by the cruise control and a speed of the first vehicle is essentially the same as a speed of the vehicle ahead, at least one of automatically and manually changing the plus function and the minus function of the adjusting device from adjusting the speed of the first vehicle to adjusting at least one of a distance and a time window between the first vehicle and the vehicle ahead;

after the change of function, upon operation of the plus function and the minus function of the adjusting device, changing at least one of a selected distance and a selected time window between the first vehicle and the vehicle ahead and, at the same time, controlling with the cruise control at least one of the motor and brakes of the first vehicle in order to adjust the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising, after the change of function, intermittently operating the adjusting device and changing the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window in steps.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising, after the change of function, continuously operating the adjusting device and changing the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window continuously.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising initiating the change of function irrespective of whether an operator operates the adjusting device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising initiating the change of function only if an operator operates the adjusting device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising, at the change of function, setting the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window to a pre-set basic value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, comprising, at the change of function, adjusting the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window to maintain a distance to the vehicle ahead that applied at the change of function.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising when there is an actual distance or an actual time window to a vehicle ahead that is smaller than the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window, controlling at least one of a motor and brakes of the first vehicle such that the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window is increased.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising when there is an actual distance or an actual time window to a vehicle ahead that is larger than the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window, controlling a motor of the first vehicle such that the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window is decreased.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising when no vehicle ahead is detected, changing a selected speed of the first vehicle by operation of the adjusting device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising when a vehicle ahead is detected by the cruise control of the first vehicle but speed of the first vehicle is different from a speed of the vehicle ahead, changing a selected speed of the first vehicle by operation of the adjusting device.

15. Computer program on a computer readable medium, the program comprising program code for carrying out the method in claim 1.

16. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising, after the change of function, continuously operating the adjusting device and changing the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window continuously.

17. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising initiating the change of function irrespective of whether an operator operates the adjusting device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising initiating the change of function only if an operator operates the adjusting device.

19. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising, at the change of function, setting the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window to a pre-set basic value.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, comprising, at the change of function, adjusting the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window to maintain a distance to the vehicle ahead that applied at the change of function.

21. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising, when there is an actual distance or an actual time window to a vehicle ahead that is smaller than a the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window, controlling at least one of a motor and brakes of the first vehicle such that the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window is increased.

22. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising when there is an actual distance or an actual time window to a vehicle ahead that is larger than a the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window, controlling a motor of the first vehicle such that the at least one of the selected distance and the selected time window is decreased.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)