Deceleration Control Apparatus and Method for Vehicle

• US 20080269998A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwatuki, Kunihiro, Shiiba, Kazuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour

Abstract

A deceleration control apparatus and method for a vehicle applies a deceleration, which is equal to or smaller than a guard value, to the vehicle based on a vehicle running environment parameter. The deceleration control apparatus determines the manner in which a driver performs an operation for decelerating the vehicle, and changes the guard value based on the manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle. The manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle may be determined based on at least one of the time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle, the time period during which the driver operates the brake, and the deceleration achieved by the brake operation.

Claims

1. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle that applies a deceleration to the vehicle based on a vehicle running environment parameter, comprising:

a determining device that determines a manner in which a driver performs an operation for decelerating the vehicle;

a setting device that sets a deceleration that is smaller than a deceleration achieved by a brake operation performed by a driver, as a guard value to be applied to the vehicle by the deceleration control apparatus; and

a changing device that changes the deceleration that is set as a guard value based on the manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle.

2. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the determining device determines the manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle based on at least one of a time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle, information based on an operation of a brake, and a deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake.

3. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the changing device changes, when at least one of a determination that the time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle is relatively late, a determination that a time period during which the brake is operated is relatively short, and a determination that the deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake is relatively large is made, the deceleration that is set as a guard value to a value larger than a deceleration that is set as a guard value when none of the determinations are made.

4. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the changing device changes, when at least one of a determination that a time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle is relatively early, a determination that a time period during which the brake is operated is relatively long, and a determination that the deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake is relatively small is made, the deceleration that is set as a guard value to a value smaller than a deceleration that is set as a guard value when none of the determinations are made.

5. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the deceleration that is set as a guard value is set to a value that is smaller than a deceleration that is achieved by an operation performed by an average driver.

6. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a detecting device that detects a deceleration that was achieved by an operation performed by the driver in the past, wherein

the deceleration that is achieved by the operation performed by the average driver is set based on the deceleration detected by the detecting device.

7. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle that applies a deceleration to the vehicle based on a vehicle running environment parameter, wherein

the deceleration control apparatus sets a deceleration that is smaller than a deceleration achieved by a brake operation performed by an average driver, as a guard value to be applied to the vehicle by the deceleration control apparatus.

8. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 7, comprising:

a detecting device that detects a deceleration that was achieved by the operation performed by the driver in the past, wherein

a deceleration that is achieved by the operation performed by the average driver is set based on the deceleration detected by the detecting device.

9. A deceleration control method for a vehicle that applies a deceleration to the vehicle based on a vehicle running environment parameter, comprising:

determining a manner in which a driver performs an operation for decelerating the vehicle, comprising;

setting a deceleration that is smaller than a deceleration achieved by a brake operation performed by a driver, as a guard value to be applied to the vehicle by the deceleration control method, and

changing the deceleration that is set as a guard value based on the manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle.

10. The deceleration control method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining the manner in which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle based on at least one of a time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle, information based on an operation of a brake, and a deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake.

11. The deceleration control method according to claim 10, further comprising:

changing, when at least one of a determination that the time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle is relatively late, a determination that a time period during which the brake is operated is relatively short, and a determination that the deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake is relatively large is made, the deceleration that is set as a guard value to a value larger than a deceleration that is set as a guard value when none of the determinations are made.

12. The deceleration control method according to claim 10, further comprising:

changing, when at least one of a determination that a time at which the driver performs the operation for decelerating the vehicle is relatively early, a determination that a time period during which the brake is operated is relatively long, and a determination that the deceleration achieved by the operation of the brake is relatively small is made, the deceleration that is set as a guard value to a value smaller than a deceleration that is set as a guard value when none of the determinations are made.

13. The deceleration control method according to claim 9, wherein

the deceleration that is set as a guard value is set to a value that is smaller than a deceleration that is achieved by an operation performed by an average driver.

14. The deceleration control method according to claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a deceleration that was achieved by the operation performed by the driver in the past; and

setting the deceleration that is achieved by the operation performed by the average driver based on the detected deceleration.

15. A deceleration control method for a vehicle that applies a deceleration to the vehicle based on a vehicle running environment parameter, comprising:

setting a deceleration that is smaller than a deceleration achieved by a brake operation performed by an average driver, as a guard value to be applied to the vehicle by the deceleration control method.

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

detecting a deceleration that was achieved by the operation of the driver in the past; and

setting the deceleration that is achieved by the operation performed by the average driver based on the detected deceleration.