CRUISE CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE RUNNING OF A VEHICLE

• US 20080270001A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Tsuneyuki, Seto, Yoji
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting

Abstract

A cruise control device and method for controlling a vehicle such that the driver can set the speed setting at will, and the speed of the vehicle is controlled to match the speed setting. The speed limit for the road on which the vehicle is traveling is detected, and when the detected speed limit changes from a first speed limit to a second speed limit, the speed setting is selectively changed to the second speed limit. When the driver has performed an operation to change the speed setting before the detected speed limit changes from the first speed limit to the second speed limit, changing of the speed setting to the second speed limit is selectively suppressed.

Claims

1. A cruise control device for controlling operation of a vehicle, comprising:

a speed detector configured to detect a speed of the vehicle;

an operating member configured to set a speed setting of the vehicle by an operation performed by the driver;

a speed limit acquisition device configured to acquire a speed limit for a road on which the vehicle is traveling; and

a controller configured to control the vehicle such that the speed detected by the speed detector matches the speed setting, wherein the controller includes a speed setting changing device configured to selectively suppress a change in the speed setting from a first speed limit to a second speed limit responsive to the speed limit changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit if a driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting before the speed setting changes to the second speed limit.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the speed setting changing device is configured to suppress the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit for a prescribed time after the driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the speed setting changing device is configured to suppress the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit during a period of vehicle travel for a prescribed distance after the driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the speed setting changing device is configured to prohibit the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the speed setting changing device is configured to reduce an amount of change per unit time when the speed setting is changed to the second speed limit.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an instructing member configured to enable the driver to give a permission instruction regarding operation of the speed setting changing device; and

wherein

the speed setting changing device is configured to suppress the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit only when the driver gives permission with the instructing member.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notifying device configured to notify the driver that the speed limit is changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit.

8. A controller for a cruise control device for controlling operation of a vehicle including a speed sensor that detects a speed of the vehicle, an operating member configured to set a speed setting of the vehicle responsive to an operation performed by the driver, a speed limit acquisition device configured to acquire a speed limit of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, the controller comprising:

means for controlling the vehicle such that the detected speed matches the speed setting;

means for acquiring a speed limit change for a road on which the vehicle is traveling from the first speed limit to the second speed limit; and

means for selectively suppressing a change in the speed setting from a first speed limit to a second speed limit responsive to the speed limit change from the first speed limit to the second speed limit if a driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting before the speed setting changes to the second speed limit.

9. A method for controlling a vehicle wherein a speed of the vehicle is made to match a speed setting, the method comprising:

acquiring a speed limit for a road on which the vehicle is traveling; and

when the speed limit changes from a first speed limit to a second speed limit, selectively suppressing a change in the speed setting to the second speed limit if the driver changes the speed setting before a change to the second speed limit.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein selectively suppressing the change in the speed setting further comprises suppressing the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit for a prescribed time after the driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting.

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

reducing an amount of change per unit time when the speed setting is changed to the second speed limit.

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

notifying the driver that the speed limit is changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein selectively suppressing the change in the speed setting further comprises suppressing the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit during a period of vehicle travel for a prescribed distance after the driver operates the operating member to change the speed setting.

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

reducing an amount of change per unit time when the speed setting is changed to the second speed limit.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

notifying the driver that the speed limit is changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit.

16. The method according to claim 9 wherein selectively suppressing the change in the speed setting further comprises prohibiting the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit.

17. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

notifying the driver that the speed limit is changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit.

18. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

reducing an amount of change per unit time when the speed setting is changed to the second speed limit.

19. The method according to claim 9 wherein selectively suppressing the change in the speed setting further comprises suppressing the change of the speed setting to the second speed limit only when the driver gives permission through an operation.

20. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

notifying the driver that the speed limit is changing from the first speed limit to the second speed limit.