TRAVEL CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090271050A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shida, Mitsuhisa, Niki, Keitaro, Sato, Kunihito, Doi, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

Information for generating a target speed pattern is computed from information acquired from various sensors and a running mode input switch, so as to generate the target speed pattern (S16). A process for determining whether to form a vehicle group or not calculates the difference between the target vehicle pattern of the own vehicle and a target speed pattern of another vehicle or vehicle group obtained through inter-vehicle communication, so as to determine whether to form the vehicle group or not (S22, S28, S32). This can determine whether to run solo or form a vehicle group according to a driver'"'"'s demand.

Claims

1. A running control apparatus for forming a vehicle group constituted by a plurality of vehicles, the apparatus including vehicle group forming unit for determining whether or not to form a vehicle group constituted by a plurality of vehicles by comparing respective action plans of vehicles to a predetermined point.

2. A running control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle group forming unit compares an action plan of a first vehicle to the predetermined point with an action plan of a second vehicle or vehicle group to the predetermined point, so as to determine whether or not to form a vehicle group constituted by the first vehicle and the second vehicle or the first vehicle and vehicle group.

3. A running control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the action plan is a temporal change of a target position.

4. A running control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle group forming unit uses a target route as the temporal change of the target position.

5. A running control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle group forming unit uses a target speed pattern as the temporal change of the target position.

6. A running control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle group forming unit sets a permissible range for the action plan of the first vehicle to the predetermined point and forms a vehicle group constituted by the first vehicle and the second vehicle or the first vehicle and vehicle group, wherein the second vehicle and vehicle group have an action plan to the predetermined point falling within the permissible range of the first vehicle.

7. A running control apparatus according to claim 1, including action plan generating unit for generating the action plan according to a running mode required by a driver.

8. A running control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the target speed pattern is constituted by a time required for each vehicle or vehicle group to run a given distance section.

9. A vehicle group forming system for forming a vehicle group with a plurality of vehicles, the system forming the vehicle group by comparing respective action plans of vehicles or vehicle groups to a predetermined point.