AUTOMOTIVE CRUISE CONTROLS, CIRCUITS, SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES

• US 20110276216A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Vaughan, Anthony S.
• Application Number:
  US12/775,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276216A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/30 Wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0611 Throttle change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/10 Change speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A cruise control includes an input (225) for speed-related data, a hill angle sensor (230), and a cruise controller (210) having a throttling control output (215) and control conditions responsive to both the speed-related data and to the hill angle sensor (230) to determine whether to increase or decrease the throttling control output or leave the throttling control output unchanged. Other cruise control apparatus and processes and automotive vehicles are disclosed.

Claims

1. A cruise control comprising:

an input for speed-related data;

a hill angle sensor; and

a cruise controller having a throttling control output and control conditions responsive to both the speed-related data and to said hill angle sensor to determine whether to increase or decrease the throttling control output or leave the throttling control output unchanged.

2. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is responsive to the speed-related data and to said hill angle sensor to determine the throttling control output to constrain speed to a defined range, and on an incline down, to allow the speed to increase above a cruise set point in the defined range, and further operable, on a subsequent incline up, to allow the speed to decrease below the set point in the defined range.

3. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is responsive to the hill angle sensor and at least one change in said speed-related data to adjust the throttling control output based on a condition involving speed, change of speed, and hill angle.

4. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 further comprising a driver-usable cruise control actuator wherein said cruise controller is responsive to different numbers of like actuator presses to establish different cruise control modes.

5. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cruise control actuator coupled to said cruise controller to establish driver-selectable modes, wherein said cruise controller is operable upon a first mode selection to automatically generate the throttle control output to maintain a given average speed and then, upon a second mode selection having at least one different control condition than said first mode selection, to automatically generate the throttle control output to maintain substantially the same average speed as the first mode selection.

6. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 further comprising a forward distance sensor, wherein said cruise controller is responsive to the speed-related data in a cruise control mode to adjust the throttling control output to slow down in response to said forward distance sensor.

7. The cruise control claimed in claim 6 further comprising a rear distance sensor, and said cruise controller is responsive to said rear distance sensor to speed up unless the response to said forward distance sensor to slow down is active.

8. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 further comprising a rear distance sensor, and said cruise controller is conditionally responsive to said rear distance sensor to adjust the throttling control output to speed up.

9. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is operable to execute a first level of moderate throttle control to keep speed in a defined range when the speed is in that range and to execute a second level of more vigorous throttle control to bring the speed into that range when the speed is outside that range.

10. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller has control conditions based on input from said hill angle sensor substantially representing up hill, down hill, and a condition that is neither up hill nor down hill.

11. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is responsive to said hill angle sensor unless a speed change condition is inconsistent therewith and thereupon to supply the throttle control output based on the speed change condition.

12. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 further comprising a satellite positioning circuit and said cruise controller is responsive to said satellite positioning circuit to bypass application of brake.

13. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said hill angle sensor has a sensor output coupled to said cruise controller that is primarily responsive to longitudinal tilt and is relatively insensitive both to transverse tilt and motor acceleration.

14. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is operable so that if speed exceeds a setpoint, but not more than a range high end, then check the hill angle sensor and if Up Hill is detected then take no action, and if Down Hill is detected then apply the throttle control output for a throttle decrease.

15. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller is operable so that if speed is less than a setpoint but is not less than a range low end, then check the hill angle sensor and if Down Hill is detected then take no action, and if Up Hill is detected then apply the throttle control output for a throttle increase.

16. The cruise control claimed in claim 15 wherein said cruise controller is operable so that if speed is less than the range low end and Up Hill is detected, then apply the throttle control output for a larger throttle increase.

17. The cruise control claimed in claim 15 wherein said cruise controller is operable so that if speed is less than the range low end and Down Hill is detected, then apply the throttle control output for a throttle increase.

18. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein if vehicle speed is in-range and above a setpoint and said hill angle sensor detects Up Hill but speed is nevertheless increasing, then said cruise controller is operable to apply the throttle control output for a throttle decrease.

19. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein if vehicle speed is in-range and below a setpoint and said hill angle sensor detects Level or Down Hill but the speed is nevertheless decreasing, then said cruise controller is operable to apply the throttle control output for a throttle increase.

20. The cruise control claimed in claim 1 wherein said cruise controller utilizes control conditions and is operable for prospective analysis of upcoming terrain to alter application of the control conditions.

21. A cruise control process comprising executing control conditions responsive to both speed-related data and to a hill angle to determine whether to increase or decrease a throttling control output or leave the throttling control output unchanged.

22. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising using the speed-related data and said hill angle to determine the throttling control output to constrain speed to a defined range, and thereby on an incline down, allowing the speed to increase above a cruise set point in the defined range, and on a subsequent incline up, allowing the speed to decrease below the set point in the defined range.

23. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising using the hill angle and at least one change in the speed-related data to adjust the throttling control output based on a condition involving speed, change of speed, and hill angle.

24. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising responding to different numbers of driver-usable cruise control actuator presses to establish different cruise control modes.

25. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising substantially maintaining an average speed by automatic range end adjustment of a speed range.

26. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising executing a first level of moderate throttle control to keep speed in a defined range when the speed is in that range and executing a second level of more vigorous throttle control to bring the speed into that range when the speed is outside that range.

27. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising employing a hill angle sensor to provide the hill angle primarily as longitudinal tilt instead of transverse tilt or motor acceleration.

28. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising operating so that if speed exceeds a setpoint, but not more than a range high end, then checking the hill angle sensor and if Up Hill is detected then taking no action, and if Down Hill is detected then applying a throttle decrease.

29. The cruise control process claimed in claim 28 further comprising operating so that if Speed exceeds the range high end, then generating a more intensive throttle decrease.

30. The cruise control process claimed in claim 29 further comprising operating further on a hill angle condition involving Down Hill so that if speed exceeds the range high end, then applying brake using anti-skid.

31. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising operating so that if speed is less than a setpoint but is not less than a range low end, then checking the hill angle sensor and if Down Hill is detected then taking no action, and if Up Hill is detected then applying a throttle increase.

32. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising operating so that if speed is less than a setpoint but is not less than a range low end, then checking the hill angle sensor and if Down Hill is detected then taking no action, and if Up Hill is detected then applying a throttle increase.

33. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising prospectively analyzing upcoming terrain to alter application of the control conditions.

34. The cruise control process claimed in claim 21 further comprising distance sensing and responsively adjusting the throttle control output based on closer or farther vehicular distance.

35. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a torque producing assembly;

wheels coupled to receive torque from said torque producing assembly;

a braking assembly coupled with one or more of the wheels;

a vehicle speed sensor;

a hill angle sensor; and

a cruise controller operable to control torque production by the torque producing assembly and said cruise controller having control conditions responsive to both speed-related data from said vehicle speed sensor and to hill angle-related data from said hill angle sensor to determine whether to increase or decrease wheel speed or leave the wheel speed unchanged and whether to activate said braking assembly.

36. The automotive vehicle claimed in claim 35 further comprising a throttle controller coupled to said torque producing assembly, and said cruise controller is operable to one-way signal for throttle increase and decrease to said throttle controller and complete a control loop through said wheel speed sensor.

37. The automotive vehicle claimed in claim 36 wherein said cruise controller is operable so that if speed exceeds a range high end, then generate the throttle control output for a more intensive throttle decrease and operable further if speed exceeds the range high end on a hill angle condition involving Down Hill, to signal an application of brake subject to anti-skid braking.

38. The automotive vehicle claimed in claim 35 further comprising a cruise control actuator coupled to said cruise controller to establish driver-selectable cruise control modes, and a display responsive to said cruise controller to display a current cruise control mode.

39. The automotive vehicle claimed in claim 38 wherein said display is responsive to said cruise controller to substantially display a mode as Economy or Normal when a cruise control function is active.