ANTI-TAILGATING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120166057A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Amato, William P., Grolle, Kenneth A., Galbraith, Aaron M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/196 acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/198 with exhaust brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver

Abstract

An anti-tailgating vehicle system includes a communication bus on a host vehicle, a forward vehicle sensor that senses a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle, and an electronic control unit. The forward vehicle sensor transmits a forward vehicle message to the communication bus based on a distance to the forward vehicle. The electronic control unit receives the forward vehicle message from the communication bus and determines a relative speed between the host and forward vehicles based on the forward vehicle message. If the forward vehicle message indicates the host vehicle is not within a safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while a host vehicle cruise control system is not engaged, the electronic control unit transmits a host vehicle control message to the communication bus for limiting a torque of the host vehicle.

Claims

1. An anti-tailgating vehicle system, comprising:

a communication bus on a host vehicle;

a forward vehicle sensor sensing a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle, the forward vehicle sensor transmitting a forward vehicle message to the communication bus based on a distance to the forward vehicle;

an electronic control unit receiving the forward vehicle message from the communication bus and determining a relative speed between the host and forward vehicles based on the forward vehicle message, if the forward vehicle message indicates the host vehicle is not within a safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while a host vehicle cruise control system is not engaged, the electronic control unit transmitting a host vehicle control message to the communication bus for limiting a torque of the host vehicle.

2. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits the host vehicle control message to the communication bus for limiting the torque of the host vehicle if the forward vehicle message also indicates the host vehicle is not within the safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while the relative speed is less than the predetermined threshold.

3. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

if the host vehicle is in a throttle override zone range relative to the forward vehicle, the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to limit the torque of the engine based on the distance between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle.

4. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits messages to the communication bus to increasingly limit the torque of the engine as the distance between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle decreases.

5. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to substantially not limit the torque of the engine when the host vehicle is at a beginning threshold distance of the throttle override zone range; and

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to substantially completely limit the torque of the engine when the host vehicle is at an end threshold distance of the throttle override zone range, the end threshold distance of the throttle override zone range being a shorter distance between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle than the beginning threshold distance of the throttle override zone range.

6. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 1, wherein if host vehicle is in a vehicle retarder zone range relative to the forward vehicle:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to activate a vehicle retarder of the host vehicle.

7. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to substantially completely limit the torque of the engine when the host vehicle is in the vehicle retarder zone range.

8. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 6, wherein if the host vehicle leaves the vehicle retarder zone range and enters the throttle override zone range:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to de-activate the vehicle retarder of the host vehicle; and

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to proportionately limit the torque of the engine based on the distance between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle.

9. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 6, wherein if the host vehicle is in a keep out zone range relative to the forward vehicle:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to activate a vehicle retarder of the host vehicle; and

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to apply foundation brakes of the host vehicle without operator intervention.

10. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to substantially completely limit the torque of the engine when the host vehicle is in the keep out zone range.

11. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 10, wherein if the host vehicle leaves the keep out zone range and enters the vehicle retarder zone range:

the electronic control unit transmits a message to the communication bus to no longer apply the foundation brakes of the host vehicle without operator intervention.

12. The anti-tailgating vehicle system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined threshold is about 5 mph.

13. A method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle;

determining a distance to the forward vehicle;

determining a relative speed between the host and forward vehicles based on the forward vehicle message; and

if the host vehicle is not within a safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while a host vehicle cruise control system is not engaged, limiting a torque of the host vehicle.

14. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein the limiting step also includes:

if the host vehicle is not within a safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while the relative speed is less than a predetermined threshold, limiting the torque of the host vehicle.

15. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is in a throttle override zone range, the controlling step further including:

proportionately limiting the torque of the host vehicle based on the distance to the forward vehicle.

16. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is in a vehicle retarder zone range, the controlling step including:

activating a vehicle retarder of the host vehicle.

17. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 16, wherein if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle leaves the vehicle retarder zone range and enters a throttle override zone range, further including:

de-activating the vehicle retarder of the host vehicle.

18. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 16, wherein if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is in a keep out zone range, the controlling step including:

activating a vehicle retarder of the host vehicle; and

activating foundation brakes of the host vehicle without operator intervention.

19. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 18, wherein if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle leaves the keep out zone range and enters the vehicle retarder zone range, further including:

de-activating the foundation brakes of the host vehicle without operator intervention.

20. A method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle;

transmitting a forward vehicle message to a host vehicle communication bus based on a distance from the host vehicle to the forward vehicle;

receiving the forward vehicle message by an electronic control unit from the communication bus;

determining a relative speed between the host and forward vehicles based on the forward vehicle message; and

if the forward vehicle message indicates the host vehicle is not within a safe zone range relative to the forward vehicle while a host vehicle cruise control system is not engaged and while the relative speed is less than a predetermined threshold, transmitting at least one of a plurality of a host vehicle control messages to the host vehicle communication bus for limiting a torque of the host vehicle.

21. The method for reducing tailgating of a host vehicle as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is within a throttle override zone range relative to the forward vehicle, the step of transmitting the at least one vehicle control message including;

transmitting a first of the vehicle control messages, for proportionately limiting a torque of the host vehicle based on the distance to the forward vehicle, to the communication bus;

if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is within a vehicle retarder zone range relative to the forward vehicle, the step of transmitting the at least one vehicle control message further including;

transmitting a second of the vehicle control messages, for activating a vehicle retarder of the host vehicle, to the communication bus; and

if the distance to the forward vehicle indicates the host vehicle is within a keep out zone range relative to the forward vehicle, the step of transmitting the at least one vehicle control message further including;

transmitting a third of the vehicle control messages, for activating a foundation brake of the host vehicle without operator intervention, to the communication bus.