METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL

• US 20120283928A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Bjernetun, Johan, Eriksson, Anders
• Application Number:
  US13/512,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions

Abstract

A method and cruise control system are provided and include a control unit arranged for maintaining a vehicle set target speed. The control unit is programmed to register a first parameter, which is vehicle gross weight, and a second parameter, which is current road inclination. The control unit is further programmed to, based on the registered first and second parameters, adjust as set vehicle overspeed for a brake cruise control in the cruise control to a new value. A vehicle speed increase resulting in a vehicle speed that exceeds due to delays in the cruise control and braking devices can be avoided.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a vehicle cruise control comprising the steps of:

driving said vehicle with said cruise control active and set to maintain a vehicle set target speed (v_{cc set target speed});

registering a first parameter being vehicle gross weight and a second parameter being current road inclination;

based on said registered first and second parameters adjusting a set vehicle overspeed (v_bcc) for a brake cruise control in said cruise control to a new value (v_{bcc flex}).

2. Method as in the claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

if said first parameter is registered high and/or said second parameter is registered as a steep downhill then adjusting by decreasing said set vehicle overspeed in a corresponding degree or;

if said first parameter is registered low and/or said second parameter is registered as a downhill with low inclination then adjusting by increasing said set vehicle overspeed in a corresponding degree.

3. Method as in the claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

registering a third parameter being coming road topography for a predetermined road distance ahead of current vehicle position.

based on said registered first to third parameters adjusting said set vehicle overspeed.

5. A computer program comprising program code means for performing all the steps of any one of the claims 1 to 3 when said program is run on a computer.

6. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for performing all steps of anyone of the claims 1 to 3 when said program product is run on a computer.

7. A storage medium, such as a computer memory (520) or a nonvolatile data storage medium (550), for use in a computing environment, the memory comprising a computer readable program code to perform the method of the claims 1 to 3.

4. A cruise control system comprising a control unit arranged for maintaining a set vehicle set target speed (v_{cc set target speed}), characterized in that said control unit is programmed to:

register a first parameter, which is vehicle gross weight, and a second parameter, which is current road inclination;

based on said registered first and second parameters adjust a set vehicle overspeed (v_bcc) for a brake cruise control in said cruise control to a new value (v_{bcc flex}).