CRUISE CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120316746A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mando Corporation
• Inventors: PARK, Byung Suk
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,635 B2
• 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 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• 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 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map

Abstract

Disclosed is a cruise control method including traveling a vehicle at a speed input by a driver, receiving road information from a navigation device, confirming whether or not deceleration information is present in the road information, confirming a speed corresponding to the deceleration information if the deceleration information is present, and controlling a speed of the vehicle to the confirmed speed if the confirmed speed is greater than the input speed. If the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit of a road, the vehicle speed is automatically reduced to below the speed limit, and a warning operation is performed. Thereby, probability of accidents due to speeding may be reduced, and it may be possible to make the driver obey the Road Traffic Act and to prevent imposition of fines due to speeding. Further, the vehicle speed is automatically reduced at bumps or curves, resulting in enhanced safety and driver convenience.

Claims

1. A cruise control apparatus comprising:

a communication unit to receive road information from a navigation device; and

a controller that confirms whether or not deceleration information is present in the road information, confirms a speed corresponding to the deceleration information if the deceleration information is present, and compares the confirmed speed with a current speed, thereby controlling a speed of a vehicle to the confirmed speed if the confirmed speed is greater than the current speed.

2. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deceleration information includes at least one of a position of a curve, a turning radius of the vehicle at a curve, a position of a bump, and a speed limit.

3. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a wheel speed detecting unit to detect a speed of each of a plurality of wheels provided at the vehicle,

wherein the controller calculates the vehicle speed based on the speeds of the plurality of wheels if the deceleration information indicates the presence of a curve, and calculates an allowable vehicle speed based on the vehicle speed and the turning radius of the vehicle at the curve, thereby controlling the speed of the vehicle to the allowable vehicle speed at the position of the curve.

4. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a speed input unit to receive a speed of the vehicle from a driver,

wherein the controller compares the driver input speed with the allowable vehicle speed, thereby controlling the speed of the vehicle to a lower speed among the two speeds based on a comparison result.

5. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller acquires a predetermined constant speed if the deceleration information indicates the presence of a bump

6. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller confirms the highest speed limit if the deceleration information indicates the speed limit, thereby controlling the speed of the vehicle to the highest speed limit.

7. The cruise control apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a speed input unit to receive a speed of the vehicle from a driver,

wherein the controller compares the driver input speed with the highest speed limit, thereby controlling the vehicle to a lower speed among the two speeds based on a comparison result.

8. A cruise control method comprising:

traveling a vehicle at a speed input by a driver;

receiving road information from a navigation device;

confirming whether or not deceleration information is present in the road information;

confirming a speed corresponding to the deceleration information if the deceleration information is present; and

controlling a speed of the vehicle to the confirmed speed if the confirmed speed is greater than the input speed based on a comparison result of the confirmed speed and the input speed.

9. The cruise control method according to claim 8, wherein the confirming whether or not deceleration information is present includes confirming whether or not at least one of a position of a curve, a turning radius of the vehicle at a curve, a position of a bump, and a speed limit is present.

10. The cruise control method according to claim 9, wherein the controlling the speed of the vehicle includes:

detecting a speed of each of a plurality of wheels provided at the vehicle if the position of the curve and the turning radius are present in the deceleration information;

calculating the vehicle speed based on the speed of the plurality of wheels;

calculating a lateral acceleration based on the vehicle speed and the turning radius of the vehicle at the curve;

calculating an allowable vehicle speed based on the lateral acceleration; and

controlling the speed of the vehicle to the allowable vehicle speed at the position of the curve.

11. The cruise control method according to claim 10, wherein the controlling the speed of the vehicle includes comparing the input speed with the allowable vehicle speed, thereby controlling the speed of the vehicle to a lower speed.

12. The cruise control method according to claim 9, wherein the controlling the speed of the vehicle includes controlling the speed of the vehicle to a predetermined constant speed if the position of the bump is present in the deceleration information.

13. The cruise control method according to claim 9, wherein the controlling the speed of the vehicle includes:

confirming the highest speed limit if the speed limit is present in the deceleration information; and

controlling the speed of the vehicle to the highest speed limit.

14. The cruise control method according to claim 13, wherein the input speed is compared with the highest speed limit so that the speed of the vehicle is controlled to a lower speed among the two speeds.