TRACKING RUNNING CONTROL APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A tracking running control apparatus in a vehicle having a plurality of distance measurement devices using mutually different modes, respectively, to sequentially measure an inter-vehicle distance that is a distance to a preceding vehicle,the tracking running control apparatus performing a tracking running control with respect to the preceding vehicle so as to set the inter-vehicle distance to a target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with each of the distance measurement devices,the tracking running control comprising:
- a radio receiver to receive failure information of a different vehicle that is different from the vehicle via an outside source outside of the vehicle, the failure information of the different vehicle containing (i) failure device information to specify a distance measurement device that underwent a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) failure point information to determine a failure point at which the measurement failure was undergone;
a failure prediction section to obtain (i) failure-predicted device information indicating a failure-predicted distance measurement device that is predicted to undergo a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) a failure-predicted segment in which the measurement failure is predicted, based on the failure information of the different vehicle received by the radio receiver;
a target inter-vehicle distance change section to,in cases that a used distance measurement device that is used in the tracking running control of the vehicle is the failure-predicted distance measurement device indicated by the failure-predicted device information,determine to change the used distance measurement device from the failure-predicted distance measurement device indicated by the failure-predicted device information to a different distance measurement device other than the failure-predicted distance measurement device, andchange gradually the target inter-vehicle distance set in the tracking running control to a changed target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with the different distance measurement device at an acceleration equal to or less than a predetermined value before the vehicle reaches the failure-predicted segment; and
a distance measurement device change section to, when an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle becomes the changed target inter-vehicle distance, change the used distance measurement device from the failure-predicted distance measurement device to the different distance measurement device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tracking running control apparatus determines a failure-predicted segment where distance measurement using a laser radar is predicted to undergo a failure. Upon reaching the failure-predicted segment, a distance measurement device used in tracking running control is changed from the distance measurement device using the laser radar to a distance measurement device using a GPS receiver. Before the change of the distance measurement devices, a target inter-vehicle distance is gradually changed to a GPS-utilized target inter-vehicle distance through changing a vehicle speed with an acceleration equal to or less than a predetermined value. Under the configuration, it is possible to suppress annoyance for a driver of the vehicle because of the change of the target inter-vehicle distances accompanying the change of the distance measurement devices.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A tracking running control apparatus in a vehicle having a plurality of distance measurement devices using mutually different modes, respectively, to sequentially measure an inter-vehicle distance that is a distance to a preceding vehicle,
the tracking running control apparatus performing a tracking running control with respect to the preceding vehicle so as to set the inter-vehicle distance to a target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with each of the distance measurement devices, the tracking running control comprising: -
a radio receiver to receive failure information of a different vehicle that is different from the vehicle via an outside source outside of the vehicle, the failure information of the different vehicle containing (i) failure device information to specify a distance measurement device that underwent a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) failure point information to determine a failure point at which the measurement failure was undergone; a failure prediction section to obtain (i) failure-predicted device information indicating a failure-predicted distance measurement device that is predicted to undergo a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance and (ii) a failure-predicted segment in which the measurement failure is predicted, based on the failure information of the different vehicle received by the radio receiver; a target inter-vehicle distance change section to, in cases that a used distance measurement device that is used in the tracking running control of the vehicle is the failure-predicted distance measurement device indicated by the failure-predicted device information, determine to change the used distance measurement device from the failure-predicted distance measurement device indicated by the failure-predicted device information to a different distance measurement device other than the failure-predicted distance measurement device, and change gradually the target inter-vehicle distance set in the tracking running control to a changed target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with the different distance measurement device at an acceleration equal to or less than a predetermined value before the vehicle reaches the failure-predicted segment; and a distance measurement device change section to, when an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle becomes the changed target inter-vehicle distance, change the used distance measurement device from the failure-predicted distance measurement device to the different distance measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A tracking running control apparatus in a vehicle having a first distance measurement device and a second distance measurement device to sequentially measure an inter-vehicle distance that is a distance to a preceding vehicle,
the tracking running control apparatus performing a tracking running control with respect to the preceding vehicle so as to set the inter-vehicle distance to a target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with each of the first distance measurement device and the second distance measurement device, the first distance measurement device to measure the inter-vehicle distance from a time period between transmission of a transmission radio wave and reception of a reflection wave of the transmission radio wave, the second distance measurement device to measure the inter-vehicle distance from a distance between a position of the vehicle and a position of the preceding vehicle detected with a global positioning system, the tracking running control apparatus comprising: -
a radio receiver to receive failure information of a different vehicle that is different from the vehicle via an outside source outside of the vehicle, the failure information of the different vehicle containing failure point information to determine a failure point at which a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance was undergone; a failure prediction section to determine a failure-predicted segment in which the failure of the distance measurement is predicted based on the failure information received by the radio receiver; a failure prediction section to obtain a failure-predicted segment in which a measurement failure in a measurement of an inter-vehicle distance is predicted, based on the failure information of the different vehicle received by the radio receiver; a target inter-vehicle distance change section to, determine to change a used distance measurement device that is used in the tracking running control of the vehicle to the second distance measurement device in cases that the radio receiver receives the failure information of the different vehicle, and change gradually the target inter-vehicle distance set in the tracking running control to a changed target inter-vehicle distance that is associated with the second distance measurement device at an acceleration equal to or less than a predetermined value before the vehicle reaches the failure-predicted segment; and a distance measurement device change section to change to the second distance measurement device after an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle becomes the changed target inter-vehicle distance.
-
Specification