SMART ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

• US 20130226431A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Filev, Dimitar Petrov
• Granted Patent: US 9,180,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0083 Setting, resetting, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A cruise control system of a vehicle comprises a target generator, a speed controller, and a distance controller. The speed controller and the distance controller are each coupled to the target generator. The target generator is configured for generating a dynamic speed target and a dynamic distance target through real-time assessment of information characterizing current operating condition characterizing information. The speed controller is configured for utilizing the dynamic speed target for issuing commands to cause the vehicle to be operated at a road speed that is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information. The distance controller is configured for utilizing the dynamic distance target for issuing commands to cause the vehicle to be operated such that a distance between the vehicle and a leading vehicle is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information.

Claims

1. An electronic control system having a set of instructions tangibly embodied on a non-transitory processor-readable medium thereof, the set of instructions are accessible from the non-transitory processor-readable medium by at least one data processing device of the electronic controller system for being interpreted thereby, and the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

determining a first dynamic control target in a real-lime manner as a function of current operating condition characterizing information of a vehicle such that the first dynamic control target is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information; and

controlling a cruise control system of the vehicle as a function of the first dynamic control target.

2. The electronic control system of claim 1 wherein determining the first dynamic control target includes assessing at least one of information characterizing a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle, information characterizing driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, information characterizing a geometry of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and information characterizing fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

3. The electronic control system of claim 1 wherein determining the first dynamic control target includes assessing information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

4. The electronic control system of claim 1 wherein the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for controlling the cruise control system includes the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

comparing a driver specified cruise control target to the first dynamic control target for determining a preferred cruise control target; and

transitioning the cruise control system from issuing commands as a function of the driver specified cruise control target to issuing commands as a function of the first dynamic control target in response to determining that the first dynamic control target is the preferred cruise control target.

5. The electronic control system of claim 4 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing at least one of information characterizing a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle, information characterizing driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, information characterizing a geometry of a road over which the vehicle is travelling information characterizing a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and information characterizing fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

6. The electronic control system of claim 4 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing information provided by at least one of a traction controlling system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

7. The electronic control system of claim 1 wherein the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for controlling the cruise control system includes the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for one of:

issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated at a road speed that is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information; and

issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated such that a distance between the vehicle and a leading vehicle is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information.

8. The electronic control system of claim 7 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing at least one of information characterizing a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle, information characterizing driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, information characterizing a geometry of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and information characterizing fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

9. The electronic control system of claim 7 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

10. The electronic control system of claim 1 wherein the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

determining a second dynamic control target in a real-time manner as a function of the current operating condition characterizing information such that the second dynamic control target is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information;

controlling the cruise control system of the vehicle using the second dynamic control target; and

determining a first type of vehicle operating condition during which the cruise control system is to be controlled using the first dynamic control target and a second type of vehicle operating condition during which the cruise control system is to be controlled using the second dynamic control target.

11. The electronic control system of claim 10 wherein:

the first dynamic control target is a dynamic speed target;

the second dynamic control target is a dynamic distance target; and

the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for controlling the cruise control system using the dynamic speed target includes the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated at a road speed that is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information; and

the set of instructions being configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for controlling the cruise control system using the dynamic distance target includes the set of instructions being configured for causing and for issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated such that a distance between the vehicle and a leading vehicle is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information.

12. The electronic control system of claim 11 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing at least one of information characterizing a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle, information characterizing driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, information characterizing a geometry of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and information characterizing fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

13. The electronic control system of claim 11 wherein determining the dynamic control target includes assessing information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

14. A method for controlling a cruise control system of a vehicle, comprising:

at least one data processing device accessing, from memory coupled to the at least one data processing device, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to determine a dynamic speed target for the vehicle, wherein the dynamic speed target is determined in a real-time manner as a function of current operating condition characterizing information;

the at least one data processing device accessing, from the memory, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to determine a dynamic distance target for the vehicle relative to a leading vehicle that the vehicle is following, wherein the dynamic distance target is determined in a real-time manner as a function of current operating condition characterizing information;

the at least one data processing device accessing, from the memory, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to selectively detect a vehicle operating condition during which a cruise control system of the vehicle is to be controlled using the dynamic speed target and a vehicle operating condition during which the cruise control system is to be controlled using the dynamic distance target; and

the at least one data processing device accessing, from the memory, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to activate dynamic speed control functionality of the cruise control system in response to detecting the vehicle operating condition during which the cruise control system of the vehicle is to be controlled using the dynamic speed target and to activate dynamic distance control functionality of the cruise control system in response to detecting the vehicle operating condition during which the cruise control system of the vehicle is to be controlled using the dynamic distance target.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of causing the at least one data processing device to determine the dynamic speed target and causing the at least one data processing device to determine the dynamic distance target includes causing the at least one data processing device to assess at least one of information characterizing a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle, information characterizing driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, information characterizing a geometry of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, information characterizing a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and information characterizing fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of causing the at least one data processing device to determine the dynamic speed target and causing the at least one data processing device to determine the dynamic distance target includes causing the at least one data processing device to assess information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the dynamic speed control functionality includes comparing a driver specified speed target to the dynamic speed target for determining a preferred speed target and transitioning the cruise control system from issuing commands as a function of the driver specified speed target to issuing commands as a function of the dynamic speed target in response to determining that the dynamic speed target is the preferred speed target; and

the dynamic distance control functionality includes comparing a driver specified distance target to the dynamic distance target for determining a preferred distance target and transitioning the cruise control system from issuing commands as a function of the driver specified distance target to issuing commands as a function of the dynamic distance target in response to determining that the dynamic distance target is the preferred distance target.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the dynamic speed control functionality includes issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated at a road speed that is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information; and

the dynamic distance control functionality includes issuing commands for causing the vehicle to be operated such that a distance between the vehicle and a leading vehicle is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information.

19. A cruise control system of a vehicle, comprising:

a target generator for generating a dynamic speed target and a dynamic distance target through real-time assessment of information characterizing current operating condition;

a speed controller coupled to the target generator, wherein the speed controller utilizes the dynamic speed target for issuing commands to cause the vehicle to be operated at a road speed that is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information; and

a distance controller coupled to the target generator, wherein the distance controller utilizes the dynamic distance target for issuing commands to cause the vehicle to be operated such that a distance between the vehicle and a leading vehicle is adaptive to the current operating condition characterizing information.

20. The cruise control system of claim 19 wherein the information characterizing the current operating condition characterizing information includes information characterizing at least one of a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

21. The cruise control system of claim 19 wherein the information characterizing the current operating condition characterizing information includes information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.

22. The cruise control system of claim 19 wherein:

utilizing the dynamic speed target for issuing command includes comparing a driver specified speed target to the dynamic speed target for determining a preferred speed target and transitioning the cruise control system from issuing commands as a function of the driver specified speed target to issuing commands as a function of the dynamic speed target in response to determining that the dynamic speed target is the preferred speed target; and

utilizing the dynamic distance target for issuing commands includes comparing a driver specified distance target to the dynamic distance target for determining a preferred distance target and transitioning the cruise control system from issuing commands as a function of the driver specified distance target to issuing commands as a function of the dynamic distance target in response to determining that the dynamic distance target is the preferred distance target.

23. The cruise control system of claim 22 wherein the information characterizing the current operating condition characterizing information includes information characterizing at least one of a road surface condition of a road over which the vehicle is travelling, ambient climate conditions at a current geographical position of the vehicle driving behavior of a current driver of the vehicle, a type of the road over which the vehicle is travelling, and fuel economy requirements of the vehicle.

24. The cruise control system of claim 22 wherein the information characterizing the current operating condition characterizing information includes information provided by at least one of a traction control system of the vehicle, a stability control system of the vehicle, a brake control system of the vehicle, a global positioning system of the vehicle, and a fuel economy managing system of the vehicle.