System and Method for Controlling Adaptive Cruise Control Based on Driver Status

• US 20140043152A1
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lippman, Mark Allan, Engelman, Jerry H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control

Abstract

A device for controlling an adaptive cruise control system based on driver status is provided. The device comprises a controller configured to receive at least one driver status signal indicative of the driver being either a primary driver or a secondary driver and to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal. The controller is further configured to allow control by a primary driver over operating parameters of an ACC system and to allow the primary driver to establish a restricted mode in which a secondary driver is prevented from making certain dis-allowed changes in the operating parameters.

Claims

1. A system for controlling operation of an ACC based on driver status, the system comprising:

a first ignition key device positioned on a primary key for transmitting a first driver status signal indicating that the driver is a primary driver;

a second ignition key device positioned on a secondary key for transmitting a second driver status signal indicating that the driver is a secondary driver; and

at least one controller communicating with the first ignition key device and the second ignition key device and configured to;

receive the first driver status signal; and

receive a command via a user interface from the primary driver to prevent changes to an operating parameter of the ACC in response to subsequently receiving the second driver status signal indicating that the secondary driver is the driver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating parameter of the ACC is at least one of a minimum following distance and a minimum activation speed.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the command from the primary driver includes a base value of the minimum following distance and the secondary driver is prevented from changing the minimum following distance to a setting below the base value.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller includes a passive entry passive start (PEPS) controller configured to receive the first driver status signal from the primary key and the second driver status signal from the secondary key.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first ignition key device and the second ignition key device includes a radio frequency (RF) based transponder for transmitting each of the first driver status signal and the second driver status signal as an RF based signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to receive the driver status signal via a communication bus.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to wirelessly receive the driver status signal.

8. A device for controlling operation of an ACC system of a motor vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to;

receive a driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver;

determine that the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver based on the driver status signal; and

receive a command from the primary driver to operate the ACC system in a restricted mode wherein subsequent receipt by the controller of the driver status signal indicating that the secondary driver is the driver of the vehicle limits an ability of the secondary driver to change an operating parameter of the ACC system.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to receive the driver status signal via a communication bus.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to wirelessly receive the driver status signal.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein the operating parameter of the ACC is at least one of a minimum following distance and a minimum activation speed.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the command from the primary driver includes a base value of the minimum following distance and the secondary driver is prevented from changing the minimum following distance to a setting below the base value.

13. The device of claim 8 wherein the at least one controller includes a passive entry passive start (PEPS) controller being configured to receive the first driver status signal from the primary key and the second driver status signal from the secondary key.

14. The device of claim 8 wherein each of the first ignition key device and the second ignition key device includes a radio frequency (RF) based transponder for transmitting each of the first driver status signal and the second driver status signal as an RF based signal.

16. The vehicle apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the ACC feature in response to receiving a command from the primary driver via the user interface.

17. The vehicle apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to receive the driver status signal via a communication bus.

18. The vehicle apparatus of claim 14 wherein the operating parameter of the ACC is at least one of a minimum following distance and a minimum activation speed.

19. The vehicle apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one controller includes a passive entry passive start (PEPS) controller being configured to receive the first driver status signal from a primary key and the second driver status signal from a secondary key.

20. The vehicle apparatus of claim 14 wherein the driver status signals are transmitted by a first ignition key device and a second ignition key device, each including a radio frequency (RF) based transponder for respectively transmitting each of the first driver status signal and the second driver status signal as an RF based signal.

15. A vehicle apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to;

wirelessly receive a driver status signal indicative of a driver being a primary driver or a secondary driver;

determine that the driver is the primary driver based on the driver status signal;

deactivate an ACC feature for the primary driver via a user interface; and

activate the ACC feature in response to subsequently receiving the driver status signal indicating that the secondary driver is the driver of a vehicle.