VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160023658A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: KELLY, James, FAIRGRIEVE, Andrew, WOOLLISCROFT, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,758,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/20 Operator actuated switches or levers for cruise control or speed limiting systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/244 changing target speed or setting a new target speed, e.g. changing algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/20 Off-Road Vehicles

Abstract

A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the system being operable to cause the vehicle to operate in accordance with a value of vehicle set-speed, the system being operable to allow a user to change the current value of vehicle set-speed in discrete steps by means of user input means, a magnitude of the discrete steps being determined by the system in dependence on a vehicle operational state.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the system being operable to cause the vehicle to operate in accordance with a value of vehicle set-speed, the system being operable to allow a user to change the current value of vehicle set-speed in discrete steps by means of user input means, a magnitude of the discrete steps being determined by the system in dependence on a vehicle operational state.

2. A system according to claim 1 configured to receive information indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving, the system being operable to determine the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on the information indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving.

3. A system according to claim 2 configured to receive information indicative of a terrain over which a vehicle is driving by receiving a signal indicative of the identity of a terrain operating mode in which a vehicle is operating

4. A system according to claim 2 or claim 3 configured to determine from signals indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving, which of a plurality of terrain operating modes a vehicle should operate in, the system being operable to determine the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on the determined operating mode.

5. A system according to claim 3 wherein determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on the information indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving comprises determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on a state of a manual terrain operating mode selector dial.

6. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the system being operable to determine the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on one or more parameters indicative of terrain type.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on the information indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving comprises determining which of the plurality of terrain operating modes has been selected automatically by automatic operating a mode selection means.

8. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the magnitude of the discrete steps in a first one or more terrain operating modes is greater than the magnitude of the discrete steps in a second one or more terrain operating modes.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first one or more terrain operating modes includes one or more of a sand mode of operation and a standard on-road mode of operation.

10. A system according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the second one or more terrain operating modes includes one or more of a grass/gravel/snow mode of operation;

and a mud and ruts mode of operation.

11. A system according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the second one or more terrain operating modes includes a rock crawl mode of operation.

12. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the vehicle operational state is further characterised at least in part by a vehicle speed, the system being configured to determine the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on vehicle speed.

13. A system according to claim 12 operable to increase the magnitude of the discrete steps as a function of increasing vehicle speed.

14. A system according to claim 12 or claim 13 operable to increase the magnitude of the discrete steps as a function of increasing vehicle speed at each of one or more prescribed speeds.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein consecutive prescribed speeds differ from one another by more than two discrete steps.

16. A system according to any preceding claim operable wherein the magnitude of the discrete steps is determined in further dependence on whether set-speed is being increased or decreased.

17. A vehicle comprising a system according to any preceding claim.

18. A method of controlling a speed of a vehicle, the method comprising

causing the vehicle to operate in accordance with a value of vehicle set-speed;

allowing a user to change the current value of vehicle set-speed in discrete steps by means of user input means, a magnitude of the discrete steps being determined in dependence on a vehicle operational state.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:

receiving information indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving, and wherein the magnitude of the discrete steps is determined in dependence at least in part on the received information.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein receiving information indicative of a terrain over which a vehicle is driving comprises receiving a signal indicative of the identity of a terrain operating mode in which a vehicle is operating

21. A method according to claim 19 or claim 20 further comprising determining from signals indicative of the terrain over which a vehicle is driving, which of a plurality of terrain operating modes a vehicle should operate in, and determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on the determined operating mode.

22. A method according to claim 20 comprising determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on a state of a manual terrain operating mode selector dial.

23. A method according to any one of claims 19 to 21 comprising determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on one or more parameters indicative of terrain type.

24. A method according to claim 23 comprising determining which of the plurality of terrain operating modes has been selected automatically by automatic operating a mode selection means.

25. A method according to any one of claims 19 to 24 wherein the magnitude of the discrete steps in a first one or more terrain operating modes is greater than the magnitude of the discrete steps in a second one or more terrain operating modes.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the first one or more terrain operating modes includes one or more of:

a sand mode of operation; and

a standard on-road mode of operation.

27. A method according to claim 25 or claim 26 wherein the second one or more terrain operating modes includes one or more of:

a grass/gravel/snow mode of operation; and

a mud and ruts mode of operation.

28. A method according to claim 26 or claim 27 wherein the second one or more terrain operating modes includes a rock crawl mode of operation.

30. A method according to any one of claims 18 to 28 wherein the vehicle operational state is further characterised at least in part by a vehicle speed, the method further comprising determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in dependence at least in part on vehicle speed.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the magnitude of the discrete steps are increased as a function of increasing vehicle speed.

32. A method according to claim 30 or claim 31 further comprising increasing the magnitude of the discrete steps as a function of increasing vehicle speed at each of one or more prescribed speeds.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein consecutive prescribed speeds differ from one another by more than two discrete steps.

34. A method according to any one of claims 18 to 33 comprising determining the magnitude of the discrete steps in further dependence on whether set-speed is being increased or decreased.

35. A computer program product executable on a processor so as to implement the method of any one of claims 18 to 34.

36. A computer readable medium loaded with the computer program product of claim 35.

37. An electronic controller arranged to implement the method of any one of claims 18 to 34.

38. A system, vehicle or method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.