METHOD OF SPEED CONTROL FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20160031444A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Fairgrieve, Andrew, Kelly, James, Zuberi, Saleem
• Granted Patent: US 9,796,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/005 with high melting point, e.g. Be 1280 degrees C, Ti 1725 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/022 Casting heavy metals, with exceedingly high melting points, i.e. more than 1600 degrees C, e.g. W 3380 degrees C, Ta 3000 degrees C, Mo 2620 degrees C, Zr 1860 degrees C, Cr 1765 degrees C, V 1715 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed

Abstract

A vehicle is adapted to sense a condition of use in which a maximum speed control speed is reduced. The condition of use may be indicated by a sensor of the vehicle, or selected according to the kind of terrain across which the vehicle is travelling. Selection of terrain type may be manual or automatic, and may enable a selection of sensors appropriate to the terrain type. A vehicle driver may select a speed control speed lower than the permitted maximum.

Claims

1. A method of speed control for a vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting an off-highway condition of the vehicle; and

automatically setting a maximum speed control speed appropriate to the detected off-highway condition.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising enabling selection of off-highway speed control.

3. A method according to claim 1 comprising enabling selection of off-highway speed control when an off-highway condition has been detected.

4. A method according to claim 1, including controlling vehicle speed to match a set-speed, the method comprising permitting variation of vehicle set-speed whilst speed control is enabled in said off-highway condition.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising providing an override for said maximum speed.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising selecting an off-highway condition of the vehicle and automatically setting said maximum speed.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising determining said maximum speed by selecting a plurality of parameters to be detected, an identity of the selected parameters being dependent upon the selected off-highway condition, and determining the maximum set-speed according to a value of the plurality of parameters.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said off-highway condition is selected automatically by a system of the vehicle.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising repeatedly setting a maximum speed control speed in accordance with one or more detected conditions of the vehicle.

10. A method according to claim 9, and repeated at a frequency of greater than 10 Hz.

11. A method according to claim 9, comprising setting said maximum speed control speed at the minimum individually indicated by a plurality of said conditions.

12. A method according to claim 1, comprising setting the maximum speed control speed in dependence on whether a vehicle is cresting a slope.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein a reduction in maximum speed control speed is temporary.

14. An electronic control unit of a vehicle adapted to detect an off-highway condition of the vehicle and set a maximum speed control speed appropriate to said condition.

15. A control unit according to claim 14 operable to enable selection of off-highway speed control.

16. A control unit according to claim 14 operable to enable selection of off-highway speed control when an off-highway condition has been detected.

17. A control unit according to claim 14, wherein said maximum is automatically enabled upon detecting of an off-highway condition.

18. A control unit according to claim 14, wherein said maximum is dependent upon a selected terrain.

19. A vehicle incorporating the electronic control unit of claim 14.

20. A vehicle according to claim 19, and having a terrain sensor for automatically detecting one of a plurality of off-highway conditions.