VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20160244060A1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2013
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,144,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/24 Speed setting methods
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/244 changing target speed or setting a new target speed, e.g. changing algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/30 Wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

A vehicle speed control system is configured to automatically control the speed of the vehicle in dependence on an input set-speed. The system receives a user input of a target set-speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel. The system includes an input device to enable the user to incrementally increase and/or decrease the target set-speed upon each actuation of the input device by an incremental value. Torque is applied to at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s wheels for propelling the vehicle at the vehicle control speed. The control system is configured to determine the incremental value in dependence upon at least one of: the instantaneous vehicle speed; the target set-speed; or the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, the control system is configured to automatically control the speed of the vehicle to a vehicle control speed in dependence on an input target set-speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, the control system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a user input of a target set-speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel comprising an input means to enable the user to incrementally increase and/or decrease the target set-speed upon each actuation of said input means by an incremental value;

applying means for applying torque to the at least one of the plurality of wheels for propelling the vehicle at the vehicle control speed; and

wherein

the control system is configured to determine said incremental value in dependence upon at least one of;

the instantaneous vehicle speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said input means comprises one or more user hand operated switches or levers, or one or more user foot operated switches or levers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein and said control means comprises:

an electronic processor having an electrical input for receiving the one or more signals indicative of user input of a target set-speed; and

an electronic memory device electrically coupled to the electronic processor and having instructions stored therein,

wherein the processor is configured to access the memory device and execute the instructions stored therein such that it is operable to;

determine said incremental value in dependence upon said at least one of;

the instantaneous vehicle speed or the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said applying means comprises said processor being configured to access the memory device and execute the instructions stored therein such that it is operable to output a powertrain torque request signal to request a powertrain of said vehicle produce said requested torque.

5. The control system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a terrain mode selection interface for receiving a user input of the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, and wherein said incremental value is dependent upon a signal indicative of the terrain mode selected by the user.

6. The control system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an automatic terrain mode selection means comprising a plurality of vehicle and/or environmental sensors and configured to selecting an automatic terrain mode in dependence upon said vehicle and/or environmental sensors, and wherein said incremental value is dependent upon a signal indicative of the automatically selected terrain mode.

7. The control system according to claim 4 further comprising a memory means containing a look up table correlating positive and/or negative increment magnitudes to associated terrain modes.

8. The control system according to claim 4 wherein said control system is configured to determine said incremental value further in dependence upon one of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and the target set-speed.

9. The control system according to claim 8 wherein the lower the speed at which the vehicle is travelling, or the lower the target set-speed, the smaller the incremental value.

10. The control system according to claim 8 comprising a look up table further correlating positive and/or negative increment magnitudes to associated vehicle speed.

11. The control system according to claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to apply a function of the vehicle speed to the increment value and wherein:

Increment value=IV_LOOKUP×

C(V_INST)

wherein IV_LOOKUP is a terrain based incremental value obtained from the look up table;

V_INST is the instantaneous speed of the vehicle and C is a constant.

13. A vehicle comprising a control system as claimed in claim 1.

12. (canceled)

14. A method of automatically controlling the speed of the vehicle having a plurality of wheels in dependence on a target set-speed, the method comprising:

receiving a target set-speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel via a user input device configured to enable the user to incrementally increase or decrease the target set-speed by an incremental value upon each actuation of said input device;

applying torque to the at least one of the plurality of wheels to control the vehicle speed in dependence on the target set-speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling; and

determining said incremental value in dependence upon at least one of;

the instantaneous vehicle speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises a terrain mode selection interface for receiving a user input selection of the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling, the method further comprising determining said incremental value in dependence upon a signal indicative of a user selected terrain mode.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises an automatic terrain mode selection system comprising a plurality of vehicle and/or environmental sensors and configured to select an automatic terrain mode in dependence upon said vehicle and/or environmental sensors, the method further comprising determining said incremental value in dependence upon a signal indicative of the automatically selected terrain mode.

17. The method according to claim 14 further comprising determining said incremental value further in dependence upon one of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and the target set-speed and reducing the incremental value at lower values of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling or of the target set-speed.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising reducing the incremental value at lower values of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling or of the target set-speed.

21. The method system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is configured to apply a function of the vehicle speed to the increment value and wherein:

Increment value=IV_LOOKUP×

C(V_INST)

wherein IV_LOOKUP is a terrain based incremental value obtained from the look up table;

V_INST is the instantaneous speed of the vehicle and C is a constant.

23. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that when executed by one or more electronic processors causes the one or more electronic processors to carry out the method of claim 14.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

24. An electronic controller for a vehicle having a storage medium associated therewith storing instructions that when executed by the controller causes the control of the operation of a vehicle in accordance with the method of:

receiving a target set-speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel via a user input device configured to enable the user to incrementally increase or decrease the target set-speed by an incremental value upon each actuation of said input device;

applying torque to the at least one of the plurality of wheels to control the vehicle speed in dependence on the target set-speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling; and

determining said incremental value in dependence upon at least one of;

the instantaneous vehicle speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.

25. (canceled)