METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING CRUISE CONTROL

• US 20200130687A1
• Filed: 10/04/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Gyulai, Gabor, Mezey, Eors, Bajnoczki, Oliver Sandor
• Granted Patent: US 11,142,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/242 setting initial target speed, e.g. initial algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/262 setting initial distance to preceding vehicle, e.g. initial algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/162 Speed limiting therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

Improved control of cruise control for a vehicle, in particular an automated activation of cruise control. For this purpose, the speed of the vehicle is monitored. If the speed of the vehicle and/or a distance between the vehicle and a further vehicle in front of the vehicle is within a predetermined range for a specific period of time it is indicated to a user that cruise control can be activated. Accordingly, cruise control can be automatically activated after providing the indication to the user, or a user may respond to this indication by providing a specific activity such as a release of the acceleration pedal.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a cruise control of a vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

outputting a signaling when a speed of the vehicle and/or a distance between the vehicle and a further vehicle in front of the vehicle is within a predetermined range for a first period of time; and

activating cruise control of the vehicle after the signaling has been output.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

detecting a predefined user activity after the signaling has been output;

wherein the cruise control of the vehicle is activated after the predefined user activity is detected.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predefined user activity includes a release of an accelerator pedal.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the cruise control of the vehicle is activated only when the speed of the vehicle is within the predetermined range when detecting the predefined user activity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cruise control is activated only when the predefined user activity is detected within a second period of time after outputting the signaling.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling is an optic signaling, and/or an acoustic signaling, and/or a haptic signaling.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

deactivating the cruise control of the vehicle upon detecting a further user activity.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the further user activity includes an operation of a brake pedal or an operation of the accelerator pedal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first period of time is dynamically adapted depending on the speed of the vehicle, and/or a road situation, and/or a user input.

10. An apparatus for controlling a cruise control of a vehicle, comprising:

a receiving device adapted to receive a speed signal corresponding to a speed of the vehicle and/or a distance signal corresponding to a distance between the vehicle and a further vehicle in front of the vehicle; and

a controller adapted to output a signaling when a speed of the vehicle and/or a distance between the vehicle and a further vehicle in front of the vehicle is within a predetermined range for a first period of time, and to activate the cruise control of the vehicle after the signaling has been output.