Speed control system for a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A speed control system for a motor vehicle comprising:
- means for determining a velocity of said motor vehicle;
running control means for automatically controlling running equipment of said motor vehicle to maintain said velocity of said motor vehicle at a desired velocity;
means for determining a proper distance apart from any preceding vehicle in response to said velocity of said motor vehicle, and for determining a proximate distance, shorter than said proper distance;
means for detecting if a preceding vehicle is present and measuring a distance apart from the preceding vehicle if one is detected;
means for detecting at a certain time interval, a proximity with respect to the preceding vehicle by a change in said measured distance, said measured distance decreasing greater than a predetermined rate to indicate said proximity; and
distance control means for maintaining said proper distance apart from the preceding vehicle by;
(1) when said meaured distance is above said proper distance, and said proximity to the preceding vehicle is continuously detected for a plurality of time intervals, temporarily reducing said desired velocity to a reduced desired velocity and increasing the desired velocity after a time of no such proximity being detected, (2) when the measured distance is between the proper distance and the proximate distance, maintaining the desired velocity constant with no change at its present value, and (3) when the measured distance is below the proximate distance, rapidly decelerating the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A speed control system for a motor vehicle automatically controls a throttle valve so as to allow the vehicle to run at a desired velocity at all times. The system includes a laser radar for detecting a preceding vehicle and measuring the distance therefrom, and a control computer in which a proper distance responsive to a vehicle velocity is set. The control computer discriminates proximity to the preceding vehicle through change in the distance at a certain interval. When the distance exceeds the proper distance, the control computer reduces the desired velocity in case proximity to the preceding vehicle is discriminated at a plurality of times continuously and increases the desired velocity in case no such proximity is discriminated, and when the distance is below the proper distance, the computer decelerates the vehicle by directly controlling the throttle valve in the closing direction, allowing tracing running with the proper distance from the preceding vehicle.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A speed control system for a motor vehicle comprising:
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means for determining a velocity of said motor vehicle; running control means for automatically controlling running equipment of said motor vehicle to maintain said velocity of said motor vehicle at a desired velocity; means for determining a proper distance apart from any preceding vehicle in response to said velocity of said motor vehicle, and for determining a proximate distance, shorter than said proper distance; means for detecting if a preceding vehicle is present and measuring a distance apart from the preceding vehicle if one is detected; means for detecting at a certain time interval, a proximity with respect to the preceding vehicle by a change in said measured distance, said measured distance decreasing greater than a predetermined rate to indicate said proximity; and distance control means for maintaining said proper distance apart from the preceding vehicle by;
(1) when said meaured distance is above said proper distance, and said proximity to the preceding vehicle is continuously detected for a plurality of time intervals, temporarily reducing said desired velocity to a reduced desired velocity and increasing the desired velocity after a time of no such proximity being detected, (2) when the measured distance is between the proper distance and the proximate distance, maintaining the desired velocity constant with no change at its present value, and (3) when the measured distance is below the proximate distance, rapidly decelerating the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A speed control apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising:
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means for measuring a speed of the vehicle; means for setting a first speed as a desired speed of the vehicle; means for detecting a preceding vehicle, and measuring a distance to said preceding vehicle; means for determining a proper distance to said preceding vehicle based on said measured speed, and determining a proximate distance to said preceding vehicle which is less than said proper distance; means for determining said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle by a change in said measured distance decreasing greater than a predetermined rate; and control means, for; (1) maintaining the speed of said vehicle at said desired speed; (2) reducing said desired speed from said first speed to a second speed slower than said first speed when said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle is detected for a predetermined time interval, and increasing said desired speed to a value above said second speed once said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle is no longer detected for said time interval; (3) maintaining said desired speed constant at any of said first speed, said second speed or said value above said second speed, when the measured distance is between the proper distance and the proximate distance; and (4) rapidly decelerating the vehicle when said measured distance is below the proximate distance.
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11. A method of speed control for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of
measuring a speed of the vehicle; -
setting a first speed as a desired speed of the vehicle; detecting a preceding vehicle, and measuring a distance to said preceding vehicle; determining a proper distance to said preceding vehicle based on said measured speed, and determining a proximate distance to said preceding vehicle less than said proper distance; determining said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle by a change in said measured distance decreasing greater than a predetermined rate; normally maintaining the speed of said vehicle at said desired speed; reducing said desired speed from said first speed to a second speed when said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle is detected for a predetermined time interval, and increasing said desired speed once said vehicle approaching said preceding vehicle is no longer determined for said time interval; maintaining said desired speed constant at said first speed or said second speed when the measured distance is between the proper distance and the proximate distance; and rapidly decelerating the vehicle when said measured distance is below said proximate distance.
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Specification