Device for switching vehicle operating characteristics

• US 5,027,302 A
• Filed: 08/10/1989
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroshi, Ishida, Shinnosuke, Asanuma, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US07/392,086
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.05, 364/443, 364/449, 280/707
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/08 characterised by use of gyroscopes gyroscopes for stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements B62D37/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/82 Ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/90 Other conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/922 Travelling distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/40 Steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/04 Means for informing, instructing or displaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/18 Automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/00 Steering not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A device for switching vehicle characteristics which includes means for setting information concerning a road, such as a highway, in the running path of the vehicle, means for detecting the fact that the vechicle comes to a designated road portion in the running path and for producing output information concerning said predetermined road portion and means for effecting switching of the vehicle characteristics in response to the output information concerning the road.

Claims

1. A device for switching operating characteristics of a vehicle, comprising:

means for storing road information concerning a kind of a road on a travel path of the vehicle;

means for detecting the kind of road on which the vehicle is running including a navigation system in which a position of the vehicle on X-Y coordinates is found by an arithmetic operation, while detecting a running distance and a running direction of the vehicle, and a current position of the vehicle is displayed on a road map having the same X-Y coordinates,

means for producing an output of predetermined road information from said means for storing road information depending upon the detected kind of road at said current position of the vehicle displayed on the road map; and

means for effecting switching of the vehicle operating characteristics in accordance with said output of predetermined road information.

2. A device for switching vehicle operating characteristics according to claim 1, in which the kind of the road includes a highway or a surface street road.

3. A device for switching vehicle operating characteristics according to claim 1, in which the kind of the road includes a straight road or a winding road.

4. A device for switching vehicle operating characteristics according to claim 1, in which switching of the vehicle characteristics is made on a suspension system of the vehicle which can switched between a soft or hard condition.

5. A device for switching vehicle operating characteristics according to claim 1, in which switching of the vehicle characteristics is made on a steering system which can be switched between a sharp or soft condition.

6. A device for switching vehicle operating characteristics according to claim 1, in which switching of the vehicle characteristics is made on a height of the vehicle which can be switched between a high or low height.