Following control apparatus for an automotive vehicle
First Claim
1. A following control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
- a separation sensor for measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle;
relative speed measuring means for measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and
engine control means, responsive to the separation sensor and the relative speed measuring means, for controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle is starting from a standstill based on the relative speed independent of the vehicle separation so as to bring the relative speed toward 0 when the vehicle separation measured by the separation sensor has not reached a predetermined target vehicle separation, and for controlling the output of the engine based on the relative speed and the vehicle separation if the vehicle separation is at least the target vehicle separation.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A following control apparatus for an automotive vehicle is disclosed which controls the output of an engine and the brakes of a vehicle so as to maintain a target vehicle separation from a preceding vehicle. A control unit calculates a target drive force for the vehicle and controls the brakes and the throttle valve of the engine so as to achieve the target drive force. In one form of the invention, the target drive force when the vehicle is starting from a standstill is calculated based on the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle and the difference between the measured vehicle separation and the target vehicle separation when the measured vehicle separation is at least the target vehicle separation, but is calculated based on the relative speed of the vehicle independently of the vehicle separation when the measured vehicle separation is less than the target vehicle separation. In another form of the invention, the target drive force when the vehicle is starting from a standstill is calculated based on the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle and the difference between the measured vehicle separation and the target vehicle separation, with the target drive force being greater when the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value than when the vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined value.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A following control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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a separation sensor for measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; relative speed measuring means for measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and engine control means, responsive to the separation sensor and the relative speed measuring means, for controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle is starting from a standstill based on the relative speed independent of the vehicle separation so as to bring the relative speed toward 0 when the vehicle separation measured by the separation sensor has not reached a predetermined target vehicle separation, and for controlling the output of the engine based on the relative speed and the vehicle separation if the vehicle separation is at least the target vehicle separation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A following control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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a speed sensor for measuring the speed of the vehicle; a separation sensor for measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; relative speed measuring means for measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and engine control means responsive to the speed sensor, the separation sensor, and the relative speed measuring means for controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle based on the relative speed and the vehicle separation, the engine output being greater when the vehicle is starting from a standstill and the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed than when the vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined speed.
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6. A following control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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a separation sensor for measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; relative speed measuring means for measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; means for setting a target vehicle separation, the target vehicle separation being equal to the vehicle separation measured by the separation sensor when the vehicle is starting from a standstill and the measured vehicle separation is less than a predetermined separation, and being equal to the predetermined separation when the measured vehicle separation is at least the predetermined separation; and means for controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle based on the relative speed and the difference between the measured vehicle separation and the target vehicle separation.
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7. A following control method for a vehicle comprising:
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measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and at the time when the vehicle is starting from a standstill, controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle based on the vehicle separation and the relative speed so as to bring the vehicle separation towards a predetemined target vehicle separation if the vehicle separation is at least the target vehicle separation, and controlling the output of the engine based on the relative speed independently of the vehicle separation so as to bring the relative speed toward 0 if the vehicle separation is less than the target vehicle separation. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A following control method for a vehicle comprising:
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measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle based on the vehicle separation and the relative speed so as to bring the vehicle separation towards a predetermined target vehicle separation, the engine output being greater when the vehicle speed has yet to reach a predetermined speed after the vehicle has started from a standstill than when the vehicle speed has reached the predetermined speed. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A following control method for a vehicle comprising:
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measuring the separation between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; measuring the relative speed of the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; setting a target vehicle separation, the target vehicle separation being equal to the measured vehicle separation when the measured vehicle separation is less than a predetermined separation at the time of starting of the vehicle from a standstill, and being equal to the predetermined separation if the measured vehicle separation is at least the predetermined separation; and controlling the output of an engine of the vehicle based on the relative speed and the difference between the measured vehicle separation and the target vehicle separation.
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Specification