Method for controlling the distance between moving motor vehicles

• US 5,375,060 A
• Filed: 03/17/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Nocker, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/032,097
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 364/426.04, 364/431.07, 364/460, 364/461, 180/176-179, 180/167-170, 123/352, 342/454, 342/455, 342/457, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/20 Direction indicator values
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour

Abstract

A method for controlling the distance between moving vehicles can be used irrespective of the type of distance detection. The driver interventions which occur in the course of a currently-maintained distance control are detected and evaluated. For this, control devices, which are actuated in the course of the normal travel mode, for example the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, the indicator lights, etc. are monitored. Conclusions are made as to the driver'"'"'s current preferences from an evaluation of detected actuations and the driver'"'"'s reaction time included in the currently calculated set distance is accordingly adaptively corrected. In this manner, dead times are minimized and the most rapid possible adaptation of the distance between vehicles to changing driving behavior of the driver is achieved. As a result, a significantly improved acceptance of a corresponding automatic distance control can be detected.

Claims

1. A method for operating a distance controller of a rear vehicle for controlling distance between moving motor vehicles, wherein the rear vehicle is equipped with an overridable automatic speed control and distance detection means, a current set distance, S_s, that is specified to said distance controller being updated as a function of the rear vehicle'"'"'s detected current speed V_e such that S_s =(V_e *T_r), wherein T_r is a vehicle operator'"'"'s admissable reaction time, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) stipulating a bandwidth for said admssible reaction time T_r between a lower limit value T_rmin and an upper limit value T_rmax ;

(2) detecting the following driving events made by the vehicle operator;

(a) overtaking maneuvers by monitoring at least one of steering and indicator lights;

(b) overrides of the overridable automatic speed control by accelerating by monitoring an accelerator pedal;

(c) overrides of the overridable automatic speed control by braking by monitoring a brake pedal;

(3) determining an initial set distance S₀ specified to the distance controller on the basis of a permanently stored average reaction time T_rmit and then using the initial set distance for initial control of the distance controller with T_r =T_rmit ;

(4) maintaining the reaction time T_r unchanged if one of said driving events (a) , (b) and (c) above, occurs within a predetermined adaptation time T_ad during which no changes in the reaction time T_r take place, and changing the reaction time T_r if one of said driving events (a) , (b) , and (c) occurs after said adaptation time T_ad expires;

wherein, for said driving events (a) and (b) , the reaction time T_r is reduced according to the following rule;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">T.sub.r =T.sub.r -T.sub.d, if T.sub.r >

T.sub.rmin, and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">T.sub.r =T.sub.rmin, if T.sub.r =T.sub.min,

where T_d is an adaptation amount;

wherein for said driving event (c), the reaction time T_r is increased according to the following rule;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">T.sub.r =T.sub.r +T.sub.d, if T.sub.r <

T.sub.rmax,

and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">T.sub.r =T.sub.rmax, if T.sub.r =T.sub.rmax ;

and

(5) operating said distance controller based on the reaction time T_r.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation amount T_d is a fixed value.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation amount is a value which decreases in size from the start of operating said distance controller.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation amount is a value which decreases logarithmically from the start of operating said distance controller.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation time T_ad is a fixed value.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation time T_ad is dynamically variable.