Drive control system for automobile

• US 5,485,892 A
• Filed: 05/10/1995
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US08/438,727
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/169, 180/272, 364/424.05, 364/426.01, 364/426.02, 364/426.03, 364/424.02, 342/70, 342/71
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/02 Active Steering, Steer-by-Wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• 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 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

A plurality of drive control programs are selectively used to automatically control a car according to a driving situation recognized based on circumstances of a path ahead in which the car is traveling.

Claims

1. An automatic drive control system for a car comprising:

recognizing means for recognizing external circumstances in a path ahead of the car;

drive situation determining means for determining a drive situation of the car on the basis of circumstances recognized by said recognizing means;

program storage means for storing control programs prepared for a plurality of different drive control modes according to previously specified drive situations;

control scheduling means for selecting at least one of said control programs according to a drive situation determined by said drive situation determining means;

control means for providing control signals in accordance with said at least one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling means; and

actuators for providing said car with speed and direction control in response to said control signals.

2. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuators include actuators for operating a steering system.

3. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuators include actuators for operating a speed control system.

4. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 1, and further comprising driver operation diagnosis means for recognizing a driver'"'"'s operation, said control scheduling means selecting a control program based on a driver'"'"'s operation recognized by said driver operation diagnosis means.

5. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control programs are prepared for a plurality of different speed control modes according to the previously specified drive situations.

6. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said previously specified drive conditions are specified by a driver.

7. An automatic drive control system for a car comprising:

recognizing means for recognizing external circumstances in a path ahead of the car;

drive situation determining means for determining a drive situation of the car on the basis of circumstances recognized by said recognizing means;

program storage means for storing a plurality of control programs prepared according to specified drive situations;

control scheduling means for selecting at least one of said control programs according to a drive situation determined by said drive situation determining means;

control means for providing control signals in accordance with said at least one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling means; and

actuators for providing said car with speed and direction control in response to said control signals;

wherein said control signals control said actuators in accordance with a control program which has a minimum control burden among control burdens for said at least one of said control programs.

8. An automatic drive control system for a car comprising:

a recognizing device for recognizing external circumstances in a path ahead of the car;

a drive situation determining device for determining a drive situation of the car based on circumstances recognized by said recognizing device;

a program storage device for storing control programs including steering control programs and speed control programs prepared for a plurality of different drive control modes according to previously specified drive situations;

a control scheduling device for selecting at least one of said control programs according to a drive situation determined by said drive situation determining device;

a control device for providing control signals in accordance with said at least one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling device; and

actuators for providing said car with speed and direction control in response to said control signals.

9. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 8, wherein said control device controls an acceleration system and a braking system according to one of said control programs.

10. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 8, and further comprising a driver operation recognizing device for recognizing operations by a driver of the car, and wherein said control scheduling device selects a program which has a minimum control burden according to operations recognized by said driver operation recognizing device.

11. An automatic drive control system as defined by claim 8, and further comprising a driver diagnosis device for judging whether a driver is aroused, and a danger avoiding control device for controlling said car control elements, depending on (a) when the drive is aroused as judged by said driver diagnosis device and (b) the external circumstances recognized by said recognizing device, so as to avoid danger.

12. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 8, wherein said recognizing device includes an imaging device for imaging external circumstances in said path.

13. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 8, wherein said control programs are prepared for a plurality of different speed control modes according to the previously specified drive situations.

14. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 8, wherein said previously specified drive conditions are specified by a driver.

15. An automatic drive control system for a car comprising:

a recognizing device for recognizing external circumstances in a path ahead of the car;

a drive situation determining device for determining a drive situation of the car based on circumstances recognized by said recognizing device;

a program storage device for storing a plurality of control programs including steering control programs and speed control programs prepared according to specified drive situations;

a control scheduling device for selecting at least one of said control programs according to a drive situation determined by said drive situation determining device;

a control device for providing control signals in accordance with said at least one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling device; and

actuators for providing said car with speed and direction control in response to said control signals;

wherein said control device controls an acceleration system and a braking system according to one of said control programs and said control scheduling device selects a control program which provides a lowest speed.

16. An automatic drive control system for a car comprising;

a recognizing device for recognizing external circumstances in a path ahead of the car;

a drive situation determining device for determining a drive situation of the car based on circumstances recognized by said recognizing device;

a program storage device for storing a plurality of control programs including steering control programs and speed control programs prepared according to specified drive situations;

a control scheduling device for selecting at least one of said control programs according to a drive situation determined by said drive situation determining device;

a control device for providing control signals in accordance with said at least one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling device; and

actuators for providing said car with speed and direction control in response to said control signals;

wherein said control scheduling device selects one of said control programs which provides a minimum control burden.

17. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 16, wherein said control device executes a steering control and a speed control selectively according to said one of said control programs selected by said control scheduling device.

18. An automatic drive control system as defined in claim 16, wherein said control device executes one of a steering control and a speed control after another of the steering control and the speed control.