Cruise control systems for motor vehicles
First Claim
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1. A cruise control system for a motor vehicle comprising:
- a) a forward looking distance sensor means, the distance sensor means being arranged to sense vehicles moving in the same path as the equipped vehicle and also in paths adjacent to the path of the equipped vehicle;
b) means to process signals from the sensor means to provide information of range, relative speed and direction of movement of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle;
c) means for processing the successive range, relative speed and directional information of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path as and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle, to track said vehicles;
d) means to initially select said tracked vehicle that is closest to and in the same path as the equipped vehicle as a preferred target, while said means for processing continues to track all said tracked vehicles;
e) means for identifying said tracked vehicle in an adjacent path that is converging with the path of the equipped vehicle;
f) means for determining, according to the successive range, relative speed and directional information of the preferred target and the converging vehicle, whether the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, and if the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, switching to the converging vehicle as the preferred target; and
g) means to control speed of the equipped vehicle in response to the preferred target, in order to maintain a safe distance between the equipped vehicle and preferred target.
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Abstract
A cruise control system for a motor vehicle includes a forward looking distance sensor adapted to sense vehicles moving in the same path as the equipped vehicle or in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle, the system tracking vehicles in front of or in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle and controlling braking or acceleration of the equipped vehicle in response to vehicles travelling in front of or on converging paths with the equipped vehicle, in order to maintain a safe distance between the equipped vehicle and vehicles in or entering its path.
38 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cruise control system for a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) a forward looking distance sensor means, the distance sensor means being arranged to sense vehicles moving in the same path as the equipped vehicle and also in paths adjacent to the path of the equipped vehicle; b) means to process signals from the sensor means to provide information of range, relative speed and direction of movement of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle; c) means for processing the successive range, relative speed and directional information of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path as and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle, to track said vehicles; d) means to initially select said tracked vehicle that is closest to and in the same path as the equipped vehicle as a preferred target, while said means for processing continues to track all said tracked vehicles; e) means for identifying said tracked vehicle in an adjacent path that is converging with the path of the equipped vehicle; f) means for determining, according to the successive range, relative speed and directional information of the preferred target and the converging vehicle, whether the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, and if the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, switching to the converging vehicle as the preferred target; and g) means to control speed of the equipped vehicle in response to the preferred target, in order to maintain a safe distance between the equipped vehicle and preferred target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMalcolm Williams, Nigel J. Clarke
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Original AssigneeMalcolm Williams, Nigel J. Clarke
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InventorsClarke, Nigel J., Williams, Malcolm
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Primary Examiner(s)Teska, Kevin J.
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Assistant Examiner(s)NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
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Application NumberUS08/438,095Time in Patent Office736 DaysField of Search364/426.04, 364/426.01, 364/460, 364/461, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 340/906, 342/70, 342/71, 342/96, 367/89, 367/99, 367/118US Class Current701/96CPC Class CodesB60K 31/0008 including means for detecti...B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposesB60W 2520/105 Longitudinal accelerationB60W 2520/125 Lateral accelerationB60W 2540/18 Steering angleB60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating t...B60W 2554/801 Lateral distanceB60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distanceB60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speedG01S 13/726 Multiple target trackingG01S 13/931 of land vehiclesG01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakesG01S 2013/9319 Controlling the acceleratorG01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g...G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. c...G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g....G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using...G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance ...G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
