Method of operating a vehicle cruise control system

• US 5,775,451 A
• Filed: 08/26/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold L. Hull, Howard H. Mcmaster, Sandra A. Mcmaster
• Original Assignee: Harold L. Hull, Howard H. Mcmaster, Sandra A. Mcmaster
• Inventors: McMaster, Sandra A., McMaster, Howard H., Hull, Harold L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US08/702,848
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 318/587, 318/609, 180/170, 180/176, 180/177, 180/178, 180/179, 307/10.1, 345/172
• US Class Current: 180/170
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/042 where at least one electrical quantity is set by the vehicle operator

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices used to activate cruise Systems within a vehicle, but more particularly relates to a combination including a cruise control system which is activated by a typical ten-key pad, such as used with adding machines, TV remote control pads, numerical keys on a computer, etc.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle cruise control system, the system comprising a control pad connected to a vehicle cruise control for maintaining a vehicle at a desired speed of travel, the control pad including an on/off button, a pre-programming button, and six buttons with numerical designations of 1-6 respectively, each of the six buttons being assigned a different vehicle speed range within which a specific vehicle speed could be pre-programmed by a user, :

the pre-programmed vehicle speed for each button increasing in relation to the numerical designation of the button, the method comprising the steps of;

1) pre-programming each of the buttons with a specific vehicle speed within the speed range assigned to each button;

2) pressing the on/off button to activate the cruise control system for permitting the user to set the vehicle speed;

3) pressing the pre-programming button;

4) selecting and pressing one of the six buttons having a pre-programmed speed which corresponds to a desired speed of travel, for setting the vehicle speed to the pre-programmed vehicle speed of the selected button;

5) selecting and pressing a second one of the six buttons, when a different speed of travel is desired, for resetting the vehicle speed to the pre-programmed vehicle speed of the second selected button; and

6) pressing the on/off button to deactivate the cruise control system when a set vehicle speed is no longer desired.

2. A The method of operating a vehicle cruise control system as recited in claim 1, further including the steps of:

1) pressing a coast button on the control pad for reducing the speed of vehicle; and

2) releasing the coast button for returning the vehicle speed to the preprogrammed vehicle speed of the selected button.