Running control device mounted in a vehicle

• US 5,899,953 A
• Filed: 10/01/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Urahashi, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCKOFF, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US08/724,278
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/118, 701/119, 701/210, 701/201, 701/209, 340/705, 340/942, 340/995, 340/988, 340/934, 340/990, 180/178, 123/436
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/04 rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0205 using an auxiliary engine speed control engine speed control per se F02D31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

When the vehicle is running in a low speed condition, a vehicle-mounted running control device performs vehicle control of a normal mode without performing of traffic jam control of the vehicle, if it is discriminated that the vehicle will change a running course thereof on the basis of road information of a scheduled vehicle running course obtained from a navigation system, and performs the traffic jam control with the vehicle being discriminated as in the traffic jam condition, if it is discriminated that the vehicle will not change the running course thereof.

Claims

1. A control device mounted in a vehicle comprising:

a navigation system controlling unit for controlling

a memory unit for storing map information including position information of a vehicle,

a position detecting unit for detecting a present position of the vehicle,

a course determining unit having road information of a scheduled running course of the vehicle for determining an estimated running course of the vehicle wherein the road information includes location of known impediments on the road,

a display unit for displaying map information, a present position and a scheduled running course of the vehicle, and

a voice message informing unit for outputting a voice message;

wherein the navigation system controlling unit includes position information calculating means for calculating and outputting position information of a present position of the vehicle on the basis both of position information detected from said position detecting unit and map information read out from said memory unit;

a central control unit for totally managing a plurality of control units provided to the vehicle, on the basis of information of a plurality of sensors mounted in the vehicle; and

a terminal device connected to said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit, for processing information from both of said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit, and transmitting information to at least one of said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit;

wherein said terminal device includes;

moving distance calculating means for calculating a moving distance of the vehicle in a certain time interval on the basis of position information at a present vehicle position transmitted from said navigation system controlling unit and position information at a present vehicle position after said certain time interval;

low speed condition determining means for deciding whether or not the vehicle is in a low speed condition by determining whether or not calculated vehicle moving distance is a predetermined value or below;

running course determining means for determining on the basis of road information of a scheduled vehicle running course transmitted from said navigation system controlling unit whether or not the vehicle will change a running course in future, when said low speed condition determining means determines that the vehicle is in a low speed condition; and

traffic jam determining means for determining that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition when said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will change a running course in future, and determining that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition when said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course in future.

2. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes traffic jam control information forming means for forming traffic jam control information for reducing an output from an engine to lessen fuel consumption, in case said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to an engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units, to perform a traffic jam control which is to reduce output of said engine on the basis of traffic jam control information transmitted from said terminal device.

3. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes engine output control information forming means for forming engine output control information for keeping a normal idle condition, in case said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to an engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units, to keep said normal idle condition on the basis of engine output control information transmitted from said terminal device.

4. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes intersection/tollgate determining means for determining whether or not a present position of the vehicle reached near one of an intersection and a tollgate on the basis of scheduled vehicle running course road information transmitted from said navigation system controlling unit after said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course in future, and

wherein said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition in case said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course and said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that the vehicle present position reached near one of an intersection and a tollgate, and determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition in case said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that the vehicle present position does not reach near one of an intersection and a tollgate and the vehicle will not change a running course in future.

5. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said terminal device further includes traffic control cancel information forming means for forming traffic control cancel information for canceling a traffic control in case said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that the vehicle present position reached near one of an intersection and a tollgate after said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course in future, after said low speed condition determining means determines that a vehicle moving distance calculated by said moving distance calculating means is a predetermined value or below and the vehicle is in said low speed condition, when said engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units performs said traffic jam control so as to reduce the output of said engine on the basis of traffic jam controlling information transmitted from said terminal device, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to said engine controlling unit to cancel said traffic control on the basis of traffic control canceling information transmitted from said terminal device.

6. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said low speed condition determining means determines whether or not a vehicle moving distance calculated by said moving distance calculating means assumes a predetermined value or above thereby the vehicle condition is changed or not from said low speed condition into a no-low speed condition, when said engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units performs said traffic jam control so as to reduce said output from said engine on the basis of traffic jam controlling information transmitted from said terminal device,

wherein said terminal device further includes traffic control cancel information forming means for forming traffic control cancel information for canceling a traffic control when said low speed condition determining means determines that the vehicle is not in said low speed condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to said engine controlling unit to cancel said traffic control on the basis of traffic control canceling information transmitted from said terminal device.

7. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes traffic control cancel information forming means for forming traffic control cancel information for canceling a traffic control in case said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will change a running course in future, after said low speed condition determining means determines that a vehicle moving distance calculated by said moving distance calculating means is a predetermined value or below and the vehicle is in a low speed condition, when said engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units performs said traffic jam control so as to reduce the output of said engine on the basis of traffic jam controlling information transmitted from said terminal device, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to said engine controlling unit to cancel said traffic control on the basis of traffic control canceling information transmitted from said terminal device.

8. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes a driving power source selecting means for selecting one of an engine driving power source and a motor driving power source, on the basis of existence of a vehicle traffic jam condition determined by said traffic jam condition determining means, as a driving source of a hybrid type vehicle having said engine power source and said motor driving power source, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to a driving power source controlling unit provided as one control unit for said hybrid type vehicle so as to set a driving power source as said motor driving power source on the basis of driving power source information, transmitted from said terminal device, of said hybrid type vehicle, when said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition.

9. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes a driving power source selecting means for selecting one of an engine driving power source and a motor driving power source, on the basis of existence of a vehicle traffic jam condition determined by said traffic jam condition determining means, as a driving source of a hybrid type vehicle having said engine power source and said motor driving power source, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to a driving power source controlling unit provided as one control unit for said hybrid type vehicle so as to set a driving power source as said engine driving power source on the basis of driving power source information, transmitted from said terminal device, of said hybrid type vehicle, when said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition.

18. The control device of claim 1 wherein said known impediments on the road comprises at least one of an intersection and a tollbooth.

10. A running control device mounted in a vehicle comprising:

a navigation system controlling unit for controlling

a memory unit for storing map information including position information of a vehicle,

a position detecting unit for detecting a present position of the vehicle,

a course determining unit having road information of a scheduled running course of the vehicle for determining an estimated running course of the vehicle wherein the road information includes location of known obstacles on the road,

a display unit for displaying map information, a present position and a scheduled running course of the vehicle, and

a voice message informing unit for outputting a voice message;

wherein the navigation system controlling unit includes position information calculating means for calculating and outputting position information of a present position of the vehicle on the basis both of position information detected from said position detecting unit and map information read out from said memory unit;

a central control unit for totally managing a plurality of control units provided to the vehicle, on the basis of information of a plurality of sensors mounted in the vehicle; and

a terminal device connected to said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit, for processing information from both of said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit, and transmitting information to at least one of said navigation system controlling unit and said central control unit;

wherein said terminal device includes;

moving distance calculating means for calculating a moving distance of the vehicle in a certain time interval on the basis of position information at a present vehicle position transmitted from said navigation system controlling unit and position information at a present vehicle position after said certain time interval;

low speed condition determining means for deciding whether or not the vehicle is in a low speed condition by determining whether or not calculated vehicle moving distance is a predetermined value or below;

intersection/tollgate determining means for determining that a present vehicle position reached near one of an intersection and a tollgate on the basis of road information of a scheduled vehicle running course transmitted from said navigation system controlling unit, when said low speed condition determining means determines that the vehicle is in a low speed condition; and

traffic jam condition determining means for determining that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition when said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that a vehicle present position reached near one of said intersection and said tollgate, and for determining that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition when said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that a vehicle present position does not reach near one of said intersection and said tollgate.

11. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said terminal device further includes traffic jam control information forming means for forming traffic jam control information for reducing an output from an engine to lessen fuel consumption, in case said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to an engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units, to perform a traffic jam control which is to reduce output of said engine on the basis of traffic jam control information transmitted from said terminal device.

12. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said terminal device further includes engine output control information forming means for forming engine output control information for keeping a normal idle condition, in case said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to an engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units, to keep said normal idle condition on the basis of engine output control information transmitted from said terminal device.

13. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said low speed condition determining means determines whether or not a vehicle moving distance calculated by said moving distance calculating means assumes a predetermined value or above thereby the vehicle condition is changed from said low speed condition into a no-low speed condition, when said engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units performs said traffic jam control so as to reduce said output from said engine on the basis of traffic jam controlling information transmitted from said terminal device,

wherein said terminal device further includes traffic control cancel information forming means for forming traffic control cancel information for canceling a traffic control when said low speed condition determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a low speed condition, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to said engine controlling unit to cancel said traffic control on the basis of traffic control canceling information transmitted from said terminal device.

14. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said terminal device further includes running course determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle will change a running course in future on the basis of road information of a scheduled vehicle running course transmitted from said navigation system control unit when said low speed condition determining means determines that the vehicle is in a low speed condition, and wherein said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition when said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course in future and said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that the vehicle reaches near one of said intersection and said tollgate, and determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition when said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will not change a running course in future and said intersection/tollgate determining means determines that the vehicle does not reach near one of said intersection and said tollgate.

15. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said terminal device further includes traffic control cancel information forming means for forming traffic control cancel information for canceling a traffic control when said running course determining means determines that the vehicle will change a running course in future, after said low speed condition determining means determines that a vehicle moving distance calculated by said moving distance calculating means is a predetermined value or below and the vehicle is in a low speed condition, when said engine controlling unit provided as one of said plural control units performs said traffic jam control so as to reduce said output from said engine on the basis of traffic jam controlling information transmitted from said terminal device, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to said engine controlling unit to cancel said traffic control on the basis of traffic control canceling information transmitted from said terminal device.

16. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said terminal device further includes a driving power source selecting means for selecting one of an engine driving power source and a motor driving power source, on the basis of existence of a vehicle traffic jam condition determined by said traffic jam condition determining means, as a driving source of a hybrid type vehicle having said engine power source and said motor driving power source, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to a driving power source controlling unit provided as one control unit for said hybrid type vehicle so as to set a driving power source as said motor driving power source on the basis of driving power source information, transmitted from said terminal device, of said hybrid type vehicle, when said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is in a traffic jam condition.

17. A running control device mounted in a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said terminal device further includes a driving power source selecting means for selecting one of an engine driving power source and a motor driving power source, on the basis of existence of a vehicle traffic jam condition determined by said traffic jam condition determining means, as a driving source of a hybrid type vehicle having said engine power source and said motor driving power source, and

wherein said central control unit instructs to a driving power source controlling unit provided as one control unit for said hybrid type vehicle so as to set a driving power source as said engine driving power source on the basis of driving power source information, transmitted from said terminal device, of said hybrid type vehicle, when said traffic jam determining means determines that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam condition.

19. The control device of claim 10 wherein said known obstacles on the road comprises at least one of an intersection and a tollbooth.