Vehicle control system using navigation system steering

• US 5,928,299 A
• Filed: 08/03/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sekine, Hiroshi, Asanuma, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/127,934
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/41, 701/42, 180/443
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• 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: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

An azimuth change quantity θ of a road during traveling of a vehicle for a time δt is calculated based on road data provided by a navigation system and a vehicle speed provided by a vehicle speed sensor (at step S3 in FIG. 2). On the other hand, an azimuth change quantity Θ of the vehicle is calculated by integrating a yaw rate γ obtained from a yaw rate sensor over the time δt (at step S5). A deviation D between the azimuth change quantity θ of the road and the azimuth change quantity Θ of the vehicle is calculated (at step S6). When the deviation D becomes equal to or larger than a reference value β, it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle will depart from the road (at step S9), and a predetermined steering torque is applied to a steering device, so that the deviation is converged into zero (at steps S10 and S11).

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising:

a map information outputting means for outputting map information including a road on which a subject vehicle travels;

a steering means for steering a steering control wheel of the subject vehicle;

a steering-torque applying means for applying a steering torque to said steering means;

means for determining an azimuth change quantity of the road on which the subject vehicle is traveling;

means for determining an azimuth change quantity of the subject vehicle; and

a control means for determining a deviation between an azimuth change quantity of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and an azimuth change quantity of the subject vehicle, and for driving said steering-torque applying means such as to decrease said deviation.

2. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said control means determines said deviation in a feedback control manner.

3. A vehicle control system comprising:

a map information outputting means for outputting map information including a road on which a subject vehicle travels;

a subject-vehicle position detecting means for detecting a subject-vehicle position on a map;

a steering means for steering a steering control wheel of the subject vehicle;

a steering-torque applying means for applying a steering torque to said steering means;

means for determining an azimuth change quantity of the road on which the subject vehicle is traveling; and

a control means for determining a required steering torque based on an azimuth change quantity of the road on which the subject vehicle is traveling, and for driving said steering-torque applying means based on said required steering torque.

4. A vehicle control system according to claim 3, wherein said control means determines said required steering torque in a feedforward control manner.

5. A vehicle control system according to claim 3, wherein said control means determines said required steering torque based on a time-differentiated value of a determined azimuth change quantity of the road on which the subject vehicle is travelling.