Method and arrangement for controlling vehicle spacing
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling vehicle spacing wherein a target spacing from a vehicle in front of a controlled vehicle is determined by calculating the target spacing, at least as a function of the speed of the vehicle, comprising the following steps:
- a) determining the following time of the controlled vehicle from a vehicle in front according to the current vehicle speed at selected time intervals when the vehicle spacing is not being controlled automatically;
b) determining and storing operator-specific characteristic diagrams from corresponding pairs of speed and following time values;
c) assigning a mean following time value to each characteristic diagram;
d) upon activation of vehicle spacing control, detecting an input of a target following time;
e) after input of the target following time, selecting a corresponding characteristic diagram having a mean following time characteristic equal to the target following time from the set of characteristic diagrams; and
f) maintaining the spacing from a vehicle in front by the vehicle spacing control in accordance with the selected characteristic diagram.
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Abstract
A method and arrangement for controlling vehicle spacing produces driver-specific characteristic diagrams for vehicle speed and following time from which a mean target following time is determined. The characteristic diagrams are used to control the spacing of the vehicle from a vehicle in front of it.
18 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of controlling vehicle spacing wherein a target spacing from a vehicle in front of a controlled vehicle is determined by calculating the target spacing, at least as a function of the speed of the vehicle, comprising the following steps:
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a) determining the following time of the controlled vehicle from a vehicle in front according to the current vehicle speed at selected time intervals when the vehicle spacing is not being controlled automatically;
b) determining and storing operator-specific characteristic diagrams from corresponding pairs of speed and following time values;
c) assigning a mean following time value to each characteristic diagram;
d) upon activation of vehicle spacing control, detecting an input of a target following time;
e) after input of the target following time, selecting a corresponding characteristic diagram having a mean following time characteristic equal to the target following time from the set of characteristic diagrams; and
f) maintaining the spacing from a vehicle in front by the vehicle spacing control in accordance with the selected characteristic diagram. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 10. An arrangement for controlling vehicle spacing comprising a sensing unit for detecting the distance of a first vehicle from a vehicle ahead, means for detecting the first vehicle speed, an input unit for receiving data relating to the first vehicle, control means for controlling the speed of the first vehicle, storage means for generating and storing characteristic diagrams based on data supplied by the sensing unit and the speed detecting means, the input unit being arranged to select a stored characteristic diagram information for transmission to the control means and vehicle spacing control means for controlling the spacing of the first vehicle from the vehicle ahead in accordance with the selected characteristic diagram.
Specification