Apparatus and method for controlling a distance between two traveling vehicles and a recording medium for storing the control method
First Claim
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1. A distance control apparatus for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said control apparatus comprising:
- acceleration/deceleration means for accelerating and decelerating said second vehicle, said acceleration/deceleration means including a plurality of deceleration devices independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration;
distance control means for performing a distance control by obtaining a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles based on a relationship between an actual value and a target value as well as a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles, and by actuating said acceleration/deceleration means based on said control value to control the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles, said distance control means selecting at least one of said plurality of deceleration devices to decelerate said said second vehicle;
warning means for performing a warning operation correlating with said distance control performed by said distance control means, said warning means being capable of generating a warning when the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance under the condition where the distance control is in progress; and
warning prohibiting means for preventing said warning means from performing said warning operating when a deceleration level attainable by said at least one of said deceleration devices selected by said distance control means is lower than a predetermined maximum level even if the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than said predetermined warning distance.
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Abstract
At least one of a plurality of deceleration devices is selected to decelerate a succeeding vehicle. A warning is generated only when a deceleration level attainable by the selected one or plural deceleration devices is higher than a predetermined maximum level even if the distance between two traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance.
73 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A distance control apparatus for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said control apparatus comprising:
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acceleration/deceleration means for accelerating and decelerating said second vehicle, said acceleration/deceleration means including a plurality of deceleration devices independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration;
distance control means for performing a distance control by obtaining a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles based on a relationship between an actual value and a target value as well as a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles, and by actuating said acceleration/deceleration means based on said control value to control the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles, said distance control means selecting at least one of said plurality of deceleration devices to decelerate said said second vehicle;
warning means for performing a warning operation correlating with said distance control performed by said distance control means, said warning means being capable of generating a warning when the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance under the condition where the distance control is in progress; and
warning prohibiting means for preventing said warning means from performing said warning operating when a deceleration level attainable by said at least one of said deceleration devices selected by said distance control means is lower than a predetermined maximum level even if the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than said predetermined warning distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A distance control apparatus for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said control apparatus disposed in said second vehicle;
- said control apparatus comprising;
acceleration/deceleration means for accelerating and decelerating said second vehicle, said acceleration/deceleration means including a plurality of deceleration devices independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration;
distance control means for performing a distance control by obtaining a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles based on a relationship between an actual value and a target value as well as a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles, and by actuating said acceleration/deceleration means based on said control value to control the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles; and
warning means for performing a warning operation, said warning means being capable of generating a warning when the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance under the condition where the distance control is in progress, wherein said distance control means selects at least on of said plurality of deceleration devices to decelerate said second vehicle, and performs a deceleration control correlating with said warning operation performed by said warning means so as to obtain an available maximum deceleration of said second vehicle when said warning operation is performed by said warning means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- said control apparatus comprising;
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19. A distance control method for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said control method comprising:
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obtaining a relationship between an actual value and a target value;
obtaining a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
generating a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
selecting at least one of a plurality of deceleration devices to decelerate said second vehicle, said plurality of deceleration devices being independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration; and
generating a warning only when a deceleration level attainable by said selected one or plural deceleration devices is higher than a predetermined maximum level even if the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A distance control method for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said control method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a relationship between an actual value and a target value;
obtaining a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
generating a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
providing a plurality of deceleration devices in said second vehicle;
selecting at least one of said plurality of deceleration devices in accordance with said control value, said plurality of deceleration devices being independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration; and
performing a deceleration control in correlation with a warning operation so as to obtain and available maximum deceleration of said second vehicle when said warning operation is performed. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A recording medium storing a control program for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said recording medium being installable in a computer system for performing the steps of:
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obtaining a relationship between an actual value and a target value;
obtaining a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
generating a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
selecting at least one of a plurality of deceleration devices to decelerate said second vehicle, said plurality of deceleration devices being independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration; and
generating a warning only when a deceleration level attainable by said selected one or plural deceleration devices is higher than a predetermined maximum level even if the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles is shorter than a predetermined warning distance.
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38. A recording medium for controlling a distance between first and second traveling vehicles, said recording medium being installable in a computer system for performing the steps of:
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obtaining a relationship between an actual value and a target value;
obtaining a relative speed between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
generating a control value required for controlling the distance between said first and said second traveling vehicles;
selecting at least one of a plurality of deceleration devices of said second vehicle in accordance with said control value, said plurality of deceleration devices being independently operable and different from each other in degree of attainable deceleration; and
performing a deceleration control in correlation with a warning operation so as to obtain an available maximum deceleration of said second vehicle when said warning operation is performed.
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Specification