Method and system for determining a regulator object

• US 6,294,986 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Landsiedel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/486,755
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0066 responsive to vehicle path curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• 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 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• 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 2013/93275 in the bumper area

Abstract

A method for determining a control object which is situated in an expected traveling corridor of a vehicle whose distance from the control object is measured and adjusted to a desired distance. The method for reliably determining the control object which enables reliable distance control even in the event of momentary and sudden changes in the traveling corridor of the vehicle determines an object corridor which covers the traveling corridor and is wider than the traveling corridor of the vehicle, control with respect to the control object being effected as long as the latter stays in the object corridor of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for determining a control object whose distance from a following vehicle is measured, the distance between the control object and the vehicle being adjusted to a desired distance if the control object is situated in an expected traveling corridor of the following vehicle, comprising the step of even after the control object has left the traveling corridor, continuing controlling of the distance with respect to said control object as long as the control object stays in an object corridor which is wider than the traveling corridor of the vehicle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of selecting the width of the object corridor (O) in a distance-dependent manner.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object corridor (O) is as wide as a roadway width of the roadway on which the vehicle (1) is moving.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the traveling corridor (F) is narrower than the roadway of the vehicle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of, wherein the vehicle (1) to be controlled monitors other vehicles (E1, E2, E3) traveling ahead in a wireless manner and, from the vehicles (E1, E2, E3), selects those vehicles which are situated in its traveling corridor (F), the vehicle (1) which is at the smallest distance from the controlling vehicle (1) being identified as the control object (E1).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object corridor (O) is determined from the traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) to be controlled.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein anticipated traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) is determined with aid of intrinsic speed and of yaw rate.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) is determined from the yaw rate of the vehicle (1) which is measured by a yaw rate sensor.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the traveling corridor of the vehicle is determined by turn radius determined from differential speed of two vehicle wheels, in particular the wheels of one axle.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, comprising the steps of measuring the wheel speed of the two vehicle wheels, and determining the yaw rate of the vehicle from the difference between the two wheel speeds.

11. An arrangement for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensor (3) monitors objects (E1, E2, E3) appearing in a direction of travel of the vehicle (1), and a sensor signal processing arrangement (11) connected to the sensor (3) passes the distance and the relative speed of the monitored objects to a control device (12) which determines the object corridor (O) of the vehicle (1).

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor (3) is arranged on a front of the vehicle (1) for monitoring the control object (E1) traveling ahead.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor (3) operates according to echo principle.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said sensor (3) is a radar sensor.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said control device (12) determines the traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) and sets the distance from the control object (E1).

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor (3), the signal processing arrangement (11) and the control device (12) form a structural unit.

17. A method for determining a control object whose distance from a following vehicle is measured, the distance between the control object and the vehicle being adjusted to a desired distance if the control object is situated in an expected traveling corridor of the following vehicle, comprising the steps of even after the control object has left the traveling corridor, continuing controlling of the has left the traveling corridor, continuing controlling of the distance with respect to said control object as long as the control object stays in an object corridor which is wider than the traveling corridor of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle (1) to be controlled monitors other vehicles (E1, E2, E3) traveling ahead in a wireless manner and, from the vehicles (E1, E2, E3), selects those vehicles which are situated in its traveling corridor (F), the vehicle (1) which is at the smallest distance from the controlling vehicle (1) being identified as the control object (E1), said object corridor (O) is determined from the traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) to be controlled, and wherein anticipated traveling corridor (F) of the vehicle (1) is determined with aid of intrinsic speed and of yaw rate.