Vehicle spacing control system
First Claim
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1. A vehicle spacing control apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle spacing sensor sensing an actual vehicle spacing;
a vehicle speed sensor sensing an actual vehicle speed;
a selector changing a selected vehicle-to-vehicle time gap among a plurality of discrete values; and
a controller determining a desired vehicle-to-vehicle time gap so that the desired time gap varies at a predetermined rate in response to a change in the selected time gap, the predetermined rate being a predetermined amount of change per unit time, determining a desired vehicle spacing in accordance with the desired time gap and the actual vehicle speed, and controlling at least one of a driving force and a braking force of a controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle spacing closer to the desired vehicle spacing.
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Abstract
When a vehicle-to-vehicle time gap is changed from a first level to a second level with a selector switch, a controller determines a desired time gap so that the desired time gap varies from the first level to the second level at such a gradual rate as to prevent an abrupt change in the vehicle speed. The controller further determines a desired vehicle spacing from the controlled vehicle to a preceding vehicle in accordance with the desired time gap and a sensed vehicle speed, and controls the driving force and braking force of the controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle spacing closer to the desired vehicle spacing.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle spacing control apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle spacing sensor sensing an actual vehicle spacing;
a vehicle speed sensor sensing an actual vehicle speed;
a selector changing a selected vehicle-to-vehicle time gap among a plurality of discrete values; and
a controller determining a desired vehicle-to-vehicle time gap so that the desired time gap varies at a predetermined rate in response to a change in the selected time gap, the predetermined rate being a predetermined amount of change per unit time, determining a desired vehicle spacing in accordance with the desired time gap and the actual vehicle speed, and controlling at least one of a driving force and a braking force of a controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle spacing closer to the desired vehicle spacing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
the controller controls the actuators so as to bring the actual vehicle spacing closer to the desired vehicle spacing.
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7. A vehicle spacing control apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle interval sensor sensing an actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval from a controlled vehicle to a preceding vehicle;
a selector changing a selected vehicle-to-vehicle interval among a plurality of discrete values; and
a controller determining a desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval so that the desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval varies at a predetermined rate when the selected interval is changed, the predetermined rate being a predetermined amount of change per unit time, and controlling a longitudinal force of a controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval closer to the desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A vehicle spacing control process comprising:
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ascertaining a sensed actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval from a controlled vehicle to a preceding vehicle;
ascertaining a selected vehicle-to-vehicle interval selected among a plurality of discrete values;
determining a desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval so that the desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval varies at a predetermined rate when the selected interval is changed, the predetermined rate being a predetermined amount of change per unit time; and
controlling a longitudinal force of a controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval closer to the desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval.
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18. A vehicle spacing control apparatus comprising:
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means for ascertaining a sense actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval from a controlled vehicle to a preceding vehicle;
means for ascertaining a change from a first select position to a second select position in a selector for determining a selected vehicle-to-vehicle interval;
means for responding to the change from the first select position to the second select position in the selector by varying a desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval at a predetermine rate from a first select value corresponding to the first select position to a second select value corresponding to the second select position, the predetermined rate being a predetermined amount of change per unit time; and
means for controlling a longitudinal force of a controlled vehicle so as to bring the actual vehicle-to-vehicle interval closer to the desired vehicle-to-vehicle interval.
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Specification