Automobile running control system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A running control system for an automobile comprising,a nearby object detector which detects a plurality of objects ahead of the automobile and for calculating a distance between the automobile and the objects nearby together with a ground velocity of the nearby objects;
- a velocity detector which detects a velocity of the automobile; and
a velocity controller which automatically controls the velocity of the automobile;
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode, and performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that in said slow cruising mode a preset constant distance is maintained between the automobile and a first object selected from the plurality of objects detected by said nearby object detecting means, and in said fast cruising mode a constant distance is maintained between the automobile and a second object selected from the plurality of objects which second object has a ground velocity more than a preset ground velocity value.
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Abstract
An automobile running control system having “Fast follow-up” and “Slow follow-up” modes controls so that the automobile may cruise at an optimum car-to-car space between the automobile and an object which is selected among those detected and faster than a preset ground velocity in the “Fast follow-up” mode. When the fast follow-up velocity of the automobile falls under the preset velocity, the system automatically enters the “Slow follow-up” mode.
38 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A running control system for an automobile comprising,
a nearby object detector which detects a plurality of objects ahead of the automobile and for calculating a distance between the automobile and the objects nearby together with a ground velocity of the nearby objects; -
a velocity detector which detects a velocity of the automobile; and
a velocity controller which automatically controls the velocity of the automobile;
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode, and performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that in said slow cruising mode a preset constant distance is maintained between the automobile and a first object selected from the plurality of objects detected by said nearby object detecting means, and in said fast cruising mode a constant distance is maintained between the automobile and a second object selected from the plurality of objects which second object has a ground velocity more than a preset ground velocity value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11)
wherein said velocity controller automatically changes the cruising mode from said fast cruising mode into said slow cruising mode when the velocity of the automobile falls under a preset ground velocity value. -
3. A running control system for an automobile in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a display which delivers information by one or more of sound, image and light about running status of the automobile and nearby objects to a driver.
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4. An automobile comprising a running control system according to claim 3.
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5. An automobile comprising a running control system according to claim 1.
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6. An automobile comprising a running control system according to claim 2.
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11. An automobile comprising a running control system according to claim 6.
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7. A running control system for an automobile comprising,
a nearby object detector which detects a plurality of objects ahead of the automobile and for calculating a distance between the automobile and the objects nearby together with a ground velocity of the nearby objects; -
a velocity detector which detects a velocity of the automobile; and
a velocity controller which automatically controls the velocity of the automobile;
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode and performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that in said slow cruising mode a preset constant distance is maintained between the automobile and a first object selected from the plurality of objects, and in said fast cruising mode between the automobile and a second object selected from the plurality of objects which second object has a ground velocity more than a preset ground velocity value or has a distance from the automobile less than a preset distance. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A running control system for an automobile comprising,
a nearby object detector which detects a plurality of objects ahead of the automobile and for calculating a distance between the automobile and the objects nearby together with a ground velocity of the nearby first or second object; -
a velocity detector which detects a velocity of the automobile; and
a velocity controller which automatically controls the velocity of the automobile;
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode; and
a canceling means which cancels said slow cruising mode;
wherein said velocity controller performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that the automobile runs at a preset maximum slow velocity in said slow cruising mode and said slow cruising mode is canceled when said canceling means is activated. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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- 13. A velocity controller for an automobile to automatically control the velocity of the automobile based on distance between the automobile and objects nearby the automobile and on relative velocity of said objects to the automobile, wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode and performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, and said velocity of the automobile is controlled so that the automobile keeps a preset constant distance from a first object detected by a nearby object detector in said slow cruising mode, or keeps a preset constant distance from a second object having a ground velocity higher than a preset ground velocity value among objects detected by said nearby object detector in said fast cruising mode.
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16. A velocity controller for an automobile to automatically control the velocity of the automobile based on distance between the automobile and objects nearby the automobile and on relative velocity of said objects to the automobile,
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode and controls the velocity of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that the automobile keeps a preset distance from a first object detected by a nearby object detector in said slow cruising mode, or keeps a preset constant distance from a second object detected by said nearby object detector having a ground velocity higher than a preset ground velocity value or having a distance from the automobile less than a preset distance in said fast cruising mode.
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19. A velocity controller for an automobile to automatically control the velocity of the automobile based on distance between the automobile and objects nearby the automobile and on relative velocity of said objects to the automobile,
wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode and performs velocity control of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, said velocity of the automobile is controlled so that the automobile runs at a preset maximum slow velocity or less in said slow cruising mode, and said velocity controller further comprises a canceling means for canceling said slow cruising mode to be operated by a driver of the automobile.
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21. A method for controlling velocity of an automobile having a nearby object detector, velocity detector, and automatic velocity controller which controls a velocity of the automobile, said velocity controller comprising a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode, the method comprising
detecting a plurality of objects nearby the automobile, and calculating a distance between the automobile and the nearby objects and a ground velocity of the nearby objects, controlling velocity of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to a present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value, or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that a preset distance is maintained between the automobile and a first object selected from the plurality of nearby objects in said slow cruising mode, or between the automobile and a second object selected from the plurality of nearby objects which second object has a ground velocity higher than a preset ground velocity value in said fast cruising mode.
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24. A method for controlling velocity of an automobile having a nearby object detector, a velocity detector, and an automatic velocity controller which controls the velocity of the automobile, said velocity controller comprising a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode, the method comprising
detecting a plurality of objects nearby the automobile and calculating a distance between the automobile and the nearby objects and a relative velocity of the nearby objects, controlling velocity of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to a present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that a preset distance is maintained between the automobile and a first object selected from the plurality of nearby objects in said slow cruising mode, or between the automobile and a second object selected from the plurality of nearby objects which second object has a ground velocity higher than a preset ground velocity value or has a distance from the automobile less than a preset distance in said fast cruising mode.
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27. A method of controlling velocity of an automobile having a nearby object detector, and velocity controller, wherein said velocity controller comprises a slow cruising mode and a fast cruising mode, and a canceling means for canceling a slow cruising mode, the method comprising
detecting a plurality of objects nearby the automobile and calculating a distance between the automobile and the nearby objects together with a relative velocity of the nearby objects, controlling a velocity of the automobile through switching the cruising mode according to the present velocity of the automobile into said slow cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is lower than a predetermined value or into said fast cruising mode which is activated when the velocity of the automobile is higher than a predetermined value, such that the automobile runs at a preset maximum slow velocity or less in said slow cruising mode, and canceling said slow cruising mode when said canceling means is actuated.
Specification