Cruise control system and vehicle loaded with the same

• US 6,556,913 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takenaga, Hiroshi, Morizane, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/794,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/96, 701/98, 340/52, 340/54, 340/70, 340/71, 340/72, 340/53, 340/96, 340/300, 340/301, 180/170, 180/179, 180/167, 180/178
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to provide a more practical ACC system. During a travel of a vehicle, an image processor successively extracts geometric feature values of image patterns of a leading vehicle from image data successively outputted from a camera device mounted at the front of the vehicle. When a travel start detector detects a travel of the vehicle, a reference parameter value setting process section of a microcomputer sets a geometric feature value of an image pattern of the leading vehicle extracted at appropriate timing as a reference parameter value. Thereafter, each time a geometric feature value of the image pattern of the leading vehicle is extracted, a target driving force calculation process section calculates a target driving force Ttar for reducing any difference between the geometric feature value and the value set as the reference parameter value. A vehicle controller supplies to controllers a control command in accordance with the target driving force.

Claims

1. A cruise control system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a camera device for successively photographing a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle;

an image processor for successively extracting geometric feature values of image patterns of the leading vehicle from images photographed by the camera device;

a detector for detecting a start of a travel of the vehicle;

a vehicle controller for controlling the vehicle based on a control command supplied thereto; and

a computer for setting a geometric feature value extracted by the image processor as a reference parameter value, when the start of the travel of the vehicle is detected by the detector, and for calculating the control command to be supplied to the vehicle controller based on a difference between the geometric feature value extracted after the reference parameter value is set and the reference feature value.

2. A cruise control system according to claim 1, comprising a vehicle speed sensor for successively detecting a speed of the vehicle, wherein:

the computer sets a first geometric feature value extracted after the start of a travel of the vehicle is detected by the detector, as the reference parameter value; and

the reference parameter value is updated based on a value detected by the vehicle speed sensor at a timing that is determined in accordance with a change in the value detected by the vehicle speed sensor.

4. A cruise controller according to claim 1, comprising a driving operation detector for detecting an occurrence of a driving operation, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at a timing determined in accordance with a result of the detection by the driving operation detector.

6. A cruise controller according to claim 1, comprising a road configuration detector for detecting a configuration of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at a timing determined in accordance with a result of the detection by the road configuration detector.

8. A cruise controller according to claim 1, comprising a luminance detecting sensor for detecting a luminance of a traveling environment of the vehicle, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at timing determined in accordance with a result of the detection by the luminance detecting sensor.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

a cruise control system according to claim 1.

3. A cruise control system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a camera device for successively photographing a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle;

an image processor for successively extracting geometric feature values of image patterns of the leading vehicle from images photographed by the camera device;

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle,

a vehicle controller for controlling the vehicle based on a control command supplied thereto; and

a computer for calculating a reference parameter value for the geometric feature values of the image patterns of the leading vehicle based on a value detected by the vehicle speed sensor, and for calculating the control command to be supplied to the vehicle controller based on a difference between the reference parameter value and the geometric feature value extracted after the reference parameter value is calculated.

5. A cruise controller according to claim 3, comprising a driving operation detector for detecting an occurrence of a driving operation, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at timing determined in accordance with a result of the detection by the driving operation detector.

7. A cruise controller according to claim 3, comprising a road configuration detector for detecting a shape of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at a timing determined in accordance with a result of the detection by the road shape detector.

9. A cruise controller according to claim 3, comprising a luminance detecting sensor for detecting a luminance of a traveling environment of the vehicle, wherein the computer updates the reference parameter value at timing determined in accordance with a result or the detect on by the luminance detecting sensor.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

a cruise control system according to claim 3.

12. A cruise control unit for calculating a control command to be supplied to a vehicle controller for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

an image processor for successively extracting geometric feature values of image patterns of a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle from images inputted thereto; and

a computer for setting a geometric feature value extracted by the image processor as a reference parameter value for the geometric feature values of the image patterns of the leading vehicle, when the vehicle starts traveling, and for calculating the control command to be supplied to the vehicle controller based on a difference between the geometric feature value extracted after the reference parameter value is set and the reference feature value.

13. A cruise control unit for calculating a control command to be supplied to a vehicle controller for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

an image processor for successively extracting geometric feature values of image patterns of a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle from images inputted thereto; and

a computer for calculating a reference parameter value for the geometric feature value of the image patterns of the leading vehicle based on the speed of the vehicle and for calculating the control command to be supplied to the vehicle controller based on a difference between the reference parameter value and the geometric feature value extracted after the reference parameter value is calculated.

14. A cruise control system loaded on a vehicle, comprising:

a camera device for successively photographing a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle;

an image processor for successively extracting geometric feature values of image patterns of the leading vehicle from images photographed by the camera device;

a vehicle controller for controlling the vehicle based on a control command supplied thereto; and

a computer for setting a geometric feature value extracted by the image processor as a reference parameter value, when a predetermined event happens, and for calculating the control command to be supplied to the vehicle controller based on a difference between the geometric feature value extracted after the reference parameter value is set and the reference feature value.