Selection device for adjusting vehicle speed

• US 6,637,534 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Girke, Joachim, Barbehoen, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/938,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20020036109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 180/170, 180/171, 180/176, 180/178, 180/179, 180/168, 180/169, 701/93, 701/94, 701/96, 123/342, 123/352, 123/396, 340/441, 734/88, 734/90, 734/95, 734/91
• US Class Current: 180/171
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/042 where at least one electrical quantity is set by the vehicle operator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/185 connected to the speedometer display, e.g. by sensors or switches responsive to the position of the indicator needle arrangement of pointers in automobile speedometers for indicating predetermined speeds by the detection of the position of the indicator needle G01P1/11

Abstract

A selection device for setting the driving speed of a vehicle is provided having an operating element, a control device, which is connected with the operating element and coupled with an engine control and which is designed so that, upon activation of the control, the vehicle speed will be regulated automatically, whereby at least two vehicle speed values can be marked on a display. These values can be initiated by using the operating element. In addition to the vehicle speed values, a pointer is indicated on the display. The pointer can be moved by using the operating element. In a programming operating mode of the control unit, the set vehicle speeds or the vehicle speeds to be set can be set and erased by use of the pointer. In a driving speed control operating mode of the control unit, the set vehicle speeds can be activated by the use of the pointer.

Claims

1. A selection device for setting a driving speed of a vehicle, comprising:

an operating element;

a control device operatively coupled with the operating element;

an engine control coupled with the control device so that, upon activation of the engine control by the control device, the driving speed of the vehicle will be automatically regulated;

a display operatively coupled with the control device, wherein at least two vehicle speed values are markable on the display using the operating element;

wherein the display further comprises a pointer mark movable through use of the operating element; and

wherein in a first operating mode of the control device, the markable vehicle speed values are settable and erasable through the use of the pointer mark, and in a second operating mode of the control unit, any set marked speed values are activated to control the driving speed of the vehicle accordingly through the use of the pointer mark.

2. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein the pointer mark on the display differs from the markable set vehicle speed values in terms of at least one of a shape, color and arrangement.

3. The selection device according to claim 2, wherein information on activation of a particular operating mode is suppliable by differing illustrations of the pointer mark.

4. The selection device according to claim 2, wherein the first operating mode is a programming mode, in which the pointer mark passing through a specific speed range around a set marked vehicle speed is set precisely on the set marked vehicle speed value.

5. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein information on activation of a particular operating mode is suppliable by differing illustrations of the pointer mark.

6. The selection device according to claim 5, wherein the first operating mode is a programming mode, in which the pointer mark passing through a specific speed range around a set marked vehicle speed is set precisely on the set marked vehicle speed value.

7. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein the first operating mode is a programming mode, in which the pointer marking passing through a specific speed range around a set marked set vehicle speed is set precisely on the set marked vehicle speed value.

8. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein only a predetermined number of vehicle speeds are markable on the display such that, upon reaching the predetermined number of markable vehicle speeds, the pointer mark is settable only on already-set marked vehicle speeds in the first operating mode.

9. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein in an automatic regulation mode, only the set marked vehicle speed are activatable through the use of the operating element.

10. The selection device according to claim 1, wherein predetermined operations of the operating element in the first operating mode allows a set marked vehicle speed to be erased using the pointer mark and allows a previously non-programmed vehicle speed to be marked at a position of the pointer mark.