Running control device for a vehicle

• US 6,728,623 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takenaga, Hiroshi, Kuragaki, Satoru, Morizane, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/287,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/96, 701/28, 701/117, 340/907, 342/69, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18159 Traversing an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle controls a speed of own vehicle estimating conditions not only when the own vehicle passes through the intersection but also when the preceding vehicle passes through the intersection, for permitting travel on the ordinary road with a given distance. The cruise control system includes traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining characteristics of a traffic signal ahead, road information obtaining means for obtaining intersection information including a distance to an intersection, intersection arrival time calculating means for calculating arrival timing of the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle on the basis of a distance to the intersection, an own vehicle speed and a preceding vehicle traveling condition, traffic signal condition estimating means for estimating the condition of the traffic signal on the basis of the traffic signal characteristics and the intersection arriving time and control content modifying means for modifying a content of cruise control of the own vehicle depending upon the estimated traffic signal condition.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining traffic signal characteristics, said traffic signal characteristics obtaining means including traffic signal characteristics measuring means; and

wherein the traffic signal characteristics measuring means is mountable on a vehicle and measures characteristics of the traffic signal including at least one of;

a red light period, a green light period, a yellow light period, and an elapsed time T from a beginning of a signal condition cycle to a current time.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic signal characteristics measuring means comprises:

an image pick-up device supplying an image of a traffic signal; and

an image processor for processing the supplied image to recognize the traffic signal and measure the characteristics thereof.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image pick-up device includes a zoom device, and further wherein the image processor provides a zoom control signal to the zoom device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic signal measuring means includes a communication device which receives the characteristics of the traffic signal from the traffic signal installed on a road or a control unit of the traffic signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic signal characteristics obtaining means further includes a learning device, said learning device storing the traffic signal characteristics from the traffic signal characteristics measuring means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the traffic signal characteristics obtaining means further includes a learning device, said learning device storing the traffic signal characteristics from the traffic signal characteristics measuring means.

7. A cruise control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an image processing apparatus including traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining traffic signal characteristics, said traffic signal characteristics obtaining means including traffic signal characteristics measuring means;

wherein the traffic signal characteristics measuring means is mountable on a vehicle and measures characteristics of the traffic signal including at least one of;

a red light period, a green light period, a yellow light period, and an elapsed time T from a beginning of a signal condition cycle to a current time; and

an adaptive cruise controller receiving the traffic signal characteristics, the cruise controller operating to control cruising of the vehicle in accordance with the traffic signal characteristics.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic signal characteristics measuring means comprises:

an image pick-up device supplying an image of a traffic signal; and

an image processor for processing the supplied image to recognize the traffic signal and measure the characteristics thereof.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the image pick-up device includes a zoom device, and further wherein the image processor provides a zoom control signal to the zoom device.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic signal measuring means includes a communication device which receives the characteristics of the traffic signal from the traffic signal installed on a road or a control unit of the traffic signal.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic signal characteristics obtaining means further includes a learning device, said learning device storing the traffic signal characteristics from the traffic signal characteristics measuring means.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the traffic signal characteristics obtaining means further includes a learning device, said learning device storing the traffic signal characteristics from the traffic signal characteristics measuring means.