Adaptive cruise control system
First Claim
1. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, an automatic accelerating control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
- an object detector that captures a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle;
a lane-change detector that detects the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle;
an adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle'"'"'s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle;
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode during which an increase in the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the automatic accelerating control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed;
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a preceding-vehicle candidate detection section that detects a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver'"'"'s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle, and a vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing section that releases the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode and the preceding-vehicle candidate detection section detects no candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system with object detection system interaction, capable of executing a vehicle speed holding mode, a constant-speed control mode, and a following control mode, a lane-change detector is provided to detect the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle. An ACC unit executes the vehicle speed holding mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detection system loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executes the constant-speed control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed. The ACC unit releases the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detection system loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
28 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, an automatic accelerating control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
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an object detector that captures a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle; a lane-change detector that detects the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle; an adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle'"'"'s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode during which an increase in the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the automatic accelerating control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a preceding-vehicle candidate detection section that detects a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver'"'"'s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle, and a vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing section that releases the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode and the preceding-vehicle candidate detection section detects no candidate for the next preceding vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, an automatic accelerating control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
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an object detection means for capturing a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle; a lane-change detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle; an adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle'"'"'s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode during which an increase in the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detection means loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the automatic accelerating control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a preceding-vehicle candidate detection means for detecting a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver'"'"'s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle, and a vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing means for releasing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detection means loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode and the preceding-vehicle candidate detection means detects no candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
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7. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed holding mode, a constant-speed control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
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an object detector that captures a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle; a lane-change detector that detects the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle; an adaptive vehicle speed control unit electronically connected to the object detector and the lane-change detector for executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle'"'"'s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed holding mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the constant-speed control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed, manually set by a man-machine interface; and the adaptive vehicle speed control unit initiating the constant-speed control mode while inhibiting the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode; the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a preceding-vehicle candidate detection section that detects a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver'"'"'s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle; and the adaptive vehicle speed control unit continuously executing the following control mode while releasing the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode and the preceding-vehicle candidate detection section detects no candidate for the next preceding vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling a host vehicle'"'"'s speed by either of a vehicle speed holding mode, a constant-speed control mode, and a following control mode, the method comprising:
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capturing a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle; detecting the presence or absence of a driver'"'"'s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle; executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle'"'"'s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle; executing the vehicle speed holding mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the constant-speed control mode during which the host vehicle'"'"'s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed, manually set by a man-machine interface; initiating the constant-speed control mode while inhibiting the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode; detecting a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver'"'"'s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle; and continuously executing the following control mode while releasing the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver'"'"'s intention for the lane change when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode and there is no detection of the candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
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Specification