Ramp identification in adaptive cruise control

• US 7,260,465 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Engelman, Gerald H., Waldis, Andrew, Palmer, Melvin Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/063,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 701/96, 701/65, 701/55, 701/95, 701/24, 701/54, 701/208, 701/93, 701/121, 701/301, 701/300, 701/205, 701/207, 701/200, 342/46.47, 342/70, 342/69, 180/167, 180/168, 180/170, 340/436, 340/905, 340/995.2, 340/995.21, 340/907, 340/990, 340/995, 123/352
• 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 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/10 Number of lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• 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

A control system 20 for an automotive vehicle 22, such as an adaptive cruise control system, is provided including a navigation system 34. The navigation system 34 includes a global positioning system 38. The navigation system 34 detects a ramp and generates a navigation signal including navigation data and map data. A controller 24 is electrically coupled to the navigation system 34. The controller 24 in response to the navigation signal adjusts the speed of the vehicle 22.

Claims

1. A method of adaptively controlling the speed of an automotive vehicle having a controller comprising:

detecting a ramp with the controller comprising;

determining a position of an exit ramp comprises;

examining road segment information for highway and ramp classifications;

searching road segment information for start node identification;

searching stored data for highway and ramp segment pairs that have identical start nodes; and

identifying an exit ramp in response to said identical start nodes;

establishing a heading component of said exit ramp;

determining that the automotive vehicle has changed lanes; and

determining that the automotive vehicle is on said exit ramp in response to said position, said heading component, and the automotive vehicle changing lanes;

establishing a heading component of said ramp comprising at least one of ramp curvature and ramp departure angle; and

adjusting the automotive vehicle speed, relative to a set speed, in response to said ramp and said heading component.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein determining a position of an exit ramp comprises:

determining probable candidate positions;

selecting a best candidate position from said probable candidate positions;

determining a candidate position of said probable candidates positions is on an exit ramp; and

establishing the position of the automotive vehicle relative to the position of an exit ramp.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein selecting a best candidate position comprises:

determining possible candidate positions using tools selected from the following group comprising;

vehicle speed, yaw rate, GPS data, map data, navigation data, and a combination thereof;

assigning a probability to each possible candidate position; and

determining the possible candidate with the highest probability and labeling that candidate the best candidate.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein establishing a heading component of said exit ramp comprises determining a direction of said exit ramp in relation to a road segment.

5. A method of adaptively controlling the speed of an automotive vehicle having a controller comprising:

detecting a ramp with the controller comprising;

determining a position of an exit ramp;

establishing a heading component of said exit ramp;

determining that the automotive vehicle has changed lanes; and

determining that the automotive vehicle is on said exit ramp in response to said position, said heading component, and the automotive vehicle changing lanes;

establishing a heading component of said ramp comprising at least one of ramp curvature and ramp departure angle;

adjusting the automotive vehicle speed, relative to a set speed, in response to said ramp and said heading component; and

inhibiting resume speed of the automotive vehicle, when the automotive vehicle is determined to be on an exit ramp or near an exit ramp, for a prescribed period of time.

6. A method of adaptively controlling the speed of a automotive vehicle having a controller comprising:

detecting an exit ramp;

determining a position of an exit ramp;

establishing a heading component of said exit ramp comprising at least one of ramp curvature and ramp departure angle;

determining the automotive vehicle has changed lanes;

determining that the automotive vehicle is on an exit ramp in response to the position of said exit ramp, said heading component, and the automotive vehicle changed lanes; and

inhibiting resume speed, relative to a set speed, of the automotive vehicle in response to detection of said exit ramp and said heading component.

7. A method of adaptively controlling the speed of an automotive vehicle having a controller comprising:

detecting a ramp with the controller;

determining a position of said ramp comprising;

examining road segment information for highway and ramp classifications;

searching road segment information for start node identification;

searching stored data for highway and ramp segment pairs that have identical start nodes; and

identifying an exit ramp in response to said identical start nodes;

determining that the automotive vehicle is on said ramp in response to said position; and

adjusting the automotive vehicle speed, relative to a set speed, in response to said ramp.

8. A method as in claim 7 further comprising:

establishing a heading component of said ramp;

determining that the automotive vehicle has changed lanes; and

determining that the automotive vehicle is on said ramp in response to said heading component and said lane change determination.