Deceleration control apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,734,404 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Akira, Shiiba, Kazuyuki, Ikeda, Yukihiro, Iwatsuki, Kunihiro, Hoshino, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dager; Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US11/338,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/36, 701/38, 701/41, 701/48, 701/90, 701/1, 701 19- 23, 701/26, 701/27, 701/28, 701/37, 701 50- 62, 701 64- 72, 701/78, 701/79, 701 82- 88, 701/91, 701 93- 96
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0066 responsive to vehicle path curvature
• 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 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration

Abstract

A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle including a controller that performs deceleration control based on a first target deceleration set based on a distance to a starting point of an upcoming curve, when the deceleration control for the curve is started at a position distant from the starting point of the curve; and that performs the deceleration control based on a second target deceleration set based on a lateral acceleration that is estimated to be detected when the vehicle passes the starting point of the curve, when the deceleration control for the curve is started at a position close to the starting point of the curve. With this apparatus, it is possible to perform the deceleration control that provides drive assist according to the intention of the driver and that enhances driving convenience for the driver.

Claims

1. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a controller configured to perform deceleration control before the vehicle reaches a starting point of an upcoming curve, based on one of a first target declaration control and a second target declaration control,

wherein the first target deceleration control is determined based on a distance to the starting point of the upcoming curve, when the deceleration control for the curve is started at a position distant from the starting point of the curve; and

the second target deceleration control is determined based on a lateral acceleration that is estimated to be detected when the vehicle passes the starting point of the curve, when the deceleration control for the curve is started at a position close to and before the starting point of the curve,

wherein deceleration amounts of the first target deceleration control are determined based on the distance to the starting point of the curve, and wherein deceleration amounts of the second target deceleration control are not determined based on the distance to the starting point of the curve.

2. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the estimated lateral acceleration is a lateral acceleration that is estimated to be detected if the vehicle goes round the curve at a present vehicle speed.

3. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the estimated lateral acceleration is obtained using a map set in advance based on a vehicle speed and a curvature radius of the curve.

4. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the second target deceleration is obtained using a map set in advance based on a vehicle speed and a curvature radius of the curve.

5. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first target deceleration and the second target deceleration for each of a plurality of points in a predetermined range in a road ahead of the vehicle are obtained;

a target deceleration for each of the points is obtained on an assumption that the deceleration control is performed for each of the points based on the corresponding first target deceleration and second target deceleration;

a target deceleration when the deceleration control is performed for the predetermined range is determined based on the target decelerations for the respective points; and

the deceleration control is performed based on the determined target deceleration.

6. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

a plurality of nodes in road information stored in a navigation system is used as the plurality of points, and a target deceleration for each of the nodes is obtained.

7. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the first target deceleration and the second target deceleration is variably set based on at least one of a driving skill of a driver, a running mode desired by the driver, and road conditions including slipperiness of a road surface.

8. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first target deceleration is based on

9. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein at least the distance to a starting point of an upcoming curve and the radius of the upcoming curve is determined from map information stored on a navigation system of the vehicle.

10. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when a determination is made that a road ahead of the vehicle is substantially straight, a further determination is made as to whether deceleration control is needed, and wherein if a determination is made that the road ahead of the vehicle is not substantially straight, then target deceleration is calculated.

11. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein if an accelerator pedal is not fully released, a determination is not made whether deceleration control is required when the road is substantially straight.

12. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a controller configured to start a deceleration control based on one of a first or a second target deceleration before the vehicle enters an upcoming curve,

wherein the controller is configured to set at least one first deceleration amount according to a first target deceleration control, and wherein the at least one first deceleration amount is determined based on a distance to a starting point of the upcoming curve when the deceleration control is started at a position distant from the starting point of the curve, and

the controller is configured to set at least one second deceleration amount according to a second target deceleration control, wherein the at least one second deceleration amount is determined based on a lateral acceleration that is estimated to be detected when the vehicle passes the starting point of the curve when the deceleration control is started at a position close to and before the starting point of the curve, and wherein the at least one second deceleration amount of the second target deceleration control is not determined based on the distance to the starting point of the curve.

13. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the controller calculates the first deceleration amount using a first equation which includes the distance to the curve when the deceleration control is started at a position distant from the starting point of the curve, and calculates the second deceleration amount using a second equation, which is different from the first equation and which includes the estimated lateral acceleration when the deceleration control is started at a position close to the starting point of the curve.

14. The deceleration control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first equation includes a target lateral acceleration when the vehicle passes the curve in addition to the distance to the curve, and the target lateral acceleration is different from the estimated lateral acceleration included with the second equation.