Vehicle speed control in a cruise mode using vehicle brakes

• US 8,082,089 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Morgan, Peter J, Minner, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/394,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/94, 701/70, 180/170
• US Class Current: 701/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control

Abstract

A cruise control system includes a speed difference module that compares a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed, and a brake module that selectively actuates a brake when the current vehicle speed is greater than the target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference. A related method is also provided and includes comparing a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed, and selectively actuating a brake when the current vehicle speed is greater than the target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference. The method includes selectively actuating the brake based on a negative drive torque of a powerplant. The method also includes determining a desired braking force based on the current vehicle speed and the target cruise speed, and actuating the brake to generate an actual braking force less than or equal to the desired braking force.

Claims

1. A cruise control system comprising:

a speed difference module that compares a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed; and

a brake control module that selectively actuates a brake when said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference, wherein said brake control module selectively actuates said brake based on a negative drive torque of a powerplant.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said brake control module actuates said brake while said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed.

3. A cruise control system comprising:

a speed difference module that determines a desired braking force based on a comparison of a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed; and

a brake control module that selectively actuates a brake to generate an actual braking force less than or equal to said desired braking force when said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference.

4. A cruise control system comprising:

a speed difference module that determines a desired braking force based on a comparison of a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed; and

a brake control module that selectively actuates a brake to generate an actual braking force less than or equal to said desired braking force when said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference, wherein said speed difference module determines said desired braking force based on a negative drive torque of a powerplant.

5. The control system of claim 4 wherein said speed difference module determines said desired braking force using a control loop feedback routine.

6. A cruise control method comprising:

comparing a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed; and

selectively actuating a brake when said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference, wherein said selectively actuating said brake further includes selectively actuating said brake based on a negative drive torque of a powerplant.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said selectively actuating said brake includes actuating said brake while said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed.

8. A cruise control method comprising:

comparing a current vehicle speed and a target cruise speed;

selectively actuating a brake when said current vehicle speed is greater than said target cruise speed by a predetermined speed difference; and

determining a desired braking force based on said comparing said current vehicle speed and said target cruise speed, wherein said selectively actuating said brake further includes actuating said brake to generate an actual braking force less than or equal to said desired braking force.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said determining said desired braking force further includes determining said desired braking force based on a negative drive torque of a powerplant.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said determining said desired braking force includes determining said desired braking force using a control loop feedback routine.