Automotive vehicle and method for advising a driver therein

• US 8,686,845 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Waldis, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/712,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

An automotive vehicle may include a navigation system, a speed sensor, an audio, visual or haptic output system, and at least one controller. The controller may be configured to determine if a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a target speed of an upcoming road curvature based on information from the speed sensor and navigation system, to generate a first alert based on a selected driver type via the output system to prompt the driver to disengage the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal if the current speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed of the upcoming road curvature, and to generate a second alert after the first alert based on the selected driver type via the output system to prompt the driver to engage the vehicle'"'"'s brake pedal.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle including accelerator and brake pedals, the vehicle comprising:

a navigation system;

a speed sensor;

an audio, visual or haptic output system; and

at least one controller configured (i) to determine if a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a target speed of an upcoming road curvature based on information from the speed sensor and navigation system, (ii) to generate a first alert based on a selected driver type for the output system indicating that the accelerator pedal should be disengaged if the current speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed of the upcoming road curvature, and (iii) to generate a second alert after the first alert based on the selected driver type for the output system indicating that the brake pedal should be engaged.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine a distance from the upcoming road curvature at which to generate the first alert.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine a distance from the upcoming road curvature at which to generate the second alert.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to select at least one of a deceleration time ratio parameter and an acceleration parameter based on the selected driver type.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine when to generate the first alert before entering the upcoming road curvature.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine when to generate the second alert after generating the first alert.

7. A method for advising a driver of a vehicle comprising:

receiving input selecting a driver type;

determining whether a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a target speed of an upcoming road curvature;

generating a first alert based on the selected driver type indicating that the vehicle should be operated in a closed throttle deceleration mode if the current speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed of the upcoming road curvature; and

generating a second alert after the first alert based on the selected driver type indicating that the vehicle should be operated in an active brake deceleration mode.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein generating a first alert based on the selected driver type includes selecting at least one of a deceleration time ratio parameter and an acceleration parameter.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating a first alert based on the selected driver type includes determining when to generate the first alert based on the selected parameter or parameters.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein generating a first alert based on the selected driver type includes determining where to generate the first alert relative to the road curvature based on the selected parameter or parameters.

11. A method for advising a driver of a vehicle comprising:

if a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a target speed of an upcoming road curvature, generating a first alert indicating that the vehicle should be operated in a closed throttle deceleration mode; and

generating a second alert after the first alert based on a selected driver type indicating that the vehicle should be operated in an active brake deceleration mode.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, before generating the first alert, determining a duration of time during which the vehicle should be in the closed throttle deceleration mode.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising, before generating the first alert, determining a distance from the road curvature at which to generate the first alert.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, before generating the second alert, determining a duration of time during which the vehicle should be in the active brake deceleration mode.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, before generating the second alert, determining a distance from the road curvature at which to generate the second alert.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the first alert is generated based on the selected driver type.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the second alert based on the selected driver type includes selecting at least one of a deceleration time ratio parameter and an acceleration parameter based on the selected driver type.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein generating the second alert based on the selected driver type includes determining when to generate the second alert based on the selected parameter or parameters.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein generating the second alert based on the selected driver type includes determining where to generate the second alert relative to the road curvature based on the selected parameter or parameters.