Separation controller for motor vehicles

• US 9,327,724 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Roth, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEBER, TAMARA L
• Application Number:
  US14/334,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20150025706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle

Abstract

A separation controller for motor vehicles, having a localization device for measuring separations from preceding vehicles, an actuator system for intervention in the longitudinal guidance of the own vehicle, and an electronic control device for applying control to the actuator system and for regulating to a target separation the separation from a preceding vehicle in the own lane, wherein the control device has an adjacent-lane mode in which the target separation is modified as a function of a measured separation from a vehicle driving in an adjacent lane.

Claims

1. A separation controller for motor vehicles, comprising:

a localization device to measure separations from preceding vehicles;

an actuator system to intervene in the longitudinal guidance of the own vehicle; and

an electronic control device to apply control to the actuator system and to regulate to a target separation the separation from a preceding vehicle in the own lane, wherein the control device includes an adjacent-lane mode in which the target separation between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle in the own lane is modified as a function of a measured separation of the own vehicle in the direction of travel of the own vehicle from a vehicle driving in an adjacent lane, wherein the target separation is increased, with respect to a target separation applicable in a normal mode, when the difference between (i) the separation of the own vehicle from the preceding vehicle in the own lane and (ii) the separation of the own vehicle in the direction of travel of the own vehicle from the vehicle driving in the adjacent lane, is less than a defined value.

2. The separation controller of claim 1, wherein the defined value for the separation difference depends on the difference in speed between the preceding vehicle in the own lane and the vehicle driving in the adjacent lane.

3. The separation controller of claim 1, further comprising:

an infrastructure sensor suite to detect a narrowing of the lane being traveled in by the own vehicle;

wherein the control device is configured to perform an automatic switchover into the adjacent-lane mode when a narrowing of the lane is ascertained.

4. The separation controller of claim 3, wherein the control device does not perform an automatic switchover into the adjacent-lane mode as long as the speed of the own vehicle is lower than a defined minimum value.

5. The separation controller of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured, upon localization of a vehicle driving in the adjacent lane, to calculate the predicted duration of a passing maneuver in which the vehicle is passed in consideration of the speed of the vehicle and the speed of the preceding vehicle in the own lane, and to switch into the adjacent-lane mode if the predicted duration is greater than a defined maximum value.