Predictive cruise control system with advanced operator control and feedback

• US 9,393,963 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Slaton, Zachary, van der Meijs, Floris, Jahns, Steven Karl, Doll, John William Arthur, Lotz, Josef, Harbach, Andrew Paul, Mays, Wesley M., Droogendijk, Cas
• Primary Examiner(s): LANG, MICHAEL DEAN
• Application Number:
  US14/491,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20160082960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0062 Adapting control system settings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• 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 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/12 Lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An on-board vehicle computer system for a vehicle includes at least one processing unit and a memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions configured to cause the on-board vehicle computer system to implement various aspects of a predictive cruise control (PCC) system. In one aspect, the computer system provides a plurality of available speed control bands in a PCC system, and the available speed control bands are selectable by an operator of the vehicle. In another aspect, the computer system provides an upper speed margin and a lower speed margin for a PCC system, and the upper and lower speed margins are adjustable by an operator of the vehicle. Related notifications may be presented via an operator interface (e.g., a touchscreen display provided in a vehicle dashboard or other easily accessible area).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

by an on-board vehicle computing system of a vehicle, determining a new predictive cruise control set speed for the vehicle in a predictive cruise control system;

by the on-board vehicle computing system, comparing the new predictive cruise control set speed with a current speed control band that is adjustable by an operator of the vehicle; and

based on the comparing, presenting a speed control band adjustment notification via an operator interface of the vehicle, wherein the speed control band adjustment notification includes a reminder to select a wider speed control band.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein presenting the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a feedback setting.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the feedback setting is adjustable by the operator of the vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein presenting the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a count of speed change events in which predictive cruise control set speeds are outside a currently active speed control band.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operator interface comprises a touchscreen display.

6. An on-board vehicle computer system for a vehicle, the on-board vehicle computer system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

a memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions configured to cause the on-board vehicle computer system to;

determine a new predictive cruise control set speed for the vehicle in a predictive cruise control system;

compare the new predictive cruise control set speed with a current speed control band that is adjustable by an operator of the vehicle; and

present a speed control band adjustment notification via an operator interface of the vehicle, wherein the speed control band adjustment notification includes a reminder to select a wider speed control band.

7. The on-board vehicle computer system of claim 6, wherein the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a feedback setting.

8. The on-board vehicle computer system of claim 7, wherein the feedback setting is adjustable by the operator of the vehicle.

9. The on-board vehicle computer system of claim 6, wherein the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a count of speed change events in which predictive cruise control set speeds are outside a currently active speed control band.

10. The on-board vehicle computer system of claim 6, wherein the operator interface comprises a touchscreen display.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon program instructions configured to, when executed, cause a vehicle computer system to:

determine a new predictive cruise control set speed for a vehicle;

compare the new predictive cruise control set speed with a current speed control band that is adjustable by an operator of the vehicle; and

based on the comparison, present a speed control band adjustment notification via an operator interface of the vehicle, wherein the speed control band adjustment notification includes a reminder to select a wider speed control band.

12. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein presentation of the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a feedback setting.

13. The computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the feedback setting is adjustable by the operator of the vehicle.

14. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein presentation of the speed control band adjustment notification is based at least in part on a count of speed change events in which predictive cruise control set speeds are outside a currently active speed control band.

15. The computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the operator interface comprises a touchscreen display.