Method of speed control for a vehicle

• US 9,796,383 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Fairgrieve, Andrew, Kelly, James, Zuberi, Saleem
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/379,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20160031444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/005 with high melting point, e.g. Be 1280 degrees C, Ti 1725 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/022 Casting heavy metals, with exceedingly high melting points, i.e. more than 1600 degrees C, e.g. W 3380 degrees C, Ta 3000 degrees C, Mo 2620 degrees C, Zr 1860 degrees C, Cr 1765 degrees C, V 1715 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed

Abstract

A vehicle is adapted to sense a condition of use in which a maximum speed control speed is reduced. The condition of use may be indicated by a sensor of the vehicle, or selected according to the kind of terrain across which the vehicle is travelling. Selection of terrain type may be manual or automatic, and may enable a selection of sensors appropriate to the terrain type. A vehicle driver may select a speed control speed lower than the permitted maximum.

Claims

1. A method of using an electronic control unit to automatically control the speed of a vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting at least one off-road condition of the vehicle; and

the electronic control unit automatically setting a maximum speed control speed appropriate to the detected off-road condition, wherein

detecting at least one off-road condition of the vehicle comprises at least one of the electronic control unit detecting a user selected off-road terrain type, or an automatic sensing of an off-road terrain type, wherein the maximum speed control speed can differ depending on the off-road terrain type.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising the electronic control unit enabling selection of off-road speed control.

3. A method according to claim 1 comprising the electronic control unit enabling selection of off-road speed control when an off-road condition has been detected.

4. A method according to claim 1, including automatically controlling vehicle speed to match a set-speed, the method comprising permitting variation of vehicle set-speed whilst speed control is enabled in said off-road condition.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising providing an override for said maximum speed.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising determining said maximum speed by selecting a plurality of parameters to be automatically detected, an identity of the selected parameters being dependent upon said off-road terrain type, and determining the maximum set-speed according to a value of the plurality of parameters.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising repeatedly setting a maximum speed control speed in accordance with one or more detected conditions of the vehicle.

8. A method according to claim 7, and repeated at a frequency of greater than 10 Hz.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising setting the maximum speed control speed in dependence on whether a vehicle is cresting a slope.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a reduction in maximum speed control speed is temporary.

9. A method of using an electronic control unit to automatically control the speed of a vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting at least one off-road condition of the vehicle;

the electronic control unit automatically setting a maximum speed control speed appropriate to the detected off-road condition, wherein

detecting at least one off-road condition of the vehicle comprises at least one of the electronic control unit detecting a user selected off-road terrain type, or an automatic sensing of an off-road terrain type;

repeatedly setting a maximum speed control speed in accordance with one or more detected conditions of the vehicle; and

setting said maximum speed control speed at the minimum individually indicated by a plurality of said detected off-road conditions.

12. An electronic control unit for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, the electronic control unit configured to automatically detect at least one off-road condition of the vehicle and set a maximum speed control speed appropriate to said condition, wherein

detecting at least one off-road condition of the vehicle comprises at least one of the electronic control unit detecting a user selected off-road terrain type, or an automatic sensing of an off-road terrain type, wherein the maximum speed control speed can differ depending on the off-road terrain type.

13. A control unit according to claim 12 operable to enable selection of off-road speed control.

14. A control unit according to claim 12 operable to enable selection of off-road speed control when an off-road condition has been detected.

15. A control unit according to claim 12, wherein said maximum speed control speed is automatically enabled upon detecting of an off-road condition.

16. A vehicle incorporating the electronic control unit of claim 12.

17. A vehicle according to claim 16, and having a terrain sensor for automatically detecting one of a plurality of off-road conditions.