Method of, and apparatus for, operating a vehicle

• US 9,840,236 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haldex Brake Products AB (SAF-HOLLAND SE), Vignal Systems
• Original Assignee: Haldex Brake Products Corporation (Nippon Steel Corporation), Vignal Systems
• Inventors: Roblin, Christoph, Dupuis, Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): INGRAM, THOMAS P
• Application Number:
  US14/245,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20140303866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/06 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle wherein the method comprises using a distance sensor to determine the distance between a part of the vehicle and an object, and implementing a speed control procedure if the distance detected by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, characterized in that the method is implemented only while the vehicle is in reverse gear and for a period of time immediately following disengagement of the reverse gear.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle having a reverse gear, wherein the method comprises:

determining, using a distance sensor, the distance between a part of the vehicle and an object and implementing a speed control procedure when the distance detected by the distance sensor of the part of the vehicle and the object falls below a predetermined value, characterized in that the method further comprises monitoring the engagement of the reverse gear and during a predetermined period of time immediately following detection of the disengagement of the reverse gear, determining using the distance sensor the distance between the part of the vehicle and the object and, when the determined distance falls below a predetermined value, implementing a speed control procedure.

2. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the speed control procedure comprises:

obtaining from a wheel speed sensor an output signal indicative of a rotational speed of the wheel; and

using the rotational speed of the wheel and the output signal from a load sensor, the load sensor being utilized for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, to calculate a braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop when the vehicle has travelled a predetermined proportion of the predetermined distance value, and ensuring that the calculated braking force is applied to the vehicle.

3. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the speed control procedure includes, if an operator is already causing a braking force to be applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle, determining whether the applied braking force is sufficient to reduce the speed of the vehicle so that the vehicle does not collide with the object and, if the braking force already being applied is not sufficient, applying additional braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle to bring the braking force up to the calculated braking force.

4. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 2 wherein if the rotational speed of the wheel is such that if no meaningful indication of the rotational speed thereof can be provided by the wheel speed sensor, the speed control procedure includes applying a predetermined level of braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

5. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the braking force to be applied by the braking device is calculated to bring the vehicle to rest at a predetermined minimum distance away from the object.

6. A control apparatus for controlling a vehicle having a reverse gear, the apparatus including a distance sensor which when supplied with electrical power determines the distance between itself and an object, and which is connected to a controller, the controller being programmed to monitor the engagement of the reverse gear and, during a predetermined time following detection of disengagement of the reverse gear, to determine using the distance sensor the distance between the distance sensor and an object and when the distance determined by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, to implement a speed control procedure.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the controller controls the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor and is programmed to switch on the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the reverse gear of the vehicle is engaged, and to switch off the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor after a period of time immediately following detection of the disengagement of the reverse gear.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 6 further including a wheel speed sensor mountable on or near a wheel of the vehicle for sensing a rotational speed of the wheel, the wheel speed sensor being connected to the controller so it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the sensed rotational speed of the wheel, a load sensor for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, the load sensor being connected to the controller so that it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the load, wherein the controller is programmed such that the speed control procedure comprises using the output signal from the wheel speed sensor and the output signal from the load sensor to calculate the braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop within a predetermined distance from the object and transmitting a signal to a braking device so as to ensure that the braking device applies the calculated braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle having a reverse gear and comprising a control apparatus including a distance sensor which, when supplied with electrical power, determines the distance between itself and an object, and which is connected to a controller, the controller being programmed to monitor the engagement of the reverse gear and, during a predetermined time following detection of disengagement of the reverse gear, to determine using the distance sensor the distance between the distance sensor and an object and, when the distance detected by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, to implement a speed control procedure.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9 wherein the controller controls the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor and is programmed to switch on the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the reverse gear of the vehicle is engaged, and to switch off the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor after the predetermined period of time immediately following detection of the disengagement of the reverse gear.

11. A vehicle according to of claim 9 further including a wheel speed sensor mountable on or near a wheel of the vehicle for sensing a rotational speed of the wheel, the wheel speed sensor being connected to the controller so it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the sensed rotational speed of the wheel, a load sensor for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, the load sensor being connected to the controller so that it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the load, wherein the controller is programmed such that the speed control procedure comprises using the output signal from the wheel speed sensor and the output signal from the load sensor to calculate the braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop within a predetermined distance from the object and transmitting a signal to a braking device so as to ensure that the braking device applies the calculated braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

12. A method of operating a vehicle wherein the method comprises:

monitoring the engagement of the reverse gear using a distance sensor to determine the distance between a part of the vehicle and an object when the vehicle is not in reverse gear and implementing a speed control procedure when the distance detected by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, characterised in that the method is implemented immediately following detection of the disengagement of the reverse gear until the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined level.

13. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 12 wherein the speed control procedure comprises:

obtaining from a wheel speed sensor an output signal indicative of a rotational speed of the wheel; and

using the rotational speed of the wheel and the output signal from a load sensor, the load sensor being utilized for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, to calculate a braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop when the vehicle has travelled a predetermined proportion of the predetermined distance value and ensuring that the calculated braking force is applied to the vehicle.

14. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 13 wherein the speed control procedure includes, if an operator is already causing a braking force to be applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle, determining whether the applied braking force is sufficient to reduce the speed of the vehicle so that the vehicle does not collide with the object and, if the braking force already being applied is not sufficient, applying additional braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle to bring the braking force up to the calculated braking force.

15. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 13 wherein if the rotational speed of the wheel is such that if no meaningful indication of the rotational speed thereof can be provided by the wheel speed sensor, the speed control procedure includes applying a predetermined level of braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

16. A method of operating a vehicle according to claim 13 wherein the braking force to be applied by the braking device is calculated to bring the vehicle to rest at a predetermined minimum distance away from the object.

17. A control apparatus for controlling a vehicle having a reverse gear, the apparatus including a distance sensor which, when supplied with electrical power, determines the distance between itself and an object, and which is connected to a controller, the controller being programmed to monitor engagement of the reverse gear and, after detection of disengagement of the reverse gear until the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined level, to use the distance sensor to determine the distance between the distance sensor and an object and, when the distance detected by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, to implement a speed control procedure.

18. A control apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the controller controls the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor and is programmed to switch on the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the reverse gear of the vehicle is engaged, and to switch off the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined level following disengagement of the reverse gear.

19. A control apparatus according to claim 17 further including a wheel speed sensor mountable on or near a wheel of the vehicle for sensing a rotational speed of the wheel, the wheel speed sensor being connected to the controller so it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the sensed rotational speed of the wheel, a load sensor for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, the load sensor being connected to the controller so that it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the load, wherein the controller is programmed such that the speed control procedure comprises using the output signal from the wheel speed sensor and the output signal from the load sensor to calculate the braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop within a predetermined distance from the object and transmitting a signal to a braking device so as to ensure that the braking device applies the calculated braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle having a reverse gear and comprising a control apparatus including a distance sensor which, when supplied with electrical power, determines the distance between itself and an object and which is connected to a controller, the controller being programmed to monitor engagement of the reverse gear and, after detection of disengagement of the reverse gear until the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined level, to use the distance sensor to determine the distance between the distance sensor and an object and, when the distance detected by the distance sensor falls below a predetermined value, to implement a speed control procedure.

21. A vehicle according to claim 20 wherein the controller controls the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor and is programmed to switch on the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the reverse gear of the vehicle is engaged, and to switch off the supply of electrical power to the distance sensor when the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined level following disengagement of the reverse gear.

22. A vehicle according to of claim 20 further including a wheel speed sensor mountable on or near a wheel of the vehicle for sensing a rotational speed of the wheel, the wheel speed sensor being connected to the controller so it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the sensed rotational speed of the wheel, a load sensor for sensing any additional load supported by the vehicle, the load sensor being connected to the controller so that it can provide the controller with an output signal indicative of the load, wherein the controller is programmed such that the speed control procedure comprises using the output signal from the wheel speed sensor and the output signal from the load sensor to calculate the braking force required to bring the vehicle to a stop within a predetermined distance from the object and transmitting a signal to a braking device so as to ensure that the braking device applies the calculated braking force to one or more wheels of the vehicle.