Vehicle control apparatus

• US 9,868,441 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokimasa, Mitsuhiro, Masui, Youhei, Nakadori, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US14/796,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/266 releasing distance control, e.g. inhibiting control if target vehicle lost or changing lane
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, a controller is configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle acquired from the detected distance. A control switcher is configured to, when target information for identifying the rear end of the preceding vehicle becomes unacquirable during implementation of the inter-vehicle distance control, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control and make a switch to the direct operation by the driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle, the vehicle carrying the apparatus being referred to as a subject vehicle, the reflected waves being radar waves transmitted to a front of the subject vehicle and then reflected from the target, the apparatus comprising:

a target information acquirer configured to acquire target information about the target from the reflected waves, the target information including a detected distance from the subject vehicle to the target of the preceding vehicle;

a controller configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle acquired from the detected distance; and

a control switcher configured to, when the target information for identifying the rear end of the preceding vehicle becomes unacquirable during implementation of the inter-vehicle distance control, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control and make a switch to the direct operation by the driver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control switcher is configured to, after the inter-vehicle distance control is suspended, inhibit reactivation of the inter-vehicle distance control until the target information for identifying the rear end of the preceding vehicle becomes acquirable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control switcher is configured to, when at least one of a first condition that the subject vehicle has come within a certain proximity of the preceding vehicle and a second condition that a speed of the subject vehicle is within a predetermined low speed range is met, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control switcher is configured to, when at least one of a first condition that the subject vehicle has come within a certain proximity of the preceding vehicle and a second condition that a speed of the subject vehicle is within a predetermined low speed range is met while the subject vehicle is not switching lanes, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control switcher is configured to, when a specific target on the preceding vehicle is displaced forward by a predetermined distance or more, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control.