Running control device for a vehicle

• US 20010034575A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takenaga, Hiroshi, Kuragaki, Satoru, Morizane, Hiroto
• Granted Patent: US 6,516,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18159 Traversing an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle controls a speed of own vehicle estimating conditions not only when the own vehicle passes through the intersection but also when the preceding vehicle passes through the intersection, for permitting travel on the ordinary road with a given distance. The cruise control system includes traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining characteristics of a traffic signal ahead, road information obtaining means for obtaining intersection information including a distance to an intersection, intersection arrival time calculating means for calculating arrival timing of the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle on the basis of a distance to the intersection, an own vehicle speed and a preceding vehicle traveling condition, traffic signal condition estimating means for estimating the condition of the traffic signal on the basis of the traffic signal characteristics and the intersection arriving time and control content modifying means for modifying a content of cruise control of the own vehicle depending upon the estimated traffic signal condition.

Claims

1. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle, for controlling cruising of own vehicle with maintaining a distance to a preceding vehicle constant, comprising:

traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining characteristics of a traffic signal ahead;

road information obtaining means for obtaining intersection information including a distance to an intersection;

intersection arrival time calculating means for calculating arrival timing of the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle on the basis of a distance to the intersection, an own vehicle speed and a preceding vehicle traveling condition;

traffic signal condition estimating means for estimating said condition of the traffic signal on the basis of the traffic signal characteristics and said intersection arriving time; and

control content modifying means for modifying a content of cruise control of the own vehicle depending upon said estimated traffic signal condition.

2. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein communication means is provided in said traffic signal characteristics obtaining means for obtaining said traffic signal condition or traveling condition of said preceding vehicle.

3. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in

claim 1

, which further comprise right and left turn control signal generating means for generating operation pattern of the own vehicle from a state of turn signal or a route information to a destination generated by said road information obtaining means to input to said control content modifying means.

4. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein said traffic signal characteristics obtaining means includes traffic signal characteristics measuring means for measuring characteristics of the traffic signal and traffic signal characteristics learning means for learning a traffic signal characteristics measured by the traffic signal characteristics measuring means.

5. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in

claim 4

, wherein said traffic signal characteristics learning means learns intersection information from said road information obtaining means with correspondence to the intersection information.

6. A cruise control system for an automotive vehicle, for controlling cruising of own vehicle with maintaining a distance to a preceding vehicle constant, comprising:

traffic signal characteristics obtaining means including image pick-up means having zooming means, image processing means obtaining a traffic signal characteristics by processing an image of said image pick-up means and communication means, for serving as measuring means for obtaining characteristics of a traffic signal ahead;

road information obtaining means for obtaining intersection information including a distance to an intersection ahead;

intersection arrival time calculating means for calculating arrival timing of the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle on the basis of a distance to the intersection, an own vehicle speed and a preceding vehicle traveling condition;

traffic signal condition estimating means for estimating said condition of the traffic signal on the basis of the traffic signal characteristics and said intersection arriving time;

right and left turn control signal generating means for generating operation pattern of the own vehicle from a state of turn signal or a route information to a destination generated by said road information obtaining means to input to said control content modifying means;

control content modifying means for modifying a content of cruise control of the own vehicle depending upon said estimated traffic signal condition; and

alarm means for generating a corresponding alarm beforehand of modifying the content of control.