Cut-in management for an adaptive cruise control system

• US 6,223,117 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Rush, Scott Anthony, Labuhn, Pamela Irene, Chundrlik, William Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/863,228
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/93, 701/96, 701/97, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302, 701/94, 340/436, 340/438, 340/435, 340/903, 340/904, 340/901, 340/902, 180/169, 180/168, 180/167, 180/170, 180/178, 180/171, 180/271, 342/70, 342/71, 342/455, 342/69, 702/158, 702/97, 250/559.38, 250/222.1, 356/141.1
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system with active deceleration control responds to capture of new in-path vehicles which violate a predetermined inter-vehicle spacing to attenuate unnecessarily aggressive deceleration responses. New in-path vehicles may be identified by inordinate changes in inter-vehicle spacing. Deceleration response of the system to controlled vehicle closing rate and new in-path vehicle deceleration preferably remain unattenuated.

Claims

1. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of the succeeding vehicle, the method comprising;

discerning the introduction of a new preceding vehicle into the path of the succeeding vehicle;

determining a new inter-vehicle spacing subsequent to the introduction of the new preceding vehicle; and

,

attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the deceleration function when the new inter-vehicle spacing does not exceed a predetermined inter-vehicle spacing.

2. The method of managing deceleration as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the deceleration function is further only effective for a predetermined interval following discerning the introduction of the new preceding vehicle into the path of the succeeding vehicle.

3. The method of managing deceleration as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of activating a driver alert when the new inter-vehicle spacing does not exceed the predetermined inter-vehicle spacing.

4. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of succeeding vehicle travel, the method comprising:

monitoring inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles;

determining introduction of new preceding vehicles from inordinate changes in inter-vehicle spacing;

when inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and new preceding vehicles is less than a predetermined spacing, attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the predetermined deceleration function during a predetermined interval following introduction of new preceding vehicles.

5. The method of managing deceleration as claimed in claim 4 further including the step of activating a driver alert when inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and new preceding vehicles is less than the predetermined spacing.

6. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of succeeding vehicle travel, the method comprising:

monitoring inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles;

determining introduction of new preceding vehicles from inordinate changes in inter-vehicle spacing;

when inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and new preceding vehicles is less than a predetermined spacing, attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the predetermined deceleration function during a predetermined interval following introduction of new preceding vehicles wherein the inverse responsiveness of the function to inter-vehicle spacing is attenuated as a function of a predetermined desired minimum inter-vehicle spacing.

7. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein the desired minimum inter-vehicle spacing is determined in accord with an operator setting.

8. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of succeeding vehicle travel, the method comprising:

monitoring inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles;

determining introduction of new preceding vehicles from inordinate changes in inter-vehicle spacing;

when inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and new preceding vehicles is less than a predetermined spacing, attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the predetermined deceleration function during a predetermined interval following introduction of new preceding vehicles wherein the predetermined deceleration function is further responsive to at least one of (a) time rate of change of inter-vehicle spacing and (b) deceleration of the preceding vehicle.

9. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of succeeding vehicle travel, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a preceding vehicle;

determining inter-vehicle spacing;

determining whether the preceding vehicle was recently acquired as a function of a time rate of change of inter-vehicle spacing; and

,

attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the deceleration function during a predetermined interval following acquisition of recently acquired preceding vehicles as a function of inter-vehicle spacing.

10. The method of managing deceleration as claimed in claim 9 further including the step of activating a driver alert when inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and recently acquired preceding vehicles is less than a predetermined spacing.

11. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of the succeeding vehicle, the method comprising;

discerning the introduction of a new preceding vehicle into the path of the succeeding vehicle;

determining a new inter-vehicle spacing subsequent to the introduction of the new preceding vehicle; and

,

attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the deceleration function when the new inter-vehicle spacing does not exceed a predetermined inter-vehicle spacing wherein the inverse responsiveness of the function to inter-vehicle spacing is attenuated as a function of a predetermined desired minimum inter-vehicle spacing.

12. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle as claimed in claim 11 wherein the desired minimum inter-vehicle spacing is determined in accord with an operator setting.

13. A method of managing deceleration of a succeeding vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system adapted for active deceleration of the succeeding vehicle in accordance with a predetermined deceleration function characterized by inverse responsiveness to inter-vehicle spacing between the succeeding vehicle and preceding vehicles in the path of the succeeding vehicle, the method comprising;

discerning the introduction of a new preceding vehicle into the path of the succeeding vehicle;

determining a new inter-vehicle spacing subsequent to the introduction of the new preceding vehicle; and

,

attenuating the inverse responsiveness of the deceleration function when the new inter-vehicle spacing does not exceed a predetermined inter-vehicle spacing wherein the predetermined deceleration function is further responsive to at least one of (a) time rate of change of inter-vehicle spacing and (b) deceleration of the preceding vehicle.