Cruise control method

• US 6,370,469 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• 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: Bolander, Thomas Eugene, Phung, Tam Anh, Yurgil, James R., Allison, Ronald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US09/592,831
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 701/82, 701/83, 701/84, 701/93, 701/91, 701/72, 180/197, 180/172
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0083 responsive to centrifugal force acting on vehicle due to the path it is following
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/047 the memory being digital
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0009 Proportional differential [PD] controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0022 Gains, weighting coefficients or weighting functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering

Abstract

A method of controlling a cruise control system, comprising the steps of: assigning a low lateral acceleration limit; assigning a high lateral acceleration limit; determining a lateral acceleration of a vehicle; comparing the lateral acceleration to the low and high lateral acceleration limits; monitoring a torque command of a torque control computer at least where the lateral acceleration is above the low lateral acceleration limit; and compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to a minimum torque command where the lateral acceleration is between the low and high lateral acceleration limits and the torque command increases.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a cruise control system, comprising the steps of:

assigning a low lateral acceleration limit;

assigning a high lateral acceleration limit;

determining a lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

comparing the lateral acceleration to the low and high lateral acceleration limits;

monitoring a torque command of a torque control computer at least where the lateral acceleration is above the low lateral acceleration limit; and

compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to a minimum torque command where the lateral acceleration is between the low and high lateral acceleration limits and the torque command increases.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said minimum torque command is substantially equal to a value of the torque command when the lateral acceleration equaled the minimum lateral acceleration limit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to the minimum torque command minus an offset torque wherein the lateral acceleration is greater than the high lateral acceleration limit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the offset torque is substantially equal to Kp*(LA−

HLAL)_k+Kd*((LA−

HLAL)_k−

(LA−

HLAL)<sub>k−

1</sub>)/T, wherein LA is the lateral acceleration, HLAL is the high lateral acceleration limit, T is a predetermined time interval between samplings, k represents a present sampling value, k−

1 represents a prior sampling value, Kp is a first predetermined constant, and Kd is a second predetermined constant.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said minimum torque command is substantially equal to a value of the torque command when the lateral acceleration equaled the minimum lateral acceleration limit.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to the minimum torque command minus an offset torque wherein the lateral acceleration is greater than the high lateral acceleration limit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the offset torque is substantially equal to Kp*(LA−

HLAL)_k+Kd*((LA−

HLAL)_k−

(LA−

HLAL)<sub>k−

1</sub>)/T, wherein LA is the lateral acceleration, HLAL is the high lateral acceleration limit, T is a predetermined time interval between samplings, k represents a present sampling value, k−

1 represents a prior sampling value, Kp is a first predetermined constant, and Kd is a second predetermined constant.

8. A method of controlling a cruise control system, comprising the steps of:

assigning a low lateral acceleration limit;

assigning a high lateral acceleration limit;

determining a lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

comparing the lateral acceleration to the low and high lateral acceleration limits;

monitoring a torque command of a torque control computer at least where the lateral acceleration is above the low lateral acceleration limit;

compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to a minimum torque command where the lateral acceleration is between the low and high lateral acceleration limits and the torque command increases; and

compensating the torque command by setting the torque command equal to the minimum torque command minus an offset torque wherein the lateral acceleration is greater than the high lateral acceleration limit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said minimum torque command is substantially equal to a value of the torque command when the lateral acceleration equaled the minimum lateral acceleration limit;

and wherein the offset torque is substantially equal to Kp*(LA−

HLAL)_k+Kd*((LA−

HLAL)_k−

(LA−

HLAL)<sub>k−

1</sub>)/T, wherein LA is the lateral acceleration, HLAL is the high lateral acceleration limit, T is a predetermined time interval between samplings, k represents a present sampling value, k−

1 represents a prior sampling value, Kp is a first predetermined constant, and Kd is a second predetermined constant.