Method of adaptive cruise control, adaptive cruise control system and vehicle incorporating such a system

• US 9,387,857 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Fairgrieve, Andrew, Kelly, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US14/385,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 701/96
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/246 releasing speed control, e.g. inhibiting speed control if a brake pedal is depressed
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/248 resuming speed control, e.g. returning to old target speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/266 releasing distance control, e.g. inhibiting control if target vehicle lost or changing lane
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• 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 30/18145 Cornering

Abstract

A method of cruise control whereby a following vehicle can be caused to travel at a target speed, subject to maintaining a pre-determined distance from a leading vehicle in substantially straight travel, the method comprising: determining by means of measuring means a separation distance of the leading vehicle and following vehicle and maintaining the pre-determined separation distance from the leading vehicle; determining by means of deviation detection means a deviation of the leading vehicle from a substantially straight path and an instant location of the deviation; and preventing automatic acceleration of the following vehicle until reaching said instant location in dependence on the detection of a deviation.

Claims

1. A method of cruise control whereby a following vehicle can be caused to travel at a target speed, subject to maintaining a pre-determined distance from a leading vehicle in substantially straight travel, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal from the following vehicle to the leading vehicle;

receiving at the following vehicle a reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle;

determining from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle via a measuring apparatus of the following vehicle, a separation distance of the leading vehicle and following vehicle and maintaining the pre-determined separation distance from the leading vehicle;

determining from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle via a deviation detection apparatus of the following vehicle, a deviation of the leading vehicle from a substantially straight path and an instant location of the deviation of the leading vehicle from the substantially straight path; and

preventing automatic acceleration of the following vehicle until reaching said instant location in dependence on the detection of a deviation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing automatic acceleration to the target speed comprises causing the following vehicle to maintain the speed of the following vehicle until reaching the instant location of the deviation.

3. The method of claim 1, whereby determining a deviation of the leading vehicle from a substantially straight path and an instant location of the deviation, and in consequence preventing automatic acceleration of the following vehicle, comprises preventing automatic acceleration of the following vehicle if the deviation is less than a prescribed threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, including setting the threshold in dependence upon the speed of travel of the following vehicle, said threshold comprising one of an angular deviation and a rate of change of direction.

5. The method of claim 3, and including detecting an operating condition indicative of the terrain on which the following vehicle is travelling, and selecting the threshold accordingly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the following vehicle deviates from a substantially straight path in a corresponding manner to the leading vehicle at the instant location, and if so, preventing one or more of:

automatic acceleration to the target speed until the following vehicle has assumed travel in a substantially straight path and automatic acceleration to a speed above an instant speed of the following vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising subsequently causing the following vehicle to resume maintaining a pre-determined separation distance from a leading vehicle in substantially straight travel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein if the following vehicle does not deviate from a substantially straight path in a corresponding manner to the leading vehicle at the instant location the method comprises cancelling prevention of automatic acceleration.

9. The method of claim 1, whereby the measuring apparatus is arranged to provide the deviation detection apparatus.

10. The method of claim 1, and including determining a directional change of the leading vehicle in at least one of a substantially horizontal plane and a substantially vertical plane.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising determining whether the following vehicle deviates from a substantially straight path in a corresponding manner to the leading vehicle at the instant location, wherein if the following vehicle deviates from a substantially straight path in a corresponding manner to the leading vehicle at the instant location due to ascent or descent of an incline exceeding a first prescribed angle with respect to a substantially horizontal plane, the method comprises maintaining speed of the following vehicle until travel within a second prescribed angle of a substantially horizontal plane is achieved, whereby the second prescribed angle is less than the first.

12. A cruise control system operable to cause a following vehicle to travel at a target speed subject to maintaining a pre-determined distance from a leading vehicle in substantially straight travel, the system comprising:

a transmitter that transmits a signal from the following vehicle to the leading vehicle;

a receiver that receives at the following vehicle a reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle;

measuring apparatus for determining, from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle, a separation distance of the leading vehicle and following vehicle, the system being operable to cause the following vehicle to maintain the pre-determined separation distance from the leading vehicle; and

deviation detection apparatus for detecting, from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle, a deviation of the leading vehicle from a substantially straight path and an instant location of the deviation of the leading vehicle from the substantially straight path, the system being operable to prevent automatic acceleration of the following vehicle until reaching said instant location in dependence on the detection of a deviation.

13. The system of claim 12, operable to determine that a deviation has occurred if the deviation exceeds a prescribed threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the prescribed threshold includes a prescribed turning threshold, the system being configured to detect turning of the leading vehicle by the deviation detection apparatus and to maintain instant cruise control speed if turning is detected which exceeds the prescribed turning threshold.

15. The cruise control system of claim 14, wherein said turning threshold is dependent upon one or more of speed of the following vehicle and an operating condition of the following vehicle.

16. The cruise control system of claim 12, configured to detect a turning angle of said leading vehicle.

17. The cruise control system of claim 16, arranged to receive input signals indicative of steering angle and distance travelled, the system being configured wherein automatic acceleration of the following vehicle continues to be prevented if when the following vehicle reaches the instant location of the leading vehicle at which deviation of the leading vehicle was detected, steering angle of the following vehicle corresponds substantially to said turning angle of the leading vehicle when deviation of the leading vehicle was detected.

18. The system of claim 17, configured wherein automatic acceleration of the following vehicle continues to be prevented if the steering angle of the following vehicle when the following vehicle reaches the instant location of the leading vehicle at which deviation of the leading vehicle was detected, is substantially the same as the turning angle of the leading vehicle when deviation of the leading vehicle was detected.

19. The cruise control system of claim 18, arranged to receive input signals indicative of rate of change of direction and distance travelled, the system being configured wherein automatic acceleration of the following vehicle continues to be prevented if when the following vehicle is substantially at the instant location of the leading vehicle at which deviation of the leading vehicle was detected, the rate of change of direction of the following vehicle is substantially the same as that of the leading vehicle when deviation of the leading vehicle was detected.

20. A vehicle comprising a cruise control system operable to cause the vehicle to travel at a target speed subject to maintaining a pre-determined distance from a leading vehicle in substantially straight travel, wherein the cruise control system comprises:

a transmitter that transmits a signal from the vehicle to the leading vehicle;

a receiver that receives at the vehicle a reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle;

measuring apparatus for determining, from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle, a separation distance of the leading vehicle and the vehicle, the system being operable to cause the vehicle to maintain the pre-determined separation distance from the leading vehicle; and

deviation detection apparatus for detecting, from said reflection of said signal from the leading vehicle, a deviation of the leading vehicle from a substantially straight path and an instant location of the deviation of the leading vehicle from the substantially straight path, the system being operable to prevent automatic acceleration of the vehicle until reaching said instant location in dependence on the detection of a deviation.