US6175799B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for automatically controlling vehicular velocity
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1999-05-03
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Granted: 2001-01-16
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Expires: 2019-05-03
Abstract
Abstract In apparatus and method for controlling a vehicular velocity for an automotive vehicle, a vehicular velocity and an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle are detected, a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body of the vehicle which is generally developed when the vehicle is running on a curved road is detected, a target value of the vehicular velocity of the vehicle according to which a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made equal to value of a target inter-vehicle distance is calculated, a correction is made on the calculated value of the target vehicular velocity according to a detected value (magnitude) of the lateral acceleration (lateral G), the vehicular velocity of the vehicle is controlled in such a manner that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made equal to the corrected target vehicular velocity.
Inventors
- 👤 Junji Tsutsumi
- 👤 Akira Higashimata
- 👤 Hideo Iwamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:16
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60W; B60W30/00; B60W30/14; B60W30/16; B60K; B60K31/00; B60K31/0008; B60W30/18; B60W30/18009; B60W30/18145; B60W50/00; B60W2050/0001; B60W2050/0019; B60W2050/0028; B60W2050/0031; B60W2520/00; B60W2520/12; B60W2520/125; B60W2520/14; B60W2540/00; B60W2540/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a vehicular velocity detector detecting a vehicular velocity; an inter-vehicle distance detector detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; a target vehicular velocity calculator calculating a target value of the vehicular velocity according to which a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with a target value of the inter-vehicle distance; a vehicular velocity controller, the vehicular velocity controller being responsive to the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity and generating and outputting an actuation command to control the vehicular velocity in such a manner that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity; a vehicular velocity variation actuator, the vehicular velocity variation actuator being responsive to the actuation command from the vehicular velocity controller, actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity so that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity; a lateral acceleration detector detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body; and a target vehicular velocity corrector, the target vehicular velocity corrector being responsive to a detected value of the lateral acceleration and correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to the detected value of the lateral acceleration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a vehicular velocity detector detecting a vehicular velocity; an inter-vehicle distance detector detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; a target vehicular velocity calculator calculating a target value of the vehicular velocity according to which a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with a target value of the inter-vehicle distance; a vehicular velocity controller, the vehicular velocity controller being responsive to the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity and generating and outputting an actuation command to control the vehicular velocity in such a manner that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity; a vehicular velocity variation actuator, the vehicular velocity variation actuator being responsive to the actuation command from the vehicular velocity controller, actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity so that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity; a lateral acceleration detector detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body; and a target vehicular velocity corrector, the target vehicular velocity corrector being responsive to a detected value of the lateral acceleration and correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to the detected value of the lateral acceleration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the target vehicular velocity corrector corrects the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity with a correction variable which becomes large as the detected value of the lateral acceleration becomes large.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
106 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the target vehicular velocity limiter includes: a vehicular velocity correction variable calculator calculating a correction variable of the vehicular velocity Comn_Sub as follows: Comn_Sub=(correction coefficient)*LMT(+), wherein the correction coefficient is determined according to the detected value of the lateral acceleration and LMT(+) denotes a predetermined limitation value on a vehicular acceleration; and a lateral acceleration range determinator determining into one of which ranges of magnitude the detected value of the lateral acceleration falls and wherein the correction coefficient is determined according to a result of determination by the lateral acceleration range determinator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the detected value of the lateral acceleration falls in one of the ranges which is between 0.1 G and 0.3 G, the correction coefficient is proportional to the detected value of the lateral acceleration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein when the detected value of the lateral acceleration falls in one of the ranges which is above 0.3 G, the correction coefficient is preset to be constant value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the constant value of the correction coefficient is 2.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein when the detected value of the lateral acceleration falls in one of the ranges which is below 0.1 G, the correction coefficient is zeroed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the target vehicular velocity corrector derives the correction coefficient according to the detected value of the lateral acceleration and corrects the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity as follows: Vsp_Comh=min{Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)−Comn_Sub+LMT(+), Ac Vcomo}, wherein Vsp_Comh denotes the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity, Ac_Vcomo is expressed as follows: Ac_Vcomo=min{Vsp_Como, Acc_Como}, wherein Vsp_Como denotes a set vehicular velocity upper limit value and Acc_Como denotes the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity by the target vehicular velocity calculator, when Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)<Ac_Vcomo.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein when Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)=Ac_Vcomo, Vsp_Comh=Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)−Comn_Sub.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein when Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)>Ac_Vcomo, Vsp_Comh=max{Vsp_Comh (prior to one control period)−Comn_Sub−LMT(−), Ac_Vcomo}, wherein LMT(−) denotes a predetermined limitation value on a vehicular deceleration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein LMT(−) is 0.046 Km/h.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein LMT(+) is 0.021 Km/h.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a determinator determining whether the another vehicle has disappeared from a detection zone of the inter-vehicle distance detector from the detected value of the inter-vehicle distance by the inter-vehicle distance detector and wherein the target vehicular velocity corrector still continues the correction of the calculated value of the vehicular velocity when the determinator determines that the another vehicle has disappeared from the detection zone of the inter-vehicle distance detector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a determinator determining whether the another vehicle is present within a detection zone of the inter-vehicle distance detector and wherein the target vehicular velocity corrector corrects the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity with a correction variable which is changed according to a result of determination by the determinator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
71 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the target vehicular velocity corrector corrects the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity with the correction variable which is larger in a case where the determinator determines that the another vehicle is present within the detection zone than that in a case where the determinator determines that the another vehicle is absent from the detection zone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicular velocity variation actuator includes a throttle valve position actuator to open and close a throttle valve of a vehicular engine and a brake system to control a braking force applied to the vehicle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
174 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising: vehicular velocity detecting means for detecting a vehicular velocity; inter-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; lateral acceleration detecting means for detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body; vehicular velocity variation actuating means for actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity; and controlling means for calculating a target value of the inter-vehicle distance on the basis of detected values of the vehicular velocity and of the inter-vehicle distance, for calculating a target value of the vehicular velocity according to which the detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with the target value of the inter-vehicle distance, for correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to a detected value of the lateral acceleration, and for generating and outputting an actuation command to the vehicular velocity variation actuating means to vary the vehicular velocity in accordance with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
174 words
A control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising: vehicular velocity detecting means for detecting a vehicular velocity; inter-vehicle distance detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; lateral acceleration detecting means for detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body; vehicular velocity variation actuating means for actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity; and controlling means for calculating a target value of the inter-vehicle distance on the basis of detected values of the vehicular velocity and of the inter-vehicle distance, for calculating a target value of the vehicular velocity according to which the detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with the target value of the inter-vehicle distance, for correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to a detected value of the lateral acceleration, and for generating and outputting an actuation command to the vehicular velocity variation actuating means to vary the vehicular velocity in accordance with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for controlling a vehicular velocity for an automotive vehicle, comprising: detecting a vehicular velocity; detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body of the vehicle; calculating a target vehicular velocity of the vehicle according to which a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with a target value of the inter-vehicle distance; correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to a detected value of the lateral acceleration; controlling the vehicular velocity of the vehicle in such a manner that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity; generating an actuation command, the actuation command being responded to the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity; and actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity to make the detected value of the vehicular velocity coincident with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for controlling a vehicular velocity for an automotive vehicle, comprising: detecting a vehicular velocity; detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running ahead of the vehicle; detecting a lateral acceleration imposed on a vehicle body of the vehicle; calculating a target vehicular velocity of the vehicle according to which a detected value of the inter-vehicle distance is made coincident with a target value of the inter-vehicle distance; correcting the calculated target value of the vehicular velocity according to a detected value of the lateral acceleration; controlling the vehicular velocity of the vehicle in such a manner that the detected value of the vehicular velocity is made coincident with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity; generating an actuation command, the actuation command being responded to the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity; and actuating the vehicle to vary the vehicular velocity to make the detected value of the vehicular velocity coincident with the corrected target value of the vehicular velocity.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-16 | 2004-07-17 | 2005-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-16 | 2008-07-17 | 2009-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-16 | 2012-07-17 | 2013-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |