Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-04
2002-03-19
Chin, Gary (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S096000, C342S455000, C340S903000, C180S179000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360158
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention relates to an intelligent cruise control device for adjusting the cruise speed of the host vehicle by automatically accelerating and decelerating the host vehicle so as to enable the host vehicle to maintain the distance between the host vehicle and a front vehicle at a safe range. In particular, the present invention relates to an intelligent cruise control device for adjusting the cruise speed of the host vehicle by controlling an operating signal supplied to an existing auto cruise control device already installed in the host vehicle.
In recent years, a so-called intelligent cruise control device, that is, an automatic follow-up cruise device for adjusting the cruise speed of the host vehicle by automatically accelerating and decelerating the host vehicle so as to enable the host vehicle to maintain the distance between the host vehicle and a front vehicle at a safe range, is becoming popular. The intelligent cruise control device is also referred to hereafter simply as an ICC device. In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 5-221253, the configuration of a representative ICC device is disclosed. The disclosed ICC device comprises, among other components, a sensor for measuring the range between the host and front vehicles, a processing unit, a throttle valve and a brake actuator. The processing unit computes a safe range between the host and front vehicles from the speed of the host vehicle and a range measured by the sensor. Automatic follow-up cruise control is then carried out by adjusting the speed of the host vehicle by operations of the throttle valve and the brake so as to maintain the distance between the host and front vehicles at the computed safe range.
By the way, there is a so-called retrofit type of the ICC device for adjusting the cruise speed of the host vehicle through control of an operating signal supplied to a so-called auto cruise control device, an existing auto cruise device which has been already installed in the host vehicle. The auto cruise control device is also referred to hereafter simply as an ASCD device. The ASCD device is a device for carrying out auto cruise control by adjusting the speed of the host vehicle in accordance with an operating signal supplied by the driver so that the host vehicle is running at the adjusted speed. Normally, there are three types of operating signals. The first operating signal is an acceleration signal for accelerating the host vehicle by opening the throttle valve. On the other hand, the second operating signal is a deceleration signal for decelerating the host vehicle by closing the throttle valve. Finally, the third operating signal is a cancel signal to cancel the speed control using the ASCD device. With the retrofit-type ICC device, it is possible to effectively utilize functions of the existing ASCD device already owned by the driver in the host vehicle, offering a merit that the cost of the ICC device can be reduced.
FIG. 23
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a cruise control apparatus comprising a representative ASCD device and an ICC device used in conjunction with the ASCD device whereas
FIG. 24
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ICC device shown in FIG.
23
.
In the ASCD device
110
shown in
FIG. 23
, when a resume-acceleration switch
112
a
employed in an ASCD switch circuit
112
is turned on, a voltage signal generated by a power supply
118
is output to a signal line
120
a.
When a set-coast switch
112
b
is turned on, on the other hand, the voltage signal generated by the power supply
118
is output to the signal line
120
b.
In addition, when a cancel switch
112
c
is turned on, the voltage signal generated by the power supply
118
is output to both the signal lines
120
a
and
120
b.
When the voltage signal is supplied only to the signal line
120
a,
the voltage signal is supplied to an ASCD control unit
114
as an acceleration signal. Receiving the acceleration signal, the ASCD control unit
114
outputs a control signal to a throttle valve operating unit
116
, requesting the throttle valve operating unit
116
to open the throttle valve to a predetermined degree of opening. At a point in time when the electrical voltage signal disappears from the signal line
120
a,
that is, at a point in time when the resume-accleration switch
112
a
is turned off, a value of the vehicle speed is read in from a speed sensor
122
and a control signal is then output to the throttle valve operating unit
116
to drive the host vehicle into a constant-speed cruise at the speed read in from the speed sensor
122
. When the voltage signal is supplied only to the signal line
120
b,
on the other hand, the voltage signal is supplied to the ASCD control unit
114
as a deceleration signal. Receiving the deceleration signal, the ASCD control unit
114
outputs a control signal to the throttle valve operating unit
116
, requesting the throttle valve operating unit
116
to close the throttle valve. At a point in time when the electrical voltage signal disappears from the signal line
120
b,
that is, at a point in time when the set-coast switch
112
b
is turned off, a value of the vehicle speed is read in from a speed sensor
122
and a control signal is then output to the throttle valve operating unit
116
to drive the host vehicle into a constant-speed cruise at the speed read in from the speed sensor
112
. Finally, when the voltage signal from the power supply
118
is output to both the signal lines
120
a
and
120
b,
the voltage signal is regarded as a cancel signal and the throttle valve control by the ASCD device
110
is thereby discontinued.
In the ICC device
124
shown in
FIG. 24
, a microcomputer
132
employed in an ICC control unit
128
computes a safe range between the host vehicle and a front vehicle from the speed detected by the speed sensor
122
, the present range between the host and front vehicle detected by a radar unit
126
and a set value of the speed supplied by the driver to an operating panel
130
. Then, an operating signal is supplied to the ASCD device
110
through a switch circuit
134
so that the distance between the host and front vehicles is brought to the safe range computed by the microcomputer
132
. To be more specific, in order to accelerate the host vehicle, the microcomputer
132
turns on a switch
134
a
employed in the switch circuit
134
, forwarding a voltage signal generated by the power supply
118
to the signal line
120
a
as an acceleration signal. In order to decelerate the host vehicle, on the other hand, the microcomputer
132
turns on a switch
134
b
employed in the switch circuit
134
, forwarding the voltage signal generated by the power supply
118
to the signal line
120
b
as a deceleration signal. In order to discontinue speed control by the ICC device
124
as requested by a command entered by the driver via the operating panel
130
, the microcomputer
132
turns on both the switches
134
a
and
134
b
of the switch circuit
134
, forwarding the voltage signal generated by the power supply
118
to both the signal lines
120
a
and
120
b.
In this way, the ICC device
124
can effectively utilize the functions of the ASCD device
110
, allowing the cruise speed to be adjusted so as to bring the range between the host and front vehicles to a predetermined value.
FIG. 25
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a cruise control apparatus comprising a representative ASCD device having specifications different from those of the ASCD device shown in FIG.
23
and an ICC device used in conjunction with the ASCD device whereas
FIG. 26
is a skeleton diagram showing the configuration of the ICC device shown in FIG.
25
.
In the ASCD device
138
shown in
FIG. 25
, the operation of a resume-acceleration switch
140
a,
a set-coast switch
140
b
or a cancel switch
140
c
employed in an ASCD switch circuit
140
changes the level of a voltage signal output to a signal line
142
. An ASCD control unit
144
carries
Hanawa Kazuhiko
Kuragaki Satoru
Matsuura Kazuo
Nakamura Mitsuru
Chin Gary
Crowell & Moring LLP
Hitachi , Ltd.
LandOfFree
Intelligent cruise control device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Intelligent cruise control device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Intelligent cruise control device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2819354