Control system for regulating a ground speed of a vehicle

A vehicle, comprising:

• a engine characterized by an engine operating speed;
• a transmission driven by the engine, the transmission having a variable gear value;
• and
• a controller including a programmable memory in communication with a processor, the memory including a software program configured to instruct the processor to execute an algorithm of a cruise control function having a deceleration mode, the algorithm including the steps of:
• receiving and storing a deceleration speed value to operate the engine at when in the deceleration mode,
• receiving a deceleration transmission gear value via a manual input to operate the transmission when in the deceleration mode,
• detecting a deceleration of the engine operating speed, and in response thereto, automatically enabling the deceleration mode of the cruise control function,
• reducing the engine operating speed to the predetermined deceleration speed value, and
• shifting the transmission to the deceleration transmission gear value when the engine operating speed decreases below a threshold so as to accomplish this step.

A method of operating a vehicle that includes an engine configured to drive a transmission, the steps comprising:

• enabling a cruise control system having a deceleration mode and a high speed mode, the cruise control system including a controller having a memory;
• receiving a deceleration engine speed value to operate the engine at in the deceleration mode and storing the deceleration engine speed value in the memory;
• receiving a deceleration transmission gear value via a manual input so as to operate the transmission at wherein in the deceleration mode of operation and storing the deceleration transmission gear value in the memory;
• detecting a predetermined deceleration value of an engine operating speed of the engine;
• causing the deceleration mode of operation in response to detecting the predetermined deceleration value of the actual engine operating speed;
• recalling the stored deceleration engine speed value and the deceleration transmission gear value from the memory;
• operating the engine at the deceleration engine speed value;
• and
• shifting the transmission to the deceleration transmission gear value when the actual engine operating speed decreases below a threshold so as to accomplish this shifting step.