Method and apparatus for vehicle speed control
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorToshiaki Hara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for controlling an automotive vechicle having an accelerator pedal, a throttle valve, and an actuator for moving said throttle valve in response to a control signal. Actual values of vehicle travelling speed and throttle valve position are sampled at time intervals to determine a running characteristic which defines throttle valve position in relation to vehicle travelling speed. The value of the control signal is determined from the determined running characteristic in accordance with a vehicle travelling speed demand value in a manner to maintain the vehicle travelling speed at the demand value.
Claims8
A method of controlling a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an accelerator pedal, a throttle valve, and an actuator responsive to a control signal for moving said throttle valve, comprising the steps of:
- generating a first electrical signal indicative of the speed of travelling of said vehicle;
- generating a second electrical signal indicative of the degree of opening of said throttle valve;
- repetitively sampling said first and second electrical signals to accumulate a number of sets of actual values of vehicle travelling speed and throttle valve position, the accumulated actual values specifying a running characteristic which defines throttle valve position in relation to vehicle travelling speed;
- detecting a demand value of vehicle travelling speed;
- and
- determining a throttle valve position value corresponding to said control signal from said running characteristic in accordance with said detected demand value of vehicle travelling speed, thereby maintaining said vehicle at said demand travelling speed.
An apparatus for use with a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an accelerator pedal, and a throttle valve for controlling the speed of rotation of said engine, comprising:
- a first signal source for generating a first electrical signal indicative of the speed of travelling of said vehicle;
- a second signal source for generating a second electrical signal indicative of the degree of opening of said throttle valve;
- a control circuit responsive to said first and second electrical signals for generating a control signal, said control circuit including means for repetitively sampling said first and second electrical signals to accumulate a number of sets of actual values of vehicle travelling speed and throttle valve position, the accumulated actual values specifying a running characteristic which defines throttle valve position in relation to vehicle travelling speed, means for detecting a demand value of vehicle travelling speed, and means for determining a throttle valve position value corresponding to said control signal from said running characteristic in accordance with said detected demand value of vehicle travelling speed;
- and
- an actuator responsive to said control signal for controlling said throttle valve to maintain said vehicle at said demand travelling speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.