Vehicle to vehicle distance controller and vehicle
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorToshio Manaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a vehicle to vehicle distance control device when a headway distance between a controlled vehicle in which the device is provided and a forward vehicle approaches or falls below a predetermined value a control unit controls the vehicle speed of the controlled vehicle so as to keep the headway distance at a predetermined value. When the device becomes unable to detect the presence of a forward vehicle, a constant speed control is provided for the controlled vehicle using either the controlled vehicle speed before the device became unable to detect the forward vehicle or a corrected vehicle speeds until an accelerator is operated. After the accelerator is operated, speed control is performed using a vehicle speed set by a driver of the vehicle.
Claims12
A vehicle to vehicle distance control device comprising:
- first means for detecting a vehicle forward of a subject vehicle on which said distance control device is provided;
- and
- second means, operative when a headway distance between the subject vehicle and the forward vehicle approaches or falls below a predetermined value, for controlling vehicle speed of the subject vehicle so as to keep the headway distance at the predetermined value;
- wherein,
- when said first means becomes unable to detect the forward vehicle, said second means controls said vehicle speed to a constant speed for the subject vehicle using one of the vehicle speed before the first means became unable to detect the forward vehicle and a corrected vehicle speed, until an accelerator is operated;
- and
- said second means controls said vehicle speed using a vehicle speed set by a driver, after the accelerator is operated.
A vehicle to vehicle distance control device comprising:
- first means for detecting a vehicle forward of a subject vehicle on which said distance control device is provided;
- and
- second means, operative when a headway distance between the subject vehicle and the forward vehicle approaches or falls below a predetermined value during a constant speed control, for controlling vehicle speed of the subject vehicle by one of adjusting a power drive output and actuating a brake of the subject vehicle, that the headway distance becomes the predetermined value herein,
- when the first means detects a situation in which it is no longer able to detect the forward vehicle, in which the forward vehicle departs from a position forward in relation to the subject vehicle or in which the forward vehicle departs from a lane in which the subject vehicle runs, said second means controls said vehicle speed to a constant speed, using one of the vehicle speed immediately before the first means detected said situation and a corrected vehicle speed, until an accelerator is operated;
- and
- the second means changes to a constant speed control, using a vehicle speed set by a driver, after the accelerator is operated.
A vehicle to vehicle distance control device comprising:
- first means for detecting a vehicle forward of a subject vehicle on which said distance control device is provided;
- and
- second means, operative when a headway distance between subject vehicle and the forward vehicle approaches or falls below a predetermined value during a constant speed control, for controlling vehicle speed of the subject vehicle by one of adjusting a power drive output and actuating a brake of the subject vehicle, such that the headway distance becomes the predetermined value;
- wherein,
- when the first means detects a situation in which the forward vehicle departs from a position forward in relation to the subject vehicle or in which the forward vehicle departs from a lane in which the subject vehicle runs, said second means controls said vehicle speed to a constant speed, using one of the vehicle speed before the first means detected said situation and a corrected vehicle speed, until an accelerator is depressed;
- and
- the second means changes to a constant speed control using a vehicle speed set by a driver, after the accelerator is depressed.
A controlled vehicle comprising:
- first means for detecting a forward vehicle that runs ahead of a the controlled vehicle with no other vehicles therebetween;
- and
- second means for controlling a headway distance so as to cause said controlled vehicle to follow the forward vehicle;
- wherein,
- when the first means becomes unable to detect the forward vehicle, said second means controls vehicle speed of said controlled vehicle to maintain a vehicle speed at which the controlled vehicle runs to follow the forward vehicle, until a driver operates an accelerator device;
- and
- said second means controls said vehicle speed using a vehicle speed set by the drivers after the driver has operated the accelerator device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.