Vehicle speed control apparatus and method
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsChris Edward Pedlar, Chris Connelly, David Hesketh, Themi Philemon Petridis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling the speed of a vehicle comprising: during a pulse phase of cruise control, applying engine torque to raise speed, the amount and duration of which being responsive to engine speed; and during a glide phase of cruise control, discontinuing engine combustion. In this way cruise control may maintain a mean speed equivalent to a desired, threshold speed while reducing fuel consumption, and NVH effects felt by the end user compared to traditional cruise control methods.
Claims16
A method of automatically controlling a speed of a vehicle, comprising:
- receiving an input from a driver to enter a cruise control mode;
- determining a threshold speed;
- increasing the vehicle speed to a speed which is a first predetermined value above the threshold speed;
- decreasing the vehicle speed to a speed which is a second predetermined value below the threshold speed;
- and
- repeating the steps of increasing and decreasing the vehicle speed until an input is received to exit the cruise control mode;
- and
- further comprising detecting a vehicle in front, determining a distance to the vehicle in front, maintaining the vehicle in front within a distance range to the vehicle in front and calculating the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value dependent on the distance to the vehicle in front.
A method of automatically controlling a speed of a vehicle, comprising:
- receiving an input from a driver to enter a cruise control mode;
- determining a threshold speed;
- increasing the vehicle speed to a speed which is a first predetermined value above the threshold speed;
- decreasing the vehicle speed to a speed which is a second predetermined value below the threshold speed;
- repeating the steps of increasing and decreasing the vehicle speed until an input is received to exit the cruise control mode;
- and
- reducing audio, visual or tactile phenomena associated with the repeated change in the vehicle speed by using a filter to alter a tachometer display.
A method, comprising:
- reducing noise, vibration and harshness during pulse and glide cruise control by,
- filtering a tachometer output;
- adjusting a rate of acceleration during a pulse phase;
- varying a duty cycle of the pulse phase;
- and
- adjusting a difference between a high speed and a low speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.