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US5978724A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vehicle control system

Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1997-11-14
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Granted: 1999-11-02
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Expires: 2017-11-14
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Abstract

Abstract A vehicle control system enables the passableness of a vehicle through an upcoming section of road to be properly decided, by compensating the influences which are exerted upon the passableness decision by the detection errors of the actual position of the vehicle. Assuming that a deceleration is performed by the vehicle driver at a predetermined reference deceleration β from a vehicle speed V 0 at an actual position P 0 , the system calculates passable vehicle speeds of a plurality of tentative positions N k which are set on a road ahead of the actual position P 0 . On the basis of the passable vehicle speeds corresponding to the individual tentative positions N k , a passable zone Z 1 , a warning zone Z 2 and an automatic deceleration zone Z 3 are set by the system so that a warning to the driver is performed, if any of nodes N k+1 , - - - , and so on ahead of the tentative position N k is present in the warning zone Z 2 , and the automatic deceleration of the vehicle is performed if any of the nodes are present in the automatic deceleration zone Z 3 . In order that the decision error of the passableness, as accompanying the detection error of the actual position P 0 , may be compensated, the reference deceleration β is corrected in accordance with the magnitude of the vehicle speed V 0 or the radius of curvature of the road.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Sekine

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 14:16
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; B; B60; B60K; B60K31/00; B60K31/0058; B60K31/0066; B60T; B60T8/00; B60T8/17; B60T8/172; B60T8/1755; B60T2210/00; B60T2210/20; B60T2210/24; B60T2210/30; B60T2210/36; B60W; B60W50/00; B60W50/08; B60W50/14; B60W2050/143

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 223 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; turnable radius calculating means for calculating turnable radii at the tentative position on the basis of the estimated passage speed; zone setting means for setting passableness deciding zones with reference to the tentative position on the basis of the turnable radii; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by overlapping the road data ahead of the tentative position and the passableness deciding zones; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 223 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; turnable radius calculating means for calculating turnable radii at the tentative position on the basis of the estimated passage speed; zone setting means for setting passableness deciding zones with reference to the tentative position on the basis of the turnable radii; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by overlapping the road data ahead of the tentative position and the passableness deciding zones; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration on the basis of the vehicle speed detected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration on the basis of the road data of the road ahead of the tentative position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle control means executes at least one of a warning to the driver and an automatic deceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein said reference decelerating correcting means corrects said reference deceleration so as to reduce at least one of an error in the detected position of the vehicle and an error of the passableness between large and small curvatures of the road.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 221 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; turnable radius calculating means for calculating turnable radii at the tentative position on the basis of the estimated passage speed; curvature radius calculating means for calculating a radius of curvature of the road at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the radius of curvature and the turnable radii; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 221 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; turnable radius calculating means for calculating turnable radii at the tentative position on the basis of the estimated passage speed; curvature radius calculating means for calculating a radius of curvature of the road at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the radius of curvature and the turnable radii; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 39 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration on the basis of the radius of curvature of the road, as calculated by the curvature radius calculating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration based on at least one of the vehicle speed detected, the road data of the road ahead of tentative position, and the radius of curvature of the road as calculated by the curvature radius calculating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 32 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said vehicle control means executes at least one of a warning to the driver and an automatic deceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 49 words
A vehicle control system according to claim 6, wherein said reference decelerating correcting means corrects said reference deceleration so as to reduce at least one of an error in the detected position of the vehicle and an error of the passableness between large and small curvatures of the road.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 199 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; proper passage speed calculating means for calculating proper passage speeds at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the proper passage speeds and the estimated passage speed; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 199 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration setting means for setting a reference deceleration to decelerate the vehicle from the actual position thereof; estimated passage speed calculating means for calculating an estimated passage speed at the tentative position on the basis of a distance from the actual position to the tentative position and the reference deceleration; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; proper passage speed calculating means for calculating proper passage speeds at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the proper passage speeds and the estimated passage speed; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 42 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration based on at least one of the vehicle speed detected and the road data of the road ahead of the tentative position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 32 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said vehicle control means executes at least one of a warning to the driver and an automatic deceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 49 words
A vehicle control system according to claim 11, wherein said reference decelerating correcting means corrects said reference deceleration so as to reduce at least one of an error in the detected position of the vehicle and an error of the passableness between large and small curvatures of the road.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 208 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration calculating means for calculating a reference deceleration on the basis of a road surface state; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; proper passage speed calculating means for calculating proper passage speeds at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; proper passage deceleration setting means for setting proper passage decelerations necessary for safely passing the tentative position at the proper passage speeds on a basis of the distance from the actual position to the tentative position, the vehicle speed and the proper passage speeds; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the proper passage decelerations and the reference deceleration; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 208 words
A vehicle control system comprising: map data outputting means for outputting map data as a set of a plurality of road data forming a road; actual position detecting means for detecting an actual position of a subject vehicle on a map; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; tentative position setting means for setting a tentative position on the road ahead of the actual position; reference deceleration calculating means for calculating a reference deceleration on the basis of a road surface state; reference deceleration correcting means for correcting the reference deceleration; proper passage speed calculating means for calculating proper passage speeds at the tentative position on the basis of the map data; proper passage deceleration setting means for setting proper passage decelerations necessary for safely passing the tentative position at the proper passage speeds on a basis of the distance from the actual position to the tentative position, the vehicle speed and the proper passage speeds; passableness deciding means for deciding a passableness of the vehicle through an upcoming section of road by comparing the proper passage decelerations and the reference deceleration; and vehicle control means for controlling the vehicle when it is decided that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the upcoming section of road.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said reference deceleration correcting means corrects the reference deceleration based on at least one of the vehicle speed detected and the road data of the road ahead of the tentative position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 32 words
A vehicle control system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said vehicle control means executes at least one of a warning to the driver and an automatic deceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 49 words
A vehicle control system according to claim 4, wherein said reference decelerating correcting means corrects said reference deceleration so as to reduce at least one of an error in the detected position of the vehicle and an error of the passableness between large and small curvatures of the road.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4123023A Cited
US5552990A Cited
JPH06281471A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-11-01 2003-05-03 2003-11-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-11-01 2007-05-03 2007-11-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-11-01 2011-05-03 2011-11-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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