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US6748312B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Safe distance algorithm for adaptive cruise control

Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems Inc
•
Filing: 2001-08-16
•
Granted: 2004-06-08
•
Expires: 2021-08-16
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract In accordance with the present invention, an adaptive cruise control system includes a radio frequency (RF) transmit receive (TR) sensor module (or more simply “sensor”) disposed such that a detection zone is deployed in front of a vehicle. The sensor includes a sensor antenna system which comprises a transmit antenna for emitting or transmitting an RF signal and a receive antenna for receiving portions of the transmitted RF signal which are intercepted by one or more objects within a field of view of the transmit antenna and reflected back toward the receive antenna. With this particular arrangement, a detection system that detects objects in a region about a front of a vehicle is provided. If the system determines that the vehicle is approaching an object or that an object is approaching the vehicle, then the sensor initiates steps that are carried out in accordance with a set of rules that control an accelerator of the vehicle. The accelerator is adjusted to maintain a safe trailing distance behind the detected object.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark E. Russell
  • 👤 Michael Joseph Delcheccolo
  • 👤 Walter Gordon Woodington
  • 👤 H. Barteld Van Rees
  • 👤 John Michael Firda
  • 👤 Delbert Lippert

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 10:15
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K31/00; B60K31/0008; B60Q; B60Q9/00; B60Q9/008; B60W; B60W30/00; B60W30/14; B60W30/16; G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/04; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/10; G01S13/26; G01S13/28; G01S13/282; G01S13/32; G01S13/34; G01S13/343; G01S13/346; G01S13/46; G01S13/48; G01S13/50; G01S13/58; G01S13/583; G01S13/584; G01S13/87; G01S13/88; G01S13/93; G01S13/931; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/023; G01S7/0232; G01S7/03; G01S7/032; G01S7/04; G01S7/06; G01S7/35; G01S7/352; G01S7/354; G01S7/40; G01S7/4004; G01S7/4021; H; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/27; H01Q1/32; H01Q1/3208; H01Q1/3233; H01Q1/325; H01Q1/3258; H01Q1/3283; H01Q1/36; H01Q1/38; H01Q1/42; H01Q13/00; H01Q13/10; H01Q13/18; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/0006; H01Q21/0037; H01Q21/0043; H01Q21/0075; H01Q21/0087; H01Q21/06; H01Q21/061; H01Q21/065; H01Q25/00; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/24; H01Q3/26; H01Q3/30; H01Q3/34; H01Q3/40; B60T; B60T2201/00; B60T2201/08; B60T2201/081; B60T2201/088; B60W2530/00; B60W2530/10; B60W2554/00; B60W2554/40; B60W2554/404; B60W2554/4043; B60W2554/80; B60W2554/803; G01S13/66; G01S13/72; G01S13/723; G01S13/726; G01S2013/0236; G01S2013/0245; G01S2013/9315; G01S2013/9321; G01S2013/9327; G01S2013/93271; G01S2013/93272; G01S2013/93274; G01S2013/93275; G01S7/038; G01S7/28; G01S7/285; G01S7/288; G01S7/356; G01S7/4008

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of providing adaptive cruise control comprising the steps of: determining a speed of an object; calculating a trailing distance between a vehicle and the object, said trailing distance comprising the distance traveled by said object at said speed for a predetermined period of time; and adjusting a speed of the vehicle to maintain said trailing distance between the object and the vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 64 words
A method of providing adaptive cruise control comprising the steps of: determining a speed of an object; calculating a trailing distance between a vehicle and the object, said trailing distance comprising the distance traveled by said object at said speed for a predetermined period of time; and adjusting a speed of the vehicle to maintain said trailing distance between the object and the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of calculating a trailing distance further comprises adjusting said trailing distance to account for a weight of said vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined period of time comprises approximately three seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of: transmitting a first RF signal; receiving a second RF signal; comparing said second RF signal with said first RF signal to determine a frequency difference, wherein said frequency difference is proportional to a distance between said object and said vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of adjusting comprises decreasing the speed of the vehicle when a distance between the object and the vehicle is less than said trailing distance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said second RF signal comprises a reflection of said first RF signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said first RF signal comprises a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is selected from the group comprising an automobile, a motorcycle, a truck, an aircraft, a marine vehicle, and an agricultural vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of upgrading said sensor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of changing a coverage zone provided by said sensor.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2007-06-08 2007-12-08 2008-06-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2011-06-08 2011-12-08 2012-06-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2015-06-08 2015-12-08 2016-06-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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