Adaptive cruise control system and methodology, including control of inter-vehicle spacing

• Main Authors: ENGELMAN, GERALD H, RICHARDSON, MICHAEL JULIAN, BARBER, PHILIP ALEXANDER, KING, PAUL JOHN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.03.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE ORDIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; CONTROLLING; CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TOTHE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT; SIGNALLING; TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

Disclosed herein is a headway control (32) for an adaptive cruise control system based on a basic headway control law derived from feedback linearization techniques. The usefulness of the linear approximations is demonstrated, and basic attributes of data which are believed important to system response are introduced. Certain modifications to a basic headway controller for enabling system performance to better meet driver expectations under real road conditions are made as a result of empirical information.