Patent ID: 6496770
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B60K,B60W

Abstract:
A method of controlling travel speed of a controlled vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:a) controlling vehicle travel speed according to a set vehicle speed given by a driver of the controlled vehicle in a speed control mode; b) detecting at least one object present in front of the controlled vehicle and measuring distance to and relative speed of said at least one object when said at least one object is detected in front of the controlled vehicle during the detecting; c) determining whether or not a preceding vehicle is among said at least one object when said at least one object is detected during the detecting of step b); d) controlling the vehicle travel speed according to a set distance to said preceding vehicle in a distance control mode when said preceding vehicle is determined to be among said at least one object detected in front of said controlled vehicle in step c); e) establishing whether or not a stationary object is among said at least one object present in front of the controlled vehicle when said at least one object is detected during the detecting of step b); f) when a stationary object is found to be present in front of the controlled vehicle in step e), calculating a predicted travel path of the controlled vehicle and determining if the stationary object is located in the predicted travel path of the controlled vehicle; g) when the stationary object is determined to be in the predicted travel path of the controlled vehicle in step f), calculating a relevance value (REL) of said stationary object in the predicted travel path as an obstacle for the controlled vehicle; h) limiting vehicle acceleration of the controlled vehicle according to the relevance value (REL) of said stationary object as said obstacle; and wherein said relevance value (REL) of said stationary object as said obstacle is higher, the closer said stationary object is to a center of the predicted travel path of the controlled vehicle.