Patent ID: 8265850

Claim:
Method for controlling vehicle speed in a host vehicle operating with a target vehicle following control system in relation to a target vehicle, the method comprising: monitoring a range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle; monitoring a speed of the host vehicle; determining a rate of change of the range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle; determining a speed of the target vehicle based upon the rate of change of the range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle and the speed of the host vehicle; determining a control region of the host vehicle by: comparing the range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle and the speed of the host vehicle to a simple sliding surface line defining a minimum range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle based upon a time headway; and comparing the range between the host vehicle and the target vehicle and the speed of the host vehicle to a modified sliding surface line defined by an increasing margin to the simple sliding surface line as the speed of the host vehicle increases; determining an acceleration command based upon the determined control region; and utilizing the acceleration command to control operation of the vehicle comprising one of, utilizing the acceleration command to change the speed of the vehicle until the speed of the vehicle is coincident with the simple sliding surface line and subsequently changing the speed of the vehicle upon the simple sliding surface line until the speed of the target vehicle is reached, and utilizing the acceleration command to change the speed of the vehicle until the speed of the vehicle is coincident with the modified sliding surface line and subsequently changing the speed of the vehicle upon the modified sliding surface line until the simple sliding surface line is reached and subsequently changing the speed of the vehicle upon the simple sliding surface line until the speed of the target vehicle is reached.