Vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings

Abstract

A vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings is provided. An example vehicle control system includes a drive unit, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a vehicle control module configured to: automatically control the drive unit to target a cruise control set speed of the vehicle when a cruise control feature of the vehicle is initiated; detecting at least one press input parameter associated with an accelerator or brake pedal, the at least one pressing input parameter comprises at least one of the length of a pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the moving distance of the accelerator pedal or brake pedal when the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed, or the number of times that the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period; comparing the at least one press input parameter to a specified cruise control adjustment criterion; and adjusting the cruise control setting speed in response to the press input parameter satisfying the specified cruise control adjustment criteria.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of presenting the general background of this disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the currently named inventors, and aspects of the description that may otherwise not conform to the prior art at the time of filing, are neither explicitly nor implicitly considered to be prior art of this disclosure.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to a vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings, including adjusting the cruise control setting speed based on pressing the accelerator pedal or brake pedal. Background Technology

[0003] Some vehicles include cruise control, which controls the power supplied by an electric motor to target the vehicle's set speed. Cruise control settings are typically controlled by the driver pressing a physical button or switch on the vehicle's steering wheel. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An example vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings includes: a drive unit configured to supply power to rotate the wheels of a vehicle; an accelerator pedal configured to increase the acceleration of the vehicle via the drive unit in response to the accelerator pedal being pressed by the driver of the vehicle; a brake pedal configured to slow the rotation of the wheels of the vehicle in response to the brake pedal being pressed by the driver of the vehicle; and a vehicle control module configured to automatically control the drive unit to target the cruise control setting speed of the vehicle when the cruise control feature of the vehicle is activated, detect at least one pressing input parameter associated with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, wherein the at least one pressing input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal travels when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period; compare the at least one pressing input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment criterion; and adjust the cruise control setting speed in response to the pressing input parameter satisfying the specified cruise control adjustment criterion.

[0005] In some examples, adjusting the cruise control setting speed involves modifying the power supplied by the drive unit to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the vehicle's wheels.

[0006] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to adjust the cruise control speed setting without receiving input from the vehicle's steering wheel, the steering column lever, or voice command input.

[0007] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to increase the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the accelerator pedal.

[0008] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to determine the vehicle's deceleration rate, compare the deceleration rate with a specified deceleration threshold, and, in response to the deceleration rate being less than the specified deceleration threshold for a specified period of time, change the cruise control set speed to the vehicle's current speed.

[0009] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed, obtain the current vehicle speed value, and, in response to the current vehicle speed value being less than the current value of the cruise control set speed, change the cruise control set speed to the current vehicle speed value plus a specified offset.

[0010] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to reduce the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the brake pedal.

[0011] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to determine the vehicle's acceleration rate, compare the acceleration rate with a specified acceleration threshold, and, in response to the acceleration rate being greater than the specified acceleration threshold for a specified period of time, change the cruise control set speed to the vehicle's current speed.

[0012] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed, obtain the current vehicle speed value, and, in response to the current vehicle speed value being greater than the current value of the cruise control set speed, change the cruise control set speed to the current vehicle speed value minus a specified offset.

[0013] In some examples, the system includes at least one front vehicle camera configured to acquire images capturing at least a portion of the vehicle's frontal field of view.

[0014] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to detect the distance between the vehicle and a target object in front of the vehicle in the same lane as the vehicle via at least one front vehicle camera, obtain the vehicle's current acceleration value, obtain the vehicle's current speed value, and automatically change the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed value in response to the current acceleration value being less than a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period and the distance being greater than a specified distance threshold.

[0015] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to prevent automatic changes to the cruise control setting speed in response to at least one of the following: the distance between the vehicle and a target object in front of the vehicle is less than a specified distance threshold; the lateral acceleration value or longitudinal acceleration value of the vehicle is less than a specified acceleration threshold; the current speed value of the vehicle is lower than a speed threshold; a cruise control release event occurs within a specified time period; the cruise control feature is disabled; or a cruise control recovery request is currently valid.

[0016] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to detect the disengagement of cruise control based on the pressing of the brake pedal when at least one front vehicle camera does not detect a target object within a specified distance threshold in front of the vehicle; after the cruise control is disengaged, when the brake pedal is pressed, detect a target object within the specified distance threshold; and in response to the driver releasing the brake pedal, activate the vehicle's cruise control.

[0017] In some examples, the vehicle control module is configured to identify that vehicle cruise control is enabled but not currently activated, obtain the vehicle's current steering angle, obtain the vehicle's current longitudinal acceleration, and automatically activate vehicle cruise control in response to the current steering angle being less than a specified cornering threshold and the current longitudinal acceleration being greater than a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period. Cruise control is disengaged based on brake pedal press when at least one front vehicle camera does not detect a target object within a specified distance threshold in front of the vehicle. After cruise control is disengaged, a target object within the specified distance threshold is detected when the brake pedal is pressed, and vehicle cruise control is activated in response to the driver releasing the brake pedal.

[0018] An example method for adjusting vehicle cruise control settings includes: when the vehicle's cruise control feature is activated, automatically controlling the vehicle's drive unit to target a cruise control set speed by a vehicle control module; detecting at least one press input parameter associated with the vehicle's accelerator pedal or brake pedal, wherein the at least one press input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal travels when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period; comparing the at least one press input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment criterion; and adjusting the cruise control set speed in response to the press input parameter satisfying the specified cruise control adjustment criterion.

[0019] In some examples, adjusting the cruise control setting speed involves modifying the power supplied by the drive unit to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the vehicle's wheels.

[0020] In some examples, the method includes adjusting the cruise control speed setting without receiving input from the vehicle's steering wheel, the steering column lever, or voice command input.

[0021] In some examples, the method includes increasing the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the accelerator pedal.

[0022] In some examples, the method includes: determining the vehicle's deceleration rate, comparing the deceleration rate with a specified deceleration threshold, and changing the cruise control set speed to the vehicle's current speed in response to the deceleration rate being less than the specified deceleration threshold for a specified time period.

[0023] In some examples, the method includes: obtaining a current value of the cruise control set speed, obtaining a current vehicle speed value, and, in response to the current vehicle speed value being less than the current value of the cruise control set speed, changing the cruise control set speed to the current vehicle speed value plus a specified offset.

[0024] The following solutions are provided:

[0025] 1. A vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings, the vehicle control system comprising:

[0026] The drive unit is configured to supply power to rotate the wheels of the vehicle;

[0027] The accelerator pedal is configured to increase the vehicle's acceleration via the drive unit in response to the accelerator pedal being pressed by the vehicle's driver.

[0028] A brake pedal is configured to slow the rotation of the vehicle's wheels in response to the brake pedal being pressed by the vehicle's driver; and

[0029] The vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0030] When the vehicle's cruise control feature is activated, the automatic control drive unit uses the vehicle's cruise control set speed as the target.

[0031] Detect at least one pressing input parameter associated with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, wherein the at least one pressing input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal moves when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period.

[0032] Compare at least one press input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment standard; and

[0033] In response to the pressed input parameters meeting the specified cruise control adjustment criteria, the cruise control setting speed is adjusted.

[0034] 2. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 1, wherein adjusting the cruise control setting speed includes modifying the power supplied by the drive unit to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the vehicle wheels.

[0035] 3. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to adjust the cruise control set speed when not receiving input from the vehicle steering wheel, not receiving input from the vehicle steering column lever, and not receiving voice command input.

[0036] 4. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to increase the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the accelerator pedal.

[0037] 5. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 4, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0038] Determine the vehicle's deceleration rate;

[0039] Compare the deceleration rate with a specified deceleration threshold; and

[0040] In response to a deceleration rate that is less than a specified deceleration threshold for a specified period of time, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the vehicle's current speed.

[0041] 6. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 4, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0042] Obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed;

[0043] Get the current vehicle speed; and

[0044] In response to the current vehicle speed being less than the current value of the cruise control setting speed, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the current vehicle speed plus a specified offset.

[0045] 7. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to reduce the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the brake pedal.

[0046] 8. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 7, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0047] Determine the vehicle's acceleration rate;

[0048] Compare the acceleration rate with a specified acceleration threshold; and

[0049] In response to an acceleration rate exceeding a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the vehicle's current speed.

[0050] 9. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 7, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0051] Obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed;

[0052] Get the current vehicle speed; and

[0053] In response to the current vehicle speed being greater than the current value of the cruise control setting speed, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the current vehicle speed value minus a specified offset.

[0054] 10. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 further includes at least one front vehicle camera configured to acquire an image capturing at least a portion of the frontal field of view of the vehicle.

[0055] 11. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 10, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0056] The distance between the vehicle and a target object in front of the vehicle in the same lane as the vehicle is detected by at least one front vehicle camera;

[0057] Obtain the vehicle's current acceleration value;

[0058] Obtain the vehicle's current speed value; and

[0059] In response to the current acceleration value being less than a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period, and the distance being greater than a specified distance threshold, the cruise control setting speed is automatically changed to the vehicle's current speed value.

[0060] 12. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to prevent automatic change of the cruise control setting speed in response to at least one of the following:

[0061] The distance between the vehicle and the target object in front of the vehicle is less than a specified distance threshold;

[0062] The vehicle's lateral acceleration or longitudinal acceleration is less than a specified acceleration threshold.

[0063] The vehicle's current speed is below the speed threshold;

[0064] A cruise control release event occurs within a specified time period;

[0065] Cruise control features are disabled; or

[0066] The cruise control recovery request is currently valid.

[0067] 13. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 10, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0068] When at least one front vehicle camera fails to detect a target object within a specified distance threshold in front of the vehicle, cruise control is disengaged based on the pressure of the brake pedal.

[0069] After cruise control is disengaged, when the brake pedal is pressed, detect target objects within a specified distance threshold; and

[0070] The vehicle's cruise control is activated in response to the driver releasing the brake pedal.

[0071] 14. The vehicle control system according to Scheme 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows:

[0072] The vehicle's cruise control is enabled but not currently activated;

[0073] Obtain the vehicle's current steering angle;

[0074] Obtain the vehicle's current longitudinal acceleration;

[0075] Automatically activate vehicle cruise control when the current steering angle is less than a specified curve threshold and the current longitudinal acceleration is greater than a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period.

[0076] Cruise control is disengaged based on the pressing of the brake pedal when at least one front vehicle camera does not detect a target object within a specified distance threshold in front of the vehicle.

[0077] After cruise control is disengaged, a target object within a specified distance threshold is detected when the brake pedal is pressed; and

[0078] The vehicle's cruise control is activated in response to the driver releasing the brake pedal.

[0079] 15. A method for adjusting vehicle cruise control settings, the method comprising:

[0080] When the vehicle's cruise control feature is activated, the vehicle control module automatically controls the vehicle's drive unit to use the vehicle's cruise control set speed as the target.

[0081] Detect at least one press input parameter associated with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal of the vehicle, wherein the at least one press input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal moves when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period.

[0082] Compare at least one press input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment standard; and

[0083] In response to the pressed input parameters meeting the specified cruise control adjustment criteria, the cruise control setting speed is adjusted.

[0084] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the cruise control setting speed includes modifying the power supplied by the drive unit to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the vehicle wheels.

[0085] 17. The method according to Scheme 15 further includes adjusting the cruise control setting speed when no input is received at the vehicle steering wheel, no input is received at the vehicle steering column rod, and no voice command input is received.

[0086] 18. The method of claim 15 further includes increasing the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one press input parameter at the accelerator pedal.

[0087] 19. The method according to Scheme 18 further includes:

[0088] Determine the vehicle's deceleration rate;

[0089] Compare the deceleration rate with a specified deceleration threshold; and

[0090] In response to a deceleration rate that is less than a specified deceleration threshold for a specified period of time, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the vehicle's current speed.

[0091] 20. The method according to Scheme 18 further includes:

[0092] Obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed;

[0093] Get the current vehicle speed; and

[0094] In response to the current vehicle speed being less than the current value of the cruise control setting speed, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the current vehicle speed plus a specified offset.

[0095] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0096] This disclosure will become more fully understood in light of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

[0097] Figure 1 This is a diagram of an example vehicle that includes an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal for adjusting the cruise control setting speed.

[0098] Figure 2 This is an example image of a main vehicle using cruise control to follow a target vehicle ahead.

[0099] Figure 3 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically setting cruise control speed based on the sensed distance from the target guided vehicle.

[0100] Figure 4 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of recognizing and automatically initiating cruise control features based on target-guided vehicle identification.

[0101] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example process of automatically initiating cruise control features based on sensed vehicle movement parameters.

[0102] Figure 6 It is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically increasing the cruise control set speed based on input to the accelerator pedal.

[0103] Figure 7 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically reducing the cruise control set speed based on input to the brake pedal.

[0104] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0105] Some of the example embodiments described herein allow the driver to control cruise control features without physically pressing buttons or switches on the steering wheel. Any suitable cruise control implementation can be used, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), where the primary vehicle maintains a speed or distance relative to a lead vehicle ahead, conventional cruise control, where the vehicle adjusts the power supplied by an electric motor to maintain a set speed value, and so on.

[0106] In some examples, the vehicle control module can easily control and adjust various cruise control features without requiring input at steering wheel buttons, steering column stalks, or voice commands. This can be called "virtual cruise control," where cruise control operations are set or adjusted based on accelerator pedal input parameters, brake pedal input parameters, sensed vehicle speed or acceleration history, sensed distance to the lead vehicle ahead of the main vehicle on the road, and so on.

[0107] For example, the vehicle control module can be configured to automatically initiate cruise control at the current vehicle speed when specified criteria are met, such as the vehicle's steering angle being within a specified curve threshold, the vehicle's current speed exceeding a minimum start speed threshold, or the vehicle's acceleration exceeding a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period. The vehicle control module can then automatically revert to the cruise control set speed from different current vehicle speeds based on the specified criteria further described below.

[0108] In some examples, accelerator pedal and / or brake pedal inputs can be used to change settings for cruise control characteristics. For example, when cruise control is activated at a set speed, the vehicle control module can automatically increase the set speed in response to an accelerator pedal tap event. An accelerator pedal tap event can include any suitable input parameter that meets specified event criteria, such as the driver pressing the accelerator pedal for less than a specified time period (e.g., less than 500 milliseconds, less than 1 second, etc.), the driver pressing the accelerator pedal a specified distance and releasing the pedal (e.g., less than 10% of full accelerator pedal activation, less than 50% of full accelerator pedal activation, etc.), or the driver pressing the accelerator pedal in a specified sequence (e.g., two press and release events within two seconds, three press and release events within five seconds, etc.).

[0109] As another example, when cruise control is activated at a set speed, the vehicle control module can automatically reduce the set speed in response to a brake pedal tap event. A brake pedal tap event can include any suitable input parameters that meet specified event criteria, such as the driver pressing the brake pedal for less than a specified time period (e.g., less than 500 milliseconds, less than 1 second, etc.), the driver pressing the brake pedal a specified distance and releasing the pedal (e.g., less than 10% of full brake pedal engagement, less than 50% of full brake pedal engagement, etc.), or the driver pressing the brake pedal in a specified sequence (e.g., two press-and-release events within two seconds, three press-and-release events within five seconds, etc.).

[0110] The vehicle control module can be configured to adjust the cruise control setting speed in response to an accelerator pedal override (APO) event. For example, the vehicle control module can adjust the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed in response to an accelerator pedal override event that lasts for a specified period of time (e.g., the driver holds down the accelerator pedal to maintain a vehicle speed higher than the current cruise control setting speed for at least five seconds, at least ten seconds, etc.).

[0111] Some features can be associated with adaptive cruise control modes that rely on front vehicle cameras, lasers, lidar, etc., that detect objects ahead of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle control module does not detect any guide vehicle within a specified distance of the primary vehicle (e.g., no guide vehicle within 100 feet of the primary vehicle), and the driver disengages cruise control by pressing the brake pedal, and the vehicle control module subsequently detects a guide vehicle ahead of the primary vehicle, the vehicle control module can automatically restore the set speed of cruise control (or re-enable cruise control) without requiring input from the driver.

[0112] Each feature described herein can be enabled independently by the driver or has calibration settings that can be adjusted by the driver. For example, if the driver always wants the brake pedal contact to fully disengage cruise control, the driver can enable the accelerator pedal tap acceleration event to increase the cruise control set speed, while disabling the brake pedal tap deceleration event. The driver may be able to modify the timing used to activate the accelerator pedal tap acceleration or brake pedal tap deceleration input, the acceleration and speed thresholds or time periods used to automatically restart cruise control, or modify the cruise control set speed, etc.

[0113] The example embodiments can provide drivers with one or more benefits, such as using predictable and repeatable control features, and providing conditional logic for modifying cruise control settings that is simple, lightweight, intuitive, and accessible. The example embodiments can facilitate intuitive, subconscious interaction with the cruise control system, reducing the driver's decision-making burden.

[0114] In some examples, the automatic control of cruise control features may not require any additional sensing, perception, mapping, or path planning technologies, and may reduce or eliminate the mental burden of hand-foot coordination in managing vehicle speed and the physical burden of pressing buttons.

[0115] The example implementations described herein can be used in any suitable road scenario, such as when a driver brakes for an object or activity in or near the vehicle in the lane (e.g., pedestrians, potholes, speed bumps, highway-railway intersections, buildings, emergency vehicles, school buses, or scenic views), when a driver brakes to cross an intersection (e.g., going straight, turning right, turning left, U-turn, Michigan left turn, or roundabout), when a driver brakes to cut in, cut out of an exhibiting actor, change lanes, merge, etc.

[0116] Other example road scenarios may include the driver not having adaptive cruise control in the vehicle, forgetting that adaptive cruise control will brake, or feeling that adaptive cruise control is not braking as they expect (e.g., due to curves in the road, objects entering or leaving the driving path, etc.), or a change in the speed limit or a change in the driver's desired speed. As described above, the example embodiments facilitate changing cruise control settings without the driver having to touch any steering wheel buttons.

[0117] Now for reference Figure 1 The vehicle 10 includes front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13. Figure 1 In this configuration, drive unit 14 selectively outputs torque to the front wheels 12 and / or the rear wheels 13 via transmissions 16 and 18, respectively. Vehicle 10 may include different types of drive units. For example, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle, such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle, a vehicle including an internal combustion engine (ICE), or other types of vehicles.

[0118] Some examples of drive unit 14 may include any suitable electric motor, power inverter, and motor controller, the motor controller being configured to control power switches within the power inverter to regulate motor speed and torque during propulsion and / or regeneration. During propulsion or regeneration, the battery system supplies power to or receives power from the motor of drive unit 14 via the power inverter.

[0119] Although Figure 1 The vehicle 10 includes a drive unit 14, but the vehicle 10 may have other configurations. For example, two separate drive units may drive the front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 13, one or more individual drive units may drive individual wheels, and so on. It will be appreciated that other vehicle configurations and / or drive units may be used.

[0120] The vehicle control module 20 can be configured to control the operation of one or more vehicle components (e.g., drive unit 14) (e.g., by commanding the torque setting of the electric motor of drive unit 14). The vehicle control module 20 can receive inputs for controlling the vehicle components, such as signals received from the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, vehicle camera, etc. The vehicle control module 20 can monitor vehicle telematics for safety purposes, such as vehicle speed, vehicle position, vehicle braking, and acceleration.

[0121] The vehicle control module 20 can receive signals from any suitable components for monitoring one or more aspects of the vehicle, including one or more vehicle sensors (e.g., cameras, microphones, pressure sensors, wheel position sensors, position sensors (e.g., GPS antennas), etc.). Some sensors can be configured to monitor the vehicle's current motion, vehicle acceleration, steering torque, etc.

[0122] like Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 10 includes a front vehicle camera 26 configured to capture images of the field of view in front of vehicle 10. The field of view can be a wide field of view (e.g., at least 30-degree, 45-degree, 60-degree, 90-degree, etc.) to capture objects on both sides of the road on which vehicle 10 is traveling. In various embodiments, vehicle 10 may include more or fewer front vehicle cameras, optional side or rear vehicle cameras, etc. Vehicle 10 may include any suitable laser, lidar sensor, etc., for detecting objects around vehicle 10.

[0123] In some example embodiments, the vehicle object detector may be configured to detect the nearest in-the-way vehicle (CIPV) (e.g., another vehicle ahead of vehicle 10's current driving path), vulnerable road users (VRUs) (e.g., pedestrians or cyclists), etc. The vehicle control module 20 may be configured to control the movement of vehicle 10 based on the detected CIP target vehicle, the driving behavior of the detected rear target vehicle, etc., for example by: increasing or decreasing the automatic acceleration of vehicle 10 (e.g., by controlling the power or torque output of the motor), automatically applying braking to vehicle 10 (e.g., in response to an impending collision braking event), implementing adaptive cruise control, or automatically adjusting cruise control settings based on the distance to the target vehicle, etc.

[0124] like Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 10 includes an accelerator pedal 28 and a brake pedal 30. The accelerator pedal 28 can be configured to increase the acceleration of vehicle 10, for example by increasing the power supplied from drive unit 14 to front wheels 12 and / or rear wheels 13, when the accelerator pedal 28 is pressed (e.g., by the driver's foot). The brake pedal 30 can be configured to decrease the speed of vehicle 10, for example by applying brake pads to front wheels 12 and / or rear wheels 13 to slow wheel rotation, when the brake pedal 30 is pressed (e.g., by the driver's foot).

[0125] The accelerator pedal 28 and brake pedal 30 can be used to adjust the settings of the cruise control system of the vehicle 10. For example, the vehicle control module 20 can be configured to implement cruise control features of the vehicle 10, such as maintaining or attempting to maintain a target speed (e.g., cruise control set speed), by controlling the amount of power supplied by the drive unit 14 to the front wheels 12 and / or the rear wheels 13. In some examples, the vehicle control module 20 can be configured to automatically adjust the cruise control settings based on inputs received from the accelerator pedal 28, brake pedal 30, and / or the front vehicle camera 26, without requiring input from steering wheel buttons, as further described herein.

[0126] The vehicle control module 20 can communicate with another device via a wireless communication interface, which may include one or more wireless antennas for transmitting and / or receiving wireless communication signals. For example, the wireless communication interface can communicate via any suitable wireless communication protocol, including but not limited to vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, Wi-Fi communication, wireless local area network (WAN) communication, cellular communication, personal area network (PAN) communication, short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth), etc. The wireless communication interface can communicate with remote computing devices via one or more wireless and / or wired networks. Regarding vehicle-to-vehicle (V2X) communication, vehicle 10 may include one or more V2X transceivers (e.g., V2X signal transmitting and / or receiving antennas).

[0127] Vehicle 10 also includes a user interface. The user interface may include any suitable display (such as on the dashboard, console, or elsewhere), a touchscreen or other input device, speakers for generating audio, etc.

[0128] Figure 2 This is an example diagram of a main vehicle 210 navigating on road 200 using cruise control features. (See diagram for example.) Figure 2 As shown, the main vehicle 210 can determine the distance 214 between the main vehicle 210 and the guide vehicle 212 in the same lane in front of the main vehicle 210.

[0129] The primary vehicle 210 may be configured to implement adaptive cruise control to maintain or attempt to maintain a set distance 214 between the primary vehicle and the guide vehicle 212, for example, by controlling the speed of the primary vehicle 210 to match the speed of the guide vehicle 212.

[0130] Figure 3 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically setting cruise control speed based on the sensed distance from the target guided vehicle. Figure 3 The process shown can be, for example, by Figure 1 The vehicle control module 20 executes this. At 304, the process begins by obtaining the distance between the main vehicle and the target vehicle in front of the main vehicle in the lane.

[0131] In 308, the vehicle control module is configured to determine whether the distance between the primary vehicles is greater than a specified distance threshold. The specified distance threshold can indicate a safe distance between the two vehicles to activate cruise control (e.g., at least 50 feet, at least 100 feet, etc.) and can vary depending on the current speed of the primary vehicles.

[0132] If the distance at 308 is not greater than the specified threshold, the control will not activate cruise control or will adjust the cruise control speed setting. If the distance at 308 is greater than the specified threshold, the control will proceed to 312 to determine if the vehicle's lateral and longitudinal accelerations are less than the specified thresholds.

[0133] For example, the vehicle control module can monitor the longitudinal and lateral acceleration of the main vehicle over a specified time period (e.g., one second, five seconds, twenty seconds, etc.) and check whether the acceleration value is below a threshold indicating that it is safe to activate cruise control. If the acceleration value is greater than the specified threshold at 312, the control either does not activate cruise control or adjusts the cruise control setting speed. If the acceleration value is less than the acceleration threshold at 312, the control proceeds to 316 to determine whether the main vehicle's speed is below a speed threshold.

[0134] For example, if the primary vehicle is traveling too slowly (e.g., less than 30 miles per hour, less than 15 mph, etc.), the control may not activate or set cruise control for safety reasons. If the primary vehicle is traveling above a specified speed threshold at 316, the control proceeds to 320 to determine if the driver has recently disengaged cruise control.

[0135] If the driver has recently disengaged cruise control (e.g., within the past three seconds, within the past ten seconds, etc.), the control may not reactivate cruise control to avoid disturbing the driver or overriding the driver's recent intentions. If the driver has not recently disengaged cruise control at 320, the control proceeds to 324 to determine if the cruise control feature has already been enabled for the vehicle.

[0136] If cruise control is not enabled at step 324, the process ends. If cruise control is enabled at step 324, the control determines whether the restoration request is valid. For example, if the driver has already entered a request to restore cruise control, the process can end and allow the request to be executed.

[0137] If the recovery request at 328 is not currently valid, control proceeds to 332 to determine if cruise control is currently activated. If not, at 344, the vehicle control module is configured to change the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed. Then, at 348, control activates cruise control. In this case, if the distance between the primary and secondary vehicles is greater than a threshold, the primary vehicle's acceleration and speed values ​​are within specified standard ranges (indicating that cruise control activation would be safe), and there is no preferred current cruise control setting, the vehicle control module can be configured to automatically activate and set the cruise control speed based on the vehicle's current speed. For example, this can occur automatically without requiring button press input from the driver.

[0138] If control determines at 332 that cruise control has been activated, control proceeds to 336 to determine if the current vehicle speed is higher than the cruise control set speed by a specified threshold (e.g., at least 3 mph higher than the cruise control set speed, at least 5 mph higher than the current control set speed, etc.). If not, control will not make any changes to the cruise control set speed.

[0139] If the current vehicle speed is higher than the cruise control set speed by a specified threshold at 336, the control proceeds to 340, changing the cruise control set speed to the vehicle's current speed. This speed may need to be maintained above the specified threshold for a defined period of time (e.g., at least three seconds, at least ten seconds, etc.) before the cruise control set speed is adjusted. In this example scenario, the driver can automatically change the cruise control set speed by driving at a specified amount above the currently set speed without requiring any input to steering wheel buttons, etc.

[0140] In some examples, the virtual automatic activation of cruise control settings or set speeds can be based on one or more conditions, such as the primary vehicle being far enough away from a detected vehicle ahead, the primary vehicle having lateral acceleration that is low enough for a sufficient duration, the primary vehicle having longitudinal acceleration that is low enough for a sufficient duration, the primary vehicle having a sufficiently high speed, confirmation that the driver has not recently disengaged cruise control by using the brake pedal or cancel switch, confirmation that the virtual recovery request is not currently valid, and confirmation that the cruise control feature is enabled but not activated.

[0141] Virtual automatic activation of cruise control can cause cruise control to transition from a deactivated state to an activated state, setting the cruise control set speed to the vehicle's current speed, etc. In some examples, the vehicle control module can be configured to adjust the cruise control set speed to the current vehicle speed in response to an extended accelerator pedal overlay event, such as when the driver presses the accelerator pedal for a specified period of time to make the vehicle's current speed higher than the cruise control set speed by a specified amount.

[0142] Figure 4 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of recognizing and automatically initiating cruise control features based on target-guided vehicle identification. Figure 4 The process shown can be, for example, by Figure 1 The vehicle control module 20 executes this. At 404, the process begins by obtaining the distance between the main vehicle and the target vehicle in front of the main vehicle in the lane.

[0143] In 408, the vehicle control module is configured to determine whether the distance between the master vehicles is greater than a specified distance threshold. The specified distance threshold can indicate a safe distance between the two vehicles to activate cruise control (e.g., at least 50 feet, at least 100 feet, etc.) and can vary depending on the current speed of the master vehicles.

[0144] If the distance at 408 is not greater than the specified threshold, the control will not activate cruise control or will adjust the cruise control speed setting. If the distance at 408 is greater than the specified threshold, the control will proceed to 412 to determine if the vehicle's lateral and longitudinal accelerations are less than the specified thresholds.

[0145] If the acceleration value at 412 is greater than the specified threshold, the control will either not activate cruise control or adjust the cruise control setting speed. If the acceleration value at 412 is less than the acceleration threshold, the control will proceed to 416 to determine if the host vehicle's speed is below the speed threshold. If the host vehicle is traveling above the specified speed threshold at 416, the control will proceed to 420 to determine if the driver has recently disengaged cruise control.

[0146] If the driver has not recently disengaged cruise control at 420, control proceeds to 424 to determine if the cruise control feature has been activated for the vehicle. If cruise control is not activated at 424, the process ends. If cruise control is activated at 424, control determines at 428 whether cruise control is currently active.

[0147] If cruise control is not activated at 428, control proceeds to 432 to determine if a specified sequence of events has occurred. For example, control might determine whether the driver pressed the brake pedal while the cruise control system did not detect any object ahead (e.g., because the driver sensed a potentially threatening object not recognized by the adaptive cruise control system and the front vehicle camera). If so, and control subsequently detects an object while the driver is still pressing the brake pedal (this could be referred to as late object recognition by the cruise control system), control then checks whether the driver released the brake or stopped the vehicle.

[0148] If the above sequence occurs at 436, the control can automatically activate cruise control at 440. In this case, when the cruise control system identifies the target object after the driver has manually pressed the brake pedal, the control can restart cruise control after the driver has released the brake pedal.

[0149] In some examples, virtual cruise control can be resumed after late object recognition based on one or more conditions, such as the primary vehicle being far enough away from the detected vehicle ahead, the primary vehicle having lateral acceleration that is low enough for a sufficient period of time, the primary vehicle having longitudinal acceleration that is low enough for a sufficient period of time, the primary vehicle having a high enough speed, confirmation that the driver has not recently disengaged cruise control by using the brake pedal or cancel switch, and confirmation that the cruise control feature is enabled but not activated.

[0150] The control module can determine whether a specified sequence of events has occurred, such as when the cruise control feature did not detect an object ahead, the driver recently disengaged cruise control by pressing the brake pedal, and then the cruise control feature detected an object ahead while the driver was still pressing the brake pedal, and the driver subsequently released the brake pedal or stopped. The vehicle control module can be configured to automatically activate cruise control without driver input and set the cruise control speed to the value before cruise control was disengaged by pressing the brake pedal.

[0151] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example process of automatically initiating cruise control features based on sensed vehicle movement parameters. Figure 5 The process shown can be, for example, by Figure 1The vehicle control module 20 executes this. At 504, the process begins by obtaining the history of the cruise control status, such as the most recent activation or deactivation of cruise control, the most recent enable or disable of cruise control, etc.

[0152] At 508, the control determines whether cruise control has switched from enabled to active since it was last disabled. If so, the control proceeds to 512 to determine whether the driver recently disengaged cruise control by pressing the brake pedal or using a cancel button (e.g., on the steering wheel).

[0153] If the driver recently disengaged cruise control at 512, control proceeds to 516 to determine if the cruise control feature is currently enabled but not activated. If so, control proceeds to 520 to determine if the driver's expected curvature and rate of change of curvature are less than a specified threshold (e.g., at least for a specified time period). For example, control may determine whether the vehicle's steering angle is sufficiently close to a straight line to safely activate cruise control.

[0154] If the driver's expected curvature and rate of change of curvature are within a threshold at 520, control proceeds to 524 to determine if the driver's expected longitudinal acceleration is greater than a threshold (e.g., at least for a specified time period). For example, control could determine if the driver is pressing the accelerator pedal to attempt to increase the vehicle's speed. If so, control proceeds to 528 to automatically activate cruise control without requiring further input from the driver.

[0155] If control determines at 520 that the vehicle's curvature is too high, or at 524 that the longitudinal acceleration is too low, control proceeds to 532 to determine if the difference between the filtered cruise control internal setting speed (e.g., the internal setting speed of an adaptive cruise control system) and the unfiltered cruise control internal setting speed is less than a threshold. If so, control proceeds to 536 to determine if the vehicle's current speed is higher than the internal setting speed threshold amount. If so, control proceeds to 528 to automatically activate cruise control.

[0156] In some examples, the vehicle control module may be configured to automatically implement virtual recovery to set the speed based on one or more conditions, such as: enabling virtual recovery to set the speed feature, the cruise control feature has changed from enabled to activated at least once since the driver or system last disabled cruise control, confirming that the driver has not recently disengaged cruise control by using the brake pedal or cancel switch, and confirming that the cruise control feature is enabled but not activated.

[0157] The vehicle control module can confirm that the driver has completed braking and / or steering maneuvers, or that the driver's speed exceeds the internally preset speed of the adaptive cruise control system. If so, the vehicle control module can automatically activate cruise control and set the speed to the value when cruise control was last deactivated.

[0158] The vehicle control module can be configured to determine, in any suitable manner, whether the driver has completed braking and / or steering maneuvers, such as determining whether the driver's expected longitudinal acceleration is sufficiently high for a sufficiently long time, whether the vehicle's curvature is sufficiently low for a sufficiently long time, and whether the vehicle's rate of change of curvature is sufficiently low for a sufficiently long time. The vehicle control module can also be configured to determine, in any suitable manner, whether the driver's speed exceeds the internally set speed of the adaptive cruise control, such as determining whether the ACC internally set speed is stable (e.g., the difference between the filtered and unfiltered ACC internally set speeds is sufficiently low for a sufficiently long time), and whether the vehicle speed is higher than the ACC internally set speed.

[0159] Figure 6 It is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically increasing the cruise control set speed based on input to the accelerator pedal. Figure 6 The process shown can be, for example, by Figure 1 The vehicle control module 20 executes this. At 604, the process begins by determining whether virtual tap acceleration is enabled (e.g., whether the driver or the system has enabled the ability to increase the cruise control set speed using the accelerator pedal).

[0160] If so, the control at 612 detects accelerator pedal input (e.g., whether the driver is pressing the accelerator pedal). At 616, the control determines whether the accelerator pedal input matches a tap-to-accelerate criterion. For example, and as further described above, the control may determine whether parameters associated with the accelerator input (e.g., duration of pressure, distance of pedal pressure, number of sequential pedal presses over a period of time, etc.) match a criterion defined for adjusting the cruise control setting speed.

[0161] If the accelerator pedal input at 616 meets the criteria, control proceeds to 620 to determine whether the Virtual Tap to Set feature is enabled. For example, the Virtual Tap to Set feature could indicate whether the driver is allowed to use the accelerator pedal to set a new cruise control speed (e.g., as opposed to simply increasing the set speed by a specified amount).

[0162] If the virtual tap to set feature is not enabled at 620, proceed to 628 to increase the cruise control set speed by a specified amount (e.g., 2 mph, 5 mph, etc.). If the virtual tap to set feature is enabled at 620, proceed to 624 to determine if the vehicle is decelerating at a rate greater than a threshold. If not, proceed to 628 to increase the cruise control set speed by the specified amount.

[0163] If at 624 the vehicle is decelerating at a rate greater than a threshold (e.g., the vehicle is slowing down significantly), control proceeds to 632 to change the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed. Control then proceeds to 636 to determine whether to enable a setting for virtually setting to a speed higher than the current speed (e.g., allowing the driver to specify a cruise control setting speed higher than the current speed).

[0164] If this feature is enabled at 636, the control proceeds to 640 to determine if the vehicle speed is lower than the current cruise control setting speed. If so, the control changes the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed plus an additional specified amount (e.g., an additional 2 mph, an additional 5 mph, etc.).

[0165] In some examples, the vehicle control module can be configured to implement a virtual tap-to-accelerate setting based on any suitable conditions, such as cruise control activation and the detection of a specific accelerator pedal input (e.g., a specific input pattern). In various implementations, if the vehicle is accelerating or slightly decelerating, the cruise control set speed increases by a predetermined amount in response to the tap-to-accelerator pedal input. If the vehicle is significantly decelerating, the cruise control set speed changes to the current speed in response to the tap-to-accelerator pedal input. If the vehicle is significantly decelerating and its speed is below the currently set speed, the cruise control set speed changes to the current speed plus a predetermined amount in response to the tap-to-accelerator pedal input.

[0166] Figure 7 This is a flowchart depicting an example process of automatically reducing the cruise control set speed based on input to the brake pedal. Figure 7 The process shown can be, for example, by Figure 1 The vehicle control module 20 executes this. At 704, the process begins by determining whether virtual tap deceleration is enabled (e.g., whether the driver or the system has enabled the ability to reduce the cruise control set speed using the brake pedal).

[0167] If so, the control at 712 detects brake pedal input (e.g., whether the driver presses the brake pedal). At 716, the control determines whether the brake pedal input matches a tap deceleration criterion. For example, and as further described above, the control may determine whether parameters associated with the brake input (e.g., press duration, pedal press distance, number of sequential pedal presses over a period of time, etc.) match a criterion defined for adjusting the cruise control setting speed.

[0168] If the brake pedal input at 716 meets the criteria, control proceeds to 720 to determine whether a virtual setting feature is enabled. For example, a virtual tap to set feature could indicate whether the driver is allowed to use the brake pedal to set a new cruise control speed (e.g., as opposed to simply reducing the set speed by a specified amount).

[0169] If the virtual tap to set feature is not enabled at 720, proceed to 728 to reduce the cruise control set speed by a specified amount (e.g., 2 mph, 5 mph, etc.). If the virtual tap to set feature is enabled at 720, proceed to 724 to determine if the vehicle is accelerating at a rate greater than a threshold. If not, proceed to 728 to reduce the cruise control set speed by a specified amount.

[0170] If at 724 the vehicle is accelerating at a rate greater than a threshold (e.g., the vehicle is accelerating significantly), control proceeds to 732 to change the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed. Control then proceeds to 736 to determine whether to enable a setting for virtually setting the speed below the current speed (e.g., allowing the driver to specify a cruise control setting speed below the current speed).

[0171] If this feature is enabled at 736, the control proceeds to 740 to determine if the vehicle speed is greater than the current cruise control setting speed. If so, the control changes the cruise control setting speed to the vehicle's current speed minus an additional specified amount (e.g., an additional 2 mph, an additional 5 mph, etc.).

[0172] In some examples, the vehicle control module can be configured to implement a virtual tap-to-decelerate setting based on any suitable conditions, such as cruise control activation and the detection of a specific brake pedal input (e.g., a specific input pattern). In various implementations, if the vehicle is decelerating or slightly accelerating, the cruise control set speed decreases by a predetermined amount in response to the brake pedal tap-to-decelerate input. If the vehicle is accelerating significantly, the cruise control set speed changes to the current speed in response to the brake pedal tap-to-decelerate input. If the vehicle is accelerating significantly and its speed is higher than the currently set speed, the cruise control set speed changes to the current speed minus a predetermined amount in response to the brake pedal tap-to-decelerate input.

[0173] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is by no means intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps in the method may be performed in a different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, while each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments for each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0174] Spatial and functional relationships between components (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “joined,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top,” “above,” “below,” and “set.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when describing the relationship between the first and second components in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening components exist between the first and second components, but it can also be an indirect relationship (spatially or functionally) between the first and second components. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning the use of a non-exclusive logical OR (A or B or C) and should not be interpreted as meaning “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0175] In a diagram, the direction of the arrow usually indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) that is of interest to the diagram. For example, when components A and B exchange various kinds of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, the arrow can point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not mean that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information sent from component A to component B, component B can send a request for or confirmation of receipt of that information to component A.

[0176] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to or include a portion of the following: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0177] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that connect to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module disclosed herein can be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules can allow for load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0178] The term "code" as used above can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "grouped processor circuit" covers a processor circuit that, in combination with additional processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits cover multiple processor circuits on a discrete die, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" covers a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "grouped memory circuit" covers a memory circuit that, in combination with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0179] The term memory circuitry is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. As used herein, the term computer-readable medium does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (e.g., on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuitry (e.g., flash memory circuitry, erasable programmable read-only memory circuitry, or mask read-only memory circuitry), volatile memory circuitry (e.g., static random access memory circuitry or dynamic random access memory circuitry), magnetic storage media (e.g., analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (e.g., CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0180] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs through the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

[0181] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) for interacting with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers for interacting with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0182] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code executed by an interpreter; (v) source code compiled and executed by a real-time compiler, etc. As an example only, source code may come from languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, etc. Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, Fifth Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and It is written using the syntax of the language.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system for adjusting cruise control settings, the vehicle control system comprising: The drive unit is configured to supply power to rotate the wheels of the vehicle; The accelerator pedal is configured to increase the vehicle's acceleration via the drive unit in response to the accelerator pedal being pressed by the vehicle's driver. The brake pedal is configured to slow the rotation of the vehicle's wheels in response to the brake pedal being pressed by the vehicle's driver. as well as The vehicle control module is configured as follows: When the vehicle's cruise control feature is activated, the automatic control drive unit uses the vehicle's cruise control set speed as the target. Detect at least one pressing input parameter associated with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, wherein the at least one pressing input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal moves when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period. Compare at least one press input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment standard; as well as In response to the pressed input parameters meeting the specified cruise control adjustment criteria, the cruise control setting speed is adjusted.

2. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein adjusting the cruise control setting speed includes modifying the power supplied by the drive unit to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the vehicle wheels.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to adjust the cruise control set speed without receiving input from the vehicle steering wheel, without receiving input from the vehicle steering column lever, and without receiving voice command input.

4. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to increase the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the accelerator pedal.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows: Determine the vehicle's deceleration rate; Compare the deceleration rate with a specified deceleration threshold; and In response to a deceleration rate that is less than a specified deceleration threshold for a specified period of time, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the vehicle's current speed.

6. The vehicle control system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows: Obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed; Get the current vehicle speed; and In response to the current vehicle speed being less than the current value of the cruise control setting speed, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the current vehicle speed plus a specified offset.

7. The vehicle control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control module is configured to reduce the cruise control set speed in response to detecting at least one pressed input parameter at the brake pedal.

8. The vehicle control system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows: Determine the vehicle's acceleration rate; Compare the acceleration rate with a specified acceleration threshold; and In response to an acceleration rate exceeding a specified acceleration threshold for a specified time period, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the vehicle's current speed.

9. The vehicle control system according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle control module is configured as follows: Obtain the current value of the cruise control set speed; Get the current vehicle speed; and In response to the current vehicle speed being greater than the current value of the cruise control setting speed, the cruise control setting speed is changed to the current vehicle speed value minus a specified offset.

10. A method for adjusting vehicle cruise control settings, the method comprising: When the vehicle's cruise control feature is activated, the vehicle control module automatically controls the vehicle's drive unit to use the vehicle's cruise control set speed as the target. Detect at least one press input parameter associated with the accelerator pedal or brake pedal of the vehicle, wherein the at least one press input parameter includes at least one of the following: the length of the pressed accelerator pedal or brake pedal, the distance the accelerator pedal or brake pedal moves when pressed, or the number of times the accelerator pedal or brake pedal is pressed within a specified time period. Compare at least one press input parameter with a specified cruise control adjustment standard; as well as In response to the pressed input parameters meeting the specified cruise control adjustment criteria, the cruise control setting speed is adjusted.

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