Improving the driving comfort of an adaptive and predictive cruise control system for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control (2) of a motor vehicle (1) to improve the comfort of the vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer device (100) implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Improving the driving comfort of an adaptive and predictive cruise control system for a motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle cruise controls. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of the vehicle. The invention also relates to a device implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a device. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] Some modern motor vehicles are equipped with an adaptive and predictive cruise control, commonly identified by the acronym PACC from the English term "Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control". In addition to managing the speed according to the distance with a preceding vehicle, such a regulator can manage the speed of the vehicle by taking into account the topology and attributes of the road (e.g. roundabout, intersection, bend, speed limit sign, etc.), which are determined using a map, generally that which is used by the vehicle's navigation system, or by means of on-board detection devices (e.g. camera). Thus, when the vehicle approaches a place where a particular topology or a particular attribute of the road is located, the cruise control uses acceleration laws to plan set speeds that the vehicle must reach at different times near the place in question.However, it turns out that this way of proceeding generates significant variations in acceleration, in other words jolts, which are a source of discomfort for vehicle occupants and which reduce the longevity of vehicle components. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to solve this problem. In particular, it aims to provide a solution that allows an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle to produce more comfortable driving. In this way, the invention aims to contribute to improving the attractiveness of adaptive and predictive cruise control for drivers and thus promote driving safety.

[0004] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method of managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of the vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: i. obtain data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times planned by the cruise control; ii. determining, based on the data obtained during step i), data characterizing a value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control; and iii. cause the cruise control to apply a set speed established according to the value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control.

[0005] According to a variant, step ii) may comprise the steps of: • determine, as a function of the current instant, a first instant prior to the current instant for which a first vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control and a second instant subsequent to the current instant for which a second vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control; • determine a value of the proportion of the duration between the first instant and the second instant which has elapsed at the current instant; and • determine the data characterizing a value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control as a function of the value of the proportion of the duration between the first time and the second time which has elapsed at the current time.

[0006] According to another variant, step iii) may comprise the steps of: • obtain a value of the actual speed of the vehicle at the current time; • determine data characterizing an acceleration value planned by the speed regulator between the first instant and the second instant; and • determine the set speed based on the value of the actual speed of the vehicle at the current time, a pre-established delay value of the vehicle actuators, the first vehicle speed value planned by the cruise control, the acceleration value planned by the cruise control between the first time and the second time and the value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control.

[0007] According to yet another variant, the data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times are planned by the cruise control according to a particular topology or a particular attribute of a road on which the vehicle is traveling. the vehicle.

[0008] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle, the device comprising an information processing unit, with one or more processors, and a data storage medium, which are configured to implement a method as described above.

[0009] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method as described above when said program is executed by at least one processor.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable medium, on which a program as described above is recorded.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle which has a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0012] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended figures, in which:

[0013] [Fig-1] is a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0014] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention;

[0015] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of the steps of a method according to the invention;

[0016] [Fig.4] illustrates the implementation of at least one step of the method according to the invention; And

[0017] [Fig.5] illustrates the implementation of at least one step of the method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0018] [Fig.l] shows a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This comprises an adaptive and predictive cruise control 2, which conventionally cooperates with a navigation system 3 of the vehicle 1, the latter interacting in an ordinary manner with a satellite positioning system (e.g. GPS) to determine the location of the vehicle 1 and calculate routes for journeys based on integrated mapping.

[0019] The vehicle 1 according to the invention also carries a device 100 for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as described below, which implements a method for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as briefly summarized below and described in detail below.

[0020] When implementing the method, the device 100 according to the invention obtains in firstly, vehicle speed values ​​at several instants which are conventionally planned by the cruise control 2 according to a particular topology or a particular attribute of the road. As a function of these planned speed values, the device 100 according to the invention advantageously establishes at each instant the value of an urgency coefficient to converge towards one of the planned speed values. To do this, it takes into account the proportion of the duration between a first instant prior to the current instant for which a speed value is planned by the cruise control 2 and a second instant subsequent to the current instant for which a second speed value is planned by the cruise control 2 which has elapsed at the current instant.In particular, at a given instant, the device 100 according to the invention determines the emergency coefficient as a function of the duration between the last instant prior to the current instant for which a vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control 2 and the next instant subsequent to the current instant for which a vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control 2. And it is as a function of this emergency coefficient to converge towards a speed value planned by the cruise control that the device 100 according to the invention finally establishes a set speed which is applied by the cruise control 2 to manage the operation of the vehicle actuators.As will be seen in detail below, it is in this way that the device 100 according to the invention allows the cruise control of the vehicle 1 according to the invention to minimize sudden variations in acceleration which are a source of discomfort and which are detrimental to the longevity of the vehicle components.

[0021] In [Fig. 2] is illustrated in more detail the device 100 for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle according to the invention. It is essentially a computer device, which comprises at least one information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is recorded in particular a program which comprises program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 allowing the reception and transmission of data.

[0022] Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is integrated into an independent computer and it interacts via its input and output interface 103 and by means of a wired communication network of the vehicle (e.g. CAN, Ethernet, MOST) - shown in [Fig.l] by the arrows - with the cruise control 2. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is partially or fully part of the cruise control 2. As a result, it can, in particular, obtain data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times planned by the cruise control 2 and it can cause the cruise control to apply a speed of instruction that he determined.

[0023] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control of a motor vehicle, as described below in connection with [Fig.3],

[0024] [Fig. 3] illustrates by means of a flowchart the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0025] According to a first step 201, the device 100 according to the invention obtains data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times planned by the cruise control 2.

[0026] Indeed, as mentioned above, the cruise control 2 conventionally establishes, as a function of a particular topology or a particular attribute of the road, speed values ​​that the vehicle 1 must reach at different times. Thus, the device 100 according to the invention obtains, during this first step of the method, speed values ​​(Vi, V2, ..., V„) that the vehicle 1 must reach at different times. If these data are presented in graphical form, in particular in relation to a current time t(i), the device 100 according to the invention therefore obtains a first speed value V^ planned by the cruise control 2 at a first time prior to the current time t(l) and a second speed value Vt(2) planned by the cruise control 2 at a second time subsequent to the current time, as indicated by the graph illustrated in [Fig.4].According to this illustrated example, we therefore see that a deceleration of the vehicle is planned so that it goes from the first speed value V^ at the first instant t(l) to the second speed value Vt(2) at the second instant t(2).

[0027] Then, according to a second step 202, the device 100 according to the invention determines, as a function of the data obtained during the previous step of the method, data characterizing a value of an urgency coefficient to converge at the current instant towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control. In other words, the device 100 according to the invention seeks at this stage to determine at each instant whether the vehicle must more or less quickly reach a speed value which has been previously planned by the cruise control 2.

[0028] To do this, the device 100 according to the invention preferably proceeds in the following manner, also explained with reference to [Fig. 4]. First of all, the device 100 according to the invention determines, as a function of the current instant t(i), a first instant prior to the current instant t(l) for which a first vehicle speed value V^ is planned by the cruise control 2 and a second instant subsequent to the current instant t(2) for which a second vehicle speed value V^ is planned by the cruise control 2.

[0029] Then, the device 100 according to the invention proceeds by determining a value of the proportion p of the duration d between the first instant t(l) and the second instant t(2) which has elapsed at the current instant t(i). The inventive idea underlying this way of proceeding is that it is possible to impose a catch-up of the speed of the vehicle as a function of a target speed in a more or less permissive manner, and therefore by producing a more or less significant acceleration, depending on whether the time remaining before the vehicle is forced to reach the speed planned by the cruise control 2 is more or less long. From a mathematical point of view, the device 100 according to the invention solves for example at this stage the equation below.

[0030] p(i) = l-(dt(i)) / d

[0031] And it is then as a function of the value of the proportion of the duration between the first instant and the second instant which has elapsed at the current instant previously determined that the device 100 determines the data characterizing a value of an urgency coefficient to converge at the current instant towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control 2. Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention calculates the value of the urgency coefficient at the current instant k(i) by solving the equation below.

[0032] k( i) = rnin[kmaM ^min ~^~(^max " ^min) *p(i)]

[0033] where kmin is a first pre-established value between 0 and 1 and kmax is a second pre-established value greater than 1. This way of calculating the value of the emergency coefficient k(i) is illustrated by the graph shown in [Fig.5].

[0034] Then, according to a third step 203 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention causes the application by the speed regulator 2 of a set speed established as a function of the value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the speed regulator 2, which were determined during the previous step of the method.

[0035] To do this, the device 100 according to the invention preferably proceeds by first obtaining the actual speed of the vehicle at the current time, for example by interacting with the speed regulator 2.

[0036] It then determines data characterizing an acceleration value planned by the cruise control between the first instant t(l) and the second instant t(2). And as can be understood from reading [Fig.4], this planned acceleration value Aplan between the first and second instants is calculated by determining the slope of the segment formed between the vehicle speed values ​​at the first instant Vt(i) and the second instant V^. Indeed, we know that the acceleration corresponds to the derivative of the speed, and therefore to the slope of the segment.

[0037] Finally, the device 100 according to the invention determines the set speed Vc(i) that the cruise control 2 must apply at the current time as a function of the value of the actual speed of the vehicle Vr, a delay value ta of the actuators of the vehicle to provide an action as a function of a set speed applied by the cruise control 2 which is pre-established, the first value Vt(1) of the speed of the vehicle planned by the cruise control 2, the value Aplan of acceleration planned by the cruise control 2 between the first time t(l) and the second time t(2) and the value k(i) of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the speed values ​​of the vehicle planned by the cruise control 2. Thus, from the mathematical point of view, the device 100 according to the invention solves for example the equation below.

[0038] Vc(i) = k(i)*[ Vt(1) + Aplan*(t(i)+ta)]+Vr*(lk(i))

[0039] As understood by examining the preceding equation, the value of the set speed thus determined is a function of a first term linked to the actual speed of the vehicle at the current instant and a second term linked to the planned speed to be reached, the urgency coefficient weighting one of the two terms more or less as the second instant is approached. Indeed, the urgency coefficient advantageously depends on the proximity of the current instant t(i) and the second instant t(2), in other words the time remaining before the vehicle is forced to reach the second speed value.This is how we can significantly reduce the sudden acceleration variations generated by a conventional adaptive and predictive cruise control system which takes no account of this type of emergency parameter and which, as a result, will always try to reach a planned set speed for the next moment as quickly as possible, generating significant acceleration variations which cause discomfort and reduce the longevity of vehicle components.

[0040] Therefore, thanks to the method and the device according to the invention described above, an adaptive and predictive regulator of a motor vehicle is enabled to produce a more comfortable driving experience which promotes the longevity of the vehicle components. This improves the attractiveness of adaptive and predictive cruise controls for drivers, thereby promoting driving safety.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control (2) of the vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. obtain data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times planned by the cruise control; ii. determining, based on the data obtained during step i), data characterizing a value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control by determining, based on the current time, a first time prior to the current time for which a first vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control (2) and a second time subsequent to the current time for which a second vehicle speed value is planned by the cruise control (2),by determining a value of the proportion of the duration between the first instant and the second instant which has elapsed at the current instant and by determining the data characterizing a value of an urgency coefficient to converge at the current instant towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control as a function of the value of the proportion of the duration between the first instant and the second instant which has elapsed at the current instant; and, iii. cause the cruise control to apply a set speed established according to the value of an emergency coefficient to converge at the current time towards one of the vehicle speed values ​​planned by the cruise control.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that step iii) comprises the steps of: • obtain a value of the actual speed of the vehicle at the current time; • determining data characterizing an acceleration value planned by the cruise control (2) between the first instant and the second instant; and • determining the set speed as a function of the value of the actual speed of the vehicle at the current instant, of a pre-established delay value of the vehicle actuators, of the first speed value of the vehicle planned by the cruise control, of the acceleration value planned by the cruise control between the first instant and the second instant and of the value of an urgency coefficient to converge at the current instant towards one of the speed values ​​of the vehicle planned by the cruise control.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data characterizing vehicle speed values ​​at several times are planned by the cruise control (2) as a function of a particular topology or a particular attribute of a road on which the vehicle (1) is traveling.

4. Device (100) for managing the operation of an adaptive and predictive cruise control (2) of a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said device comprises an information processing unit (101), with one or more processors, and a data storage medium (102), which are configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

5. A computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 when said program is executed by at least one processor.

6. Computer-readable medium, characterized in that a program according to claim 5 is recorded therein.

7. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said vehicle carries a device (100) according to claim 4.

Images