Adaptive Cruise Control Using a Stable Standard Vehicle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) systems in vehicles adapt to unstable preceding vehicles, leading to undesirable unstable movement patterns in the prime vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that receives measurement data from multiple preceding vehicles, determines their performance consistency, and adapts the prime vehicle's operation based on a selected 'standard' vehicle with higher consistency, while maintaining a minimum distance and discontinuing adaptation if stability is compromised.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the ACC system adapts to the immediately preceding vehicle's movement pattern, then the prime vehicle can maintain a safe following distance, but the prime vehicle may inherit unstable movement patterns from the preceding vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of movement patternVSAvoidadaptation to preceding vehicle
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of the preceding vehicle's movement stability before adapting. The processor evaluates whether the preceding vehicle exhibits stable movement patterns over a predetermined time period, and only then does the prime vehicle adapt its operation to match the preceding vehicle's speed and acceleration patterns. This preliminary stability check prevents inheritance of unstable movement patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If the system adapts to multiple preceding vehicles, then more data is available for decision-making, but the complexity of selecting a standard vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement data collectionVSAvoidvehicle selection process
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different evaluation criteria to different preceding vehicles based on their individual characteristics. Each preceding vehicle is assessed for movement stability, and the vehicle exhibiting the most stable pattern is selected as the standard for adaptation. This localized quality assessment simplifies the selection process by focusing on a key differentiator (stability) rather than comparing all possible attributes of multiple vehicles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the prime vehicle maintains a minimum distance to the preceding vehicle, then safety is improved, but the adaptability of the ACC system is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidoperation adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the minimum distance maintenance requirement based on the stability characteristics of the selected standard vehicle. When the standard vehicle exhibits stable movement patterns, the prime vehicle can adapt more closely to its speed and acceleration patterns while maintaining an appropriate safety distance. The adaptation level is modulated according to the observed stability, allowing flexible operation that balances safety and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4368466A1Adapting operation to preceding vehicles
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4368466A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4368466A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4368466A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In an aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method comprises receiving (101), by a processor device (11) of a computer system (14), from at least one data acquisition device (15, 16) of a prime vehicle (10), measurement data (21) of each of at least two preceding vehicles (20, 30) preceding the prime vehicle (10), determining (104), by the processor device (11), a performance consistency (22) of each of the at least two preceding vehicles (20, 30) based on the measurement data (21), selecting (107), by the processor device (11), a standard vehicle (30) of the at least two preceding vehicles (20, 30) based on the performance consistency (22) of each of the at least two preceding vehicles and adapting (108), by the processor device (11), operation of the prime vehicle (10) based on the standard vehicle (30).