Vehicle Inter-Vehicle Distance Control Using Leading Vehicle Prediction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems, such as smart cruise control, face challenges in predicting and responding to sudden stops of preceding vehicles, particularly when leading vehicle information is not accurately considered, leading to reduced reliability in inter-vehicle distance control and braking or steering avoidance.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle system that includes a capturer for obtaining height information of preceding vehicles, sensors for position and speed information, and a controller to determine distances and acceleration, enabling controlled braking or steering based on collision prediction distances and obstacle detection, thereby enhancing inter-vehicle distance management and collision avoidance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If smart cruise control system uses only preceding vehicle information, then the system complexity is reduced, but the reliability of collision prediction and response is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision prediction reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the monitoring task by dividing the field of view into multiple regions (first region for leading vehicle, second region for preceding vehicle, third region for following vehicle). This allows independent detection and analysis of each vehicle's behavior, improving collision prediction reliability while managing system complexity through modular region-based processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the leading vehicle's behavior (acceleration, lane changes) before the preceding vehicle actually stops. By detecting patterns in the leading vehicle's motion and predicting potential sudden stops in advance, the system prepares the braking control mechanism proactively, improving response reliability without requiring complex real-time reaction systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the system analyzes leading vehicle behavior to predict sudden stops, then the collision avoidance capability is improved, but the measurement and detection difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinter-vehicle distance control reliabilityVSAvoidleading vehicle information reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the preceding vehicle as an intermediary to indirectly monitor the leading vehicle's behavior. By tracking the preceding vehicle's responses (braking, acceleration) that result from leading vehicle actions, the system infers leading vehicle states without requiring direct detection, thus improving distance control reliability while reducing detection difficulty.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces direct mechanical/optical detection of the leading vehicle with sensor-based detection of the preceding vehicle's responses. Instead of directly measuring the leading vehicle's position and behavior, the system uses sensors to detect the preceding vehicle's braking and acceleration patterns, which serve as indirect indicators of leading vehicle actions, reducing measurement complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the system performs braking control based on leading vehicle information, then the collision avoidance effectiveness is improved, but the control system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebraking control reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The braking control system dynamically adjusts its response based on real-time analysis of leading vehicle behavior patterns. The controller modifies braking force and timing according to the detected acceleration patterns and predicted collision risk, enabling adaptive control that improves reliability while managing complexity through dynamic rather than static control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11142193B2Vehicle and method for performing inter-vehicle distance control

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle includes: a capturer configured to obtain height information of a preceding vehicle; a sensor configured to obtain at least one of position information or speed information of the preceding vehicle and a leading vehicle; and a controller configured to determine a first distance between the preceding vehicle and a subject vehicle, to determine a second distance between the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle, to determine an acceleration of the preceding vehicle based on a relative speed and a relative distance of the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle, and to control at least one of braking or steering of the subject vehicle when the second distance is less than or equal to a collision prediction distance between the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle and the acceleration of the preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined value.