Vehicle Set Speed Control with Driver-Intent Change Suppression

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle speed regulation systems fail to effectively manage set speed changes when the driver has recently adjusted the speed or when the difference between the current and new speed is within a predefined threshold, leading to unnecessary speed change proposals or automatic adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that check if the driver has changed the current set speed during a time interval and compare the difference between the current and new speed to a margin; if both conditions are met, the system does not allow a set speed change, ensuring that the change is only initiated if the driver has not recently adjusted the speed and the difference exceeds the threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system automatically changes set speed when a new speed limit is detected, then the vehicle complies with speed limits, but unnecessary speed changes occur when the driver has recently adjusted the speed or when the speed difference is within a threshold

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed limit complianceVSAvoidunnecessary speed changes
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary checks before executing speed changes: it verifies the time interval since the last driver intervention and compares the speed difference against a threshold. These preliminary actions prevent unnecessary speed changes while ensuring compliance when truly needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors driver actions and feeds this information back to the speed regulation logic. When driver intervention is detected within the time interval, the system adapts its behavior by suppressing automatic speed changes, creating a feedback loop that respects driver intent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system monitors driver actions and time intervals to prevent unnecessary changes, then false speed change proposals are reduced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefalse proposal reductionVSAvoidcontrol logic complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control logic is segmented into distinct functional blocks: a time interval monitoring module that tracks driver actions, a speed difference calculation module that compares current and target speeds, and a decision module that integrates both inputs. This segmentation makes the complex logic more manageable and implementable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses parameter-based decision making by comparing the time interval (a temporal parameter) and speed difference (a velocity parameter) against predefined thresholds. This parameter-based approach simplifies the control logic compared to more complex behavioral models.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4522472B1Method and device for controlling the speed of a vehicle using a setpoint speed change.
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
  • EP4522472B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4522472B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4522472B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling the speed of a vehicle, comprising a change in the setpoint speed from a current setpoint speed to a new setpoint speed that is different from the current setpoint speed, and the triggering (94) of the deceleration or acceleration of the vehicle from the current setpoint speed to the new setpoint speed. A verification (92) is performed, over a time interval, to verify if the current setpoint speed has been modified by the driver of the vehicle and if the difference between the current setpoint speed and the new setpoint speed is smaller than a speed margin; and, if the current setpoint speed has been modified during the time interval and if the difference is smaller than the speed margin, the change in the setpoint speed is not authorised (93).