Vehicle Longitudinal Speed Control for Multi-Target Traffic

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated speed management systems in vehicles often cause sudden accelerations or decelerations, leading to discomfort and a lack of security, particularly when target vehicles change lanes or enter the ego vehicle's lane, due to their unreliability in managing longitudinal speed.

Innovation Solution

A method for automated longitudinal speed management that detects multiple target vehicles, calculates reference speeds, and sets a speed point for the ego vehicle as the minimum among detected speeds, incorporating risk evaluation and trajectory planning to maintain safe distances and smooth speed regulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If automated speed management systems operate on the basis of distance regulation between the ego vehicle and the target vehicle, then the speed control can be automated, but sudden accelerations or decelerations occur causing discomfort and lack of safety

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomated speed managementVSAvoidspeed regulation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates a reference speed for each detected target vehicle before selecting the final speed setpoint. By pre-calculating reference speeds based on multiple targets and their respective distances, the system prepares multiple speed options in advance, allowing smooth transitions without sudden accelerations or decelerations when target vehicles change lanes or enter the ego vehicle's lane.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the vehicle speed is chosen to be that of the slowest target vehicle, then the safety distance is maintained, but late speed corrections cause sudden accelerations or decelerations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety distance maintenanceVSAvoidpassenger comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects the speed setpoint from multiple reference speeds based on real-time target detection. Instead of rigidly following the slowest target vehicle, the system evaluates multiple targets and selects the appropriate reference speed, enabling smooth and adaptive speed corrections that maintain safety while ensuring passenger comfort through gradual speed changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If multiple target vehicles are detected and reference speeds are calculated, then the speed regulation becomes more reliable, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed regulation reliabilityVSAvoiddetection and calculation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the speed control task by calculating a separate reference speed for each detected target vehicle. Each reference speed is independently calculated based on the distance to that specific target, and then the final speed setpoint is determined by comparing these segmented reference speeds. This segmentation approach maintains reliability through multiple references while managing complexity through modular calculation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3882096B1Method for automated management of the longitudinal speed of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.01.31 RENAULT SA
  • EP3882096B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3882096B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3882096B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Automated method for managing the longitudinal speed of an ego vehicle (10), characterized in that it comprises: - a first step (E1) of detecting at least two target vehicles (401, 402, 411, 421) in traffic surrounding the ego vehicle, - a second step (E2) of calculating at least two reference longitudinal speeds, a first reference longitudinal speed being calculated as a function of a first target vehicle (401, 402, 411, 421), a second reference longitudinal speed being calculated as a function of a second target vehicle (401, 402, 411, 421), - a third step (E3) of calculating a longitudinal speed setpoint for the ego vehicle, the longitudinal speed setpoint being equal to the minimum between the at least two reference longitudinal speeds.