Method for operating a longitudinally guiding driver assistance system of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029684-B2
Application number	US-201515543963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2015
Priority date	Jan 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

Method for operating a longitudinal driver assistance system (13) of a motor vehicle (12) which is designed to regulate the speed of the motor vehicle (12) to a control speed, wherein—depending on environment data describing the operating environment in which the motor vehicle (12) is currently operated—the control speed can be changed from a desired speed (3) provided by a driver to a target speed (5) (which is provided for an upcoming operating environment (2) and/or can be determined from the environment data), wherein, when there is a change of the desired speed (3) to a new target speed (5) for an upcoming operating environment (2), for a predetermined time period and/or a predetermined distance in the upcoming operating environment (2), an intermediate speed (6) deviating from the target speed (5) in the direction of the current speed of the motor vehicle (12) is initially regulated to, which intermediate speed (6) is between the current speed of the motor vehicle (12) and the target speed (5), before the target speed (5) is regulated to after the time period expires or before the distance is traversed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
operating a longitudinal driver assistance system of a motor vehicle configured to regulate a speed of the motor vehicle to a control speed,
wherein, depending on environment data describing an operating environment in which the motor vehicle is currently operated, the control speed is changed from a desired speed provided by a driver to a target speed, and
wherein the target speed is provided for an upcoming operating environment or is determined from the environment data,
initially regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to an intermediate speed for a predetermined time period or a predetermined distance in the upcoming operating environment in response to a change of the control speed to the target speed for the upcoming operating environment,
wherein the intermediate speed deviates from the target speed in a direction of a current speed of the motor vehicle and the intermediate speed is between the current speed of the motor vehicle and the target speed; and
regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the target speed after the predetermined time period expires or before the predetermined distance is traversed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting the target speed plus an offset speed as the control speed in response to a selection of the offset speed in the operating environment, wherein the offset speed for the operating environment is adjustable by a driver.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate speed is determined based on a tolerance interval around the target speed as a corresponding limit of the target speed or the intermediate speed is adjustable by a driver in form of the tolerance interval.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate speed is selected based on additional environment data, the target speed, the current speed, or other operating data of the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed comprises:
regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed from the current speed of the motor vehicle at a beginning of the regulation to the intermediate speed, or
regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to a speed interval that is formed between the intermediate speed and the target speed.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed comprises:
regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed after selection of a corresponding control option by a driver.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed comprises:
regulating the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed in response to the motor vehicle reaching a boundary of the upcoming operating environment.

8. A motor vehicle comprising:
a longitudinal driver assistance system comprising a control unit, the control unit configured to:
operate the longitudinal driver assistance system to regulate a speed of the motor vehicle to a control speed,
wherein, depending on environment data describing an operating environment in which the motor vehicle is currently operated, the control speed is changed from a desired speed provided by a driver to a target speed, and
wherein the target speed is provided for an upcoming operating environment or is determined from the environment data,
initially regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to an intermediate speed for a predetermined time period or a predetermined distance in the upcoming operating environment in response to a change of the control speed to the target speed for the upcoming operating environment,
wherein the intermediate speed deviates from the target speed in a direction of a current speed of the motor vehicle and the intermediate speed is between the current speed of the motor vehicle and the target speed; and
regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the target speed after the predetermined time period expires or before the predetermined distance is traversed.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
select the target speed plus an offset speed as the control speed in response to a selection of the offset speed in the operating environment, wherein the offset speed for the operating environment is adjustable by a driver.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the intermediate speed is determined based on a tolerance interval around the target speed as a corresponding limit of the target speed or the intermediate speed is adjustable by a driver in form of the tolerance interval.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the intermediate speed is selected based on additional environment data, the target speed, the current speed, or other operating data of the motor vehicle.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein, to regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed, the control unit is further configured to:
regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed from the current speed of the motor vehicle at a beginning of the regulation to the intermediate speed, or
regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to a speed interval that is formed between the intermediate speed and the target speed.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein, to regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed, the control unit is further configured to:
regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed after selection of a corresponding control option by a driver.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein, to regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed, the control unit is further configured to:
regulate the control speed of the motor vehicle to the intermediate speed in response to the motor vehicle reaching a boundary of the upcoming operating environment.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Schuberth Stefan
• Held Ralf
• Brücklmaier Florian

Classifications

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• B60W2552/20

  Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments · CPC title

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• B60W2555/60

  Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way · CPC title

• B60W30/143 Primary

  Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence) · CPC title