Arrangement and method for adapting a cruise control system in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9233690-B2
Application number	US-201114349340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2011
Priority date	Oct 5, 2011
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

A cruise control arrangement for a vehicle includes a cruise control speed function, a cruise control brake function and at least one selectable economy level, having a set maximum speed value corresponding to a maximum allowed vehicle speed, a set brake speed value corresponding to a brake cruise speed and a set cruise speed value corresponding to a cruise speed, where a temporary brake speed value replaces the set brake speed value as the actually used brake speed value, and where the temporary brake speed value is dependent on the selected economy level. The behavior of the cruise control of a vehicle can be adapted to take account of economy, which makes it possible to optimize the fuel consumption of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cruise control arrangement for a vehicle, the cruise control arrangement comprising
a cruise control speed function;
a cruise control brake function; and
at least one selectable economy level;
where the cruise control arrangement has
a set maximum speed value corresponding to a maximum allowed vehicle speed,
a set brake speed value corresponding to a brake cruise speed, and
a set cruise speed valise corresponding to a cruise speed,
wherein a temporary brake speed value replaces the set brake speed value as the actually used brake speed value when an economy level is selected,
where the temporary brake speed value is dependent on the selected economy level.

2. The cruise control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a temporary cruise speed value replaces the set cruise speed value as the actually used cruise speed value when an economy level is selected, where the temporary cruise speed value is dependent on the selected economy level.

3. The cruise control arrangement according, to claim 1 , wherein the set maximum speed value is higher than the set brake speed value and the set brake speed value is higher than the set cruise speed value.

4. The cruise control arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of economy levels.

5. The cruise control arrangement according to claim wherein each economy level corresponds to a offset speed value.

6. The cruise control arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the offset speed value for a selected economy level is added to the set brake speed value in order to obtain the temporary brake speed value.

7. The cruise control arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the temporary brake speed value is set equal to the set maximum speed value when the sum of the offset speed value and the set brake speed value is larger than the set maximum speed value.

8. The cruise control arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the temporary cruise speed value is lowered such that the speed interval between the set maximum speed value and the temporary cruise speed value is equal to the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value.

9. The cruise control arrangement according, to claim 8 , wherein the temporary cruise speed value is used as the actual cruise speed value until the economy level is changed to a level where the speed interval, between the set maximum speed value and the temporary cruise speed value corresponds to the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value, and where the set cruise speed value is used as the actual cruise speed value when the speed interval between the set maximum speed value and the set cruise speed value is smaller than the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value.

10. A vehicle comprising
a cruise control arrangement, the cruise control arrangement comprising
a cruise control speed function;
a cruise control brake function; and
at least one selectable economy level;
where the cruise control arrangement has
a set maximum speed value corresponding to a maximum allowed vehicle speed,
a set brake speed value corresponding to a brake cruise speed and
a set cruise speed value corresponding to a cruise speed,
wherein a temporary brake speed value replaces the set brake speed value as the actually used brake speed value when an economy level is selected,
where the temporary brake speed value is dependent on the selected economy level.

11. A method for changing the temporary brake speed value in a cruise control arrangement for a vehicle comprising
a cruise control speed function;
a cruise control brake function; and
at least one selectable economy level;
where the cruise control arrangement having a set maximum speed value, a set brake speed value and a set cruise speed value, comprising:
adding an offset speed value corresponding to a selected economy level to the set brake speed value; and
using the sum of the offset value and the set brake speed value as a temporary brake speed value.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the following step:
setting the temporary brake speed value equal to the set maximum speed value when the sum of the offset speed value and the set brake speed value is lamer than the set maximum speed value.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the following step:
lowering the temporary cruise speed value such that the speed interval between the set maximum speed value and the temporary cruise speed value corresponds to the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the following step:
using the temporary cruise speed value until the economy level is changed to a level where the speed interval between the set maximum speed value and the temporary cruise speed value corresponds to the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value,
using the set cruise speed value as the temporary raise speed value when the speed interval between the set maximum speed value and the temporary cruise speed value is smaller than the speed interval between the set cruise speed value and the offset speed value added to the set brake speed value.

15. A computer programmed for performing a method for changing the temporary brake speed value in a cruise control arrangement for a vehicle comprising
a cruise control speed function;
a cruise control brake function; and
at least one selectable economy level;
where the cruise control arrangement having a set maximum speed value, a set brake speed value and a set cruise speed value, the method comprising:
adding an offset speed value corresponding to a selected economy level to the set brake speed value; and
using the sum of the offset speed value and the set brake speed value as a temporary brake speed value.

Assignees

• Eriksson Anders
• Bjernetun Johan
• Volvo Lastvagnar Ab

Inventors

• Eriksson Anders
• Bjernetun Johan

Classifications

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• Y02T10/84

  Data processing systems or methods, management, administration · CPC title

• B60K2310/244

  changing target speed or setting a new target speed, e.g. changing algorithms · CPC title

• B60W50/082

  Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling · CPC title

• B60K2031/0091

  Speed limiters or speed cutters · CPC title