Vehicle cruise control with multiple set points

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884554-B2
Application number	US-201614989443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

In various embodiments, the present disclosure includes a cruise control system with (a) a vehicle having a steering system, an accelerator system, a braking system, a battery, a display, a processor, and memory; and (b) a cruise control program, operatively coupled to the accelerator system and configured to display a most recent cruising setpoint and a menu of user-adjustable cruising setpoints.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A cruise control system comprising:
a vehicle having a steering system, an accelerator system, a braking system, a battery, a display, a processor, and memory;
a cruise control program, operatively coupled to the accelerator system, configured to display:
a most recent cruising setpoint,
a menu of user-adjustable cruising setpoints,

and configured to update the menu based on a received driver identity.

2. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to display the most recent cruising setpoint and the menu when the vehicle is in a park gear.

3. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to compare a present speed of the vehicle with a user-applied setpoint.

4. The cruise control system of claim 3 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to decline the user-applied setpoint when a difference between the present speed and the user-applied setpoint exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The cruise control system of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined value is hard-coded into the cruise control program.

6. The cruise control system of claim 4 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to display a visual cue when a user selection is declined.

7. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to update the menu based on a received location.

8. The cruise control system of claim 7 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to update the menu based on a received time.

9. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to display a user-adjustable quantity of most recent cruising speeds.

10. The cruise control system of claim 9 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to only display the most recent cruising speeds of a particular driver.

11. The cruise control system of claim 9 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to only display the most recent cruising speeds for a current key cycle.

12. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the cruise control program is configured to associate each of the user-adjustable cruising setpoints with a user-adjustable storage term.

13. The cruise control system of claim 12 , wherein the storage terms include an indefinite storage term and a key cycle storage term.

14. A method of setting a cruise control speed on a vehicle having a steering system, an accelerator system, a braking system, a battery, a display, a processor, and memory, comprising:
displaying, on a cruise control program operatively coupled to the accelerator system:
a most recent cruising setpoint,
a menu of user-adjustable cruising setpoints, and
only the most recent cruising setpoint in a current key cycle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the displaying occurs when the vehicle is in a park gear.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
declining to adopt a user-applied setpoint when a difference between a present speed and the user-applied setpoint exceeds a predetermined value.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
associating and storing each of the user-adjustable cruising setpoints with a user-adjustable storage term.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the user-adjustable storage term is a key cycle storage term.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kemnitz Erich

Classifications

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W50/14 Primary

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W30/14 Primary

  {Adaptive} cruise control · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• B60W2540/043

  Identity of occupants · CPC title