IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,637,074
Granted Patent B2
US 12,637,074 · App. 17/630,039 · Granted May 26, 2026

Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle control method, and vehicle following running system

Inventors: Tatsuya Iba (Hitachinaka, JP); Kentaro Ueno (Hitachinaka, JP); Hiroshi Ito (Hitachinaka, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
B60W30/165B60W10/04B60W10/18G08G1/22B60W2554/4041B60W2554/802B60W2554/804B60W2710/18B60W2720/106
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,637,074
App. No.
17/630,039
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control apparatus mounted on a lead vehicle sets a smaller value of a first acceleration limit value determined based on specifications regarding running of a first following vehicle and a basic acceleration limit value determined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and outputs an acceleration instruction for controlling a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value.

Claims (52)

1 . A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a control portion mounted on a lead vehicle and configured to make a calculation based on input information and output a result of the calculation to a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus in a vehicle following running system, the vehicle following running system including a plurality of vehicles including the lead vehicle and a first following vehicle subsequent to the lead vehicle, the plurality of vehicles being configured to carry out following running by being non-mechanically connected,

wherein the control portion on the lead vehicle is configured to:

set a first predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the first following vehicle and a basic predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle by selecting a smaller of the first predetermined acceleration limit value and the basic predetermined acceleration limit value, and setting the selected smaller value as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and

output an acceleration instruction for controlling the braking apparatus or the driving apparatus after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value,

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the first following vehicle include:

information regarding a first maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the first following vehicle, and

a first acceleration determined based on a first relative distance of the first following vehicle to a preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof and a first relative speed of the first following vehicle to the preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof, and

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the lead vehicle include information regarding a basic maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the lead vehicle.

2 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first acceleration is an acceleration regarding driving in a direction for increasing a speed.

3 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first acceleration is an acceleration regarding braking in a direction for reducing a speed.

4 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the basic predetermined acceleration limit value includes a basic predetermined acceleration limit value configured to curb a positive acceleration of the lead vehicle and a basic predetermined deceleration limit value configured to curb a negative acceleration of the lead vehicle.

5 . A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a control portion mounted on a lead vehicle and configured to make a calculation based on input information and output a result of the calculation to a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus in a vehicle following running system, the vehicle following running system including a plurality of vehicles including the lead vehicle, a first following vehicle subsequent to the lead vehicle, and a second following vehicle subsequent to the first following vehicle, the plurality of vehicles being configured to carry out following running by being non-mechanically connected,

wherein the control portion on the lead vehicle is configured to:

set a first predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined-based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the first following vehicle, a second predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined-based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the second following vehicle, and a basic predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle by selecting a smaller of the first predetermined acceleration limit value, the second predetermined acceleration limit value, and the basic predetermined acceleration limit value, and setting the selected smaller value as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and

output an acceleration instruction for controlling the braking apparatus or the driving apparatus after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value,

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the first following vehicle include:

information regarding a first maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the first following vehicle, and

a first acceleration determined based on a first relative distance of the first following vehicle to a preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof and a first relative speed of the first following vehicle to the preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof,

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the second following vehicle include:

information regarding a second maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the second following vehicle, and

a second acceleration determined based on a second relative distance of the second following vehicle to a preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof and a second relative speed of the second following vehicle to the preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof, and

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the lead vehicle include information regarding a basic maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the lead vehicle.

6 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the basic predetermined acceleration limit value includes a basic predetermined acceleration limit value configured to curb a positive acceleration of the lead vehicle and a basic predetermined deceleration limit value configured to curb a negative acceleration of the lead vehicle.

7 . A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a control portion mounted on a lead vehicle and configured to make a calculation based on input information and output a result of the calculation to a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus in a vehicle following running system, the vehicle following running system including a plurality of vehicles including the lead vehicle, a first following vehicle subsequent to the lead vehicle, and a second following vehicle subsequent to the first following vehicle, the plurality of vehicles being configured to carry out following running by being non-mechanically connected,

wherein the control portion on the lead vehicle is configured to:

set a first predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the first following vehicle, a second predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the second following vehicle, and a basic predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle by selecting a smaller of the first predetermined acceleration limit value, the second predetermined acceleration limit value, and the basic predetermined acceleration limit value, and setting the selected smaller value as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, output an acceleration instruction for controlling the braking apparatus or the driving apparatus after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value,

acquire the first predetermined acceleration limit value transmitted from the first following vehicle,

and

acquire the second predetermined acceleration limit value transmitted from the second following vehicle.

8 . The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the basic predetermined acceleration limit value includes a basic predetermined acceleration limit value configured to curb a positive acceleration of the lead vehicle and a basic predetermined deceleration limit value configured to curb a negative acceleration of the lead vehicle.

9 . A vehicle control method performed by a vehicle control apparatus mounted on a lead vehicle in a vehicle following running system, the vehicle following running system including a plurality of vehicles including the lead vehicle and a first following vehicle subsequent to the lead vehicle, the plurality of vehicles being configured to carry out following running by being non-mechanically connected, the vehicle control method comprising:

using the control apparatus mounted on the lead vehicle to:

set a first predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the first following vehicle and a basic predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle by selecting a smaller of the first predetermined acceleration limit value and the basic predetermined acceleration limit value, and setting the selected smaller value as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and

output an acceleration instruction for controlling a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus of the lead vehicle after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value,

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the first following vehicle include:

information regarding a first maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the first following vehicle, and

a first acceleration determined based on a first relative distance of the first following vehicle to a preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof and a first relative speed of the first following vehicle to the preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof, and

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the lead vehicle include information regarding a basic maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the lead vehicle.

10 . The vehicle control method according to claim 9 , wherein the basic predetermined acceleration limit value includes a basic predetermined acceleration limit value configured to curb a positive acceleration of the lead vehicle and a basic predetermined deceleration limit value configured to curb a negative acceleration of the lead vehicle.

11 . A vehicle following running system comprising:

a plurality of vehicles including a lead vehicle and a first following vehicle subsequent to the lead vehicle, the plurality of vehicles being configured to carry out following running by being non-mechanically connected,

wherein the lead vehicle includes a control portion, and the control portion in the lead vehicle is configured to:

set a first predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running, including the performance and the environment of the first following vehicle and a basic predetermined acceleration limit value predetermined based on specifications regarding running of the lead vehicle by selecting a smaller of the first predetermined acceleration limit value and the basic predetermined acceleration limit value, and setting the selected smaller value as a set acceleration limit value of the lead vehicle, and

output an acceleration instruction for controlling an acceleration of the lead vehicle after limiting it according to the set acceleration limit value; and

a braking apparatus or a driving apparatus configured to acquire the acceleration instruction output from the control portion, wherein the specifications regarding the running of the first following vehicle include:

information regarding a first maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the first following vehicle, and

a first acceleration determined based on a first relative distance of the first following vehicle to a preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof and a first relative speed of the first following vehicle to the preceding vehicle immediately ahead thereof, and

wherein the specifications regarding the running of the lead vehicle include information regarding a basic maximum acceleration, which is a performance of the lead vehicle.

12 . The vehicle following running system according to claim 11 , wherein the basic predetermined acceleration limit value includes a basic predetermined acceleration limit value configured to curb a positive acceleration of the lead vehicle and a basic predetermined deceleration limit value configured to curb a negative acceleration of the lead vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: IBA, TATSUYA; UENO, KENTARO; ITO, HIROSHI
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060491/0594 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-137604 · Jul 26, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220250621A1 · Aug 11, 2022
References Cited (22)
US 6401024B1 · Tange · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20120277967A1 · Isaji · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130041567A1 · Yamashiro · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130080041A1 · Kumabe · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130124064A1 · Nemoto · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20190171226A1 · Kim · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200035104A1 · Bergquist · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200282990A1 · Sato · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200398839A1 · Ito · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210232157A1 · Dieckmann · 2021 [cited by examiner]
JP 2010102660A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010166635A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 201337621A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 201520502A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 201977409A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016117311A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018043753A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
Japanese-language Office Action issued in Japanese Application No. 2019-137604 dated Jan. 17, 2023 with English translation (eight (8) pages). [cited by applicant]
English translation of document C2 (Japanese-language Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) filed on Jan. 25, 2022) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/JP2020/024330 dated Sep. 1, 2020 (four (4) pages). [cited by applicant]
English translation of document B1 (JP 2015-20502 A filed on Jan. 25, 2022) (35 pages). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/JP2020/024330 dated Sep. 1, 2020 with English translation (four (4) pages). [cited by applicant]
Japanese-language Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/JP2020/024330 dated Sep. 1, 2020 (four (4) pages). [cited by applicant]