JP2008540242A - Display device for speed controller with stop and go function - Google Patents

Abstract

At least one first display element (54, 56) for displaying the operating state of the speed controller, and a second display element for displaying that a target object for interval control is detected ( 58), a display device for a speed controller having a distance control function and a stop-and-go function, the combination of various states of the first and second display elements (54, 56; 58) Is configured to display various stop states of the speed controller.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention includes at least one first display element for displaying an operating state of a speed controller, and a second display element for displaying that a target object for interval control is detected. The present invention relates to a display device for a speed controller having a distance control function and a stop-and-go function.

  An adaptive speed controller for a vehicle, also called an ACC system (Adaptive Cruise Control), is known. This system not only makes it possible to control the speed of its own vehicle to the target speed selected by the driver, but also allows automatic control of the distance from the forward vehicle. For this purpose, the distance and relative speed with the forward running vehicle are measured, for example using radar sensors, and the forward running vehicle is followed at an appropriate interval by intervention in the vehicle drive system and / or braking system. So that the speed is controlled.

  This type of conventional system is generally provided for use on an autobahn or highway and is therefore only activated at speeds above a predetermined minimum speed (eg 30 km / h). However, it is an advanced type that has a low speed following (LSF) or stop & go (LSF) function and enables interval control even at a relatively low speed until it reaches a stop state. A system has been developed.

  The stop-and-go function enables, for example, when the preceding vehicle stops when the vehicle reaches the tail end of a traffic jam, and allows the own vehicle to be braked in a stopped state. It is also possible to automatically restart your vehicle. However, in some systems of this type, automatic restart is possible only if the standstill is maintained for a relatively short time. If the stop state is maintained for a relatively long time, for example, more than 5 seconds, the system switches to a state in which automatic restart is possible only according to the driver's confirmation (Fahrerbestaetigung). The driver's confirmation is performed by, for example, depressing the accelerator pedal shortly or operating a key. The reason for this limitation is that it can no longer be assumed that the driver is monitoring the traffic environment with sufficient caution after the stop has been maintained for a relatively long time. For example, in a traffic jam, if the stop state is maintained for a relatively long time, for example, more than 20 minutes, the automatic restart function is completely disabled. This is because after a long period of time, the driver is more likely not to realize that the stop-and-go function is still enabled. In this state, the vehicle is still maintained in a stopped state until the driver disables the stop-and-go function with an appropriate command. If the preceding vehicle that is the target object for the distance control is no longer detected by the sensor, or if the target object is changed by, for example, a pedestrian crossing the front, the driver himself must take control of the vehicle. The transition to this state also occurs when a clear situation occurs. Therefore, in this type of system, a plurality of stop states are distinguished, and the behavior of the system depends on the stop state of the speed controller.

  DE 101 49 090 A1 discloses a display device for a speed controller in which a plurality of optical display elements are provided on the instrument panel. These display elements may be integrated into a vehicle tachometer. The first display element is formed by a series of light emitting diodes arranged along a tachometer speed scale. If the ACC system is enabled and a target speed is set, this is indicated by the light emitting diodes that display the selected target speed being lit on the speed scale. In addition, two signal lamps are provided as second display elements, which indicate whether the ACC function or the stop-and-go function is activated, can be activated or deactivated. The transition between the state “validated” and the state “validable” is displayed, for example, by switching the color tone of the corresponding signal lamp. As long as the stop-and-go function is activated or can be activated if the target object is detected, the corresponding signal lamp will also implicitly provide information about the detection status of the target object. .

  Display devices for conventional ACC systems that do not have a stop-and-go function also typically include at least two display elements, one displaying the operating state and the other displaying the detection status of the target object.

(Advantages of the invention)
The invention having the characteristics described in claim 1 makes it possible to display various stop states that can occur within the frame of the stop-and-go function in an easy-to-understand manner without requiring an additional display element. To do.

  According to the invention, for this purpose, the display device is configured to display various stop states of the speed controller by a combination of various states of the first and second display elements. This has the advantage that the driver, particularly accustomed to the conventional ACC system, does not have to get used to the new display element. In addition, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to install an additional display element on the instrument panel of the vehicle. As a result, there is a possibility that a stop and go function may be added to an existing ACC system by changing the software without particularly changing the hardware of the display device.

  Other embodiments and implementations of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

  The first display element can be formed by a series of light emitting diodes and / or special signal lamps for displaying the target speed, as is conventional. The second display element for displaying that the target object is detected may be formed by another signal lamp. In this case, the stop state in which the automatic restart is possible is notified to the driver by simultaneously lighting two display elements (signal lamps).

  The transition to the stop state in which the automatic restart can be performed only in accordance with the driver's confirmation is made by the driver because the first display element is turned off and the display lamp for displaying the target object is turned on as usual. To be informed. In addition, the driver is made aware of the change of state by means of acoustic signals, for example gongs.

  In an embodiment, in addition to the state where at least one of the first and second display elements is turned off, at least two aktiv states can be obtained by switching or blinking the color tone of the corresponding signal lamp, for example. . In this case, various stop states are further distinguished and displayed by various combinations of signal states. Especially in a state in which restart is possible only in accordance with the driver's confirmation, the target object starts moving again by blinking the signal lamp that displays the target object or switching the color tone, and therefore it is expected that confirmation is expected. Is noticed. This instruction may be emphasized by an acoustic signal.

  Similarly, a stop state where automatic restart is not possible and the driver himself is required to take control of the vehicle is symbolized by at least a change in the color of the first display element. This request may also be emphasized by a characteristic warning tone.

(Description of Examples)
Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are described in detail below.

  FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a known speed controller having an ACC function and a stop-and-go function. The radar sensor 10 supplies a position measurement signal to the control unit 12, which evaluates the position measurement signal according to a known algorithm and controls the vehicle speed to a target speed selected by the driver, or When the position of a forward traveling vehicle is measured on its own traveling lane by a radar sensor, it intervenes in a driving system and / or a braking system (not shown) in order to adapt the speed to the forward traveling vehicle and the target object. .

  The key 14 activates the ACC function. In order to activate the stop and go function, a special key 16 is provided in the illustrated example. However, optionally, the stop-and-go function can be automatically enabled along with the ACC function. By operating the key 18 for a relatively short time, the driver can set the actual speed as the target speed. By operating the key 18 for a relatively long time, the driver can increase the target speed in predetermined increments. Similarly, the key 20 is used to gradually decrease the target speed. The key 22 disables the ACC function and the stop-and-go function.

  The control unit 12 acquires other signals from the brake pedal sensor 24 and the acceleration pedal sensor 26. The operation of the brake pedal 24 causes the system to be invalidated in the same manner as the operation of the key 22. Using the acceleration pedal sensor 26, the driver can confirm the start by operating the acceleration pedal, as will be described in detail below.

  The display device 28 includes an optical display element, an acoustic signal generator 32, and a display control unit 34, which are integrated into a tachometer 30 on a vehicle instrument panel. The display control unit 34 is shown as another block for convenience of explanation, but can actually be integrated into the control unit 12.

  Hereinafter, the operation procedure of the stop-and-go function will be described in detail using the state diagram shown in FIG.

  When the stop-and-go function is activated by operating the key 16, the system is in the state 36, and control to the target speed or interval control is performed if a target object exists depending on each situation. Done.

  In this state, when the target object stops, the transition to the state 40 is performed as indicated by the arrow 38, and the own vehicle is automatically braked until it stops behind the preceding vehicle at an appropriate interval. . In state 40, when the preceding vehicle starts moving again, automatic restart is possible without driver intervention. In this case, the system returns to state 36 as indicated by arrow 42.

  On the other hand, if the system is maintained in the state 40 for a predetermined time, for example, 5 seconds, the transition to the state 46 is automatically performed as indicated by the arrow 44, and only automatically in accordance with the driver's prior confirmation. Restart is possible. The driver's confirmation is performed, for example, by depressing the accelerator pedal for a short time. Thereafter, the system transitions back to state 36 as indicated by arrow 48.

  On the other hand, if the system is maintained in the state 46 for a very long time, for example 20 minutes, the transition to the state 52 is automatically performed as indicated by the arrow 50 and automatically according to the driver's confirmation. Restart is no longer possible. In this case, the driver himself takes control of the vehicle and is requested to disable the speed controller at least temporarily, for example, by operating the key 22 in FIG.

  FIG. 3 partially shows a tachometer 30 that is part of the display device 28. The tachometer 30 is integrated with a signal lamp 54 as a first display element, and its lighting indicates that the ACC / stop and go function is activated. In addition, the speed scale of the tachometer 30 includes several light emitting diodes 56, which display the target speed currently selected by the light emitting diodes. In the illustrated example, the target speed is 90 km / h, so the corresponding light emitting diode 56a is lit. In the modification of the embodiment, the first display element may be formed by only the light emitting diode 56.

  A signal lamp 58 is provided as a second display element, and its lighting indicates that a target object for interval control exists.

  In the situation shown in FIG. 3, the system is in the state 36 of FIG. 2, in particular the distance control for the target object, by illuminating the two signal lamps 54, 58 in relation to the position of the tacho needle 60. Is displayed. By this interval control, the actual speed displayed by the tacho needle 60 becomes lower than the target speed.

  FIG. 4 shows a display image when the system is in the state 36 and is in a free-running situation (Freifahrtsituation), that is, when the radar sensor is not measuring the target object for distance control. According to this, the display lamp 58 is turned off here, and the actual speed matches the target speed displayed by the light emitting diode 56a.

  FIG. 5 shows a display image in the case of the state 40 in FIG. Except for the position of the tacho needle 60, the display image is the same as the display image of FIG. By illuminating the two display lamps 54 and 58, the driver is informed that automatic starting is possible in this stop state, that is, the vehicle follows the preceding vehicle automatically as in the situation shown in FIG. .

  When the system shifts to the state 46 after the stop state is maintained for more than 5 seconds, the driver receives an instruction signal from the acoustic signal generator 32 and the display lamp 54 is turned off as shown in FIG. To do. In the illustrated example, the light emitting diode 56a is similarly turned off, that is, the target speed is not displayed. The lighting of the signal lamp 58 notifies the driver that in this situation, automatic starting is possible according to the driver's confirmation. Alternatively, this situation can be indicated by blinking of the signal lamps 54, 58 and the light emitting diode 56a, for example. By glance at the tachometer 30 even after a few minutes of stoppage, the driver can easily know the stop state of the system.

  When the preceding vehicle starts moving again in the state 46, the driver is again aware of this state by an acoustic warning signal, and the display lamp 58 (only) starts blinking as shown in FIG. This makes it clear to the driver that start confirmation is expected by, for example, lightly depressing the accelerator pedal. The signal lamp 54 and the light emitting diode 56a may remain turned off.

  If the system transitions to state 52 after being maintained in state 46 for more than 20 minutes, the display image changes as shown in FIG. The two signal lamps 54 and 58 are lit, but are lit in another color, for example red. This informs the driver that he should disable the speed controller and take control of the vehicle himself. Thereafter, when the driver operates the key 22 (FIG. 1), the system is invalidated and the display lamps 54 and 58 are turned off. When the traffic jam is resolved and the driver starts the vehicle again, the stop and go function can be activated again by the key 16. In the modification of the embodiment, since the system is shifted to the state 40 by the operation of the key 16 even when the vehicle is stopped, the vehicle may be automatically started as long as the target object exists.

It is a block diagram which shows a speed controller provided with a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state diagram of a speed controller. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display image of a display apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

30 Tachometer 32 Acoustic signal generator 54, 56 First display element 58 Second display element

Claims (8)

At least one first display element (54, 56) for displaying the operating state of the speed controller, and a second display element for displaying that a target object for interval control is detected ( 58), and a display device for the speed controller having a distance control function and a stop-and-go function,
A speed controller configured to display various stop states of the speed controller by a combination of various states of the first and second display elements (54, 56; 58). Display for.   2. Display device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second display elements (54, 56; 58) are integrated in a vehicle tachometer (30).   3. A display device according to claim 2, characterized in that a first display element (56) is arranged on a speed scale of the tachometer (30) for displaying a target speed.   Since at least one of the first display elements (54, 56) is extinguished and the second display element (58) is lit, automatic start is possible only in accordance with the driver's confirmation. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to display a stopped state (46).   The at least one of the first and second display elements (54, 56; 58) has a plurality of lighting states that are distinguished by at least one of a color tone and a blinking state. 5. The display device according to any one of 4.   When the target object starts moving in the stop state (46) that can be automatically started only in accordance with the driver's confirmation, the second display is used to request the driver to confirm the start. 6. A display device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the element (58) is configured to switch to a special lighting state, in particular a blinking state.   When at least one of the first and second display elements (54; 58) is switched to a special lighting state, it is configured to display a stop state (52) in which automatic start is impossible. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the display device is a display device.   8. The acoustic signal generator (32) for additionally outputting an acoustic signal when switching from a certain stopped state to another stopped state, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The display device described.

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