Jaguar Cars Limited

Michael Julian Richardson

Philip Alexander Barber

Paul John King

Edward Hoare

Gerald H Engelman

Graeme Peter Smith

Nigel John Clarke

Paul Robert Haney

Daniel Watts

A method and an apparatus for aligning the elevation of an automotive radar unit. The method of aligning a radar transceiver unit ( ) on a vehicle ( ) having the steps of: positioning at least three radar reflectors ( ) in a pattern in which the reflectors are fixed relative to one another with the reflectors occupying three rows ( ) at different elevations and at least three different horizontal positions ( ), so that the middle row ( ) is horizontally distinguishable from the neighboring rows ( ); directing a beam (14) of radar waves ( ) from the radar transceiver ( ) generally towards the radar reflectors ( ); scanning ( ), and if necessary repeatedly scanning, the beam (14) relative to the pattern so that the beam moves across the pattern at one or more fixed elevations in a horizontal direction; receiving at the radar transceiver ( ) radar waves reflected ( ) from one or more of the reflectors ( ); detecting the elevation of the middle row ( ); setting the elevation of the beam ( ) of radar waves according to the detected elevation of the middle row ( ).

Automotive radar elevation alignment

The present invention relates to measurement of the trajectory of a motor vehicle with respect to a roadway. A trajectory measurement system for a motor vehicle ( ), comprises a sensing system ( ) for sensing the positions of roadway edges ( ), a memory ( ) that stores data relating to the width, and optionally lane width, of different types of road ( ) on which the vehicle ( ) may travel, and a data processor means ( ) linked ( ) to the sensing system ( ) and memory ( ). The processor means ( ) compares the sensed positions of roadway edges ( ) with the road width data in order to deduce the type of road ( ) on which the vehicle ( ) travels, and optionally also the lane in which the vehicle travels. The system may also include a vehicle speed sensor ( ) linked ( ) to the data processor means ( ). The memory ( ) then stores road speed data relating to different type of road ( ) on which the vehicle ( ) may travel, so that the processor means ( ) can compare also the sensed vehicle speed with the road speed data in order to help deduce the type of road ( ) on which the vehicle ( ) travels.

Motor vehicle trajectory measurement

Disclosed herein is a headway control for an adaptive cruise control system based on a basic headway control law derived from feedback linearization techniques. The usefulness of the linear approximations is demonstrated, and basic attributes of data which are believed important to system response are introduced. Certain modifications to a basic headway controller for enabling system performance to better meet driver expectations under real road conditions are made as a result of empirical information.

Adaptive vehicle cruise control system and methodology

An adaptive cruise control system 1 for a vehicle 3, is capable of operating in at least two modes, a Cruise mode in which the speed of the vehicle 3 is controlled to maintain a set speed, and a Follow mode in which the speed of the vehicle 3 is controlled to maintain a set distance from the preceding target vehicle 5. The system 1 includes means 7 to switch from Cruise mode to Follow mode if a target vehicle 5 is detected within a predetermined distance 9 of the vehicle 3, and a driver display interface 11 for displaying the mode of operation of the adaptive cruise control system 1. A change anticipation system 13 detects when the system operation is about to change mode from Cruise to Follow and causes the display interface 11 to display to the driver that the mode change is about to occur, prior to the system change to allow the driver to take avoiding action.

Adaptive cruise control system

A cruise control system for a motor vehicle includes a sensor for monitoring a target vehicle moving in front of the equipped vehicle, a sensor for monitoring the speed of the equipped vehicle and a sensor for monitoring steering manoeuvres of the equipped vehicle, the cruise control system controlling the throttle and brake systems of the vehicle to control the speed of the vehicle. The cruise control system is switchable between a cruise mode in which it will maintain a set cruising speed when the path in front of the vehicle is clear and a follow mode in which it will maintain a preset headway with a target vehicle in front of the equipped vehicle. The system is switched from the cruise mode to the follow mode when a target vehicle moves inside the preset headway, the system switching from the follow mode to the cruise mode when the target vehicle is lost or moves outside a preset headway. When switching from the follow mode to the cruise mode, the cruise control system applies a resume acceleration to accelerate the equipped vehicle back to the set cruising speed, the resume acceleration rate being adjusted as a function of steering manoeuvres carried out by the equipped vehicle.

Cruise control system

Cruise control system for a vehicle includes a sensor for monitoring the speed of the vehicle, a sensor for monitoring the range of vehicles moving in front of the equipped vehicle, switch means for manually selecting a cruising speed, switch means for manually selecting a headway which controls the separation between the equipped vehicle and a vehicle moving in front of the equipped vehicle and means for switching the cruise control system on and off. The switch means for selecting the headway is manually adjustable between a minimum value and a maximum value. Automatic switch means is provided for switching the cruise control system off when the vehicle is stopped, the headway being automatically switched to a maximum value when the cruise control system is switched on.

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Redditch, United Kingdom

Michael Julian Richardson