The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 1976
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1974
Morris Sorkin, Santa Monica, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A sensor, such as a radar, is mounted on a moving vehicle equipped with a speed control system which normally maintains the vehicle speed constant at a pre-set speed in the absence of a preceding vehicle within a safe distance. The sensor detects the presence of a preceding vehicle and measures the distance and closing speed of the controlled vehicle with respect to the preceding vehicle, and generates an adaptive speed signal. The adaptive speed signal modifies the error signal of the speed control system which controls either the throttle or brake to cause the controlled vehicle to match its speed to the speed of the preceding vehicle, and to maintain a safe distance from it, thereby making the adaptive speed signal vanish. The error signal may be modified by the adaptive speed signal either by decreasing the desired speed or by increasing the actual speed. The desired, actual, and adaptive speeds may all be represented by digital numbers.