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:
Dec. 08, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 08, 1997
Mitsuo Kikkawa, Aichi, JP;
Masaru Shimizu, Aichi, JP;
Yoshinori Taguchi, Aichi, JP;
Tomomitsu Terakawa, Aichi, JP;
Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
A vehicle driving force control apparatus which can reduce a driver's embarrassment at difference in accelerator feeling when the driver switches from a constant speed cruise mode to an ordinary variable speed drive mode, and which allows the use of engine brake even while constant speed cruise is requested. The apparatus comprises a switch for constant speed cruise, an accelerator sensor, a brake sensor, a current speed sensor, and a cruise condition judging function for deciding that cruise conditions are satisfied when constant speed cruise is requested, the accelerator pedal is not depressed, and the brake pedal is not depressed, and deciding that the cruise conditions are not satisfied in other cases. It updates target vehicle speed with current vehicle speed when the cruise conditions are not satisfied or on the instant when the cruise conditions are changed from dissatisfied to satisfied and sets controlled output so that current vehicle speed reaches the target vehicle speed. The controller also sets the controlled output when the cruise conditions are satisfied and selects controlled output based only on depression on the accelerator pedal by the driver when the cruise conditions are not satisfied. A throttle valve controls a sucked air amount of an engine based on the selected controlled output.