Patent · US Expired

Automatic vehicle following system

US5572449A · kind A · utility

137Cited by
29References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 19, 1994
Grant dateNov 5, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 19, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S2013/9321
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An automatic vehicle following system is provided for controlling a following vehicle to maintain at least a predetermined distance behind a preceding vehicle and to substantially follow the path of the preceding vehicle. An on-line measurement system of the preceding vehicle generates signals indicative of the velocity (having speed and directional components) of the preceding vehicle, and a communication system transmits the velocity signals to the following vehicle. The following vehicle likewise has a communication system for receiving the signals from the preceding vehicle, and an on-line measurement system for providing signals indicative of the velocity of the following vehicle and signals indicative of the distance between the two vehicles. A signal processing system of the following vehicle is coupled to the communication system and on-line measurement system for estimating motion trajectory of the preceding vehicle based on the difference in the velocities of the preceding and following vehicles and the following distance. A control system generates control signals and takes action so as to perform speed control and maintain at least a predetermined safe following distanc…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.