Patent · US Expired

Auto-drive control unit for vehicles

US5774069A · kind A · utility

187Cited by
4References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 5, 1996
Grant dateJun 30, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D1/0278
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An auto-drive control unit which can switch a vehicle provided with an auto-drive mode from the auto-drive mode to a manual drive mode at a desired point. Based on detection signals from various types of sensors, an auto-drive controller controls an actuator to perform auto-drive. A changeover switch is provided to switch between the auto-drive and manual drive. The current position of the vehicle is detected by a GPS, and the controller calculates the time to reach the desired point. According to a shifting time to complete the shift to the manual drive, timing for operating the changeover switch is determined, and a message is shown on a warning display to urge a driver to operate the switch. When it is judged that the changeover cannot be completed in time, the controller forcedly decelerate the vehicle.

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