초록 ▼

System for controlling the speed of a vehicle such as an automobile. The operator selects the desired speed, and thereafter the system brings the vehicle to the desired speed and maintains it at that speed. The system can be calibrated for any given vehicle, and it cannot be engaged until the vehicl

System for controlling the speed of a vehicle such as an automobile. The operator selects the desired speed, and thereafter the system brings the vehicle to the desired speed and maintains it at that speed. The system can be calibrated for any given vehicle, and it cannot be engaged until the vehicle is moving at a predetermined percentage or fraction of the desired speed. The system can be disengaged in a number of ways to return full control of the vehicle to the operator, and redundant circuits are employed to assure disengagement upon application of the brakes. As the desired speed is approached, the amount of correction is decreased to assure a smooth, positive transition to the desired speed.

대표청구항 ▼

In a system for controlling the speed of a vehicle having throttle and brake controls: means for providing an input signal which varies cyclically in amplitude about a DC level which corresponds to the speed of the vehicle, said signal lying in a predetermined range between first and second referenc

In a system for controlling the speed of a vehicle having throttle and brake controls: means for providing an input signal which varies cyclically in amplitude about a DC level which corresponds to the speed of the vehicle, said signal lying in a predetermined range between first and second reference levels when the vehicle is moving at a desired speed and extending outside said range when the vehicle speed differs from the desired speed, said range being wider than the amplitude variations of the input signal, and the portion of an input signal cycle during which the input signal is outside the predetermined range varying in accordance with the speed of the vehicle and increasing as the DC level approaches one of the reference levels, means for sensing when the input signal is outside the predetermined range, and means connected to the throttle control for adjusting the vehicle speed toward the desired speed when the input signal is outside the predetermined range, the amount of adjustment increasing as the vehicle speed moves farther from the desired speed and decreasing as the vehicle speed approaches the desired speed.