Vehicle propulsion systems and methods

• US 10,081,360 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Hu, Yiran, Muldoon, Steven E., Kang, Jun-mo, Chang, Chen-fang, Li, Dongxu, Zhao, Junfeng, Sim, Jay H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/246,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20180057001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 701 96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18018 Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/181 Preparing for stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 : Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 : Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1412 : using a predictive controller
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/12 : for deceleration F02D41/0005, F02D41/107 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 : the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 : Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/123 : Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/125 : Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0137 : for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 : having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096805 : where the transmitted instructions are used to compute a route
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle engine system includes a combustion engine configured to provide a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand in response to a driver input. The engine system also includes a controller programmed to receive data indicative of at least one upcoming driving event, and issue a command to impart a predetermined velocity profile based on the upcoming driving event. The predetermined velocity profile is arranged to optimize a performance attribute of the combustion engine and preempt the driver input.

Claims

1. A vehicle engine system comprising:

a combustion engine configured to provide a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand in response to a driver input;

a controller programmed to receive data indicative of at least one upcoming driving event, and issue a command to impart a predetermined velocity profile based on the at least one upcoming driving event, wherein the predetermined velocity profile is arranged to optimize a performance attribute of the combustion engine and preempt the driver input;

wherein the at least one upcoming driving event includes detection of a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and the controller is further programmed to;

generate a forecasted duration as a remaining duration of time for the pedestrian in the crosswalk, the forecasted duration being based at least partially on a total length of the crosswalk, a distance traversed by the pedestrian and a pedestrian traversal speed; and

deactivate the engine in response to the forecasted duration being greater than a predetermined time threshold.

2. The vehicle engine system of claim 1 wherein the at least one upcoming driving event includes a traffic creep condition and the predetermined velocity profile limits a vehicle acceleration based on movement of at least one preceding vehicle.

3. The vehicle engine system of claim 1 wherein the at least one upcoming driving event includes a stopping event, and the predetermined velocity profile is configured to minimize fuel consumption during a vehicle deceleration toward the stopping event.

4. The vehicle engine system of claim 1 wherein the at least one upcoming driving event includes a congested traffic flow condition and the received data is a broadcast homogenous speed, and wherein the predetermined velocity profile limits vehicle speed to be less than the broadcast homogeneous speed.

5. The vehicle engine system of claim 1, further comprising:

an object detection sensor configured to monitor a movement of the pedestrian while traversing the crosswalk; and

wherein the controller is further programmed to automatically restart the engine in response to the pedestrian leaving the crosswalk prior to the forecasted duration.

6. The vehicle engine system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further programmed to generate a user display indicative of at least one of a target RPM and a target vehicle speed corresponding to the predetermined velocity profile.

7. A method of controlling a vehicle propulsion system comprising:

receiving a driver input indicative of torque demand;

receiving data indicative of at least one of static route data and dynamic route data;

forecasting at least one upcoming driving event based on the received data, the at least one upcoming driving event including detection of a pedestrian in a crosswalk;

generating a forecasted duration as a remaining duration of time for the pedestrian in the crosswalk, the forecasted duration being based at least partially on a total length of the crosswalk, a distance traversed by the pedestrian and a pedestrian traversal speed; and

adjusting an engine output torque to optimize a performance parameter according to a selected propulsion mode and preempt the driver input, wherein adjusting the engine output torque includes deactivating the engine in response to the forecasted duration being greater than a predetermined time threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein adjusting the engine output torque includes imparting a predetermined torque profile based on the at least one upcoming driving event.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one upcoming driving event includes a vehicle stopping event and the predetermined torque profile causes operation of the engine substantially near an ideal operating point.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the dynamic route data includes information regarding a traffic creep condition and the predetermined torque profile limits a vehicle acceleration based on movement of a preceding vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the dynamic route data includes information regarding a traffic flow condition and the predetermined torque profile is based on operating the engine to synchronize vehicle speed with a traffic flow speed.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the dynamic route data includes a broadcast homogeneous speed target.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing an indicator to a driver for at least one of a target speed and the target RPM corresponding to the predetermined torque profile.

14. The method of claim 7 further wherein adjusting the engine output torque includes at least one of (i) cutting off a fuel supply during deceleration, (ii) modifying a transmission gear ratio shift schedule, and (iii) deactivating at least one cylinder of the engine.