Deceleration control apparatus and method for a vehicle

• US 20050187694A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiiba, Kazuyuki, Iwatsuki, Kunihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/24 Curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/04 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking

Abstract

A deceleration control apparatus and method for a vehicle, which performs deceleration control on the vehicle by an operation of a brake system which applies a braking force to the vehicle and a shift operation which shifts a transmission of the vehicle into a relatively low speed or speed ratio, performs the shift operation and the operation of the brake system such that a target deceleration set based on a curvature or curvature radius of a curve in a road ahead of the vehicle, a distance to the curve, and a vehicle speed, acts on the vehicle. As a result, a desired deceleration according to the distance to the curve is able to be applied to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, which performs deceleration control on the vehicle by an operation of a brake system which applies a braking force to the vehicle and a shift operation which shifts a transmission of the vehicle into a relatively low speed or speed ratio, comprising:

a controller which performs the shift operation and the operation of the brake system such that a target deceleration set based on i) a curvature or curvature radius of a curve in a road ahead of the vehicle, ii) a distance to the curve, and iii) a vehicle speed, acts on the vehicle.

2. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the brake system so that deceleration produced by the brake system gradually decreases from the time the shift operation ends.

3. A deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle, which performs deceleration control on the vehicle by an operation of a brake system which applies a braking force to the vehicle and a shift operation which shifts a transmission of the vehicle into a relatively low speed or speed ratio, comprising:

a controller which i) sets a deceleration to be applied to the vehicle as a base deceleration based on a curvature or curvature radius of a curve in a road ahead of the vehicle, and ii) determines a correction amount of the deceleration to be applied to the vehicle in addition to the base deceleration, based on a distance to the curve.

4. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines the base deceleration as a speed change amount in the shift operation.

5. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the correction amount is a deceleration to be applied to the vehicle by the operation of the braking system.

6. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the correction amount includes zero.

7. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the correction amount is determined based on the curvature or curvature radius of the curve, the vehicle speed, and a target lateral acceleration at the curve, in addition to the distance to the curve.

8. The deceleration control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller controls the brake system so that deceleration produced by the brake system gradually decreases from the time the shift operation ends.

9. A deceleration control method for a vehicle, by which deceleration control is performed on the vehicle by an operation of a brake system which applies a braking force to the vehicle and a shift operation which shifts a transmission of the vehicle into a relatively low speed or speed ratio, comprising:

setting a target deceleration of the vehicle based on a curvature or curvature radius of a curve in a road ahead of the vehicle, a distance to the curve, and a vehicle speed; and

performing the shift operation and the operation of the brake system so that the target deceleration acts on the vehicle.

10. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the brake system so that deceleration produced by the brake system gradually decreases from the time the shift operation ends.

11. A deceleration control method for a vehicle, by which deceleration control is performed on the vehicle by an operation of a brake system which applies a braking force to the vehicle and a shift operation which shifts a transmission of the vehicle into a relatively low speed or speed ratio, comprising:

setting a deceleration to be applied to the vehicle as a base deceleration based on a curvature or curvature radius of a curve in a road ahead of the vehicle;

determining a correction amount of the deceleration to be applied to the vehicle in addition to the base deceleration, based on a distance to the curve; and

performing the shift operation and the operation of the brake system such that a deceleration which is the sum of the base deceleration and the correction amount acts on the vehicle.

12. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the base deceleration is determined as a speed change amount in the shift operation.

13. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the correction amount is a deceleration to be applied to the vehicle by the operation of the braking system.

14. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the correction amount includes zero.

15. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the correction amount is determined based on the curvature or curvature radius of the curve, a vehicle speed, and a target lateral acceleration at the curve, in addition to the distance to the curve.

16. The deceleration control method for a vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling the brake system so that deceleration produced by the brake system gradually decreases from the time the shift operation ends.