METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A WORK FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE AND A WORK VEHICLE COMPRISING THE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20060200293A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment Holding Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment Holding Sweden AB
• Inventors: Brattberg, Bjorn
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/088 Fast forward-reverse-sequence mode
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0227 Shift map selection, i.e. methods for controlling selection between different shift maps, e.g. to initiate switch to a map for up-hill driving
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A method for controlling the gears of a vehicle that has an automatic transmission that is arranged to change gear according to a plurality of gear modes that differ in that changing to a higher gear is carried out at different minimum engine speeds or, if the changing is carried out steplessly, with different degrees of gearing, with the transmission having a forward gear position for driving the vehicle forwards and a reverse gear position for driving the vehicle backwards, comprising detection of an operating parameter and, in response to this production of a parameter signal for a control unit, selection, that is carried out by the control unit, of one of the the gear modes on the basis of the parameter signal'"'"'s value. The parameter signal represents the total distance that the vehicle has been driven during an individual sequence with at least one of the forward gear position and the reverse gear position.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a work function of a vehicle that has a forward gear position for driving the vehicle forwards and a reverse gear position for driving the vehicle backwards, comprising:

detecting an operating parameter and, in response to this, producing a parameter signal for a control unit;

controlling, by the control unit, the work function based on the parameter signal'"'"'s value, wherein the parameter signal represents a total distance that the vehicle is driven during an individual sequence with at least one of the forward gear position and the reverse gear position.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an automatic transmission, comprising changing gear according to a plurality of gear modes and selecting a gear mode based on the parameter signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gear modes differ in that changing to a higher gear takes place at different minimum engine speeds.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising generating a parameter signal from each of a plurality of consecutive sequences, comparing the parameter signals, and selecting a gear mode based on a parameter signal that represents a longest distance driven.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising, upon commencement of driving the vehicle, arranging the control unit to select a highest gear mode, and changing to a higher gear at a lowest minimum engine speed of all the gear modes.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising continuously detecting a distance traveled during an ongoing sequence with the transmission in forward gear position or reverse gear position, and, when the distance exceeds a greatest distance for immediately preceding sequences, changing to a next higher gear mode.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gear modes differ in that changing down to a lower gear is carried out at different minimum speeds.

8. A computer program comprising software code for carrying out steps in a method for controlling a work function of a vehicle that has a forward gear position for driving the vehicle forwards and a reverse gear position for driving the vehicle backwards when the program is run on a computer, the program carrying out the steps of:

detecting an operating parameter and, in response to this, producing a parameter signal for a control unit;

controlling, by the control unit, the work function based on the parameter signal'"'"'s value, wherein the parameter signal represents a total distance that the vehicle is driven during an individual sequence with at least one of the forward gear position and the reverse gear position.

9. A computer program product comprising the computer program comprising the software code as set forth in claim 8, the computer program product being stored on a medium that can be read by a computer.

10. A device for controlling a work function of a vehicle that has a forward gear position for driving the vehicle forwards and a reverse gear position for driving the vehicle backwards, comprising:

a sensor arranged to detect an operating parameter of the vehicle and to produce a parameter signal in response to the detected operating parameter;

a control unit arranged to receive the parameter signal and, based on a value of the parameter signal, to control the work function, wherein the operating parameter represents a distance the vehicle has been driven during an individual sequence with at least one of the forward gear position and the reverse gear position.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the vehicle has an automatic transmission that is arranged to change gear according to a plurality of gear modes, with the control unit being arranged to select a gear mode on the basis of the parameter signal.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gear modes differ in that corresponding changes to a higher gear take place at different minimum engine speeds.

13. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating parameter is the distance driven for an individual sequence with forward gear position or the distance driven for an individual sequence with reverse gear position.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control unit is arranged to collect from the sensor a parameter signal from each of a plurality of consecutive sequences and the control unit is arranged to compare the parameter signals and select the gear mode based on a parameter signal that indicates a longest distance driven.

15. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control unit is arranged to select a highest gear mode when driving of the vehicle commences, and to change to a higher gear at a lowest minimum engine speed of all of the gear modes.

16. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor is arranged, during an ongoing sequence with the transmission in the forward gear position or reverse gear position, to send a signal continually to the control unit concerning a distance travelled, and the control unit is arranged, when the parameter signal indicates a distance that exceeds a largest distance that is indicated by the parameter signals for immediately preceding sequences, to change to a next higher gear mode.

17. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gear modes differ in that changing down to a lower gear is carried out at different minimum speeds.

18. The device as claimed in claim 11, comprising a sensor for detecting a selected forward or reverse gear, the gear sensor being arranged to produce a parameter signal for the control unit with information concerning a selected gear.

19. A work vehicle comprising a device as claimed in claim 10.