Vehicle drive control apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle drive control apparatus comprising:
- an engine;
a transmission connected to the engine for transmitting rotary torque generated by the engine to a drive shaft;
an accelerator depression sensor configured and arranged to detect depression of an accelerator pedal;
a vehicle traveling environment detection device configured to detect a traveling environment;
a vehicle driving environment condition determination section configured to determine a current vehicle driving environment condition based on the traveling environment detected by the vehicle traveling environment detection device; and
a controller configured to;
determine if the current vehicle driving environment condition determined by the vehicle driving environment condition determination section indicates a driving environment condition requiring braking power;
perform an engine braking force control to apply engine braking by changing a change gear ratio of the transmission from a first gear ratio to a lower gear ratio so that the engine speed shifts to a higher speed than a normal driving speed of the engine upon determining the current driving environment condition outputted by the vehicle driving environment condition determination section requires braking power;
change the change gear ratio of the transmission from the lower gear ratio to a higher gear ratio so that the speed of the engine will shift to the normal driving speed of the engine when depression of the accelerator pedal is sensed by the depression sensor during the engine braking force control and performance of a fuel cutting operation to the engine; and
perform a fuel injection control to inject fuel into the engine once the change gear ratio of the transmission has shifted to the higher gear ratio.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle drive control apparatus is configured to achieve acceleration control with improved mileage during increased engine braking control. During the time that control to increase engine braking force is being performed together with fuel being cut to the engine, the apparatus changes the change gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, upon detecting depression of the accelerator pedal from a coasting gear ratio for a downhill driving mode to a higher coasting gear ratio for a normal driving mode such that the rotational engine speed of the engine goes to a lower speed than the engine speed during engine braking increase control. Once the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission has changed to the coasting gear ratio for normal driving mode, a fuel injection operation is performed so that fuel is injected into the engine.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle drive control apparatus comprising:
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an engine;
a transmission connected to the engine for transmitting rotary torque generated by the engine to a drive shaft;
an accelerator depression sensor configured and arranged to detect depression of an accelerator pedal;
a vehicle traveling environment detection device configured to detect a traveling environment;
a vehicle driving environment condition determination section configured to determine a current vehicle driving environment condition based on the traveling environment detected by the vehicle traveling environment detection device; and
a controller configured to;
determine if the current vehicle driving environment condition determined by the vehicle driving environment condition determination section indicates a driving environment condition requiring braking power;
perform an engine braking force control to apply engine braking by changing a change gear ratio of the transmission from a first gear ratio to a lower gear ratio so that the engine speed shifts to a higher speed than a normal driving speed of the engine upon determining the current driving environment condition outputted by the vehicle driving environment condition determination section requires braking power;
change the change gear ratio of the transmission from the lower gear ratio to a higher gear ratio so that the speed of the engine will shift to the normal driving speed of the engine when depression of the accelerator pedal is sensed by the depression sensor during the engine braking force control and performance of a fuel cutting operation to the engine; and
perform a fuel injection control to inject fuel into the engine once the change gear ratio of the transmission has shifted to the higher gear ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle drive control apparatus comprising:
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means for determining a current vehicle driving environment condition indicative of a driving environment condition requiring braking power;
means for apply engine braking by changing a change gear ratio of a transmission from a first gear ratio to a lower gear ratio so that the engine speed shifts to a higher speed than a normal driving speed of the engine upon determining the current driving environment condition outputted by the vehicle driving environment condition determination section requires braking power;
means for changing the change gear ratio of the transmission from the lower gear ratio to a higher gear ratio so that the speed of the engine will shift to the normal driving speed of the engine upon detecting depression of an accelerator pedal during performing the engine braking force control and performance of a fuel cutting operation to the engine; and
means for injecting fuel into the engine once the change gear ratio of the transmission has shifted to the higher gear ratio.
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13. A vehicle drive control process comprising:
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detecting depression of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle;
detecting a vehicle travel environment of the vehicle;
determining if a vehicle current driving environment condition indicates a driving environment condition requiring braking power based on the vehicle travel environment of the vehicle that was detected;
performing an engine braking force control to apply engine braking by changing a change gear ratio of the transmission from a first gear ratio to a lower second gear ratio so that the engine speed shifts to a higher speed than a normal driving speed of the engine upon determining the current driving environment condition exists that requires the braking power;
changing the change gear ratio of the transmission from the lower gear ratio to a higher gear ratio so that the engine speed shifts to the normal driving speed of the engine upon detecting depression of the accelerator pedal during the engine braking force control and performance of a fuel cutting operation to the engine; and
injecting fuel to the engine once the change gear ratio of the transmission has shifted to the higher gear ratio.
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Specification