Vehicle Integrated-Control Apparatus and Vehicle Integrated-Control Method

• US 20070293992A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Seiji, Kaigawa, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1002 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/26 by applying a torque limit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine

Abstract

A control target value calculation portion (42) calculates a control target value for an engine (32) based on a control instruction amount requested by a driver, which is calculated by a driver'"'"'s instruction amount calculation portion (14), and control instruction amounts requested by control units such as a driver support amount calculation portion (16) and a wheel stability control amount calculation portion (18). A horsepower conversion portion (44) converts the control target value into a control target horsepower. Meanwhile, an allowable horsepower range calculation portion (40) calculates a target instruction horsepower and an allowable horsepower range based on the information from the driver'"'"'s instruction amount calculation portion (14). Even when an integrated-control involving multiple control units is performed, a monitor portion (46) determines whether the control target derived through conversion is within the allowable horsepower range. Thus, whether the control target is within the allowable horsepower range is easily and accurately determined, and control of a drive source of a vehicle is monitored.

Claims

1. A vehicle integrated-control apparatus that controls, in an integrated manner, multiple control units which control a behavior of a vehicle, comprising:

a detector that detects an operation amount of an operation member operated by a driver and

detects a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and

a controller that calculates a target instruction horsepower requested by the driver and an allowable horsepower range of the horsepower according to information based on the operation amount and the vehicle speed;

calculates a control target value for a drive source of a vehicle according to the information based on the operation amount and an instruction from at least one of the multiple control units,

converts the control target value into a control target horsepower, and

monitors whether the control target horsepower is within the allowable horsepower range.

2. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein

the controller includes multiple target value conversion means for converting the control target value into respective values expressed by different units, and outputting the respective values;

converts the values output from the respective target value conversion means into horsepower, and

monitors whether the each of the values, which are output from the controller and which have undergone conversion by the controller, is within the allowable horsepower range at a corresponding conversion phase.

3. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein

the controller calculates a reference driving force based on the operation amount, and calculates a final target driving force by coordinating the reference driving force with an instruction driving force requested by at least one of the control units, and

the controller converts the final target driving force into horsepower using the vehicle speed.

4. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein

the controller further calculates a target engine torque based on the final target driving force, and calculates a final target engine torque by coordinating the target engine torque with an engine torque requested by at least one of the control units, and

the controller converts the final target engine torque into horsepower using an engine speed.

5. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein

the controller further calculates a target throttle angle based on the final target engine torque, and calculates a final target throttle angle by coordinating the target throttle angle with a throttle angle requested by at least one of the control units, and

the controller converts the final target throttle angle into horsepower using an air-fuel ratio at the final target throttle angle.

6. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

when control target horsepower derived through conversion by the controller is out of the allowable horsepower range, the controller uses an upper limit or a lower limit of the allowable horsepower range instead of the control target horsepower derived through the conversion such that the control target horsepower is within the allowable horsepower range.

7. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

when control target horsepower derived through conversion by the controller exceeds an upper limit of the allowable horsepower range, the controller invalidates an instruction from at least one of the multiple control units, thereby bringing the control target horsepower within the allowable horsepower range.

8. A vehicle integrated-control method that controls, in an integrated-manner, multiple control units that control a behavior of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an operation amount of an operation member operated by a driver;

detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle;

calculating a target instruction horsepower requested by the driver and an allowable range of the horsepower according to information based on the operation amount and the vehicle speed;

calculating a control target value for a drive source of a vehicle according to the information based on the operation amount and an instruction from at least one of the multiple control units;

converting the control target value into a control target horsepower; and

monitoring whether the control target horsepower is within the allowable horsepower range.

9. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 8, further comprising:

converting the control target value into values expressed by different units, and outputting the values;

converting the values into horsepower; and

monitoring whether the each of the values which have undergone conversion is within the allowable horsepower range at a corresponding conversion phase.

10. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 8, further comprising:

calculating a reference driving force based on the operation amount;

calculating a final target driving force by coordinating the reference driving force with an instruction driving force requested by at least one of the control units (S104); and

converting the final target driving force into horsepower using the vehicle speed (S106).

11. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 10, further comprising:

calculating a target engine torque based on the final target driving force;

calculating a final target engine torque by coordinating the target engine torque with an engine torque requested by at least one of the control units; and

converting the final target engine torque into horsepower using an engine speed.

12. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 11, characterized by further comprising:

calculating a target throttle angle based on the final target engine torque;

calculating a final target throttle angle by coordinating the target throttle angle with a throttle angle requested by at least one of the control units; and

converting the final target throttle angle into horsepower using an air-fuel ratio at the final target throttle angle.

13. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 8, further comprising:

using, when a control target horsepower derived through conversion is out of the allowable horsepower range, an upper limit or a lower limit of the allowable horsepower range instead of the control target horsepower derived through the conversion, thereby bringing the control target horsepower within the allowable horsepower range.

14. The vehicle integrated-control method according to claim 8, characterized by further comprising:

invalidating, when a control target horsepower derived through conversion exceeds an upper limit of the allowable horsepower range, an instruction from at least one of the multiple control units, thereby bringing the control target horsepower within the allowable horsepower range.