Vehicle Control Apparatus and Method of Suppressing Vibration of Vehicle

• US 20080172155A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakai, Yasuhiro, Takamatsu, Hideki, Kawahara, Kenji, Inagaki, Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/40
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/30 Propulsion unit conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/34 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/39 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/1877 Adaptive Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/60 Signal noise suppression; Electronic filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/162 Reducing road induced vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/22 Braking, stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/24 Steering, cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/70 Estimating or calculating vehicle parameters or state variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/916 Body Vibration Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/982 Active Cruise Control, e.g. DISTRONIC type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 : including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 : including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 : including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 : including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0052 : Filtering, filters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 : Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 : Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 : Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 : Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 : Control of vehicle driving stability

Abstract

A powertrain control ECU sets a target driving force, and controls an internal combustion engine and a transmission of a vehicle. A first processor of the powertrain control ECU includes a driving force adjustment portion, a filter, a mode-switch, an environmental information-obtaining device, and a steering sensor. The driving force adjustment portion sets the target driving force based on at least one of instructions from a driver and from a second processor. The filter corrects the target driving force to suppress vibration on a spring of the vehicle. The mode-switch sets the running mode. The environmental information-obtaining device obtains information on the environment around the vehicle. The steering angle sensor determines the running condition. A correction amount, by which the filter corrects the target driving force, is adjusted according to the running mode, the environment, and the running condition.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A vehicle control apparatus that sets a target control amount related to running movement of a vehicle, and controls at least a powertrain device of the vehicle based on the target control amount, comprising:

a controller that sets the target control amount based on at least one of an instruction from a driver and an instruction from a predetermined control device included in the vehicle;

determines at least one of a running characteristic of the vehicle set by the driver, an environment around the vehicle, and a running condition of the vehicle; and

corrects the set target control amount set to suppress vibration on a spring of the vehicle, wherein the controller adjusts a correction amount, by which the target control amount is corrected, according to the at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the determined running condition.

18. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller includes a running characteristic determination device that determines the running characteristic of the vehicle set by the driver;

and the controller adjusts the correction amount according to the running characteristic determined by the running characteristic determination device.

19. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the controller has a damping characteristic for damping the vibration on the spring of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the damping characteristic according to the running characteristic determined by the running characteristic determination device.

20. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the target control amount is a target driving force of the vehicle;

the controller includes a quadratic notch filter that corrects the target control amount; and

the controller adjusts a parameter for determining the damping characteristic according to the running characteristic determined by the running characteristic determination device.

21. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller includes an environment determination device that determines the environment around the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the correction amount according to the environment around the vehicle determined by the environment determination device.

22. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controller has a damping characteristic for damping the vibration on the spring of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the damping characteristic according to the environment around the vehicle determined by the environment determination device.

23. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the target control amount is a target driving force of the vehicle;

the controller includes a quadratic notch filter; and

the controller adjusts a parameter for determining the damping characteristic according to the environment around the vehicle determined by the environment determination device.

24. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller includes a running condition determination device that determines the running condition of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the correction amount according to the running condition determined by the running condition determination device.

25. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the controller has a damping characteristic for damping the vibration on the spring of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the damping characteristic according to the running condition determined by the running condition determination device.

26. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the target control amount is a target driving force of the vehicle;

the controller includes a quadratic notch filter; and

the controller adjusts a parameter for determining the damping characteristic according to the running condition determined by the running condition determination device.

27. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller includes a running characteristic determination device that determines the running characteristic of the vehicle set by the driver, an environment determination device that determines the environment around the vehicle, and a running condition determination device that determines the running condition of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the correction amount according to at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition.

28. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the controller has a damping characteristic for damping the vibration on the spring of the vehicle;

and the controller adjusts the damping characteristic according to at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition.

29. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the target control amount is a target driving force of the vehicle;

the controller includes a quadratic notch filter; and

the controller adjusts a parameter for determining the damping characteristic according to at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition.

30. A method of suppressing vibration of a vehicle, which reduces vibration on a spring of a vehicle, comprising:

setting a target control amount used to control at least a powertrain device of the vehicle based on at least one of an instruction from a driver and an instruction from a predetermined control device included in the vehicle;

determining at least one of a running characteristic of the vehicle set by the driver, an environment around the vehicle, and a running condition of the vehicle;

setting up a correction equation used to suppress the vibration on the spring of the vehicle based on at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition; and

correcting the target control amount using the correction equation.

31. The method of suppressing vibration of a vehicle according to claim 30, wherein the target control amount is corrected by changing a damping characteristic for damping the vibration on the spring of the vehicle;

and the damping characteristic is adjusted according to at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition.

32. The method of suppressing vibration of a vehicle according to claim 31, wherein the target control amount is a target driving force of the vehicle;

and a parameter for determining the damping characteristic is adjusted according to at least one of the running characteristic, the environment around the vehicle, and the running condition.