METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A MOTIVE POWER SYSTEM OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE

• US 20090076697A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Syed, Fazal Urrahman, Kuang, Ming Lang, Nallapa, Venkatapathi Raju, Grand, Kerry Eden
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/174 characterised by using special control logic, e.g. fuzzy logic , neural computing
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed

Abstract

A motive power system of a vehicle is controlled based on a driving style of a driver of the vehicle. Parameters related to a state of the vehicle are used as inputs to a fuzzy controller in order to characterize the driving style of the driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a motive power system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining an acceleration/deceleration history of the vehicle indicative of a driving style of a driver of the vehicle; and

controlling the motive power system based on the acceleration/deceleration history of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining an acceleration/deceleration history of the vehicle includes determining a power demanded by the driver.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a brake pedal and wherein the step of determining and acceleration/deceleration history of the vehicle includes determining the number of times the brake pedal is pressed during a predetermined duration of time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes an acceleration pedal and wherein the step of determining and acceleration/deceleration history of the vehicle includes determining the number of times the acceleration pedal is pressed during a predetermined duration of time.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring vehicle speed and determining a duration of time during which the vehicle speed is above a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the motive power system is further controlled based on the duration of time during which the vehicle speed is above the predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring vehicle speed and determining a duration of time during which the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the motive power system is further controlled based on the duration of time during which the vehicle speed is below the predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein determining a power demanded by the driver includes determining a positive power demand history and a negative power demand history.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining a power demanded by the driver further includes determining a difference between the positive power demand history and the negative power demand history.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a power demanded by the driver further includes determining whether the difference between the positive power demand history and the negative power demand history is above or below a predetermined threshold.

12. A method for controlling a motive power system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving input from at least one of an accelerator pedal and brake pedal;

determining a driving style of a driver of the vehicle based on the input; and

controlling the motive power system based on the driving style of the driver.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining a driving style of a driver of the vehicle based on the input includes determining a driver demand for power.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising measuring vehicle speed and determining a duration of time during which the vehicle speed is above a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving style of the driver of the vehicle is further based on the duration of time during which the vehicle speed is above the predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising measuring vehicle speed and determining a duration of time during which the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the driving style of the driver of the vehicle is further based on the duration of time during which the vehicle speed is below the predetermined threshold.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein determining a driver demand for power includes determining a positive power demand history and a negative power demand history.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein determining a driver demand for power further includes determining a difference between the positive power demand history and the negative power demand history.

20. A system for controlling a motive power system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more controllers configured to receive input from at least one of an accelerator pedal and brake pedal, to determine a driving style of a driver of the vehicle based on the input, and to control the motive power system based on the driving style of the driver.