Vehicle and Controller Thereof

• US 20090312147A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Takuya, Oshima, Takeru
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/906 Means detecting or ameliorating the effects of malfunction or potential malfunction

Abstract

A vehicle comprises a driving state detecting device configured to detect a driving state, a command signal output device configured to output a detected command signal indicating an engine driving power change command, an opening degree signal output device configured to output a detected opening degree signal, a valve drive device configured to drive a throttle valve; and a controller which is configured to set a target opening degree of the throttle valve based on the detected command signal and to control the valve drive device to cause an opening degree to match the target opening degree. The controller is configured to set, according to the driving state, the target opening degree to a smaller value than when the command signal and the opening degree signal are normal, when at least one of the command signal and the opening degree signal is abnormal.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a transmission gear position detecting device configured to detect a gear position of a transmission;

a command signal output device configured to output a detected command signal indicating an engine driving power change command given by a driver;

an opening degree signal output device configured to output a detected opening degree signal indicating an opening degree of a throttle valve;

a valve drive device configured to drive the throttle valve to control the opening degree of the throttle valve; and

a controller which is configured to set a target opening degree of the throttle valve based on the detected command signal and to control the valve drive device to cause the opening degree indicated by the detected opening degree signal to match the target opening degree;

wherein the controller is configured to set, according to the gear position detected by the transmission gear position detecting device, the target opening degree of the throttle valve to a smaller value than when it is determined that the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal are normal, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the command signal output device or the opening degree signal output device is configured to output plural signals to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to, when it is determined that one of the plural signals is abnormal, control the valve drive device based on another signal which is determined as normal.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the controller is configured to set, according to the gear position, an upper limit value of the target opening degree set according to the detected command signal when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal;

and

wherein an upper limit value of the target opening degree in a gear position is smaller than an upper limit value of the target opening degree in another gear position having a reduction gear ratio higher than a reduction gear ratio of the gear position.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the controller is configured to set the target opening degree in such a manner that the target opening degree set according to the detected command signal in a case where it is determined that the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal are normal is decreased according to a predetermined decrease rate, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal;

and

wherein a decrease rate of the target opening degree in a gear position is smaller than a decrease rate of the target opening degree in another gear position having a reduction gear ratio higher than a reduction gear ratio of the gear position.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the controller is configured to set, according to the gear position, an upper limit value of the target opening degree set according to the detected command signal, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal;

and

wherein an upper limit value of the target opening degree in a gear position is smaller than an upper limit value of the target opening degree in another gear position having a reduction gear ratio higher than a reduction gear ratio of the gear position.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed associated value detecting device configured to detect a driving speed or an engine speed of an engine;

wherein

wherein the controller is configured to, when the driving speed or the engine speed which is detected by the speed associated value detecting device exceeds a predetermined restricted opening degree threshold, set the target opening degree of the throttle valve to a smaller value than prior to exceeding the predetermined restricted opening degree threshold.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the controller is configured to set the predetermined restricted opening degree threshold according to the gear position of the transmission.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a speed associated value detecting device configured to detect a driving speed or an engine speed of an engine;

a command signal output device configured to output a detected command signal indicating an engine driving power change command given by a driver;

an opening degree signal output device configured to output a detected opening degree signal indicating an opening degree of a throttle valve;

a valve drive device configured to drive the throttle valve to control the opening degree of the throttle valve; and

a controller which is configured to set a target opening degree of the throttle valve based on the detected command signal and to control the valve drive device to cause the opening degree indicated by the detected opening degree signal to match the target opening degree;

wherein

the controller is configured to set the target opening degree of the throttle valve to a smaller value than prior to exceeding a predetermined restricted opening degree threshold, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal and when the driving speed or the engine speed which is detected by the speed associated value detecting device exceeds the predetermined restricted opening degree threshold.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a driving state detecting device configured to detect a driving state of the vehicle;

a command signal output device configured to output a detected command signal indicating an engine driving power change command given by a driver;

an opening degree signal output device configured to output a detected opening degree signal indicating an opening degree of a throttle valve;

a valve drive device configured to drive the throttle valve to control an opening degree of the throttle valve; and

a controller which is configured to set a target opening degree of the throttle valve based on the detected command signal and to control the valve drive device to cause the opening degree indicated by the detected opening degree signal to match the target opening degree;

wherein the controller is configured to set, according to the driving state detected by the driving state detecting device, the target opening degree of the throttle valve to a smaller value than when it is detected the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal are normal, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signal and the detected opening degree signal is abnormal.

10. A controller for a vehicle comprising:

an opening degree setting unit configured to set a target opening degree of a throttle valve based on plural detected command signals each indicating a driving power change command of an engine which is given by a driver;

a valve drive control unit which is configured to control a throttle valve so that an actual opening degree of the throttle valve matches a target opening degree set by the opening degree setting unit, based on a detected opening degree signal indicating an opening degree of the throttle valve; and

an abnormality determiner unit configured to determine whether or not abnormality has occurred in at least one of the plural detected command signals;

wherein the abnormality determiner unit is configured to set the target opening degree of the throttle valve to a smaller value than when it is determined that the detected command signals are normal, and is configured to set, according to a driving state of the vehicle, a rule for finding the target opening degree based on the detected command signals, when it is determined that at least one of the detected command signals is abnormal.