VEHICLE DISTURBANCE ESTIMATOR AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A vehicle disturbance estimator for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising a cruise control, a plurality of gears, at least one brake, and a vehicle bus for carrying plural signals corresponding to motor vehicle parameters, the vehicle disturbance estimator comprising:
- a microprocessor comprising first, second and third sets of inputs;
the first set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to first parameters of the motor vehicle, the first parameters comprising;
Gross Vehicle Mass;
Static Wheel Radius;
Nominal Drag Coefficient;
Nominal Rolling Resistance Coefficient; and
Vehicle Frontal Area;
the second set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to second parameters of the motor vehicle, the second parameters comprising;
Engine Brake State;
Engine Torque;
Engine Speed;
Wheel Based Vehicle Speed; and
Service Brake State;
the third set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to the grade of the road being travel by the motor vehicle;
the microprocessor being operable to process the first, second and third sets of inputs to determine plural vehicle disturbance estimates for time periods during which the following conditions exist;
the cruise control is on, the vehicle is being driven in the highest gear, and the vehicle is not being braked by any brakes;
the microprocessor providing signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates; and
memory for storing the signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Vehicle Disturbance Estimator determines estimates of a vehicle disturbance force according to vehicle operating conditions. The determined vehicle disturbance force estimate can be used, for example, in connection with controlling a cruise control system for the vehicle, in connection with fuel economy evaluations and testing, and in connection with vehicle diagnostics. A plurality of sets of inputs can be used to determine plural vehicle disturbance estimates for time periods during which a cruise control is on, the vehicle is being driven in the highest gear, and the vehicle is not being braked by any brakes. The plurality of vehicle disturbance estimates can be averaged to provide an output corresponding to an average vehicle disturbance estimate over a plurality of sampling time periods. Kalman filtering can be used to determine the vehicle disturbance estimates. Signals corresponding to the plural disturbance estimates can be provided as an input to a cruise control, with the cruise control then being operable to control the speed of the motor vehicle, based at least in part upon the vehicle disturbance estimate.
102 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A vehicle disturbance estimator for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising a cruise control, a plurality of gears, at least one brake, and a vehicle bus for carrying plural signals corresponding to motor vehicle parameters, the vehicle disturbance estimator comprising:
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a microprocessor comprising first, second and third sets of inputs; the first set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to first parameters of the motor vehicle, the first parameters comprising; Gross Vehicle Mass; Static Wheel Radius; Nominal Drag Coefficient; Nominal Rolling Resistance Coefficient; and Vehicle Frontal Area; the second set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to second parameters of the motor vehicle, the second parameters comprising; Engine Brake State; Engine Torque; Engine Speed; Wheel Based Vehicle Speed; and Service Brake State; the third set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to the grade of the road being travel by the motor vehicle; the microprocessor being operable to process the first, second and third sets of inputs to determine plural vehicle disturbance estimates for time periods during which the following conditions exist;
the cruise control is on, the vehicle is being driven in the highest gear, and the vehicle is not being braked by any brakes;the microprocessor providing signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates; and memory for storing the signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A vehicle disturbance estimator for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising a cruise control, a plurality of gears, at least one brake, and a vehicle bus for carrying plural signals corresponding to motor vehicle parameters, the vehicle disturbance estimator comprising:
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a microprocessor comprising first, second and third sets of inputs; the first set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to first parameters of the motor vehicle, the first parameters comprising; Gross Vehicle Mass; Static Wheel Radius; Nominal Drag Coefficient; Nominal Rolling Resistance Coefficient; and Vehicle Frontal Area; the second set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to second parameters of the motor vehicle, the second parameters comprising; Engine Brake State; Engine Torque; Engine Speed; Wheel Based Vehicle Speed; and Service Brake State. the third set of inputs comprising inputs corresponding to the grade of the road being travel by the motor vehicle; the microprocessor being operable to process the first, second and third sets of inputs to determine plural vehicle disturbance estimates for time periods during which the following conditions exist;
the cruise control is on, the vehicle is being driven in the highest gear, and the vehicle is not being braked by any brakes;the microprocessor providing signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates; and wherein the signals corresponding to the plural vehicle disturbance estimates are provided as an input to the cruise control, the cruise control being operable to control the speed of the motor vehicle based at least in part upon the vehicle disturbance estimates.
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24. A method of operating a motor vehicle comprising:
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determining vehicle disturbance estimates, the vehicle disturbance estimates being determined for the periods corresponding to the vehicle being driven in the top gear;
the vehicle having cruise control that is on and the vehicle brakes not being applied to the vehicle;delivering signals corresponding to the vehicle disturbance estimates as an input to a cruise control; controlling the operation of the cruise control based in part upon the vehicle disturbance estimates. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of diagnosing the operation of a motor vehicle having cruise control comprising:
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operating the motor vehicle; computing vehicle disturbance estimates as the vehicle is operated; the vehicle disturbance estimates being computed when the vehicle is being driven in the top gear, cruise control is on and the vehicle is not being braked; and diagnosing motor vehicle performance based upon computed vehicle disturbance estimates.
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33. A method of evaluating fuel efficiency tests comprising:
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conducting one fuel efficiency test run of a motor vehicle over a route; computing at least a first vehicle disturbance estimate for said one fuel efficiency test run; conducting another fuel efficiency test run of a motor vehicle over the route; computing at least a second vehicle disturbance estimate for said another fuel efficiency test run; discarding the results of a fuel efficiency test run when the vehicle disturbance estimate for the test run exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification