DRIVE CONTROL DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20100174431A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukumura, Mitsumasa, Sasaki, Shoichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/105 of electric type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1004 Estimation of the output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0215 in relation with elements of the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19828 Worm

Abstract

There is provided a drive control device for a vehicle capable of estimating an engine torque with high accuracy during traveling in a fixed gear ratio mode. The drive control device includes the engagement mechanism including the revolution component that is revolved by the torque of the internal combustion engine and the fixed component that engages with the revolution component, the torque applying unit which applies the torque to the revolution component and the first transmitting control unit which engages the engagement mechanism to make the engagement mechanism receive the reaction force of the torque of the internal combustion engine. The torque estimating control unit executes the control of the torque applied to the revolution component by the torque applying unit during executing the control by the first transmitting control unit thereby to detect the phase change between the revolution component and the fixed component in a direction of rotation, and estimates the torque of the internal combustion engine based on the phase change and the torque applied by the torque applying unit. Therefore, it becomes possible to estimate the torque of the internal combustion engine with high accuracy in such a state that the revolution component and the fixed component are engaging.

Claims

1. A drive control device for a vehicle comprising:

an engagement mechanism which includes a revolution component that has plural teeth and is revolved by a torque of an internal combustion engine, and a fixed component that has plural teeth and engages with the revolution component;

a torque applying unit which applies a torque to the revolution component;

a first transmitting control unit which engages the engagement mechanism to make the engagement mechanism receive a reaction force of the torque of the internal combustion engine, and executes a control for transmitting the torque of the internal combustion engine to wheels; and

a torque estimating control unit which executes a control for estimating the torque of the internal combustion engine,

wherein the torque estimating control unit comprising;

a torque applying control unit which executes a control of the torque applied to the revolution component by the torque applying unit during executing the control by the first transmitting control unit;

a phase change detecting unit which detects a phase change between the revolution component and the fixed component in a direction of rotation during executing the control by the torque applying control unit; and

a torque estimating unit which estimates the torque of the internal combustion engine based on the phase change detected by the phase change detecting unit and the torque applied by the torque applying unit by the control of the torque applying control unit during executing the control by the first transmitting control unit.

2. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the torque applying control unit executes the control of the torque applied to the revolution component by the torque applying unit so that the phase change is smaller than a backlash between teeth of the revolution component and teeth of the fixed component.

3. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein, when a change of an operation point of the internal combustion engine becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the torque estimating control unit executes the control for estimating the torque.

4. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second transmitting control unit which releases the engagement mechanism to make the torque applying unit receive a reaction force of the torque of the internal combustion engine; and

a switching unit which switches from the control by the first transmitting control unit to the control by the second transmitting control unit, when an absolute value of the torque which the applying unit should apply in order to switch from the control by the first transmitting control unit to the control by the second transmitting control unit becomes larger than an absolute value of the torque applied by the torque applying unit during the control by the torque estimating control unit.

5. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the torque applying control unit controls a speed of changing the torque applied by the torque applying unit based on a relation between the torque which the torque applying unit is presently applying and a target torque which the torque applying unit should apply to change the phase between the revolution component and the fixed component.

6. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a unit which generates a torque so that the torque applied by the torque applying unit is compensated during the control by the torque applying control unit.

7. The drive control device for the vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the torque applying unit is a motor generator.

8. A drive control device for a vehicle comprising:

an engagement mechanism which includes a revolution component that has plural teeth and is revolved by a torque of an internal combustion engine, and a component that has plural teeth and engages with the revolution component to fix the revolution component;

a torque applying unit which applies a torque to the revolution component that is different from the torque applied by the internal combustion engine;

a first transmitting control unit which engages the engagement mechanism to make the engagement mechanism receive a reaction force of the torque of the internal combustion engine, and executes a control for transmitting the torque of the internal combustion engine to wheels; and

a torque estimating control unit which executes a control for estimating the torque of the internal combustion engine,

wherein the torque estimating control unit comprising;

a torque applying control unit which executes a control of the torque opposite to the torque of the internal combustion engine that is applied to the revolution component by the torque applying unit during executing the control by the first transmitting control unit;

a phase change detecting unit which detects a phase change between the revolution component and the component in a direction of rotation during executing the control by the torque applying control unit; and

a torque estimating unit which estimates the torque of the internal combustion engine based on the phase change detected by the phase change detecting unit and the torque applied by the torque applying unit by the control of the torque applying control unit during executing the control by the first transmitting control unit.