Method and Device for Determining Overrun Conditions of a Vehicle

• US 20100174451A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: LEINUNG, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/004 Draining and drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/045 Detection of accelerating or decelerating state detection thereof in general G01P

Abstract

A method and a device are provided for determining an overrun condition of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, including a control unit that determines the overrun condition. The control unit is suitable for determining a probable occurrence of at least one overrun condition, at least in accordance with altitude or height profile data of a route that is and/or will be traveled by the vehicle. A navigation system, that is suitable for determining at least height profile data of a route that is traveled or will be traveled by a vehicle, is used in order to allow the determination of a probable occurrence of at least one overrun condition of the vehicle in accordance with the height profile data. Synchronization of an air supply operation during the overrun condition is hence possible.

Claims

1. A vehicle apparatus, comprising:

a control unit operatively configured to determine a probable occurrence of at least one overrun condition of the vehicle; and

wherein said control unit determines the probable occurrence of the at least one overrun condition of the vehicle as a function of altitude profile data associated with at least one of a road section being traveled on by the vehicle when the probable occurrence is determined and a road section to be traveled on by the vehicle at a future time.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to determine the probable occurrence of the at least one overrun condition as a function of at least one of current position data of the vehicle and current vehicle parameters.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to determine the probable occurrence of the at least one overrun condition for a segment of the road section ahead of the vehicle having a predefined length.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to determine whether one or more probable overrun conditions will occur over the predefined length of the segment of the road section.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to determine, based on the altitude profile data, at least one negative-gradient part of the road section at which the at least one overrun condition will probably occur.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to determine a duration of any probable overrun conditions based on at least one of the altitude profile data, the current vehicle parameters, and the current position data.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when an instantaneous overrun condition occurs, the control unit determines a continuing duration of the instantaneous overrun condition based on at least one of the altitude profile data, the current vehicle parameters, and the current position data.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit utilizes said altitude profile data that is based on altitude profile data of a total route calculated in advance, said total route being defined by a starting position and a destination of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle component having at least one operating mode;

and

wherein the control unit is operatively configured to control the operating mode of the vehicle component as a function of the at least one overrun condition of the vehicle determined to probably occur.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said vehicle component is one of:

a brake system, a brake system component, a dynamo, a generator, an air supply system, a compressor, a retarder, an air suspension control module, a tachometer, and an engine controller.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to control the air supply system of the vehicle, the air supply system synchronously carrying out an air supply operation when the probable overrun condition is determined.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the synchronization of the air supply system with the probable overrun condition is based at least on a presence of at least one negative-gradient part of the road section.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to assess whether the air supply operation is being carried out based on inter-vehicle distance data relating to a distance between the vehicle and a vehicle traveling ahead.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to control the air supply system such that the air supply operation is carried out by operating a compressor coupled to a drive train of the vehicle;

wherein the control unit is operatively configured to control the air supply system such that the air supply operation ends if the compressor is operated in at least one of an idling mode and a mode decoupled from the drive train.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is operatively configured to control the air supply system to carry out air supply operations when the overrun condition is not occurring if the air supply of the vehicle is required.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said current vehicle parameters comprise at least one of:

vehicle position data, vehicle altitude data, vehicle speed, wheel speeds, yaw rates, vehicle acceleration, a compressed air level of a vehicle brake system, a humidity level of a compressed air vessel or a compressed air treatment cartridge, an engine speed, an absolute value and/or sign of an engine torque, clutch data, gearspeed data, vehicle retarder data, and distance data relating to a distance from a vehicle traveling ahead.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a navigation system, said navigation system being operatively coupled with the control unit to provide the at least one of altitude profile data and current position data for the vehicle.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a commercial vehicle.

19. A method of operating a vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving altitude profile data of a road section being traveled on by the vehicle and/or a road section to be traveled on by the vehicle at a future time;

determining a probable occurrence of at least one overrun condition of the vehicle as a function of the received altitude profile data; and

utilizing the probable occurrence of the at least one overrun condition in controlling an operation of the vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the probable occurrence of the overrun condition is further determined as a function of at least one of current vehicle position data and current vehicle parameters.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the probable occurrence of the overrun condition is determined for a part of a road section that is ahead of the vehicle and that has a predefined length.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the act of determining whether one or more instances of overrun conditions will probably occur over the predefined length of the road section.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the act of determining at least one negative-gradient part of the road section at which the overrun condition will probably occur based on the altitude profile data.

24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the act of determining a duration of the probable occurrence of the overrun condition based on at least one of the altitude profile data, the current vehicle parameters, and the current vehicle position data.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the act of determining, when an instantaneous overrun condition occurs, a continuing duration of the instantaneous overrun condition based on at least one of the altitude profile data, the current vehicle parameters, and the current vehicle position data.

26. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the acts of:

predetermining a total route of the vehicle based on a starting position and a defined destination for the vehicle; and

wherein the received altitude profile data of the road section to be traveled on by the vehicle in the future is based on the altitude profile data of the total route which was calculated in advance.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein the operation of the vehicle includes operation of at least one of:

a vehicle brake system, a vehicle brake system component, a dynamo, a generator, an air supply system, a compressor, a retarder, an air suspension control module, a tachometer, a vehicle instrument, and an engine controller.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein the utilizing act further comprises the acts of:

controlling an air supply system of the vehicle to carry out an air supply operation synchronously when the overrun condition that will probably occur does occur.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the synchronization of the air supply operation with the overrun condition is based at least on a presence of at least one negative-gradient part of a road section.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising the act of assessing whether or not the air supply operation is to be carried out based on an inter-vehicle distance relating to a distance between the vehicle and a vehicle traveling ahead.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the air supply system is carried out by operating a compressor coupled to a drive train of the vehicle, the air supply system being further controlled to end the air supply if the compressor is operated in at least one of an idling mode and a mode decoupled from the drive train.

32. The method according to claim 19, wherein the utilizing act further comprises the acts of:

controlling an air supply system of the vehicle such that, when the overrun condition is not occurring, the air supply operation is still carried out when air supply to the vehicle is critical.

33. The method according to claim 20, wherein the current vehicle parameters comprise at least one of:

vehicle position data, vehicle altitude data, vehicle speed, wheel speeds, yaw rates, vehicle acceleration, a compressed air level of a vehicle brake system, a humidity level of a compressed air vessel or a compressed air treatment cartridge, engine speed, an absolute value and/or sign of an engine torque, clutch data, gearspeed data, vehicle retarder data, and distance data relating to a distance of the vehicle from another vehicle traveling ahead.