Method and Device for Operating a Motor Vehicle

• US 20110118930A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hauptmann, Werner, Heesche, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A predefined operating strategy permits a predefined operating mode of the motor vehicle. A first operating variable value of the operating mode and/or one additional variable value, which is independent of the operating mode are sensed and one estimated value is determined depending thereon, which is representative of one expected value of the one first operating variable of a second operating variable of the operating mode. One predicted value is determined depending on the sensed values of the one first operating variable, the one additional variable, and/or the one determined estimated value. The predicted value represents an expected operating state and is compared with one predefined comparison value, which is representative of one predefined operation state. The operating strategy is set as a function of the comparison and of the at least one estimated variable in such a way that the predefined operating state is as far as possible avoided.

Claims

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising:

predefining an operating strategy for the motor vehicle, wherein the operating strategy permits a predefined operating mode of the motor vehicle,

detecting at least one of values of at least a first operating variable of the predefined operating mode and values of at least an additional variable which is independent of the predefined operating mode,

determining at least one estimated value, which is representative of at least one anticipated value of the at least one first operating mode variable or at least one second operating variable of the predefined operating mode, as a function of at lest one of the values of the at least one first operating variable and the values of the at least one additional variable,

determining at least one prediction value, which is representative of an anticipated operating state of the motor vehicle, as a function of at least one of the detected values of the at least one first operating variable, the detected values of the at least one additional variable, and the determined at least one estimated variable,

comparing the at least one determined prediction value with at least one predefined comparison value, which is representative of at least one predefined operating state of the motor vehicle,

setting the operating strategy as a function of a result of the comparison and as a function of the at least one estimated value in such a way that the motor vehicle is operated in such a way as to avoid the at least one predefined operation state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

at least two forecast values, which each represent an anticipated operating state of the motor vehicle and which are each assigned to different future time intervals, are determined as a function of at least one of the detected values of the at least one first operating variable, the detected values of the at least one additional variable, and the at least one determined estimated value, and

the at least one prediction value is determined as a function of the at least two forecast values.

3. The method according to claim 2, in which the at least two forecast values are determined by means of at least one artificial neural network.

4. The method according to claim 2, in which the at least two forecast values are determined as a function of the availability of the at least one additional variable either by means of a first artificial neural network or by means of a second artificial neural network.

5. The method according to claim 2, in which the prediction value is determined as a function of a chronological sequence of the at least two forecast values.

6. A device for operating a motor vehicle, comprising

a decision unit, which is operable to predefine an operating strategy for the motor vehicle, wherein the operating strategy permits a predefined operating mode of the motor vehicle,

a data detection unit which is operable to detect at least one of values of at least a first operating variable of the predefined operating mode and at least an additional variable which is independent of the predefined operating mode,

an estimation unit which is operable to determine at least one estimated value, which is representative of at least one anticipated value of the at least one first operating variable or the at least one second operating variable, as a function of at least one of the values of the at least one first operating variable and the values of the at least one additional variable,

a forecast unit which is designed to determine at least one prediction value, which is representative of an anticipated operating state of the motor vehicle, as a function of at least one of the detected values of the at least one first operating variable, the detected values of the at least one additional variable, and the determined at least one estimated value,

a comparison unit which is operable to compare the at least one determined prediction value with at least one predefined comparison value which is representative of at least one predefined operating state of the motor vehicle, and to actuate the decision unit, as a function of a result of the comparison and as a function of the at least one estimated value, in such a way that the operating strategy is set in such a way that the motor vehicle is operated in such a way as to avoid the at least one predefined operating state.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the motor vehicle has a hybrid drive with a first and a second energy converter and with at least one energy store, wherein the first energy converter is embodied as an electric machine, and the device is designed to actuate the first and second energy converters as a function of the operating strategy.

8. A motor vehicle, comprising an energy management system for predefining an operating strategy for the motor vehicle, wherein the operating strategy permits a predefined operating mode of the motor vehicle, the energy management system comprising:

an acquisition unit for detecting at least one of values of at least a first operating variable of the predefined operating mode and values of at least an additional variable which is independent of the predefined operating mode,

an estimation unit for determining at least one estimated value, which is representative of at least one anticipated value of the at least one first operating mode variable or at least one second operating variable of the predefined operating mode, as a function of at lest one of the values of the at least one first operating variable and the values of the at least one additional variable,

a forecast unit for determining at least one prediction value, which is representative of an anticipated operating state of the motor vehicle, as a function of at least one of the detected values of the at least one first operating variable, the detected values of the at least one additional variable, and the determined at least one estimated variable,

a comparison unit for comparing the at least one determined prediction value with at least one predefined comparison value, which is representative of at least one predefined operating state of the motor vehicle,

a decision unit for setting the operating strategy as a function of a result of the comparison and as a function of the at least one estimated value in such a way that the motor vehicle is operated in such a way as to avoid the at least one predefined operation state.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the acquisition unit is coupled with the estimation unit and the forecast unit,

the estimation unit is coupled with the forecast unit and the comparison unit,

the forcast unit is coupled with the comparison unit, and

the comparison unit is coupled with the decision unit.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the energy management system is operable to

determine at least two forecast values, which each represent an anticipated operating state of the motor vehicle and which are each assigned to different future time intervals, as a function of at least one of the detected values of the at least one first operating variable, the detected values of the at least one additional variable, and the at least one determined estimated value, and

to determine the at least one prediction value as a function of the at least two forecast values.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising an artificial neural network for determining the at least two forecast values.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the energy management system is operable to determine determine the at least two forecast values as a function of the availability of the at least one additional variable either by means of a first artificial neural network or by means of a second artificial neural network.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the energy management system is operable to determine the prediction value as a function of a chronological sequence of the at least two forecast values.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle has a hybrid drive with a first and a second energy converter and with at least one energy store, wherein the first energy converter is embodied as an electric machine, and the device is designed to actuate the first and second energy converters as a function of the operating strategy.