DRIVE CONTROL DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20120035828A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takanami, Yoji, Honda, Tomoyuki, Amaya, Takayuki, Yamanaka, Satoshi, Sugiyama, Koji
• Application Number:
  US13/259,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 28/00 Programme-control of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A drive control device for a vehicle is preferably used for controlling an internal combustion engine and/or a transmission, for example. A total fuel consumption amount calculating unit calculates total fuel consumption amount by integrating fuel consumption when the vehicle travels a unit distance at a predetermined vehicle speed and a predetermined acceleration, with respect to a time axis in accordance with a target distance. A traveling pattern calculating unit calculates a traveling pattern indicating a relationship between a vehicle speed and an acceleration when the vehicle travels the target distance, based on the total fuel consumption amount. By performing the control based on the calculated traveling pattern, it is possible to optimize the total fuel consumption amount. Therefore, it becomes possible to improve the actual fuel consumption.

Claims

1. A drive control device for a vehicle, comprising:

a total fuel consumption amount calculating unit which calculates fuel consumption amount when the vehicle travels a unit distance at a predetermined vehicle speed and a predetermined acceleration which define a traveling pattern, for each of plural traveling patterns indicating a relationship between a vehicle speed and an acceleration when the vehicle travels a target distance, by using a relationship between a vehicle speed, an acceleration and fuel consumption amount needed to travel a unit distance when an engine operates in accordance with a fuel consumption optimum line, and calculates total fuel consumption amount by integrating the calculated fuel consumption amount when with respect to a time axis in accordance with the target distance; and

a traveling pattern calculating unit which calculates a traveling pattern which should be adopted in the plural traveling patterns, based on the total fuel consumption amount.

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

wherein the traveling pattern calculating unit calculates the traveling pattern so that the total fuel consumption amount becomes minimal.

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

wherein the traveling pattern calculating unit obtains a limit value of fuel consumption amount from outside, and calculates the traveling pattern so that the total fuel consumption amount becomes equal to or smaller than the limit value.

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

wherein the traveling pattern calculating unit obtains a vehicle speed when the vehicle performs a steady traveling, from outside, and calculates the traveling pattern so that the vehicle performs the steady traveling at the vehicle speed.

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

wherein the traveling pattern calculating unit obtains target arrival time to arrive at the target distance, from outside, and calculates the traveling pattern so that arrival time to arrive at the target distance becomes equal to or shorter than the target arrival time.

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

wherein the traveling pattern calculating unit obtains a maximum acceleration from outside, and calculates the traveling pattern so that a maximum value of an acceleration generated by the time the vehicle arrives at the target distance becomes the maximum acceleration.

7. A drive control device for a vehicle, comprising:

a unit which calculates a traveling pattern indicating a relationship between a vehicle speed and an acceleration when the vehicle travels a target distance corresponding to a distance from a departure place to a destination so that, when the target distance is equal to or larger than a predetermined distance, a steady traveling to be performed by the time the vehicle arrives at the target distance is performed in a shorter time than when the target distance is smaller than the predetermined distance.