METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING A PEDAL MAP

• US 20120053796A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Fleming, Matthew Eugene, Francisco, Avernethy
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/04 of means connecting initiating means or elements to propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• 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 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for adjusting a pedal map. The present invention can include an automobile which has a pedal map adjustment system. The pedal map adjustment system can include a processor, a pedal system, a memory, a user input unit, a speed detection unit, and/or a power train. The memory can store a pedal map, which indicates a desired output of the powertrain at particular speed value. The pedal system can collect pedal data, the user input unit can collect user input data, and the speed detection unit can collect speed data. The processor, using the pedal data and the speed data can adjust pedal curves in the pedal map to intersect with a road load pedal angle curve. The road load pedal angle curve can indicate a pedal depression amount required to maintain the automobile at a particular speed value.

Claims

1. A pedal map adjustment system comprising:

a pedal system generating pedal data;

a memory storing a pedal map;

a user input unit generating user input data indicating when the pedal map should be adjusted; and

a processor connected to the pedal system, the memory, and the user input unit, the processor configured to analyze the pedal data and adjust the pedal map based on the pedal data and the user input data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor only adjusts the pedal map when the user input data indicates that the pedal map should be adjusted.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the pedal map indicates a requested output of a powertrain.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a speed detection unit connected to the processor and configured to detect speed data corresponding to speed values.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processor further adjusts the pedal map based on the speed data.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the pedal map includes a plurality of pedal curves and the processor adjusts the pedal curves based on the pedal data and the speed data.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the pedal map includes a road load pedal angle curve, and wherein the processor selects a pedal curve from the plurality of pedal curves based on the pedal data and the speed data, and adjusts the selected pedal curve to intersect with the road load pedal angle curve.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor selects the pedal curve from a group of available pedal curves, wherein the pedal curves in the group of available pedal curves are based on the pedal data and the speed data.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the road load pedal angle curve indicates for a speed value, the pedal data required to maintain the speed data at the speed value.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the pedal data corresponds to a pedal depression amount.

11. An automobile comprising:

a powertrain generating an output; and

a pedal map adjustment system connected to the powertrain, the pedal map adjustment system including

a pedal system generating pedal data, the pedal data corresponding to a pedal depression amount,

a memory storing a pedal map,

a user input unit generating user input data indicating when the pedal map should be adjusted, and

a processor connected to the pedal system, the memory, the user input unit, and the powertrain, the processor configured to control a requested output of the powertrain based on the pedal map, and to analyze the pedal data and adjust the pedal map based on the pedal data and the user input data.

12. The automobile of claim 11 wherein the processor only adjusts the pedal map when the user input data indicates that the pedal map should be adjusted.

13. The automobile of claim 11 wherein the pedal map adjustment system further includes a speed detection unit connected to the processor and configured to detect speed data corresponding to speed values, and the processor further adjusts the pedal map based on the speed data.

14. The automobile of claim 13 wherein the pedal map includes a plurality of pedal curves and a road load pedal angle curve, the processor selects a pedal curve from a group of available pedal curves, and adjusts the selected pedal curve to intersect with the road load pedal angle curve, and wherein the pedal curves in the group of available pedal curves are based on the pedal data and the speed data.

15. The automobile of claim 14 wherein the road load pedal angle curve indicates for a speed value, the pedal data required to maintain the speed data at the speed value.

16. A method of adjusting a pedal map comprising:

storing, using a memory, a pedal map;

generating, using a pedal system, pedal data corresponding to a pedal depression amount;

generating, using a user input unit, user input data indicating when the pedal map should be adjusted;

analyzing, using a processor, the pedal data and the user input data; and

adjusting, using the processor, the pedal map based on the pedal data and the user input data.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising adjusting the pedal map only when the user input data indicates that the pedal map should be adjusted.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

detecting, using a speed detection unit, speed data corresponding to speed values; and

adjusting, using the processor, the pedal map based on the speed data.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting, using the processor, a pedal curve from a group of available pedal curves; and

adjusting, using the processor, the selected pedal curve to intersect with a road load pedal angle curve based on the pedal data and the speed data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the pedal curves in the group of available pedal curves are based on the pedal data and the speed data, and the road load pedal angle curve indicates for a speed value, the pedal data required to maintain the speed data at the speed value.