METHOD AND MODULE FOR DETERMINING OF REFERENCE VALUES FOR A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120083943A1
• Filed: 05/31/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Johansson, Oskar, Hansson, Jörgen, Pettersson, Henrik
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• 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 30/143 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 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method for determining set-point values for a vehicle'"'"'s control systems having the steps of: determining a horizon by means of position data and map data of an itinerary made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment; calculating threshold values for at least one characteristic of segments according to one or more vehicle-specific values, which threshold values serve as boundaries for assigning segments to various categories; comparing the at least one characteristic of each segment with the calculated threshold values and placing each segment within the horizon in a category according to the results of the comparisons; calculating set-point values for the vehicle'"'"'s control systems across the horizon according to rules pertaining to the categories in which segments within the horizon are placed; regulating the vehicle according to the set-point values. Also a module adapted to determining set-point values for a control system in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for determining set-point values for a vehicle'"'"'s control systems, comprising the steps of:

A) determining a horizon by means of position data and map data of an itinerary made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment;

B) calculating threshold values for said at least one characteristic of segments according to one or more vehicle-specific values, which threshold values serve as boundaries for assigning segments to various categories;

C) comparing said at least one characteristic of each segment with the calculated threshold values and placing each segment within the horizon in a category according to the results of the comparisons;

D) calculating set-point values for the vehicle'"'"'s control systems across the horizon according to rules pertaining to the categories in which segments within the horizon are placed;

E) regulating the vehicle according to the set-point values.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the vehicle-specific values are determined by current transmission ratio, current vehicle weight, the engine'"'"'s maximum torque curve, mechanical friction and/or the vehicle'"'"'s running resistance at current speed.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the at least one characteristic of the segments are their length and gradient, and the threshold values are calculated in the form of gradient threshold values l_min and l_max.

4. A method according to claim 3, in which the characteristics of the segments are their length and lateral acceleration, and the threshold values are calculated in the form of lateral acceleration threshold values.

5. A method according to claim 1, in which the determining of the horizon is by using position data from GPS.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step A1) between steps A) and B) to simplify the horizon by comparing the characteristics of adjacent segments and combining the adjacent segments in cases where the difference between their characteristics is below a certain value.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing step A) continuously so long as the horizon does not exceed a planned itinerary for the vehicle, and performing steps B) to E) continuously for the whole length of the horizon.

15. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions for enabling a computer system in a vehicle to perform the steps according to the method according to claim 1 when the computer program instructions are run on the computer system.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising a medium which is readable by a computer system and the computer program instructions are stored on the medium.

8. A module for determining set-point values for a vehicle'"'"'s control systems, which module comprises:

a horizon unit configured and operable to determine a horizon by means of received position data and map data of an itinerary for the vehicle, the itinerary comprising route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment;

a processor unit configured and operable to

calculate threshold values for the at least one characteristic of segments according to one or more vehicle-specific values, wherein the threshold values serve as boundaries for assigning segments to various categories;

compare the at least one characteristic of each segment with the calculated threshold values and place each segment in a category according to the results of the comparisons;

calculating calculate set-point values for the vehicle'"'"'s control systems across the horizon according to rules pertaining to the categories in which segments within the horizon are placed;

wherein the control system regulates the vehicle according to these set-point values.

9. A module according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle-specific values are determined by current transmission ratio, current vehicle weight, the engine'"'"'s maximum torque curve, mechanical friction and/or the vehicle'"'"'s running resistance at current speed.

10. A module according to claim 9, wherein the characteristics of segments are their length and gradient, and the processor unit is configured and operable to calculate the threshold values in the form of gradient threshold values l_min and l_max.

11. A module according to claim 9, wherein the characteristics of segments are their length and lateral acceleration, and the processor unit is configured and operable to calculate the threshold values in the form of lateral acceleration threshold values.

12. A module according to claim 8, further comprising a GPS configured and operable to determine position data for determining a horizon.

13. A module according to claim 8, wherein the processor unit is configured and operable to simplify the horizon by comparing the characteristics of adjacent segments and combining the adjacent segments where difference between their characteristics is below a set value.

14. A module according to claim 8, wherein the horizon unit is configured and operable to determine the horizon continuously so long as the horizon does not exceed a planned itinerary for the vehicle, and the processor unit is configured and operable to continuously perform steps to calculate and update the set-point values for the control system for the whole length of the horizon.