MODULE FOR DETERMINING OF REFERENCE VALUES FOR A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120083986A1
• 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 9,043,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/93
• 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 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• 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 module for determination of speed set-point values v_ref for a vehicle'"'"'s control systems, comprising an input unit adapted to input, e.g., by the vehicle'"'"'s driver, of a reference speed v_set which is the speed desired by the driver for the vehicle. The module includes a horizon unit to determine a horizon by means of received position data and map data of an itinerary made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment; a processor unit to calculate v_ref for the vehicle'"'"'s control systems across the horizon according to rules pertaining to categories in which segments within the horizon are placed, so that v_ref is within a range bounded by v_min and v_max, where v_min≦v_set≦V_max,, which control system regulates the vehicle according to these set-point values.

Claims

1. A module for determination of speed set-point values v_ref for a vehicle'"'"'s control systems, comprising

an input unit configured and operable to inputa reference speed v_set which is the speed desired by the driver for the vehicle,

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

a processor unit configured and operable to calculate v_ref for the vehicle'"'"'s control systems across the horizon according to rules pertaining to categories in which the segments route within the horizon are placed, so that v_ref is within a range bounded by v_min and v_max, where v_min≦

v_set≦

v_max; and

the control system is configured and operable to regulate the vehicle according to these set-point values.

2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured such that the range v_min and v_max is set manually by a driver via the input unit.

3. A module according to claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured such that there is a predetermined number of different levels for the range v_min and v_max with different range widths.

4. A module according to claim 3, wherein v_min and v_max for each level are first and second predetermined numbers of km/h respectively below and above v_set.

5. A module according to claim 3, wherein v_min and v_max for each level are first and second predetermined percentages respectively below and above v_set.

6. A module according to claim 1, further comprising regulating a module configured and operable to automatically set the range v_min and v_max by calculations of suitable ranges.

7. A module according to claim 6, wherein the regulating module is configured and operable such that the range width between v_min and v_max adapted automatically according to a set time gap relative to a vehicle ahead of the vehicle with the control system so that the range width is smaller for a short time gap and larger for a longer time gap.

8. A module according to claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured and operable

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

and

to compare at least one characteristic of each segment with the calculated threshold values and

to place each segment in a category according to results of the comparisons.

9. A module according to claim 8, wherein the processor unit is such that 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 8, wherein the characteristics of segments are their length and gradient and the processor unit is adapted to calculating the threshold values in the form of gradient threshold values l_min and l_max.

11. A module according to claim 8, 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 to claim 1, wherein the horizon unit includes GPS to provide received position data which are determined by using the GPS.

13. A module to foregoing claim 1, 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 for calculating and updating the set-point values for the control system for the whole length of the horizon.

14. A module according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is configured such that a driver of the vehicle inputs the reference speed v_ref which is the speed desired by the driver for the vehicle.