SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120191275A1
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Clever, Timothy J., Cansiani, Kevin A., Gaskins, Ronald E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0075 responsive to vehicle steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/10 of the electric type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/002 controlling air supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle that includes an engine includes a speed generation module, an airflow determination module, and a throttle control module. The speed generation module generates a desired engine speed during a period after a measured vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a desired vehicle speed, wherein the desired engine speed is based on a difference between the desired vehicle speed and the measured vehicle speed. The airflow determination module determines a desired airflow based on a difference between the desired engine speed and a measured engine speed. The throttle control module determines a desired throttle position based on the desired airflow, and commands a throttle of the engine to the desired throttle position.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle that includes an engine, the control system comprising:

a speed generation module that generates a desired engine speed during a period after a measured vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a desired vehicle speed, wherein the desired engine speed is based on a difference between the desired vehicle speed and the measured vehicle speed;

an airflow determination module that determines a desired airflow based on a difference between the desired engine speed and a measured engine speed; and

a throttle control module that determines a desired throttle position based on the desired airflow, and that commands a throttle of the engine to the desired throttle position.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the throttle control module determines the desired throttle position based on the desired airflow using a lookup table that maps throttle position to airflow.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the speed generation module, the airflow determination module, and the throttle control module are calibratable to provide for asymmetric control of the vehicle speed.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the speed generation module, the airflow determination module, and the throttle control module allow for underspeed control of the vehicle speed while the vehicle is turning.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the speed generation module calculates proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) terms based on the difference between the desired vehicle speed and the measured vehicle speed.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the speed generation module generates the desired engine speed based on a sum of the PID terms.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the airflow determination module determines proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) terms based on the difference between the desired engine speed and the measured engine speed.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the airflow determination module determines the desired airflow based on a sum of the PID terms.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a marine vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the measured vehicle speed is measured using one of a paddlewheel sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, and a sonic sensor.

11. A method for controlling a vehicle that includes an engine, the method comprising:

generating a desired engine speed during a period after a measured vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a desired vehicle speed, wherein the desired engine speed is based on a difference between the desired vehicle speed and the measured vehicle speed;

determining a desired airflow based on a difference between the desired engine speed and a measured engine speed;

determining a desired throttle position based on the desired airflow; and

commanding a throttle of the engine to the desired throttle position.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the desired throttle position based on the desired airflow using a lookup table that maps throttle position to airflow.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the generation of the desired engine speed, the determination of the desired airflow, and the determination of the desired throttle position are calibratable to provide for asymmetric control of the vehicle speed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the generation of the desired engine speed, the determination of the desired airflow, and the determination of the desired throttle position allow for underspeed control of the vehicle speed while the vehicle is turning.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) terms based on the difference between the desired vehicle speed and the measured vehicle speed.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating the desired engine speed based on a sum of the PID terms.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) terms based on the difference between the desired engine speed and the measured engine speed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the desired airflow based on a sum of the PID terms.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is a marine vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising measuring the vehicle speed using one of a paddlewheel sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, and a sonic sensor.