VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20140156171A1
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kono, Katsumi, Asahara, Norimi, Kim, Jonggap
• Granted Patent: US 9,533,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 7/00 Other fuel-injection control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3101 Detection of a brake actuation by a sensor on the brake
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3108 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3127 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3144 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31466 Gear lever
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5085 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70424 Outputting a clutch engaged-disengaged signal
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A vehicle control device is a vehicle control device for a vehicle capable of coasting, in which when there is no acceleration or deceleration request to the vehicle while traveling, power transmission between an engine and drive wheels is cut off and the vehicle is allowed to travel by inertia, wherein in a state in which there is no acceleration or deceleration request to the vehicle while traveling and power is transmitted between the engine and the drive wheels, whether or not to implement the coasting is determined by comparing a required deceleration rate Dt which is estimated as a deceleration rate to be later required of the vehicle and a coasting deceleration rate Dn which is estimated as a deceleration rate during the coasting. Where it is determined to implement the coasting, power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels is cut off and the coasting is implemented, and where it is determined not to implement the coasting, power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels is maintained. As a result, the implementation of coasting that can provide a sense of anxiety or discomfort to the driver can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for a vehicle capable of coasting, in which when there is no acceleration or deceleration request to the vehicle while traveling, power transmission between an engine and drive wheels is cut off and the vehicle is allowed to travel by inertia, comprising:

a controller which is configured to, in a state in which there is no acceleration or deceleration request to the vehicle while traveling and power is transmitted between the engine and the drive wheels, determine whether or not to implement the coasting by comparing a required deceleration rate that is estimated as a deceleration rate to be later required of the vehicle and a coasting deceleration rate that is estimated as a deceleration rate during the coasting,

cut off power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels and implements the coasting in a case where it is determined to implement the coasting, and

maintain power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels in a case where it is determined not to implement the coasting.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

the required deceleration rate is the larger of an expected deceleration rate in a case where there is no deceleration request to the vehicle, and an expected deceleration rate in a case where there is a deceleration request to the vehicle.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein

the expected deceleration rate in a case where there is no deceleration request to the vehicle is determined on the basis of a vehicle speed and a road grade.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, further comprising

an information acquisition device that acquires surrounding information relating to the vehicle, wherein

the expected deceleration rate in the case where there is the deceleration request to the vehicle is estimated from the surrounding information relating to the vehicle that is acquired by the information acquisition device.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

a determination criterion for determining whether or not to implement the coasting is changed according to a traveling scene relating to the vehicle.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

control of stopping fuel injection to the engine is implemented in response to a determination that the coasting is not to be performed.