METHOD AND MODULE FOR DETERMINING OF AT LEAST ONE REFERENCE VALUE FOR A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20140343818A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Maria Sodergren
• Inventors: Johansson, Oskar, Sdergren, Maria, Roos, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 9,193,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/244 changing target speed or setting a new target speed, e.g. changing algorithms
• 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: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method for determining a reference value for controlling a vehicle'"'"'s speed by a vehicle control system is described. The method includes: making a first prediction and a second prediction of the speed along a horizon, the first prediction based on an engine torque that retards the vehicle as compared with a conventional cruise control, and the second prediction based on an engine torque that accelerates the vehicle as compared with the conventional cruise control; comparing the first prediction and second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, which delineate a speed range within which the speed is to be maintained; and determining the reference value based on at least one of the respective comparisons and the first prediction and second prediction so that the set speed is within the speed range bounded by the lower and upper limit values.

Claims

1. A method for determination of at least one reference value for a speed regulator that controls a speed of a vehicle such that said reference value may differ from a value corresponding to the speed indicated by a driver of the vehicle, the method comprising:

making, by a module comprising an automated processor, a first prediction and a second prediction of a speed of a vehicle along a horizon, said first prediction based on an engine torque which retards the vehicle as compared with the speed regulator in which the reference value equals the speed indicated by the driver, and said second prediction based on an engine torque which accelerates the vehicle as compared with the speed regulator in which the reference value equals the speed indicated by the driver;

comparing said first prediction and said second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, wherein the lower limit value and the upper limit value delineate a speed range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained;

determining the at least one reference value based on at least one of said comparisons and said first prediction and second prediction of the speed along the horizon so that said set speed is within said range bounded by the lower and upper limit values; and

outputting the at least one reference value to a vehicle control unit.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the lower and upper limit values for said speed range are set manually by the driver via an input unit.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of different speed range widths are defined for said speed range.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each speed range width are a first and a second predetermined number of km/h, respectively, below and above the speed indicated by the driver.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each range width are a first and a second predetermined percentage, respectively, below and above the speed indicated by the driver.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the lower and upper limit values are set automatically based on range widths.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the range width is adjusted automatically based on a time gap to a vehicle ahead so that the range width is smaller for a short time gap and larger for a longer time gap.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said comparison assesses whether said first prediction and said second prediction of the vehicle speed fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

said first prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value;

said second prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value;

said first prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value; and

said second prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium incorporating instructions enabling a computer of a vehicle to perform the method of claim 1 when those instructions are run on said computer.

9. A module configured to determine at least one reference value for a speed regulator that controls a speed of a vehicle such that said reference value may differ from a value corresponding to the speed indicated by a driver of the vehicle, the module comprising:

a calculation unit comprising an automated processor and configured;

to make a first prediction and a second prediction of the speed of the vehicle along a horizon, said first prediction based on an engine torque which retards the vehicle as compared with the speed regulator in which the reference value equals the speed indicated by the driver, and said second prediction based on an engine torque which accelerates the vehicle as compared with the speed regulator in which the reference value equals the speed indicated by the driver;

to compare said first prediction and second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, wherein the lower limit value and the upper limit value delineate a range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained; and

to determine the at least one reference value based on at least one of said comparisons and said first prediction and second prediction so that said set speed is within said range bounded by the lower and upper limit values; and

the module configured to output the at least one reference value.

10. A module according to claim 9, further comprising an input unit configured to receive an indication of the lower and upper limit values for said range.

11. A module according to claim 9, wherein a predetermined number of different range widths are defined.

12. A module according to claim 11, wherein the lower and upper limit values and for each range width are a first and a second predetermined number of km/h, respectively, below and above the speed indicated by the driver.

13. A module according to claim 11, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each range width are a first and a second predetermined percentage, respectively, below and above the speed indicated by the driver.

14. A module according to claim 9, wherein the lower and upper limit values are set automatically based on calculations of range widths.

15. A module according to claim 14, wherein the range width is adjusted automatically based on a time gap to a vehicle ahead so that the range width is smaller for a short time gap and larger for a longer time gap.

16. A module according to claim 9, wherein the calculation unit is configured to determine whether in said comparison said first prediction and said second prediction fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

said first prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value;

said second prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value;

said first prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value; and

said second prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value.

19. A vehicle comprising the module of claim 9.

18. (canceled)