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

• US 20140343819A1
• 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 9,180,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/242 setting initial target speed, e.g. initial 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: B60K 31/0066 responsive to vehicle path curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• 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 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Described is a method for determining a reference value for a vehicle. The method includes: performing a number of simulation cycles S_j each comprising simulation steps: making a first prediction of the vehicle'"'"'s speed v_pred—cc along the determined horizon with a conventional cruise control; comparing, in a first comparison, the predicted vehicle speed v_pred—cc with V_lim1 and V_lim2, which define a motor torque used in a subsequent simulation cycle; making a second prediction of the speed when the engine torque is a value that depends on the result of said comparison in the latest preceding simulation cycle; comparing, in a second comparison, the predicted vehicle speed v_pred—Tnew with v_min, and V_max1 which demarcate a range within which the speed is maintained; determining the reference value based on the second comparison and/or the second predicted speed in that simulation cycle S_j; and controlling the vehicle according to the reference value.

Claims

1. A module for determining at least one reference value, v_ref, for a control system of a vehicle, the module comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a set speed v_set for the vehicle;

a horizon unit configured to determine a horizon for an itinerary by reference to map data and location data which comprise route segments, each route segment having at least one route characteristic for each segment;

a calculation unit configured to perform a number of simulation cycles, wherein each simulation cycle s_j includes a number N of simulation steps conducted at a predetermined rate f, the simulation steps comprising;

predicting, as a first prediction, a speed v<sub>pred—

cc</sub> of the vehicle along the horizon according to the set speed v_set imparted as the reference speed v_ref, the first prediction depending on a route characteristic of said route segment;

comparing, as a first comparison, the speed v<sub>pred—

cc</sub> with at least one of first lower and upper limit values v_lim1 and v_lim2, wherein the first lower and upper limit values v_lim1 and v_lim2 define an engine torque T for use in an immediately following simulation cycle s_j+1;

predicting, as a second prediction, a speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> of the vehicle along the horizon when the engine torque T is a value which depends on the result of said first comparison in an immediately preceding simulation cycle s<sub>j−

1</sub>;

comparing, as a second comparison, a second predicted speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> of the vehicle with at least one of second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max delineate a range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained; and

determining the at least one reference value v_ref, based on the second comparison and/or the second predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> in this simulation cycle s_j, said set speed v_set being within the range bounded by the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max; and

a providing unit configured to supply a control system of the vehicle with the v_ref for regulating the speed of the vehicle.

2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for the range are set manually by the driver via said input unit.

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

4. A module according to claim 3, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for each range width take the form of a first and a second predetermined number of km/h below and above, respectively, the set speed v_set.

5. A module according to claim 3, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for each range width take the form of a first and a second predetermined percentage below and above, respectively, the set speed v_set.

6. A module according to claim 1, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max are set automatically on the basis of calculations of appropriate range widths.

7. A module 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 module according to claim 1, wherein said second comparison assesses whether the second predicted vehicle speed v_pred—

_Tnew fulfils at least one of the following criteria;

the predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> being below or equal to said second upper limit value v_max, i.e. v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub>≦

v_max; and

the predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> being above or equal to said second lower limit value v_min, i.e. v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub>≦

v_min.

19. A vehicle including the module of claim 1.

9. A method for determining at least one reference value v_ref for a control system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

acquiring a set speed v_set for the vehicle;

determining a horizon for an itinerary by reference to map data and location data, which horizon comprises one or more route segments, each route segment having at least one route characteristic;

performing, by a module including an automated processor, a plurality of simulation cycles, wherein each simulation cycle s_j comprises a number N of simulation steps conducted at a predetermined rate f, the simulation steps including;

making a first prediction of the vehicle'"'"'s speed v<sub>pred—

cc</sub> along the horizon according to a conventional cruise control when the set speed v_set is imparted as a reference speed v_ref, which first prediction depends on the characteristics of said route segment;

comparing, as a first comparison, the first predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

cc</sub> with at least one of first lower and upper limit values v_lim1 and v_lim2, wherein the first lower and upper limit values v_lim1 and v_lim2 define an engine torque T for use in an immediately following simulation cycle s_j+1;

making, as a second prediction, the vehicle'"'"'s speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> along the horizon when the vehicle'"'"'s engine torque T is a value which depends on the result of said first comparison in an immediately preceding simulation cycle s<sub>j−

1</sub>;

comparing, as a second comparison, the second predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> with at least one of second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max, wherein the lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max delineate a range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained; and

determining the at least one reference value v_ref along the horizon based on the second comparison and/or the second predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> in this simulation cycle s_j, the set speed being within the range bounded by the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max; and

providing a control system of the vehicle with the at least one reference value v_ref, and regulating the speed of the vehicle according to the least one reference value v_ref.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for said range are set manually by the driver via said input unit.

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

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for each range width take the form of a first and a second predetermined number of km/h below and above, respectively, the set speed v_set.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second lower and upper limit values v_min and v_max for each range width take the form of a first and a second predetermined percentage below and above, respectively, the set speed v_set.

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

15. A method 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 method according to claim 9, wherein said second comparison assesses whether the second predicted vehicle speed v_pred—

_Tnew fulfils at least one of the following criteria;

the predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> is below or equal to said second upper limit value v_max, i.e. v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub>≦

v_max; and

the predicted vehicle speed v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub> is above or equal to said second lower limit value v_min, i.e. v<sub>pred—

Tnew</sub>≦

v_min.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium incorporating instructions for enabling a computer in a vehicle to perform steps according to the method of claim 9 when the instructions are run on the computer.

18. (canceled)