ROUTE-VEHICLE ROAD LOAD MANAGEMENT AND/OR OPERATOR NOTIFICATION THEREOF

• US 20150239454A1
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Sujan, Vivek Anand, Vajapeyazula, Phani, Follen, Kenneth, Wu, An, Moffett, Barty L., Moon, Suk-Min, Frost, Howard Robert, Khatri, Jaidev, Mays, Wes
• Granted Patent: US 10,093,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• 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 2552/25 Road altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/10 Change speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 : characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/142 : using different types of control law in combination, e.g. adaptive combined with PID and sliding mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 : Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 : Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/604 : Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 : Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 : peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1401 : characterised by the control or regulation method F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 : Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A vehicle may include a controller configured to control the vehicle to operate in an active control mode or a passive control mode. In the passive control mode, the controller may provide a feedback indicator on a human machine interface. In the active control mode, the controller may provide a control command to an engine control unit.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of input devices, an operator defined parameter, a fuel amount, a weather condition, a current vehicle condition, and a route condition;

determining one or more vehicle trip conditions based on at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter;

determining, with a cycle efficiency management (CEM) module, an operation mode based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter; and

controlling a vehicle to operate in one of an active control mode and a passive control mode based on the operation mode,

wherein controlling the vehicle in the passive control mode includes;

determining, with the CEM module, an operator feedback parameter based on at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter,

providing an operator feedback command from the CEM module to a human machine interface (HMI) based on the operator feedback parameter, and

providing, with the human machine interface, a feedback indicator based on the operator feedback command,

wherein controlling the vehicle in the active control mode includes;

determining, with the CEM module, a control command based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter, and

providing the control command to an engine control unit for controlling at least one aspect of the vehicle based on the control command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator defined parameter further includes at least one of a fuel quantity buffer input, an allowable upper speed limit variance, an allowable lower speed limit variance, and a request route message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator feedback command includes at least one of an instantaneous fuel economy, an instantaneous operator income, an operator income selection, a fuel economy selection, a current engine torque curve output, a fuel quantity buffer output, a freight efficiency increase, an initial fuel quantity, a cruise speed set point, a gear set point, a throttle set point, a refueling stop location, a fuel quantity to refill, an available fuel quantity, and a distance to refill.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator feedback command is provided in real time at any point along a vehicle route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator defined parameter includes at least one of an operator cost, a fuel cost, a trip time, a trip time factor, a coasting factor, a cruise control speed setting, a requested speed, a throttle gear setting, a speed limit excursion, an engine torque curve variation factor, and a number of refueling stops.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather condition is indicative of at least one of a humidity level, a wind condition, and a precipitation condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the route condition is indicative of at least one of a trip distance, an elevation profile, a route grade profile, a maximum speed limit, a minimum speed limit, a traffic condition, and a road condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle trip conditions includes a fuel economy, a coasting gear selection, a freight efficiency, and a fuel economy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control command includes at least one of a transmission gear command, a cruise speed command, a torque curve command, and a throttle command.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling at least one aspect of the vehicle includes controlling at least one of a transmission, a cruise control setting, a torque provider, and a throttle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an off nominal condition, the off nominal condition including at least one of a brake being pressed by the operator, a weather condition, a traffic condition, an engine derate condition, and a speed limit being below a speed limit threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the operation mode is further based on an operator induced event, wherein the operator induced event includes at least one of a brake being pressed by the operator, a throttle position being greater than or equal to a throttle position threshold, and a throttle position rate being greater than or equal to a throttle position rate threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the current vehicle condition includes at least one of a transmission operating condition and an engine operating condition.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback indicator includes at least one of a visual feedback indicator, an auditory feedback indicator, and a tactile indicator.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, with the human machine interface, the feedback indicator includes displaying the feedback indicator on a graphical user interface.

16. A system, comprising:

a vehicle including an internal combustion engine;

a controller in electrical communication with the internal combustion engine and a plurality of input devices operable to provide signals indicating conditions of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is structured to;

receive, from the plurality of input devices, an operator defined parameter, a fuel amount, a weather condition, a current vehicle condition, and a route condition;

determine one or more vehicle trip conditions based on at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter;

determine an operation mode based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter; and

control the vehicle to operate in one of an active control mode and a passive control mode based on the operation mode,

wherein the passive control mode includes;

determining an operator feedback parameter based on at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter,

providing an operator feedback command from the controller to a human machine interface (HMI) based on the operator feedback parameter, and

providing, with the human machine interface, a feedback indicator based on the operator feedback command,

wherein the active control mode includes;

determining a control command based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the fuel amount, the weather condition, the route condition, the current vehicle condition, and the operator defined parameter, and

providing the control command to an engine control unit for controlling at least one aspect of the vehicle based on the control command.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller and the engine control unit are different devices.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller and the engine control unit are device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the operator defined parameter further includes at least one of a fuel quantity buffer input, an allowable upper speed limit variance, an allowable lower speed limit variance, and a request route message.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the operator feedback command includes at least one of an instantaneous fuel economy, an instantaneous operator income, an operator income selection, a fuel economy selection, a current engine torque curve output, a fuel quantity buffer output, a freight efficiency increase, an initial fuel quantity, a cruise speed set point, a gear set point, a throttle set point, a refueling stop location, a fuel quantity to refill, an available fuel quantity, and a distance to refill.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the operator feedback command is provided in real time at any point along a vehicle route.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the control command includes at least one of a transmission gear command, a cruise speed command, a torque curve command, and a throttle command.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further structured to detect an off nominal condition, the off nominal condition including at least one of a brake being pressed by the operator, a weather condition, a traffic condition, an engine derate condition, and a speed limit being below a speed limit threshold.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is structured to determine the operation mode based on an operator induced event, wherein the operator induced event includes at least one of a brake being pressed by the operator, a throttle position being greater than or equal to a throttle position threshold, and a throttle position rate being greater than or equal to a throttle position rate threshold.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the feedback indicator includes at least one of a visual feedback indicator, an auditory feedback indicator, and a tactile indicator.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the human machine interface is structured to display the feedback indicator on a graphical user interface.

27. A method, comprising:

receiving operation conditions from a plurality of input devices;

determining one or more vehicle trip conditions based on the operation conditions;

determining an operation mode based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the operation conditions; and

controlling a vehicle to operate in one of an active control mode and a passive control mode based on the operation mode,

wherein controlling the vehicle in the passive control mode includes;

determining an operator feedback parameter based on at least one of the operation conditions,

providing an operator feedback command to a human machine interface based on the operator feedback parameter, and

providing, with the human machine interface, a feedback indicator based on the operator feedback command,

wherein controlling the vehicle in the active control mode includes;

determining a control command based on the one or more vehicle trip conditions and at least one of the operation conditions; and

providing the control command to an engine control unit for controlling at least one aspect of the vehicle based on the control command.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the various conditions include an operator defined parameter, a fuel amount, a weather condition, a current vehicle condition, and a route condition.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the operator defined parameter further includes at least one of a fuel quantity buffer input, an allowable upper speed limit variance, an allowable lower speed limit variance, and a request route message.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the operator feedback command includes at least one of an instantaneous fuel economy, an instantaneous operator income, an operator income selection, a fuel economy selection, a current engine torque curve output, a fuel quantity buffer output, a freight efficiency increase, an initial fuel quantity, a cruise speed set point, a gear set point, a throttle set point, a refueling stop location, a fuel quantity to refill, an available fuel quantity, and a distance to refill.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the operator feedback command is provided in real time at any point along a vehicle route.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the route condition is indicative of at least one of a trip distance, an elevation profile, a route grade profile, a maximum speed limit, a minimum speed limit, a traffic condition, and a road condition.

33. The method of claim 37, wherein the one or more vehicle trip conditions includes a fuel economy, a coasting gear selection, a freight efficiency, and a fuel economy.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the control command includes at least one of a transmission gear command, a cruise speed command, a torque curve command, and a throttle command.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein controlling at least one aspect of the vehicle includes controlling at least one of a transmission, a cruise control setting, a torque provider, and a throttle.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein determining the operation mode is further based on an operator induced event, wherein the operator induced event includes at least one of a brake being pressed by the operator, a throttle position being greater than or equal to a throttle position threshold, and a throttle position rate being greater than or equal to a throttle position rate threshold.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the feedback indicator includes at least one of a visual feedback indicator, an auditory feedback indicator, and a tactile indicator.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein providing, with the human machine interface, the feedback indicator includes displaying the feedback indicator on a graphical user interface.