METHOD FOR ANTICIPATORY CONTROLLING A CRUISE CONTROL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20160016586A1
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: BANERJEE, Alexander, SPERLICH, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,707,962 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 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 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/30 Wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method for predictive control of a cruise control system of a motor vehicle in which a selection is made from a variety of control variants in order to set a target speed with respect to a stretch of road ahead. In so doing, the selection is made as a function of a gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead. In order to now implement an optimum predictive control with respect to fuel consumption with low complexity, the gradient profile is segmented through allocation to gradient ranges, which are determined as a function of the target speed. A respectively suitable control variant is then selected on the basis of at least one segment of the gradient profile.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method for predictive control of a cruise control system of a motor vehicle, in which a selection is made from a variety of control variants in order to set a target speed (V_soll) with respect to a stretch of road ahead, and the selection is made as a function of a gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead, the method comprising steps of:

segmenting the gradient profile by allocation to gradient ranges (1 through 4) which are determined as a function of the target speed (V_soll), and

selecting a respectively suitable control variant based on at least one segment (5, 6, 7) of the gradient profile.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of allocating the gradient profile into first, second, third and fourth gradient ranges (1 through 4);

defining the first gradient range (1) as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is unable to be maintained even when a drive motor of the motor vehicle is under full load;

defining the second gradient range (2) as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be achieved when the drive motor is in traction mode;

defining the third gradient range (3) as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be either maintained or increased when the motor vehicle is in overrun mode; and

defining the fourth gradient range (4) as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be either achieved or increased when the drive motor is in coasting mode.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of determining an average incline grade within a respective segment (5 through 10) of the gradient profile.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of, when determining at least first, second and third segments (5 through 10) of the gradient profile for the stretch of road ahead, and using each of the first, the second and the third segments (5, 6, 7) to determine a respectively suitable control variant.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of selecting the respectively suitable control variant from a stored 4×

4×

4 matrix.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of, when determining fewer than three segments of the gradient profile for the stretch of road ahead, selecting the respectively suitable control variant either on a basis of the segment or on a basis of two subsequent segments.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of, after either a first segment (5) or a lone segment has been passed through, updating the gradient profile and performing segmentation again.

18. A control system of a motor vehicle comprising a cruise control system which is predictively controllable by a method in which a selection is made from a variety of control variants in order to set a target speed (V_soll) with respect to a stretch of road ahead, and making the selection as a function of a gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead, the method including:

segmenting the gradient profile by allocation to gradient ranges (1 through 4) which are determined as a function of the target speed (V_soll), and

selecting a respectively suitable control variant based on at least one segment (5, 6, 7) of the gradient profile.

19. The control system according to claim 18, wherein a computer program operates the control system according to the method in which control commands of the computer program product implement segmentation of the gradient profile through allocation to the gradient ranges (1 through 4), which are determined as a function of the target speed (V_soll), and selection of the respectively suitable control variant on the basis of the at least one segment (5, 6, 7) of the gradient profile.

20. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the computer program product is stored on a data carrier.

21. A method for predictive control of a cruise control system of a motor vehicle, and the motor vehicle having a navigation device which detects road incline data, the method comprising steps of:

determining, via the cruise control system, a gradient profile of a stretch of road ahead of the motor vehicle based upon data received from the navigation device;

dividing, via the cruise control system, the gradient profile into a plurality of gradient ranges based on a function of a target speed of the motor vehicle;

segmenting, via the cruise control system, the gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead into sequential segments based on transitions of the gradient profile from one of the plurality of gradient ranges into another one of the plurality of gradient ranges;

selecting, via the cruise control system, a control variant based on the gradient range of a current sequential segment of the gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead to set the target speed; and

controlling operation of a drive train of the motor vehicle, via the cruise control system, in specific operational mode based on the control variant selected,

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising a step of dividing the gradient profile into first, second, third and fourth gradient ranges;

the first gradient range is defined as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is unable to be maintained even when the drive train is operating under full load;

the second gradient range is defined as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be achieved when the drive train is operating in a traction mode;

the third gradient range is defined as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be either maintained or increased when the drive train is operating in an overrun mode; and

the fourth gradient range is defined as a range of road incline grades in which the target speed is able to be either achieved or increased when the drive train is operating in a coasting mode.