Apparatus for determining control characteristics for automobiles and system therefor

• US 5,084,821 A
• Filed: 09/28/1989
• Issued: 01/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohsuga, Minoru, Minowa, Toshimichi, Ishii, Junichi, Kurihara, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US07/413,630
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.05, 364/431.04, 364/431.03, 307/10.2, 307/10.5, 340/825.31, 340/325.34, 235/431.12, 235/487
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/10 with fluid assistance, drive, or release
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/007 adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2425 Particular ways of programming the data
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/003 Detecting or using driving style of a driver, e.g. for adapting shift schedules
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/082 with different modes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/086 Adaptive mode, e.g. learning from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/141 of rate of change of torque or torque demand
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A control device for an automobile capable of changing the relationship between the driver'"'"'s input and the controlled variable of the automobile by the driver'"'"'s individual characteristics so as to characterize the automobile.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for control of a driving operation, including at least one of engine speed, steering force and braking force, of an automobile, comprising:

(a) controlled state changing means for changing a controlled state affecting said driving operation of the automobile;

(b) storage means in which characteristics representing driving characteristics desired by the driver of the automobile are stored as correction signal values; and

(c) control-signal generating means for generating a control signal providing a control factor representing driving characteristics indicated by the correction signal values stored in said storage means, said control signal being applied to said controlled state changing means for use in determining the driving operation of the automobile.

2. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for control of a driving operation, including at least one of engine speed, steering force and braking force, of an automobile, comprising:

(a) means for detecting a condition, which is directly or indirectly changed for the purpose of controlling the driving operation of the automobile, to produce a condition signal;

(b) storage means for storing at least one correction signal representing driving characteristics desired by the driver of the automobile; and

(c) control means responsive to operation by the driver for generating a control signal with which an automobile driving operation is controlled by using the condition signal supplied from said detecting means or by using said condition signal modified by said correction signal representing the driving characteristics supplied from said storage means.

3. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for control of a driving operation, including at least one of engine speed, steering force and braking force, of an automobile, comprising:

(a) controlled state adjusting means operated by the driver of the automobile for adjusting a controlled state in the driving operation of the automobile;

(b) detecting means for detecting an amount of the operation by the driver of said controlled state adjusting means and for generating a control signal representing the detected operation amount;

(c) control means for controlling said driving operation of the automobile in accordance with the control signal generated by said detecting means;

(d) controlled state changing means capable of changing of the driving state of the automobile in accordance with the control supplied from said control means; and

(e) storage means for storing correction values which represent driving characteristics desired by the driver of the automobile, including means for supplying said correction values to the control means to modify said control signal for control of said driving operation.

4. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for automobiles comprising:

(a) operation state detection means capable of detecting a state of operation of an internal combustion engine;

(b) control means for generating a basic control signal representing a quantity of control of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the output from said operation state detection means;

(c) storage means for storing a correction value which represents driver'"'"'s characteristics desired by a driver of the automobile; and

(d) adjusting means for adjusting the basic control signal supplied from said control means in accordance with the correction value in said storage means to produce a final control signal for control of the operation of the internal combustion engine.

5. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for automobiles comprising:

(a) controlled state changing means capable of changing the controlled state of the automobile;

(b) storage means capable of storing the driver'"'"'s characteristics desired by a driver of the automobile;

(c) characteristics selection means with which the driver'"'"'s characteristics stored in said storage means is made to be selected by the driver of the automobile; and

(d) control-signal generating means capable of generating a control signal determined by a control factor of the driver'"'"'s characteristics stored in said storage means, said control signal being generated for the purpose of controlling said controlled state changing means.

6. An apparatus for determining control characteristics for automobiles, comprising:

(a) controlled state changing means capable of changing engine speed of an internal combustion engine of the automobile;

(b) storage means capable of storing driver'"'"'s characteristics desired by a driver of the automobile relating to engine speed;

(c) characteristics determining means with which the driver'"'"'s characteristics stored in said storage means can be selected by the driver of the automobile; and

(d) control-signal generating means for generating a basic control signal and a correction signal determined by the driver'"'"'s characteristics selected from said storage means and for modifying said basic control signal with said correction signal for the purpose of controlling said controlled state changing means.

7. A system of determining characteristics for use in an apparatus for determining control characteristics, including at least one of engine speed, steering force and braking force, of an automobile, said system comprising:

(a) controlled state changing means capable of changing a controlled state of the automobile;

(b) storage means in which at least one correction signal representing driver'"'"'s characteristics desired by a driver of the automobile are stored; and

(c) control-signal generating means capable of generating a control signal said storage means, said control signal being generated for the purpose of controlling said controlled state changing means, said storage means being arranged to store the driver'"'"'s characteristics by conducting the steps of;

(d) a determining step in which the desired characteristics are determined upon a selection made from a selection menu displayed on a display;

(e) a checking step in which a fact of whether the characteristics determined in said determining step agree with the predetermined checking characteristics or not is checked;

(f) a rewriting step in which the characteristics determined previously are rewritten into the current characteristics in a case where the characteristics determined in the previous checking step agree with the checking characteristics; and

(g) a registration step in which newly determined characteristics are registered after the completion of said rewriting step.

8. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing correction signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said correcting signal values stored in said storage means for modifying said operation signal produced by said input device using said correction signal values and for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the modified operation signal to control the motor vehicle on the basis of the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means.

9. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said signal values stored in said storage means and said operation signal produced by said input device for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means, wherein said input device includes an accelerator pedal operated by the driver to determine the speed of the motor vehicle, and said signal values for respective values of the rate of change of movement of said accelerator pedal.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller includes means responsive to correction coefficient values obtained from said storage means for generating a fuel injection control signal.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of sets of signal values, each set representing a different driving characteristic for control of said driving operation, and further including selection means operated by said driver for selecting one of said sets of signal values to be received by said controller according to the desire of the driver.

12. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said signal values stored in said storage means and said operation signal produced by said input device for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means, wherein said input device includes a steering wheel operated by the driver to determine the direction of the motor vehicle, and said signal values stored in said storage means comprise the value of steering force to be applied to wheels of the motor vehicle for respective values of operating force applied to the steering wheel.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for producing an operation signal in said input device comprises a sensor for producing a signal representing the operating force applied to the steering wheel.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of sets of signal values, each set representing a different driving characteristic for control of said driving operation, and further including selection means operated by said driver for selecting one of said sets of signal values to be received by said controller according to the desire of the driver.

15. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said signal values stored in said storage means and said operation signal produced by said input device for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means, wherein said input device includes a brake pedal operated by the driver to control the braking force applied to the wheels of the motor vehicle, said signal values stored in said storage means comprise values of braking force to be applied to wheels of the motor vehicle for respective values of force applied to said brake pedal by the driver, and said controller comprises a power brake system for controlling the braking force applied to the wheels.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of sets of signal values, each set representing a different driving characteristic for control of said driving operation, and further including selection means operated by said driver for selecting one of said sets of signal values to be received by said controller according to the desire of the driver.

17. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said signal values stored in said storage means and said operation signal produced by said input device for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means, wherein said input device includes an accelerator pedal operated by the driver to determine the speed of the motor vehicle, said signal values stored in said storage means comprise a map of values representing shifting points between gears in an automatic transmission for respective values of vehicle speed and degree of movement of the accelerator pedal, and said controller comprises means for controlling and shifting of gears in said automatic transmission.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of sets of signal values, each set representing a different driving characteristic for control of said driving operation, and further including selection means operated by said driver for selecting one of said sets of signal values to be received by said controller according to the desire of the driver.

19. An apparatus for controlling the driving operation of a motor vehicle according to a desired characteristic specified by a driver, comprising:

an input device operated by a driver of the motor vehicle to control a driving operation of the motor vehicle, said input device including means for producing an operation signal representing a degree of operation of the input device by the driver;

storage means for storing signal values representing a driving characteristic for control of said driving operation according to desires of the driver; and

a controller connected to receive said signal values stored in said storage means and said operation signal produced by said input device for controlling said driving operation of the motor vehicle in response to the degree of operation of the input device by the driver and the driving characteristic desired by the driver as stored in said storage means, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of sets of signal values, each set representing a different driving characteristic for control of said driving operation, and further including selection means operated by said driver for selecting one of said sets of signal values to be received by said controller according to the desire of the driver.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said selection means includes a display device for displaying data representing said different driving characteristics and a selector apparatus operable by the driver for selecting one of said sets of data values relating to a driving characteristic displayed by said display device.