System for controlling driving condition of automotive device associated with vehicle slip control system

• US 5,224,044 A
• Filed: 02/21/1991
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Nobutaka, Ueda, Hiroyuki, Tamura, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US07/657,935
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 364/426.01, 364/426.02, 364/431.03, 364/431.08, 364/426.03, 364/431.05, 123/361, 123/339, 123/340, 123/198 DB, 180/197, 180/53.8, 303/100
• US Class Current: 701/91
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four

Abstract

A system for controlling an automotive devices, such as an automotive internal combustion engine, an engine accessory and so forth, is associated with a traction control system for cooperation therewith. The automotive device control system is so associated with the traction control system that normal mode control is disabled in response to initiation of the traction control for avoiding mutual interference of controls, or, in the alternative, a control signal value is modified for harmonizing automotive device control with the traction control.

Claims

1. In an automotive vehicle having a manually operable accelerator and driving wheels, a control system comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber;

an air induction system for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber, said air induction system having disposed therein a first throttle valve connected to the manually operable accelerator, the angular position of said first throttle valve depending upon an operation magnitude of the accelerator;

sensor means for monitoring control parameters including an oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas produced by said engine and for producing control parameter indicative signals indicative of said control parameters monitored;

a fuel supply system, connected to said air induction system, for supplying a fuel to said air induction system, said fuel supply system including means for varying a fuel supply amount of said fuel supplied to said air induction system;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage of the driving wheels and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for the driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system including a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system in series with said first throttle valve, said traction control system having an inactive state in which said second throttle valve is positioned at a fully open position and an active state, said traction control system being normally in said inactive state and being switched into said active state when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system decreasing an opening angle of said second throttle valve for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of said wheel slippage when said traction control system is in said active state thereof; and

a controller means for receiving said control parameter indicative signals and for controlling said fuel supply amount varying means on the basis of said control parameter indicative signals, said controller means deriving said fuel supply amount for maintaining an air/fuel ratio of an air/fuel mixture to be introduced into said combustion chamber at a stoichiometric value on the basis of said oxygen concentration in a first control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said inactive state, and said controller means deriving said fuel supply amount irrespective of said oxygen concentration in a second control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said active state;

wherein said sensor means monitors an engine speed and an engine load as basic control parameters, and said controller means derives a basic fuel supply amount on the basis of the engine speed and engine load detected by said sensor means and modifies said basic fuel supply amount by a correction coefficient derived on the basis of said oxygen concentration in said first mode, and wherein said controller means modifies said basic fuel supply amount by a fixed value of a correction coefficient which is set irrespective of said oxygen concentration in said second mode.

2. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said traction control system produces an active state indicative signal when it is active, and said controller means is responsive to said active state indicative signal to switch said control mode from said first mode to said second mode.

3. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller means operates in a feedback mode and an open loop mode within said first mode, wherein, in said feedback mode, said correction coefficient is derived depending upon said oxygen concentration, and in said open loop mode, said correction coefficient is set at a fixed value irrespective of said oxygen concentration, and wherein said controller means selects said feedback mode when the engine driving condition satisfies a predetermined feedback condition.

4. In an automotive vehicle having a manually operable accelerator and driving wheels, a control system comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber;

an air induction system for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber, said air induction system having disposed therein a first throttle valve connected to the manually operable accelerator, the angular position of said first throttle valve depending upon an operation magnitude of said accelerator;

sensor means for monitoring control parameters including an engine knocking magnitude and for producing control parameter indicative signals indicative of said monitored control parameters;

a fuel supply system, connected to said air induction system, for supplying a fuel to said air induction system;

a spark ignition system, communicating with said combustion chamber, for initiating a spark in said combustion chamber, said spark ignition system including means for varying a spark ignition timing;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage of the driving wheels and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for the driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system including a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system in series with said first throttle valve, said traction control system having an inactive state in which said second throttle valve is positioned at a fully open position and an active state, said traction control system being normally in said inactive state and switched into said active state when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system decreasing an opening angle of said second throttle valve for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of said wheel slippage when said traction control system is in said active state thereof; and

a controller means for receiving said control parameter indicative signals for controlling said spark ignition timing varying means on the basis of said control parameter indicative signals, said controller means deriving said spark ignition timing on the basis of said engine knocking magnitude for suppressing engine knocking in a first control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said inactive state, and said controller means deriving said spark ignition timing irrespective of said engine knocking magnitude in a second control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said active state;

wherein said controller means derives, in said first mode, a basic spark advance on the basis of an engine speed and an engine load monitored by said sensor means, and derives a spark advance on the basis of said basic spark advance and a correction value derived on the basis of correction factors monitored by said sensor means, wherein said controller means modifies said correction value for advancing said spark advance at a predetermined first magnitude while said engine knocking magnitude is smaller than a predetermined knocking threshold, and modifies said correction value for retarding spark advance in a second magnitude when said engine knocking magnitude is greater than or equal to said knocking threshold, and wherein said controller means derives, in said second mode, a basic spark advance on the basis of the engine speed and the engine load monitored by said sensor means and derives a spark advance on the basis of said basic spark advance and a correction value derived on the basis of correction factors monitored by said sensor means without modifying said correction value based on said engine knocking magnitude.

5. An auxiliary air control system for an automotive internal combustion engine, comprising:

an air induction system for introducing an intake air and a controlled amount of fuel into an engine combustion chamber, in which is disposed a first throttle valve connected to a manually operable accelerator to be controlled, the angular position of which depending upon an operation magnitude of said accelerator;

a fuel supply means, associated with said induction system, for supplying controlled amount of fuel to said induction system;

an auxiliary air induction system including a by-pass passage by-passing said first throttle valve, said auxiliary air induction system having an auxiliary air flow control valve for adjusting an air flow rate through said by-pass passage;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold;

sensor means for monitoring driving parameters for producing control parameter indicative signals; and

a controller means for receiving said control parameter indicative signals and for controlling said auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of said control parameter indicative signals, said controller means deriving a basic auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of preselected control parameters, said controller means modifying said basic auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of predetermined correction factors for controlling said auxiliary air flow control valve for adjusting said auxiliary air flow rate at the modified auxiliary air flow rate in a first control mode which is selected while said traction control system is held in an inactive state, and said controller means controlling said auxiliary air flow control valve for adjusting said auxiliary air flow rate at said basic auxiliary air flow rate in a second control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in an active state.

6. A control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said traction control system produces an active state indicative signal when it is active, and said controller means is responsive to said active state indicative signal to switch said control mode from said first mode to said second mode.

7. A control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said traction control system includes a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system, said second throttle valve being normally positioned at a fully open position as long as said traction control is held in an inactive state, and the opening angle decreasing for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of wheel slippage while said traction control is active.

8. A control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said controller means derives said basic auxiliary air flow rate based on an engine coolant temperature and a load condition on the engine, and modifies said basic auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of an engine deceleration state correction value derived on the basis of the speed of angular displacement of said first throttle valve and an initiation of engine deceleration.

9. A control system for an automotive engine driven device, comprising:

an air induction system for introducing an intake air and a controlled amount of fuel into an engine combustion chamber, in which is disposed a first throttle valve associated with a manually operable accelerator to be controlled, the angular position of which depending upon operation magnitude of said accelerator;

a fuel supply means, connected to said induction system, for supplying a controlled amount of fuel to said induction system;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage and adjusting distribution of driving torque for driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold;

sensor means for monitoring driving parameters and for producing control parameter indicative signals;

said engine driven device being connected to an engine output shaft to be driven by the engine output, said engine driven device including means for connecting and disconnecting said engine output shaft to and from said device; and

a controller means for receiving said control parameter indicative signals and for controlling operation of said connecting and disconnecting means for selectively establishing connection and disconnection between said engine output shaft and said engine driven device, said controller means performing switching of the state of said connecting and disconnecting means between the connecting state and the disconnecting state when a condition satisfying a predetermined switching condition is detected from said control parameter indicative signals in a first control mode which is selected while said traction control system is held in an inactive state, and said controller means disabling the switching operation between said connecting state and said disconnecting state in a second control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in an active state.

10. A control system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said traction control system produces an active state indicative signal when it is active, and said controller means is responsive to said active state indicative signal to switch said control mode from said first mode to said second mode.

11. A control system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said traction control system includes a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system, said second throttle valve being normally positioned at fully open position as long as said traction control is held in inactive state and decreasing open angle for reducing engine output torque depending upon magnitude of wheel slippage while said traction control is active.

12. A control system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said engine driven device comprises a compressor for an automotive air conditioner system, and said controller means detects an engine acceleration state for disconnecting said compressor from said engine output shaft and for otherwise establishing connection in said first mode.

13. A control means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said controller means maintains said disconnecting state for a predetermined period of time during engine acceleration in said first mode.

14. In an automotive vehicle having a manually operable accelerator and driving wheels, a control system comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber;

an air induction system for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber, said air induction system having disposed therein a first throttle valve connected to the manually operable accelerator, the angular position of said first throttle valve depending upon an operation magnitude of the accelerator;

sensor means for monitoring control parameters including an oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas produced by said engine and for producing control parameter indicative signals indicative of said monitored control parameters;

a fuel supply system, connected to said air induction system, for supplying a fuel to said air induction system, said fuel supply system including means for varying a fuel supply amount of said fuel supplied to said air induction system;

an auxiliary air induction system including a by-pass passage by-passing said first throttle valve, said auxiliary air induction system having disposed in said by-pass passage an auxiliary air flow control valve for adjusting an auxiliary air flow rate through said by-pass passage, said auxiliary air induction system including means for varying said auxiliary air flow rate;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage of the driving wheels and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for the driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system including a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system in series with said first throttle valve, said traction control system having an inactive state in which said second throttle valve is positioned at a fully open position and an active state, said traction control system being normally in said inactive state and switched into said active state when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than said predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system decreasing an opening angle of said second throttle valve for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of said wheel slippage when said traction control system is in said active state thereof; and

a controller means for receiving said control parameter indicative signals and for controlling said auxiliary air flow rate varying means on the basis of said control parameter indicative signals, said controller means deriving a basic auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of preselected control parameters, said controller means modifying said basic auxiliary air flow rate on the basis of predetermined correction factors for controlling said auxiliary air flow rate varying means for adjusting said auxiliary air flow rate at the modified auxiliary air flow rate in a first mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said inactive state, and said controller means controlling said auxiliary air flow rate varying means for adjusting said auxiliary air flow rate at said basic auxiliary air flow rate in a second control mode which is selected when said traction control system is in said active state.

15. In an automotive vehicle having a manually operable accelerator and driving wheels:

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber and an output shaft;

an air induction system for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber, said air induction system having disposed therein a first throttle valve connected to the manually operable accelerator, the angular position of said first throttle valve depending upon an operation magnitude of the accelerator;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage of the driving wheels and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for the driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system including a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system upstream, said traction control system having an inactive state in which said second throttle valve is positioned at a fully open position and an active state, said traction control system being normally in said inactive state and switched into said active state when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than said predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system decreasing an opening angle of said second throttle valve for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of said wheel slippage when said traction control system is in said active state thereof,

said traction control system producing a traction control system active state indicative signal when said traction control system is in said active state;

an air conditioner system including a compressor and clutch means for selectively connecting said compressor to said output shaft of said internal combustion engine;

controller means responsive to said traction control system active state indicative signal for holding, when said traction control system active state indicative signal is present, said clutch means in an instantaneous position which said clutch means took immediately before said traction control system active state indicative signal has become present.

16. In an automotive vehicle having a manually operable accelerator and driving wheels:

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber;

an air induction system for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber, said air induction system having disposed therein a first throttle valve connected to the manually operable accelerator, the angular position of said first throttle valve depending upon an operation magnitude of the accelerator;

a traction control system detecting wheel slippage of the driving wheels and adjusting the distribution of driving torque for the driving wheels when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than a predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system including a second throttle valve disposed in said air induction system, said traction control system having an inactive state in which said second throttle valve is positioned at a fully open position and an active state, said traction control system being normally in said inactive state and switched into said active state when the magnitude of said wheel slippage is greater than said predetermined wheel slippage threshold, said traction control system decreasing an opening angle of said second throttle valve for reducing engine output torque depending upon the magnitude of said wheel slippage when said traction control system is in said active state thereof,

said traction control system producing a traction control system active state indicative signal when said traction control system is in said active state;

an auxiliary air induction system including a by-pass passage by-passing said first throttle valve, said auxiliary air induction system having disposed in said by-pass passage an auxiliary air flow control valve for adjusting an auxiliary air flow rate through said by-pass passage, said auxiliary air induction system including means for varying said auxiliary air flow control valve; and

controller means responsive to said traction control system active state indicative signal, said controller means deriving a basic auxiliary air flow rate and modifying said basic auxiliary air flow rate and controlling said auxiliary air flow control valve in response to said modified basic auxiliary air flow rate when said traction control system active state indicative signal is absent, said controller means deriving said basic auxiliary air flow rate and controlling said auxiliary air flow rate control valve in response to said basic auxiliary air flow rate when said traction control system active state indicative signal is present.