Method for vehicular wheel spin control that adapts to different road traction characteristics
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the spin of driven wheels of a vehicle being driven over a surface, said vehicle also including nondriven wheels and an engine having a fuel system for varying engine torque from a maximum torque value to an idle torque value, said method comprising in combination the steps of:
- generating a characteristic signal representative of at least an estimate of the value of a traction characteristic of said surface under said vehicle;
generating a first decision signal if the value of said characteristic signal is increasing;
generating a second decision signal if the value of said characteristic signal is decreasing;
generating a first boundary signal representative of a first boundary value between a first range of values of a traction characteristic of said surface and a second range of values of said traction characteristic, the values in said second range being greater than the values in said first range;
generating a first band signal having a first predetermined band value less than said first boundary value;
generating a second band signal having a second predetermined band value greater than said first boundary value;
generating a drive signal having a value depending on a predetermined relationship among the values of said characteristic signal, first decision signal, second decision signal, first band signal and second band signal; and
varying said engine torque in response to said drive signal, whereby the spin of said driven wheels is controlled while chattering is reduced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for controlling the spin of driven wheels of a vehicle being driven over a surface, the vehicle also including nondriven wheels and an engine having a fuel system for varying engine torque. A characteristic signal representative of at least an estimate of the value of a traction characteristic of a surface under the vehicle is generated. A drive signal having a value dependent on the value of the characteristic signal is then generated. The engine torque is varied in response to the drive signal in order to control the spin of the driven wheels of the vehicle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the spin of driven wheels of a vehicle being driven over a surface, said vehicle also including nondriven wheels and an engine having a fuel system for varying engine torque from a maximum torque value to an idle torque value, said method comprising in combination the steps of:
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generating a characteristic signal representative of at least an estimate of the value of a traction characteristic of said surface under said vehicle; generating a first decision signal if the value of said characteristic signal is increasing; generating a second decision signal if the value of said characteristic signal is decreasing; generating a first boundary signal representative of a first boundary value between a first range of values of a traction characteristic of said surface and a second range of values of said traction characteristic, the values in said second range being greater than the values in said first range; generating a first band signal having a first predetermined band value less than said first boundary value; generating a second band signal having a second predetermined band value greater than said first boundary value; generating a drive signal having a value depending on a predetermined relationship among the values of said characteristic signal, first decision signal, second decision signal, first band signal and second band signal; and varying said engine torque in response to said drive signal, whereby the spin of said driven wheels is controlled while chattering is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of controlling the spin of driven wheels of a vehicle being driven over a surface, said vehicle also including nondriven wheels and an engine having a fuel system for varying engine torque from a maximum torque value to an idle torque value, said method comprising in combination the steps of:
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generating a characteristic signal representative of at least an estimate of the value of a traction characteristic of said surface under said vehicle; generating a drive signal having a value dependent on the value of said characteristic signal for a first range of values of said characteristic signal and independent of the value of said characteristic signal for a second range of values of said characteristic signal; and varying said engine torque in response to said drive signal, whereby the spin of said driven wheels is controlled. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification