Method and apparatus for controller power train of motor vehicle

• US 5,902,345 A
• Filed: 02/09/1998
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Minowa, Toshimichi, Ochi, Tatsuya, Kuroda, Hiroshi, Kuragaki, Satoru, Kurata, Kenichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/020,862
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/83, 701/84, 701/65, 701/90, 701/91, 701/96, 701/111, 307/10.1, 123/478, 123/492, 123/493, 477/107, 477/54, 477/186, 180/197, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/24 Curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• 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 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• 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 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

The vehicle power train control method and apparatus according to the invention secures both operability and safety by controlling an actual acceleration/deceleration to a target acceleration/deceleration requested by a driver under safe traveling condition, and changing the target acceleration/deceleration so as to take precedence for safe traveling if the driver encounters a dangerous traveling condition. According to the invention, acceleration/deceleration and speed of a motor vehicle are detected; a target acceleration/deceleration is determined; and a road condition such as a road gradient or presence or absence of a forward motor vehicle is detected to decide whether the road condition is dangerous. The target acceleration is changed if the condition is decided to be dangerous.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a road surface condition detector for detecting a road surface condition;

a calculating unit for calculating a friction coefficient based on detected road surface condition, and for calculating a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, a road gradient, and on said friction coefficient; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said calculated targeted vehicle speed.

2. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a seat belt engagement state detector for detecting a seat belt engagement state;

a calculating unit for calculating a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle, based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said seat belt engagement state; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said calculated targeted vehicle speed.

3. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a memory for storing data defining a center of gravity of said motor vehicle;

a calculating unit for calculating a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle, based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said data stored in said memory; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said calculated targeted vehicle speed.

4. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a road surface condition detector for detecting a road surface condition;

a calculating unit for calculating a friction coefficient based on detected road surface condition, and for calculating a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said friction coefficient; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.

5. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a seat belt engagement state detector for detecting a seat belt engagement state;

a calculating unit for calculating a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said seat belt engagement state; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.

6. An apparatus for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising:

a road condition detector for detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

a memory for storing data defining a center of gravity of said motor vehicle;

a calculating unit for calculating a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission of said motor vehicle based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said data stored in said memory; and

an actuator for controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.

7. A method for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

detecting a road surface condition;

calculating a friction coefficient based on detected road surface condition, and for calculating at least one of a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle and a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said friction coefficient; and

controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said targeted vehicle speed or a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.

8. A method for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

detecting a seat belt engagement state;

calculating at least one of a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle and a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said seat belt engagement state; and

controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said targeted vehicle speed, or a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.

9. A method for controlling a power train of a motor vehicle having an engine, an automatic transmission, and a braking system, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient;

storing data defining a center of gravity of said motor vehicle in a memory;

calculating at least one of a targeted vehicle speed of said motor vehicle and a targeted torque of an output shaft of said automatic transmission of said motor vehicle based on said at least one of an obstacle in front of said motor vehicle, a road curvature radius, and a road gradient, and on said data stored in said memory; and

controlling at least one of said engine, said automatic transmission, and said braking system such that a vehicle speed of said motor vehicle approaches said targeted vehicle speed or a torque of said output shaft of said automatic transmission approaches said calculated targeted torque.