Control apparatus and a control method for a vehicle

• US 5,947,087 A
• Filed: 12/11/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Minowa, Toshimichi, Ishii, Junichi, Kuragaki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/989,024
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 123/335, 123/361, 123/399, 123/436, 123/478, 123/480, 123/486, 477/107, 477/110, 477/111, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/170, 180/178, 180/179, 180/69.4, 340/901, 340/903, 340/905, 340/435, 701/103, 701/104, 701/105, 701/110, 701/117, 701/118, 701/119
• US Class Current: 123/399
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/12 Engine control specially adapted for a transmission comprising a torque converter or for continuously variable transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/0015 using exhaust gas sensors F02D41/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/023 in relation with the gear ratio shifting conjoint control for improving gear change B60W30/19
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/14 Introducing closed-loop corrections
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1479 Using a comparator with variable reference
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1486 with correction for particular operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2406 using essentially read only memories
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A control device and a control method capable of eliminating a torque variation in changing an air/fuel ratio and establishing a compatibility of promotion in fuel economy with promotion in drivability is provided. The device includes an outer environment detector for detecting an outer environment in running a vehicle, a running environment determining device for predicting a current running environment in accordance with the outer environment, a data storage device for storing data for changing a driving characteristic, a selecting device for selecting the data, a control quantity calculator for calculating a control quantity based on the data, and a control actuator for controlling a control object. The engine output is efficiently utilized since the air/fuel ratio is changed in accordance with the change in the running environment, and the fuel cost reduction and the promotion of the drivability can be achieved since the selecting of the air/fuel ratio is performed in accordance with the running environment.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle having an engine, a throttle valve controlling an amount of air sucked into said engine, and an accelerator pedal controlling an opening of said throttle valve, comprising:

controller for delivering a control signal which controls said opening of said throttle valve based on a stroke of said accelerator pedal; and

at least one outer environment detector for detecting an outer environment information of said vehicle;

wherein said signal delivered from said controller is corrected by a value which indicates said outer environment information detected by said outer environment detector.

2. A control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said outer environment information is a distance from a forward vehicle.

3. A control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

memory for storing data which indicates a control amount of said throttle valve in relation to said stroke of said accelerator pedal.

4. A control method for a vehicle having an engine, a throttle valve controlling an amount of air sucked into said engine, and an accelerator pedal controlling an opening of said throttle valve, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an outer environment information of said vehicle; and

delivering a control signal which controls said opening of said throttle valve based on a stroke of said accelerator pedal and said detected outer environment information.