Vehicle drive force controller
First Claim
1. A vehicle drive force controller in which drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is travelling, comprising:
- a navigation device that detects the regional attribute of the region in which said vehicle is travelling;
an acceleration sensor that detects whether an acceleration pedal is depressed;
a microprocessor programmed to modify the drive force characteristics according to a change of said regional attribute when said accelerator is not depressed, while preventing the drive force characteristics from being modified when said accelerator pedal is depressed; and
a drive force control device that controls a drive force of said vehicle according to the drive force characteristics determined by said microprocessor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A regional attribute for a region in which a vehicle is traveling is detected by a vehicle navigation device, and vehicle drive force characteristics such as a throttle gain of an electronic throttle or a speed change pattern of an automatic transmission are modified according to the regional attribute. An operation amount of an accelerator operated by a driver is detected, and by not modifying the drive force characteristics when the accelerator operation amount is not zero, abrupt change of drive force is avoided, and the sense of discomfort experienced by a driver due to abrupt change of drive force is eliminated.
69 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vehicle drive force controller in which drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is travelling, comprising:
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a navigation device that detects the regional attribute of the region in which said vehicle is travelling; an acceleration sensor that detects whether an acceleration pedal is depressed; a microprocessor programmed to modify the drive force characteristics according to a change of said regional attribute when said accelerator is not depressed, while preventing the drive force characteristics from being modified when said accelerator pedal is depressed; and a drive force control device that controls a drive force of said vehicle according to the drive force characteristics determined by said microprocessor.
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2. A vehicle drive force controller wherein drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising:
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a navigation device for detecting the regional attribute of the region in which said vehicle is traveling, an accelerator operation amount sensor for detecting an operation amount of an accelerator operated by a driver, a microprocessor programmed to; determine whether or not said accelerator operation amount is zero, and determine the drive force characteristics such that the drive force characteristics are modified according to a change of said regional attribute when said accelerator operation amount is zero, and that the drive force characteristics are not modified when said accelerator operation amount is not zero, and a drive force control device for controlling a drive force of said vehicle according to the drive force characteristics determined by said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle drive force controller wherein drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting a traveling condition of said vehicle, a microprocessor programmed to; determine whether or not said vehicle is in a traffic jam based on the traveling condition, and determine the drive force characteristics by modifying said characteristics based on a change of said regional attribute when said vehicle is not traveling in a traffic jam, and prohibiting modification of said characteristics when said vehicle is traveling in a traffic jam, and a drive force control device for controlling a drive force of said vehicle according to the drive force characteristics determined by said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle drive force controller wherein drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising:
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a navigation device comprising a global positioning system for detecting a present position of said vehicle, and a memory for storing altitude data for an area surrounding said present position, a microprocessor programmed to; calculate a slope of a road on which said vehicle is traveling from said altitude data for said area surrounding said present position, select drive force characteristics for a mountainous area when said slope is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, select drive force characteristics different from those for a mountainous area when said slope is less than said predetermined value, and a drive force control device for controlling a drive force of said vehicle according to the drive force characteristics selected by said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A vehicle drive force controller wherein drive force characteristics of a vehicle are modified according to a regional attribute of a region in which said vehicle is traveling, comprising:
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a navigation device for detecting the regional attribute of the region in which said vehicle is traveling, an accelerator operation amount sensor for detecting an operation amount of an accelerator operated by a driver, a microprocessor programmed to; calculate a target value of a throttle gain based on said regional attribute, calculate a new throttle gain obtained by adding a predetermined amount to a present throttle gain such that said present throttle gain approaches said target value in steps, and an electronic throttle for varying an engine output based on said new throttle gain. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification