Method of controlling the drive train of a motor vehicle, and integrated drive train control system

• US 6,038,505 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Probst, Gregor, Graf, Friedrich, Strasser, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,256
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/58, 701/60, 701/54, 701/53, 701/65, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 477/20, 477/107, 477/109, 477/110, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/65
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0045 using databus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• 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 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• 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 41/28 Interface circuits

Abstract

The drive train of a motor vehicle is controlled by interpreting the position of the accelerator pedal as a wheel torque or transmission output torque desired by the driver. This information is utilized together with the position of the brake pedal for calculating central control parameters for the drive sources and decelerating units of the drive train. Data on local environmental pollution are taken into account in such a way that a drive mode of the motor vehicle, ascertained to whatever the current environmental conditions are, is ascertained and indicated to the driver. Unless the driver rejects this drive mode for special reasons, it is performed automatically.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a drive train of a motor vehicle, which comprises:

interpreting a position of an accelerator pedal as a torque selected from the group consisting of a wheel torque and a transmission output torque desired by a driver of the motor vehicle, and calculating, from the position of the accelerator pedal, desired values for an engine and a transmission of the motor vehicle;

receiving, with a calculation device, signals representing the position of the accelerator pedal and a position of a brake pedal, and generating from the signals central control parameters for drive sources and decelerating units of the drive train of the motor vehicle;

delivering to the data calculation device data on local environmental pollution and taking the data into account in the generating step such that a driving mode of the motor vehicle is adapted to current environmental conditions and is indicated to the driver; and

automatically activating an operating mode adapted to the current environmental conditions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data on local environmental pollution are received via radio transmission by a receiver in the motor vehicle and are transmitted to the data calculation device through an information channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises measuring the data on local environmental pollution in the motor vehicle and furnishing the data in an information channel.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises taking into account locally prescribed environmental limits in the control of the drive train.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises evaluating, in a classification device, sensors signals from the drive train, and classifying operating parameters of the motor vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises determining a current vehicle position, and intervening in the control of the drive train in response to the environmental data only if such intervention is appropriate and does not impair safety.

7. An integrated drive train control system for a motor vehicle having an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a drive train with drive sources and decelerating units, the control system comprising:

a calculation device receiving a signal representing a position of the accelerator pedal and of the brake pedal respectively, said calculation device interpreting the position of the accelerator pedal as a torque selected from the group consisting of a wheel torque and a transmission output torque desired by the driver of the motor vehicle;

an information channel connected to said calculation device, said information channel furnishing to said calculation device data on local environmental pollution;

said calculation device generating central control parameters for the drive sources and the decelerating units of the drive train on the basis of the respective positions of the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, and taking into account the data on local environmental pollution such that a driving mode of the motor vehicle is adapted to the environmental conditions through the central control parameters.

8. The drive train control system according to claim 7, which further comprises:

a classification circuit including said information channel and additional circuits, said classification circuit providing output signals;

a selection circuit for selecting a driving strategy from said output signals of said classification circuit;

a control circuit programmed to perform a coordinated calculation of the central operating parameters of the drive train in accordance with the selected driving strategy; and

a plurality of decentralized control units connected to receive output signals of said control circuit and of said selection circuit, said control units generating control signals for the engine, transmission and brake system of the motor vehicle.

9. The drive train control system according to claim 7, which further comprises a device for receiving the data on local environmental pollution by radio transmission, said device being connected to and furnishing the data to said information channel.