Combined engine and transmission control for a motor vehicle

• US 6,095,945 A
• Filed: 01/26/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Graf, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US09/013,301
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 477/97, 477/107, 477/110, 477/118, 477/183, 701/58, 701/65, 701/71
• US Class Current: 477/97
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/165 acting on elements of the vehicle drive train other than the propulsion unit and brakes, e.g. transmission, clutch, differential acting on brakes B60T8/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/103 Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/003 Detecting or using driving style of a driver, e.g. for adapting shift schedules
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/506 Wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/663 : Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/666 : Determining road conditions by using vehicle location or position, e.g. from global navigation systems [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 : Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/21 : Providing engine brake control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A combined engine and transmission control unit for a motor vehicle uses the position of the accelerator pedal to calculate setpoint values for the engine and the transmission of the motor vehicle. The control unit has a drive-train controller, which, when the engine is not in traction mode, controls the driving mode of the motor vehicle. The driving mode is adapted to the surroundings of the motor vehicle and the driving style of the driver. The drive-train controller activates an engine torque control when brake slip is detected, and the transmission controller prescribes a lower gear than is provided for the unbraked mode of the motor vehicle by a characteristic diagram.

Claims

1. A drive-train control system for a motor vehicle in which a position of an accelerator pedal is utilized to calculate setpoints for an engine and a transmission of the motor vehicle, the control system comprising:

a combined control unit for the engine and the transmission of the motor vehicle;

said control unit being programmed to, when the engine is not in traction mode, adapt a driving mode of the motor vehicle to surroundings of the motor vehicle and to a driving style of the driver; and

an engine torque control device, said device being programmed to activate an engine torque controller when both a brake slip is detected and a transmission controller prescribes a lower gear than a gear predetermined according to a characteristic diagram for an unbraked drive mode of the motor vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, which further comprises a brake controller connected to said transmission controller, said brake controller outputting a signal indicating an occurrence of a brake slip to said transmission controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission controller receives a plurality of sensor signals from the motor vehicle, and said transmission controller is programmed to deduce from the sensor signals an occurrence of a brake slip.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said brake controller, said transmission controller and said engine torque controller together define a drive-train controller, said drive-train controller prescribing a low transmission gear in a braking assistance operating mode or a manually selected drive mode.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said brake controller, said transmission controller and said engine torque controller together define a drive-train controller, said drive-train controller interrupting a power flux in the transmission of the motor vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said brake controller, said transmission controller and said engine torque controller together define a drive-train controller, said drive-train controller cutting off a fuel supply to the engine in an overrun mode.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said drive-train controller is programmed to cut off the fuel supply to the engine and to downshift the transmission in the overrun mode.

8. The controller according to claim 6, wherein said drive-train controller is programmed to cut off the fuel supply to the engine and to maintain a current transmission gear.