Drive train controller for a motor vehicle

• US 6,125,314 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Probst, Gregor, Graf, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/120,021
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 761/53, 761/54, 761/51, 761/58, 761/60, 761/65, 761/57, 761/84, 761/87, 761/22
• US Class Current: 701/53
• 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 2270/603 ASR features related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/174 characterised by using special control logic, e.g. fuzzy logic , neural computing
• 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 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0057 Frequency analysis, spectral techniques or transforms
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• 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 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• 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 41/1404 Fuzzy logic control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

The drive train controller is used to calculate the position of the accelerator pedal which is interpreted as the wheel torque or transmission output torque desired by the driver, in order to calculate setpoint values for the torque to be output by the drive train. It contains a control circuit in which the desired wheel torque is evaluated, together with further operating parameters of the motor vehicle, in a fuzzy system. It outputs an output signal by which the wheel torque to be exerted on the roadway by the wheels of a motor vehicle is defined.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having a drive train including an engine, a transmission, a torque converter and wheels, a braking system with delaying units, a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal, a drive train controller comprising:

a wheel torque calculation circuit to be connected to the accelerator pedal for interpreting a position of the accelerator pedal as one of a desired wheel torque and a desired transmission output torque desired by a driver and for calculating set point values for a torque output of the drive train;

a control circuit having a fuzzy system and a central driving strategy selector circuit, said fuzzy system receiving and evaluating the desired wheel torque, together with operating parameters of the motor vehicle and environmental parameters, for generating a fuzzy output signal;

said central driving strategy selector circuit receiving the fuzzy output signal from said fuzzy system and driving situation parameters of the motor vehicle and generating a wheel torque output signal using prescribable criteria of said central driving strategy selector circuit for adapting a mode of operation of the drive train; and

an engine power adjusting unit receiving the wheel torque output signal for determining a set point wheel torque to be exerted on a roadway by the wheels.

2. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein the set point wheel torque defines a unique set point wheel torque for each individual wheel of the motor vehicle.

3. The drive train controller according claim 1, including a scaling circuit receiving the fuzzy output signal and generating a scaled fuzzy output signal, said scaling circuit defining an upper limit corresponding to a maximum accelerator pedal position for a respective maximum wheel torque to be output as a function of a driving and an operating situation of the motor vehicle.

4. The drive train controller according to claim 3, including a filter having a type and filter parameters defined as a function of the driving and the operating situation of the motor vehicle, said filter receiving and filtering the scaled fuzzy output signal.

5. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein said wheel torque calculation circuit receives input signals from the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal for determining the position of the accelerator pedal and of the brake pedal and generates central control parameters for said engine adjusting unit and the delaying units of the drive train from the input signals.

6. The drive train controller according to claim 1, including a classification device for evaluating sensor signals received from the drive train, classifying operating parameters of the motor vehicle and generating classification device output signals.

7. The drive train controller according to claim 6, wherein said control circuit receives the classification device output signals and a driving strategy is selected in said control circuit with reference to the classification device output signals;

and

including a plurality of decentralized control units receiving output signals of said wheel torque calculation circuit and of said control circuit, and control signals for at least one of the engine, the transmission, and the brake system are generated from the output signals.

8. The drive train controller according to claim 7, wherein a given set point wheel torque of operating points of the engine, of the transmission, of the brake system and of the torque converter are controlled for fulfilling the following relation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sub.wheel-setp =M.sub.eng-setp *i.sub.A *i.sub.G *wv-F.sub.brake *r

where;

M_wheel-setp is the setpoint wheel torque

M_eng-setp is the setpoint engine torque

i_A is the differential transmission ratio

i_G is the gear transmission ratio

r is the wheel radius

wv is the amplification factor of the torque converter

F_brake is the braking force to be set.

9. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein the set point wheel torque is kept constant at one value in the event of a gear change.

10. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein the set point wheel torque is approximated, in accordance with a prescribed time function, to a current value supplied by said fuzzy system.

11. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein the set point wheel torque is approximated, in accordance with a prescribed time function to a current value supplied by said fuzzy system after a phase of remaining constant.

12. The drive train controller according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a hybrid drive and said control circuit selects a drive source of the hybrid drive.