Control system for controlling the behavior of a vehicle based on accurately detected route information

• US 6,199,001 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Takashi, Fukumura, Kagenori, Iwatsuki, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/992,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/54, 701/55, 701/65, 701/208, 701/209, 701/214, 701/216
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• 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: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle includes a route information detector, which detects route information for the vehicle, and behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detector and which controls the behavior of the vehicle. The control system also includes a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information, and a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information. In this case, the behavior control system can be a transmission, a suspension system, a brake system, a steering system, an engine, or an auto drive control system. The behavior control system is controlled by control patterns that can be changed by a changing controller.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects route information, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detected by the route information detector and controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information; and

a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

wherein the behavior control system includes a transmission of a vehicle.

2. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects route information, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detected by the route information detector and controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information; and

a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

wherein the behavior control system includes a brake system of a vehicle.

3. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects route information, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detected by the route information detector and controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information; and

a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

wherein the behavior control system includes an engine system of a vehicle.

4. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects route information, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detected by the route information detector and controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information; and

a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

wherein the behavior control system includes a vehicle auto drive control system.

5. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects route information, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the route information detected by the route information detector and controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

a means for detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

a changing controller which changes the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information;

a control system for a transmission, which is controlled by a shift instruction based on a predetermined shift diagram; and

a route information detector which detects information on a route that the vehicle follows;

a vehicle speed decreasing point detector which detects a point where it is necessary to decrease the vehicle speed; and

a vehicle target speed calculator which calculates a vehicle target speed for the vehicle speed decreasing point;

a target deceleration calculator which calculates a decrease speed to the vehicle target speed;

a vehicle deceleration calculator which calculates a deceleration to make a present vehicle speed be the target speed; and

a deceleration judgment device which decides whether said deceleration is larger than a threshold value; and

a transmission condition change device which changes a transmission condition to effect an engine braking condition when the deceleration judgment device decides that the deceleration is larger than the threshold value.

6. The control system for a transmission according to claim 5, wherein the point where it is necessary to decrease the vehicle speed includes a corner.

7. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

controlling a behavior control system of the vehicle based on the information detected by a route information detector, and controlling the behavior of the vehicle;

detecting the accuracy of the detection of the route information; and

changing the control of the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the detection of the route information.

8. The method for controlling a vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

changing control patterns based on the control patterns which correspond to the route information.

9. The method for controlling a vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

controlling a transmission, which controls the transmission by a shift instruction based on a predetermined shift diagram and route information which is on a route that a vehicle follows; and

detecting a point where it is necessary to decrease the vehicle speed; and

calculating a vehicle target speed for the vehicle speed decreasing point; and

calculating a decrease speed to the vehicle target speed; and

a vehicle deceleration calculating a deceleration to make the present vehicle speed be the target speed; and

determining whether said deceleration is larger than a threshold value; and

changing the transmission condition effects an engine braking condition when the deceleration is larger than the threshold value.

10. The method for controlling a vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

detecting a corner as a point where it is necessary to decrease the vehicle speed.

11. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the calculated location with position data, wherein said position data includes areas that are not driveable by said vehicle; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.

12. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

means for detecting a curve driving condition of the vehicle;

means for supplying stored curve condition data based on the calculated location of the vehicle;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the curve driving condition with the supplied stored curve condition data; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.

13. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

a sensor for determining a slip condition of the vehicle and the road;

means for supplying slip condition data based on the calculated location of the vehicle;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the determined slip condition with said supplied slip condition data; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.

14. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

a sensor for determining a lane condition of the road;

means for supplying lane information data based on the calculated location of the vehicle;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the lane condition with said supplied lane information data; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.

15. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

means for supplying position data;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the calculated location of the vehicle and position data wherein the position data includes areas a GPS is inoperable; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.

16. A control system for a vehicle, which has a route information detector which detects the location of the vehicle, and a behavior control system, which is controlled by the location detected by the route information detector, controls the behavior of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

means for calculating the location of the vehicle;

means for supplying road data;

means for determining the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle by comparing the calculated location of the vehicle with road data, wherein said road data includes a location parallel to said calculated location of said vehicle; and

a controller which controls the behavior control system based on the accuracy of the calculated location of the vehicle.