Method of influencing the torque delivered by a vehicle drive of a vehicle

• US 6,611,747 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmitt, Johannes, Weiss, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/889,836
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 701/84, 701/72, 701/90, 701/104, 303/139, 180/197
• US Class Current: 701/84
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/09 Engine drag compensation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• 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 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

An exemplary method is described for influencing the moment delivered by a vehicle drive of a vehicle. In this method a change in load which occurs during cornering of the vehicle is detected, upon detection a minimum value of an intervention quantity which influences the torque delivered is determined and the vehicle drive is acted upon by the minimum value of the intervention quantity for a selectable period of time. To achieve an improvement in the change in load performance of a vehicle in cornering and an improvement in the driving performance of the vehicle in coasting operation, the minimum value determined for the intervention quantity and/or the period of time is corrected as a function of the coefficient of friction of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and/or as a function of a deceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of influencing a torque delivered by a vehicle drive of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting a transition from a power operation to a coasting operation of the vehicle that occurs during a cornering of the vehicle;

determining a minimum value of an intervention quantity that influences the torque delivered by the vehicle drive if the transition from the power operation to the coasting operation of the vehicle occurs during the cornering;

acting on the vehicle drive by the minimum value for a selectable period of time; and

correcting at least one of the minimum value and the selectable period of time as a function of at least one of a coefficient of friction of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and a deceleration of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

increasing the minimum value if at least one of the following is true;

the coefficient of friction of the road surface is less than a selectable first threshold value, and

the deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a selectable second threshold value.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle drive is acted upon by the minimum value for a longer period of time if at least one of the following is true;

the coefficient of friction of the road surface is less than a selectable first threshold value, and

the deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a selectable second threshold value.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the minimum value is determined from a sum of a first value and a second value,

the first value is determined as a function of a rotation speed of the vehicle drive and a transverse acceleration of the vehicle, and

the second value is determined as a function of a slip of at least one wheel of the vehicle and a velocity of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

the minimum value is determined as a function of a first engine characteristics map and a second engine characteristics map,

the first value is determined on the basis of the first engine characteristics map, and

the second value is determined on the basis of the second engine characteristics map.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

correcting the minimum value as a function of at least one of a slope of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and an absolute elevation at which the vehicle is located; and

acting upon the vehicle drive by the corrected minimum value.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

multiplying the corrected minimum value by a correction factor that depends on at least one of the slope and the absolute elevation.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

determining the correction factor on the basis of a third engine characteristics map.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

adding to the minimum value a correction value that depends on at least one of an engine temperature, a gear setting, and power consuming units.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

analyzing one of a position of a gas pedal of the vehicle and the torque delivered by the vehicle drive in order to determine the transition from the power operation to the coasting operation of the vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

correcting the minimum value as a function of a temperature of the vehicle drive if a transverse acceleration acts on the vehicle; and

acting on the vehicle drive by the corrected minimum value.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

correcting the minimum value as a function of a position of a gear shift of the vehicle if a transverse acceleration is acting on the vehicle; and

acting on the vehicle drive by the corrected minimum value.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

correcting the minimum value as a function of a type and a number of power consuming units present and in operation in the vehicle if a transverse acceleration is acting on the vehicle; and

acting on the vehicle drive by the corrected minimum value.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the intervention quantity corresponds to a quantity of a fuel to be injected,

the vehicle drive includes an internal combustion engine, and

the intervention quantity influences the torque delivered by the internal combustion engine.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the intervention quantity corresponds to a time of injection of a fuel,

the vehicle drive includes an internal combustion engine, and

the intervention quantity influences the torque delivered by the internal combustion engine.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the intervention quantity corresponds to a time of ignition of a fuel/air mixture,

the vehicle drive includes an internal combustion engine, and

the intervention quantity influences the torque delivered by the internal combustion engine.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the intervention quantity corresponds to an angle of a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine,

the vehicle drive includes the internal combustion engine, and

the intervention quantity influences the torque delivered by the internal combustion engine.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the intervention quantity corresponds to one of an electric current and a voltage of the vehicle drive,

the vehicle drive includes an electric motor, and

the intervention quantity influences the torque.

19. A control unit for driving a dynamics control of a motor vehicle, comprising:

an arrangement for detecting a transition from a power operation to a coasting operation of the vehicle that occurs during a cornering of the vehicle;

an arrangement for determining the minimum value of an intervention quantity that influences the torque delivered by a vehicle drive if the transition from the power operation to the coasting operation of the vehicle occurs during the cornering;

an arrangement for acting on the vehicle drive by the minimum value for a selectable period of time; and

an arrangement for correcting at least one of the minimum value and the selectable period of time as a function of at least one of a coefficient of friction of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and a deceleration of the vehicle.

20. A memory element for a control unit of a driving dynamics control system of a vehicle in which is stored a computer program capable of running on a computer, the computer program causing the computer to perform the steps of:

detecting a transition from a power operation to a coasting operation of the vehicle that occurs during a cornering of a vehicle;

determining a minimum value of an intervention quantity that influences the torque

delivered by a vehicle drive if the transition from the power operation to the coasting operation of the vehicle occurs during the cornering;

acting on the vehicle drive by the minimum value for a selectable period of time; and

correcting at least one of the minimum value and the selectable period of time as a function of at least one of a coefficient of friction of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and a deceleration of the vehicle.

21. The memory element according to claim 20, wherein:

the memory element includes one of a read-only memory, a random-access memory, and a flash memory.

22. The memory element according to claim 21, wherein:

the computer includes a microprocessor.

23. A computer program storable on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer, the computer program comprising:

program code to influence a torque delivered by a vehicle drive of a vehicle by performing the following;

detecting a transition from a power operation to a coasting operation of the vehicle that occurs during a cornering of a vehicle;

determining a minimum value of an intervention quantity that influences the torque delivered by the vehicle drive if the transition from the power operation to the coasting operation of the vehicle occurs during the cornering;

acting on the vehicle drive by the minimum value for a selectable period of time; and

correcting at least one of the minimum value and the selectable period of time as a function of at least one of a coefficient of friction of a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling and a deceleration of the vehicle.

24. The computer program according to claim 23, wherein:

the computer readable medium includes a memory element.

25. The computer program according to claim 24, wherein:

the memory element includes a flash memory.