Method and device for controlling the drive unit of a vehicle

• US 7,093,587 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Weiffen, Manfred, Glora, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ARGENBRIGHT, TONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/864,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20050016497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 123/325, 123/492, 123/493, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439, 701/301
• US Class Current: 123/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A method and a device for controlling the drive unit of a vehicle make possible an effective kinesthetic signaling of an event. Based on a detection of the event, an output variable of the drive unit is changed in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in an overrun state or an acceleration state.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an event; and

changing an output variable of the drive unit in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in an overrun state or a acceleration state, to signal the event kinesthetically.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a torque as the output variable.

3. A method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an event;

changing an output variable of the drive unit in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in an overrun state or a acceleration state, to signal the event kinesthetically; and

detecting the overrun state if a value of an output variable corresponding to a driver'"'"'s command is less than a value of an output variable corresponding to a sum of all losses.

4. A method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an event;

changing an output variable of the drive unit in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in an overrun state or a acceleration state, to signal the event kinesthetically; and

detecting the acceleration state if a value of an output variable corresponding to a driver'"'"'s command is greater than a value of an output variable corresponding to a sum of all losses.

5. A method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an event;

changing an output variable of the drive unit in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in an overrun state or a acceleration state, to signal the event kinesthetically; and

reducing a value of the output variable stepwise upon detection of the acceleration state, and increasing a value of the output variable stepwise upon detection of the overrun state.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising carrying out a stepwise change of the output variable for a predefined time.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein a level of a stepwise change in the output variable is selected in such a way that, upon detection of the acceleration state a system jumps to the overrun state, and upon detection of the overrun state the system jumps to the acceleration state.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a level of a step is selected to be greater in absolute value than a difference between a value of an output variable corresponding to a driver'"'"'s command and a value of an output variable corresponding to a sum of all losses.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein a level of a stepwise change in the output variable is selected as a function of a current transmission rate.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the level of the stepwise change in the output variable is selected smaller in the case of a greater transmission ratio than in the case of a lower transmission ratio.

11. A device for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle comprising:

means for kinesthetically signaling an event;

means for detecting the event;

means for detecting at least one of an overrun state and a acceleration state; and

means for changing an output variable of the drive unit, such that, based on the detection of the event, the output variable of the drive unit is changed in a stepwise manner, as a function of whether the vehicle is in the overrun state or the acceleration state, to signal the event kinesthetically.