Vehicle control

• US 7,349,776 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kellett, John Anthony, Spillane, Anthony Francis, Parsons, Keith Gary Reginald, Burdock, William, Darnell, Paul Malcolm, Clare, David Andrew, Prins, Jan Pieter, Jones, Derek Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/249,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36- 37, 701/68, 701/73, 701/80, 701/51, 701/41, 180/446, 180/428, 180/6.2
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/85 System Prioritisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/3462 with means for changing distribution of torque between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/35 including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches differential gearing with locking devices F16H48/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• 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: 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: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/08 Coordination of integrated systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/58 responsive to speed and another condition or to plural speed conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 : Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 : Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 : Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 : Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 : Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 : Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 : Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2300/14 : Selecting a state of operation, e.g. depending on two wheel or four wheel drive mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A vehicle control system has a plurality of subsystem controllers including an engine management system 28, a transmission controller 30, a steering controller 48, a brakes controller 62 and a suspension controller 82. These subsystem controllers are each operable in a plurality of subsystem modes, and are all connected to a vehicle mode controller 98 which controls the modes of operation of each of the subsystem controllers so as to provide a number of driving modes for the vehicle. Each of the modes corresponds to a particular driving condition or set of driving conditions, and in each mode each of the functions is set to the function in mode most appropriate to those conditions.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system having a driver input for selecting a driving surface, the vehicle control system arranged to control a plurality of vehicle subsystems each of which is operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, wherein the vehicle control system is operable in a plurality of driving modes in each of which it is arranged to select the subsystem configuration modes in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface.

2. A vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the driving modes comprise a plurality of different driving modes suitable for different conditions of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes include an off-road mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on rough terrain and an on-road mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on-road.

4. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes include at least one low friction mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on low friction surfaces and a high friction mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on high friction surfaces.

5. A vehicle control system according to claim 4 wherein the low friction mode is arranged to be suitable for driving on grass, gravel and snow.

6. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes are selectable by a driver of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle control system according to claim 6 wherein the driving modes are selectable by means of two inputs, one of which is a terrain selection input arranged to influence the configuration mode selected on the basis of the terrain selected, and the other which is a mode of use input arranged to influence the configuration mode selected on the basis of a selected mode of use of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle control system according to claim 6 wherein the mode of use input is arranged to allow selection between a plurality of driving styles.

9. A vehicle control system according to claim 8 wherein the driving style includes a sport style.

10. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 further comprising sensing means arranged to sense at least one parameter wherein the control system is arranged to select said driving modes on the basis of said parameter.

11. A vehicle control system according to claim 10 wherein the parameter varies with the manner in which the vehicle is being used.

12. A vehicle control system according to any one of claims 1-11 in which the vehicle control system is further included in a motor vehicle.

13. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 further comprising a driver input for selecting a mode of use.

14. A method of controlling a plurality of subsystems within a motor vehicle in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface, the subsystems each being operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a vehicle mode controller to the vehicle subsystems, the vehicle mode controller having a plurality of driving modes and a driver input for selecting a driving surface;

storing a set of control commands from the plurality of driving modes in a memory of the vehicle mode controller in response to the driver input of a driving surface;

transmitting the set of stored control commands to each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems; and

selecting of a set of subsystem control parameters by each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems so as to provide the appropriate operation of each of the vehicle subsystems.

15. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the driving modes is a rock crawl mode.

17. A computer program product comprising a medium on which or in which, when executed in a computer system, will perform the method as in any one of claims 14-16.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of subsystems within a motor vehicle in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface, the subsystems each being operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a vehicle mode controller to the vehicle subsystems, the vehicle mode controller having a plurality of driving modes, a driver input for selecting a driving surface, and a plurality of subsystem sensor information;

storing a set of control commands from the plurality of driving modes in a memory of the vehicle mode controller in response to the plurality of subsystem sensor information and the driver input of the driving surface;

transmitting the set of stored control commands to each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems; and

selecting of a set of subsystem control parameters by each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems so as to provide the appropriate operation of each of the vehicle subsystems.

18. A vehicle control system having a driver input for selecting a surface terrain, the vehicle control system arranged to control a plurality of vehicle subsystems each of which is operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, wherein the vehicle control system is operable in a plurality of driving modes in each of which it is arranged to select the subsystem configuration modes in a manner suitable for a respective surface terrain.

19. A vehicle control system according to claim 18, wherein one of the plurality of vehicle subsystems is a suspension subsystem.

20. A vehicle control system according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of vehicle subsystems further comprise a steering subsystem, a brake subsystem, an engine management subsystem, and a transmission subsystem.