Vehicle travel control device

• US 8,370,040 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Gen, Ishida, Yasuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US12/450,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle travel control device has a engine that controls an engine based on a driving target controlled variable; a brake that controls a brake device based on a braking target controlled variable; and a automatic travel control that calculates the driving target controlled variable and/or braking target controlled variable so that a vehicle speed of a vehicle becomes a target vehicle speed, and outputs the driving target controlled variable to the engine and the braking target controlled variable to the brake, the vehicle travel control device being configured such that, upon detection of an acceleration operation during the vehicle travel control, the automatic travel control calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the target vehicle speed becomes higher than a current vehicle speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle travel control device, comprising:

a first controller that controls an engine driving force based on a driving target controlled variable;

a second controller that controls a braking force of a brake device based on a braking target controlled variable; and

a third controller that calculates the driving target controlled variable and/or braking target controlled variable for performing vehicle travel control so that a vehicle speed of a vehicle becomes a target vehicle speed, and outputs the driving target controlled variable to the first controller and the braking target controlled variable to the second controller,

wherein the third controller is configured to calculate driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the engine driving force and to calculate braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the braking force of the braking device, and

wherein upon detection of an acceleration operation performed by a driver during the vehicle travel control, the third controller sets the driving target controlled variable for the vehicle travel control in accordance with the engine driving force of the engine in response to the acceleration operation and the driving force that is calculated based on the driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control, and sets the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control to a larger speed than the current vehicle speed.

3. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller, the second controller, and the third controller are integrated into a single control device.

4. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the deceleration operation, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the vehicle is gradually accelerated.

5. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed is matched with a target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

6. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 5, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed becomes lower than the target vehicle speed that is set by the target vehicle speed setting part.

7. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller detects the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that this target vehicle speed becomes lower than the target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

8. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 7, wherein when the third controller detects the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed is gradually reduced to 0.

9. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the acceleration operation, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the vehicle is gradually decelerated.

10. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the deceleration operation, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the vehicle is gradually accelerated.

11. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that this target vehicle speed becomes higher than the target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

12. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 11, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that this target vehicle speed is matched with the target vehicle speed that is set by the target vehicle speed setting part.

2. A vehicle travel control device, comprising:

a first controller that controls an engine driving force based on a driving target controlled variable;

a second controller that controls a braking force of a brake device based on a braking target controlled variable; and

a third controller that calculates the driving target controlled variable and/or braking target controlled variable for performing vehicle travel control so that a vehicle speed of a vehicle becomes a target vehicle speed, and outputs the driving target controlled variable to the first controller and the braking target controlled variable to the second controller,

wherein the third controller is configured to calculate driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the engine driving force and to calculate braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the braking force of the braking device, and

wherein upon detection of a deceleration operation performed by a driver during the vehicle travel control, the third controller sets the driving target controlled variable for the vehicle travel control in accordance with the braking force of the braking device in response to the deceleration operation and the braking force that is calculated based on the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control, and sets the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control to a same speed as the current vehicle speed by decreasing the driving target controlled variable to zero.

15. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, wherein the first controller, the second controller, and the third controller are integrated into a single control device.

16. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the deceleration operation, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the vehicle is gradually accelerated.

17. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed is matched with a target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

18. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 17, wherein when the third controller does not detect the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed becomes lower than the target vehicle speed that is set by the target vehicle speed setting part.

19. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller detects the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that this target vehicle speed becomes lower than the target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

20. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 19, wherein when the third controller detects the deceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the engine, so that the target vehicle speed is gradually reduced to 0.

21. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the acceleration operation, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the vehicle is gradually decelerated.

22. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when at the time of the detection by the third controller is immediately after the driver has stopped the deceleration operation, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the vehicle is gradually accelerated.

23. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 2, further comprising gradient detection portion for detecting a gradient of a road on which the vehicle travels, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates an ascending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that this target vehicle speed becomes higher than the target vehicle speed that is set by a target vehicle speed setting part.

24. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 23, wherein when the third controller detects neither the deceleration operation nor the acceleration operation performed by the driver during the vehicle travel control, and when the gradient of the road indicates a descending slope, the third controller calculates the target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that this target vehicle speed is matched with the target vehicle speed that is set by the target vehicle speed setting part.

13. A vehicle travel control method, comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not vehicle travel control is performed to control a vehicle speed of a vehicle to a target vehicle speed;

calculating driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by an engine driving force and calculating braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the braking force of a braking device;

when the vehicle travel control is performed and when an acceleration operation performed by a driver is detected, setting the driving target controlled variable for the vehicle travel control in accordance with the engine driving force of an engine in response to the acceleration operation and the driving force that is calculated based on the driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control; and

setting the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control to a larger speed than the current vehicle speed.

14. A vehicle travel control method, comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not vehicle travel control is performed to control a vehicle speed of a vehicle to a target vehicle speed;

calculating driving target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by an engine driving force and calculating braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control by the braking force of a braking device;

when the vehicle travel control is performed and when a deceleration operation performed by a driver is detected, setting the driving target controlled variable for the vehicle travel control in accordance with the braking force of the braking device in response to the deceleration operation and the braking force that is calculated based on the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control; and

setting the braking target vehicle speed for the vehicle travel control to a same speed as the current vehicle speed by decreasing the driving target controlled variable to zero.