Traction control system and method

• US 8,442,735 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hrovat, Davor, Fodor, Michael, McConnell, Mitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Application Number:
  US11/154,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,890 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/35, 701/70, 701/71, 701/80, 701/205
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/12 Friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• 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 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"

Abstract

In one example, a first vehicle traveling on a road is provided. The vehicle comprises a communication device coupled in the first vehicle configured to receive information transmitted by a second vehicle traveling on the road, the information identifying road surface conditions experience by the second vehicle; and a controller configured to adjust a vehicle operating parameter of the first vehicle in response to receiving the transmitted information from the second vehicle.

Claims

1. A first vehicle traveling on a road, comprising:

a communication device coupled in the first vehicle configured to receive information transmitted by a second vehicle traveling on the road, said information identifying road surface conditions experienced by said second vehicle and a location of said road surface conditions;

a pedal operated by a driver of the first vehicle;

an electronically controlled throttle positioned based at least on a position of the pedal; and

a controller for adjusting a powertrain output of the first vehicle in response to actuation of said pedal, and during said adjusting, receiving said transmitted information from said second vehicle, and adjusting a control resolution of a relationship of the pedal position corresponding to the electronically controlled throttle position in response to said received information.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to receive information from a satellite, and adjust said powertrain output of the first vehicle in response to said received satellite information.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said powertrain output of the first vehicle is an engine output.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said powertrain output of the first vehicle is a wheel torque.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the relationship of the pedal position corresponding to said powertrain output is a variable gain nonlinear functional relationship and adjusting the control resolution includes adjusting a gain of the pedal position.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the adjustment of the control resolution includes adjusting the relationship such that a change in pedal position has a finer resolution of control of the electronically controlled throttle position at low values of the powertrain output.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said received information includes road surface friction data.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said received information includes road surface type.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein said road surface type includes information relating to at least one of ice, rain, and snow.

19. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein adjusting the control resolution includes setting a gain of powertrain output relative to pedal position in a first pedal position region and increasing the gain when the pedal position is in a second pedal position region that is greater than the first pedal position region.

10. A first vehicle traveling on a road, comprising:

a communication device coupled in the first vehicle configured to receive information transmitted by a second vehicle traveling on the road, said information identifying road surface conditions experience by said second vehicle and a location of said road surface conditions;

a pedal operated by a driver of the first vehicle;

an electronically controlled throttle positioned based at least on a position of the pedal; and

a controller for adjusting a powertrain output of the first vehicle in response to actuation of said pedal, and during said adjusting, receiving said transmitted information from said second vehicle, adjusting the powertrain output based on the received information to control vehicle slip, and in response to the adjustment of the powertrain output resulting in a vehicle non-moving condition adjusting a control resolution of a relationship of the pedal position corresponding to the electronically controlled throttle position.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to receive information from a satellite, and adjust said powertrain output of the first vehicle in response to said received satellite information.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said powertrain output of the first vehicle is an engine output.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said powertrain output of the first vehicle is a wheel torque.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said received information includes road surface friction data.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein said received information includes road surface type.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said road surface type includes information relating to at least one of ice, rain, and snow.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the relationship of the pedal position corresponding to said powertrain output is a variable gain nonlinear functional relationship and adjusting the control resolution includes adjusting a gain of the pedal position.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the adjustment of the control resolution includes adjusting the relationship such that a change in pedal position has a finer resolution of control of the electronically controlled throttle position at low values of the powertrain output.

20. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein adjusting the control resolution includes setting a gain of powertrain output relative to pedal position in a first pedal position region and increasing the gain when the pedal position is in a second pedal position region that is greater than the first pedal position region.