Method and device for learning the neutral position of the accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle

• US 8,761,996 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bernhardt, Roger, Meier, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US12/989,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/20.7, 701/29.1, 701 297- 298, 701/30.3, 701/31.3, 701/33.1, 701 337- 341, 701/34.4, 701/36, 701/49, 701 58- 59, 702 57- 59, 702 64- 68, 702/70, 702/85, 702/94, 702104-105, 12333914-33915
• US Class Current: 701/33.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/106 Detection of demand or actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2474 Characteristics of sensors

Abstract

In a method and a device for learning the neutral position of the accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle, the lowest pedal voltage is determined during a first drive cycle, the voltage remaining constant over a specific period of time and repeating itself several times within the drive cycle. A minimum pedal value is confirmed and set on the basis of the determined lowest pedal value that has been confirmed in at least one succeeding drive cycle. Finally, a plausibility check on the confirmed lowest pedal value is performed. The method and the device are characterized by particular robustness.

Claims

1. An automated method setting a neutral position of accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle corresponding to an idle running mode of the motor vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

sensing a pedal voltage corresponding to a position of the accelerator pedal with a first sensor;

communicating the sensed pedal voltage to a computer processor;

determining with the computer processor a lowest pedal voltage occurring during a first drive cycle, wherein the first drive cycle includes multiple discrete periods of the sensed pedal voltage remaining at the lowest pedal voltage for at least a predetermined period of time, the multiple discrete periods occurring during the first drive cycle being separated by periods in which the sensed pedal voltage increases above the lowest pedal voltage;

confirming the determined lowest pedal voltage during at least one succeeding drive cycle;

setting a minimum pedal value based on the confirmed lowest pedal voltage;

performing a plausibility check with the computer processor on the minimum pedal value using at least one further pedal sensor; and

defining the neutral position of the accelerator pedal based on the minimum pedal value and storing the neutral position in a non-transitory computer readable memory in communication with the computer processor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plausibility check is used in order to differentiate between an electrical and a mechanical drift.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lowest pedal voltage is confirmed in a plurality of succeeding different drive cycles.

4. A device for learning a neutral position of an accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle, the device comprising:

a means for determining a lowest pedal voltage occurring during a first drive cycle, wherein the first drive cycle includes multiple discrete periods of the sensed pedal voltage remaining at the lowest pedal voltage for at least a predetermined period of time, the multiple discrete periods occurring during the first drive cycle being separated by periods in which the sensed pedal voltage increases above the lowest pedal voltage;

a means for confirming the determined lowest pedal voltage during at least one succeeding drive cycle;

a means for setting a minimum pedal value based on the confirmed lowest pedal; and

a means for performing a plausibility check on the minimum pedal value.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the means for performing a plausibility check is used in order to differentiate between an electrical and a mechanical drift.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the means for confirming the lowest pedal voltage operates in a plurality of succeeding different drive cycles.

7. A system for learning a neutral position of an accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle, comprising

an accelerator pedal,

first and second sensors coupled with said accelerator pedal generating a pedal voltage representative of a pedal position, and

an device operable to:

determine a lowest pedal voltage during a first drive cycle from the first sensor, wherein said first drive cycle includes multiple discrete periods of the sensed pedal voltage remaining at the lowest pedal voltage for at least a predetermined period of time, the multiple discrete periods occurring during the first drive cycle being separated by periods in which the sensed pedal voltage increases above the lowest pedal voltage,

confirm the determined lowest pedal voltage during at least one succeeding drive cycle,

set a minimum pedal value based on the confirmed lowest pedal voltage, and

perform a plausibility check on the minimum pedal value with the second sensor.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a memory to store the confirmed minimum pedal value.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the device is further operable to repeat the determination of the minimum pedal value after the motor vehicle has been driven or has been traveling for a predetermined period of time.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the plausibility check is performed at any time after the minimum pedal value is set.