System and method for simulating the performance of a virtual vehicle
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a performance characteristic of a virtual vehicle, comprising:
- an electronic processor;
a memory coupled to the processor; and
simulator logic stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the logic being configured forconstructing a duty cycle based on a data set representative of the operation of a baseline vehicle during travel along a route, the data set including at least route data with distance and vehicle speed information, engine data associated with an engine of the baseline vehicle, and operational element data associated with a baseline operational element of the baseline vehicle;
defining a virtual vehicle that includes a virtual operational element different than and in substitution of the baseline operational element; and
determining a performance characteristic of the virtual vehicle using at least the constructed duty cycle.
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Abstract
A mobile computing apparatus simulates the performance of a virtual vehicle using the route, driving behavior and loading experience of a baseline vehicle. The baseline vehicle is instrumented and operational data is collected, forming a data set. The apparatus includes simulator logic configured to construct a duty cycle from the data set representative of the operation of the baseline vehicle during travel along the route (e.g., a loading duty cycle). The data set includes route data with distance and vehicle speed information, engine data associated with the engine, and operational element data. The logic defines a virtual vehicle that is the same as the baseline vehicle but that includes a virtual operational element, such as a transmission, that is different than that in the baseline vehicle. The logic determines a performance characteristic, such as fuel economy, of the virtual vehicle using the constructed duty cycle.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a performance characteristic of a virtual vehicle, comprising:
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an electronic processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and simulator logic stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the logic being configured for constructing a duty cycle based on a data set representative of the operation of a baseline vehicle during travel along a route, the data set including at least route data with distance and vehicle speed information, engine data associated with an engine of the baseline vehicle, and operational element data associated with a baseline operational element of the baseline vehicle; defining a virtual vehicle that includes a virtual operational element different than and in substitution of the baseline operational element; and determining a performance characteristic of the virtual vehicle using at least the constructed duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for determining the fuel economy of a virtual vehicle, comprising:
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an electronic processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and simulator logic stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the logic being configured for constructing a loading duty cycle based on a data set representative of the operation of a baseline vehicle during travel along a route, the loading duty cycle being indicative of the driving behavior of a driver of the baseline vehicle, the baseline vehicle including an engine coupled to a baseline transmission wherein the data set includes at least engine data and transmission data; defining a virtual vehicle that is the same as the baseline vehicle but that substitutes a virtual transmission for the baseline transmission; and simulating the operation of the virtual vehicle along the route in accordance with the constructed loading duty cycle in order to determine the projected fuel economy of the virtual vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of operating a vehicle having a driveline that includes an engine and a multi-gear transmission having an output-shaft, the method comprising the steps of:
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producing, using an engine fuel usage map defined for engine speed and torque, a respective driveline fuel map defined for an output-shaft driving torque and speed for each gear of the transmission; determining, during operation, an effective output-shaft driving torque and speed; identifying, using at least the output-shaft driving torque and speed, one or more feasible gears whose corresponding engine operating point lies within an engine torque-speed profile; selecting from the feasible gears a candidate gear having the lowest fuel usage wherein the selecting step uses the driveline fuel maps and the determined output-shaft driving torque and speed; and shifting the transmission to the candidate gear. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for determining a driving data set for a vehicle traveling over a predetermined route, comprising:
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an electronic processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and map interaction simulation logic stored in the memory and configured to simulate the operation and movement of the vehicle over the predetermined route in accordance with a map system that includes road data wherein the map interaction simulation logic is configured to produce (i) vehicle operation data and (ii) vehicle trip data that includes road data; and driving data set construction logic stored in the memory and configured to output the driving data set based on the vehicle operation data and the vehicle trip data wherein the driving data set includes vehicle driving torque data over the route. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification