Method and module for determining of at least one reference value for a vehicle control system

• US 9,193,264 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Johansson, Oskar, Sdergren, Maria, Roos, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US14/367,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 701/82, 835/75, 187/277, 56/102.R, 241/30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/244 changing target speed or setting a new target speed, e.g. changing algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A method for determining a reference value for controlling a vehicle'"'"'s speed by a vehicle control system is described. The method includes: making a first prediction and a second prediction of the speed along a horizon, the first prediction based on an engine torque that retards the vehicle as compared with a conventional cruise control, and the second prediction based on an engine torque that accelerates the vehicle as compared with the conventional cruise control; comparing the first prediction and second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, which delineate a speed range within which the speed is to be maintained; and determining the reference value based on at least one of the respective comparisons and the first prediction and second prediction so that the set speed is within the speed range bounded by the lower and upper limit values.

Claims

1. A method for determination of at least one reference value of speed for a module, comprising an automated processor, the module controlling a speed of a vehicle, based on the at least one reference value of speed, wherein said at least one reference value of speed may differ from a value of speed corresponding to a set speed indicated by a driver of the vehicle, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the module, the set speed indicated by the driver;

making, by the module, a first prediction and a second prediction of a speed of the vehicle along a horizon, said first prediction being based on an engine torque which retards the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver, and said second prediction being based on an engine torque which increases the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver;

comparing said first prediction and said second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, wherein the lower limit value and the upper limit value delineate a speed range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained;

determining the at least one reference value of speed, based on at least one of said comparisons and said first prediction and second prediction of the speed of the vehicle along the horizon, so that the set speed indicated by the driver is within said speed range bounded by the lower and upper limit values; and

outputting, from the module, the at least one reference value of speed to an engine system of the vehicle for control of the engine of the vehicle,

wherein said comparison assesses whether said first prediction and said second prediction of the vehicle speed fulfil at least one of the following criteria;

said second prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value; and

said first prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lower and upper limit values for said speed range are set manually by the driver via an input unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of different speed range widths are defined for said speed range.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each speed range width are a first and a second predetermined number of km/h, respectively, below and above the set speed indicated by the driver.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each speed range width are a first and a second predetermined percentage, respectively, below and above the set speed indicated by the driver.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the lower and upper limit values are set automatically based on the speed range widths.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the speed range width is adjusted automatically based on a time gap to a vehicle ahead so that the speed range width is smaller for a short time gap and larger for a longer time gap.

8. A module configured to determine at least one reference value of speed, the module controlling a speed of a vehicle, based on the at least one reference value of speed, wherein said at least one reference value of speed may differ from a value of speed corresponding to a set speed indicated by a driver of the vehicle, the module comprising:

a calculation unit comprising an automated processor and configured;

to acquire the set speed indicated by the driver;

to make a first prediction and a second prediction of the speed of the vehicle along a horizon, said first prediction being based on an engine torque which retards the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver, and said second prediction being based on an engine torque which increases the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver;

to compare said first prediction and second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, wherein the lower limit value and the upper limit value delineate a speed range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained; and

to determine the at least one reference value of speed, based on at least one of said comparisons and said first prediction and second prediction of the speed of the vehicle, so that the set speed indicated by the driver is within said speed range bounded by the lower and upper limit values; and

the module being configured to output the at least one reference value of speed to an engine system of the vehicle for control of the engine of the vehicle,

wherein the calculation unit is configured to determine whether in said comparison said first prediction and said second prediction fulfil at least one of the following criteria;

said second prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value; and

said first prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value.

9. The module according to claim 8, further comprising an input unit configured to receive an indication of the lower and upper limit values for said speed range.

10. The module according to claim 8, wherein a predetermined number of different speed range widths are defined for said speed range.

11. The module according to claim 10, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each speed range width are a first and a second predetermined number of km/h, respectively, below and above the set speed indicated by the driver.

12. The module according to claim 10, wherein the lower and upper limit values for each speed range width are a first and a second predetermined percentage, respectively, below and above the set speed indicated by the driver.

13. The module according to claim 10, wherein the lower and upper limit values are set automatically based on calculations of the speed range widths.

14. The module according to claim 13, wherein the speed range width is adjusted automatically based on a time gap to a vehicle ahead so that the speed range width is smaller for a short time gap and larger for a longer time gap.

16. A system including the module of claim 8 and a vehicle, the module being included in the vehicle.

15. A method for determination of at least one reference value of speed for a module, comprising an automated processor, the module controlling a speed of a vehicle, based on the at least one reference value of speed, wherein said at least one reference value of speed may differ from a value of speed corresponding to a set speed indicated by a driver of the vehicle, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the module, the set speed indicated by the driver;

making, by the module, a first prediction and a second prediction of a speed of the vehicle along a horizon, said first prediction being based on an engine torque which retards the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver, and said second prediction being based on an engine torque which increases the speed of the vehicle when compared with the speed of the vehicle when the reference value of speed equals the set speed indicated by the driver;

comparing said first prediction and said second prediction, respectively, with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value, wherein the lower limit value and the upper limit value delineate a speed range within which the speed of the vehicle is maintained;

determining the at least one reference value of speed, based on at least one of said comparisons and said first prediction and second prediction of the speed of the vehicle along the horizon, so that the set speed indicated by the driver is within said speed range bounded by the lower and upper limit values;

outputting, from the module, the at least one reference value of speed to an engine system of the vehicle for control of the engine of the vehicle, the method being performed by a computer system of the vehicle when instructions included on a non-transitory computer-readable medium are run on the computer system; and

wherein said comparison assesses whether said first prediction and said second prediction of the vehicle speed fulfil at least one of the following criteria;

said second prediction is below or equal to said upper limit value; and

said first prediction is above or equal to said lower limit value.