Driver aware adaptive shifting

• US 9,200,702 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Feliv, Dimitar P., Hrovat, Davorin D., Jiang, Hong, Fujii, Yuji, Tseng, Hongtei E., Dai, Zhengyu, Szwabowski, Steven J., Nedorezov, Felix, Teslak, Christopher J., Riedle, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US14/267,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20150316145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/003 Detecting or using driving style of a driver, e.g. for adapting shift schedules
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0087 Adaptive control, e.g. the control parameters adapted by learning
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0241 Adapting the ratio to special transmission conditions, e.g. shifts during warming up phase of transmission when fluid viscosity is high
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0244 Adapting the automatic ratio to direct driver requests, e.g. manual shift signals or kick down
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

An individual driving value is set as a function of an accelerator pedal position. In turn, a powertrain characteristic is set as a function of the individual driving style. The set powertrain characteristic may be modified on the basis of a feedback value corresponding to learned preferences of a driver. The modified powertrain characteristic is then either automatically implemented for operation of a powertrain or communicated as a choice for implementation. The feedback value is updated per a response to automatic implementation or choice communication.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automotive powertrain comprising:

setting an individual driving value as a function of an accelerator pedal position;

setting a powertrain characteristic as a function of the individual driving value and a preset limit;

modifying the set characteristic as a function of a feedback value;

operating the powertrain based on the modified characteristic;

updating the feedback value per a response to the modified characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set when the individual driving value exceeds the preset limit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set when the preset limit exceeds the individual driving value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, as a function of the individual driving value and the preset limit, the powertrain characteristic is maintained as a current characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

setting the powertrain characteristic as a function of the individual driving value, the preset limit, and a second preset limit, wherein the powertrain characteristic is set to a first characteristic when the individual driving value exceeds the preset limit and a second characteristic when the individual driving value is below the second preset limit;

maintaining a current characteristic when the individual driving value neither exceeds the preset limit nor is below the second preset limit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual driving value is a function of the accelerator pedal position and an additional driver characteristic input.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set to achieve a desired torque amount in a desired time period.

8. A method of controlling an automotive powertrain comprising:

setting an individual driving value as a function of an accelerator pedal position;

setting a powertrain characteristic as a function of the individual driving value and a preset limit;

modifying the set characteristic as a function of a feedback value;

communicating a driver choice based on the modified set characteristic;

updating the feedback value per a response to the communicated driver choice.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set when the individual driving value exceeds the preset limit.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set when the preset limit exceeds the individual driving value.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein, as a function of the individual driving value and the preset limit, the powertrain characteristic is maintained as a current characteristic.

12. The method of claim 8 comprising the further steps of:

setting the powertrain characteristic as a function of the individual driving value, the preset limit, and a second preset limit, wherein the powertrain characteristic is set to a first characteristic when the individual driving value exceeds the preset limit and a second characteristic when the individual driving value is below the second preset limit;

maintaining a current characteristic when the individual driving value neither exceeds the preset limit nor is below the second preset limit.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the individual driving value is a function of the accelerator pedal position and an additional driver characteristic input.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set to achieve a desired torque amount in a desired time period.

15. A method of controlling an automotive powertrain comprising:

setting an individual driving value as a function of an accelerator pedal position;

setting a powertrain characteristic to a first characteristic when the individual driving value exceeds a first limit and a second characteristic when the individual driving value is below a second limit;

modifying the set characteristic as a function of a feedback value;

updating the feedback value per a response to the modified characteristic.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising the further step of:

applying the modified characteristic to the powertrain, wherein the response is whether applying the modified characteristic to the powertrain is overridden.

17. The method of claim 15 comprising the further step of:

communicating a driver choice based on a recommended modified set characteristic, wherein the response is whether the recommended characteristic is applied.

18. The method of claim 15 comprising the further step of:

maintaining a current characteristic when the individual driving value neither exceeds the first limit nor is below the second limit.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the individual driving value is a function of the accelerator pedal position and an additional driver characteristic input.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the powertrain characteristic is set to achieve a desired torque amount in a desired time period.