Method for operating a vehicle

• US 9,321,454 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Fischer, Uta, Schulz, Udo, Schnurr, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US14/411,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0666 Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/085 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1495 Detection of abnormalities in the air/fuel ratio feedback system
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A method for operating a vehicle includes: specifying a time-related target power demand for the vehicle to an internal combustion engine; and switching in an additional powering device in addition to the internal combustion engine when a time-related actual power demand of the vehicle on the internal combustion engine deviates from the time-related target power demand. The present invention makes it possible to operate the internal combustion engine in a diagnosis mode largely independently of the specific driving situation.

Claims

1. A method for operating a vehicle, comprising:

specifying a time-related target power demand for the vehicle to an internal combustion engine powering the vehicle, the time-related target power demand being dependent on a vehicle diagnosis to be carried out on the internal combustion engine;

switching in an additional powering device for the vehicle in addition to the internal combustion engine when a time-related actual power demand of the vehicle on the internal combustion engine deviates from the time-related target power demand;

estimating the time-related actual power demand of the internal combustion engine on a route to be driven with the vehicle;

scheduling the vehicle diagnosis to be carried out based on a probability that a difference between the time-related actual power demand and the time-related target power demand can be compensated for by switching in the additional powering device in addition to the internal combustion engine; and

prohibiting vehicle diagnosis when the probability falls below a predetermined threshold value.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the additional powering device is an electrical machine which acts, together with the internal combustion engine, on a drive train of the vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the electrical machine is configured to charge an electrical energy reservoir when a difference between the time-related actual power demand and the time-related target power demand results in acceleration of the vehicle.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the electrical machine is configured to deliver a torque to the drive train of the vehicle when a difference between the time-related actual power demand and the time-related target power demand results in a deceleration of the vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time-related actual power demand of the vehicle on the route to be driven with the vehicle is estimated on the basis of at least one of data from a navigation device, data from a near-field sensor, and data stored in a memory.

6. A control apparatus for operating a vehicle, comprising:

a control unit including a processor configured to perform the following;

specifying a time-related target power demand for the vehicle to an internal combustion engine powering the vehicle, the time-related target power demand being dependent on a vehicle diagnosis to be carried out on the internal combustion engine;

switching in an additional powering device for the vehicle in addition to the internal combustion engine when a time-related actual power demand of the vehicle on the internal combustion engine deviates from the time-related target power demand;

estimating the time-related actual power demand of the internal combustion engine on a route to be driven with the vehicle;

scheduling the vehicle diagnosis to be carried out based on a probability that a difference between the time-related actual power demand and the time-related target power demand can be compensated for by switching in the additional powering device in addition to the internal combustion engine; and

prohibiting vehicle diagnosis when the probability falls below a predetermined threshold value.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, performs a method for operating a vehicle, the method comprising:

specifying a time-related target power demand for the vehicle to an internal combustion engine powering the vehicle, the time-related target power demand being dependent on a vehicle diagnosis to be carried out on the internal combustion engine;

switching in an additional powering device for the vehicle in addition to the internal combustion engine when a time-related actual power demand of the vehicle on the internal combustion engine deviates from the time-related target power demand;

estimating the time-related actual power demand of the internal combustion engine on a route to be driven with the vehicle;

scheduling the vehicle diagnosis to be carried out based on a probability that a difference between the time-related actual power demand and the time-related target power demand can be compensated for by switching in the additional powering device in addition to the internal combustion engine; and

prohibiting vehicle diagnosis when the probability falls below a predetermined threshold value.