Method for controlling the speed of a vehicle

• US 9,802,610 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Kvist, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/354,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/242 setting initial target speed, e.g. initial 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 2050/0071 Controller overrides driver automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/00 Output or target parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2079 Control of mechanical transmission for hydrostatic transmission or hydraulic torque converter E02F9/2253
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling the speed of a vehicle that includes a drive train for driving the vehicle and a predetermined preferred speed set. The method includes determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested, if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, and if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, wherein the predetermined speed set is established based on at least one vehicle characteristics value indicative of at least one of;

wear of one or more components of the vehicle, an amount of vibrations in one or more components of the vehicle, a noise level within and/or outside of the vehicle and a power loss of the drive train of the vehicle, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power loss of the drive train is equal to or below a predetermined power loss within the predetermined preferred speed set.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle further comprises a driveline characteristics value input means, the method further comprising:

determining the driveline characteristics value from the driveline characteristics value input means, and

selecting the range of preferred speeds in accordance with the driveline characteristics value.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined preferred speed set comprises a range of preferred speeds.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of predetermined preferred speed sets, the method further comprising:

determining whether the vehicle speed control system requested an acceleration or a deceleration of the vehicle prior to the substantially constant speed request.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a manual speed controller, the method further comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested by the manual speed controller.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises an automatic speed controller, wherein the step of automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle comprises a step of operating the automatic speed controller in order to modify the speed of the vehicle.

12. Computer program product, comprising a computer program containing computer program code executable in a computer or a processor to implement the steps of a method according to claim 1, the product being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

8. A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set,

wherein the drive train comprises a power supply and an automatic transmission arrangement which comprises a power split assembly which in turn comprises a step ratio power flow path and a infinitely variable ratio power flow path, at least one value in the predetermined preferred speed set corresponding to at least one condition of the transmission arrangement in which at least a predetermined portion of the power flows through the step ratio power flow path.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined portion of the power flow through the step ratio power flow path is at least 80% of the power flow through the power split assembly.

10. A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set,

wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of predetermined preferred speed sets, the method further comprising;

determining whether the vehicle speed control system requested an acceleration or a deceleration of the vehicle prior to the substantially constant speed request,

wherein, if an acceleration of the vehicle was requested prior to the substantially constant speed request and if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside the predetermined preferred speed set;

increasing the speed of the vehicle until it reaches a speed within the preferred speed set.

11. A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set,

wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of predetermined preferred speed sets, the method further comprising;

determining whether the vehicle speed control system requested an acceleration or a deceleration of the vehicle prior to the substantially constant speed request,

wherein, if an deceleration of the vehicle was requested prior to the substantially constant speed request and if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined preferred speed set;

decreasing the speed of the vehicle until it reaches a speed within the preferred speed set.

13. Electronic control unit, comprising a computer program product arranged to execute a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, wherein the predetermined speed set is established based on at least one vehicle characteristics value indicative of at least one of;

wear of one or more components of the vehicle, an amount of vibrations in one or more components of the vehicle, a noise level within and/or outside of the vehicle and a power loss of the drive train of the vehicle, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set.

14. A vehicle, comprising a drive train adapted to drive the vehicle, the drive train comprising a power supply and a transmission arrangement, the vehicle comprising an electronic control unit comprising a computer program product arranged to execute a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, wherein the predetermined speed set is established based on at least one vehicle characteristics value indicative of at least one of;

wear of one or more components of the vehicle, an amount of vibrations in one or more components of the vehicle, a noise level within and/or outside of the vehicle and a power loss of the drive train of the vehicle, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed, set.

15. A vehicle, comprising a drive train adapted to drive the vehicle, the drive train comprising a power supply and a transmission arrangement, the vehicle comprising an electronic control unit comprising a computer program product arranged to execute a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive train for driving the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a predetermined preferred speed set, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a substantially constant speed of the vehicle is requested;

if it is determined that a substantially constant speed is requested, determining whether the requested speed lies within or outside of the predetermined preferred speed set, and

if it is determined that the requested speed lies outside of the predetermined speed set, automatically adjusting the speed of the vehicle to a substantially constant vehicle speed that is within the predetermined speed set,

wherein a power loss of the drive train is equal to or below a predetermined power loss within the predetermined preferred speed set, wherein the vehicle further comprises a driveline characteristics value input means, the method further comprising;

determining the driveline characteristics value from the driveline characteristics value input means, and

selecting the range of preferred speeds in accordance with the driveline characteristics value.