Method and device for operating a vehicle

• US 9,994,223 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Poechmueller, Werner, Denner, Volkmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US14/418,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20150298699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 701 25
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• 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 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a vehicle, wherein during coasting of the vehicle, in order to reach a route position of a driving route that is still to be travelled, at a desired speed that is less than a vehicle speed at the start of coasting, a vehicle actual speed is compared with a vehicle target speed and an action is performed in dependence on the comparison. This renders possible a continuous adaptation of the driving resistance, so the desired speed is reliably reached. Interfering variables such as wind or gradient may be compensated for. A device is provided for operating a vehicle, and to a computer program.

Claims

1. A method for operating a vehicle, comprising:

during a coasting of the vehicle;

determining a vehicle actual speed;

comparing the vehicle actual speed with a vehicle target speed; and

reducing a difference between the vehicle actual speed and the vehicle target speed based on the comparison by performing an action in dependence on the comparison, wherein the action includes an automatic intervention in a vehicle operation in order to reach a route position at a desired speed,

wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention an electrical power developed by an electric generator that is coupled to a drive train of the vehicle is reduced, and wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention the electrical power of the electric generator is increased; and

calculating a start of the coasting under an assumption that the vehicle is coasting in an overrun mode in which the vehicle driving machine is being dragged by the vehicle and in which the electrical power developed is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum power, so that, as the sole actions of automatic intervention, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed the vehicle driving machine and the transmission device are uncoupled from one another, and when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed the electrical power of the electric generator is increased.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the action includes issuing a notification for a corrective measure in order to reach a route position at a desired speed.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention a vehicle driving machine and a transmission device for transmitting a driving force developed by the vehicle driving machine to a vehicle environment for movement of the vehicle are uncoupled from one another, and

wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention the vehicle driving machine and the transmission device are coupled to one another.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention a shifting to a higher gear takes place, and

when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention a shifting to a lower gear takes place.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the comparison includes a calculation during the coasting of an expected vehicle actual speed at which the vehicle will reach a route position, and

the expected vehicle actual speed is compared with a desired speed as the vehicle target speed.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

determining the vehicle actual speed comprises determining the vehicle actual speed that accounts for interference to the coasting of the vehicle caused by the environment; and

reducing the difference between the vehicle actual speed and the vehicle target speed comprises reducing an impact of the interference on the coasting of the vehicle.

7. A device for operating a vehicle, comprising:

a comparison device configured to determine a vehicle actual speed during a coasting of the vehicle and to compare the vehicle actual speed with a vehicle target speed during the coasting of the vehicle in order to reach a route position of a driving route that is still to be travelled, at a desired speed that is less than a vehicle speed at a start of coasting; and

a controller configured to reduce a difference between the vehicle actual speed and the vehicle target speed during the coasting of the vehicle based on the comparison by performing an automatic intervention in a vehicle operation in order to reach a route position at a desired speed, wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention the controller reduces an electrical power developed by an electric generator that is coupled to a drive train of the vehicle, and wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention the controller increases the electrical power of the electric generator,

wherein the device for operating the vehicle is configured to calculate a start of the coasting under an assumption that the vehicle is coasting in an overrun mode in which the vehicle driving machine is being dragged by the vehicle and in which the electrical power developed is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum power, so that, as the sole actions of automatic intervention, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed the vehicle driving machine and the transmission device are uncoupled from one another, and when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed the electrical power of the electric generator is increased.

8. A non-transitory computer program including program code for carrying, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a method for operating a vehicle, comprising:

during a coasting of the vehicle;

determining a vehicle actual speed;

comparing the vehicle actual speed with a vehicle target speed; and

reducing a difference between the vehicle actual speed and the vehicle target speed based on the comparison by performing an action in dependence on the comparison, wherein the action includes an automatic intervention in a vehicle operation in order to reach a route position at a desired speed,

wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention an electrical power developed by an electric generator that is coupled to a drive train of the vehicle is reduced, and wherein, when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed, as an automatic intervention the electrical power of the electric generator is increased; and

calculating a start of the coasting under an assumption that the vehicle is coasting in an overrun mode in which the vehicle driving machine is being dragged by the vehicle and in which the electrical power developed is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum power, so that, as the sole actions of automatic intervention, when the vehicle actual speed is less than the vehicle target speed the vehicle driving machine and the transmission device are uncoupled from one another, and when the vehicle actual speed is greater than the vehicle target speed the electrical power of the electric generator is increased.