Adaptive cruise control system

• US 10,611,262 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Erb, Dylan, Bartlett, Alexander, Wiles, Jacob, Sivan, Arun, Singh, Bikram, Sun, Baocheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/871,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20190217724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• 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: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0031 Mathematical model of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0088 Adaptive recalibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• 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 2552/25 Road altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 : Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 : Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Vehicles such as a combustion engine, electric, and/or hybrid electric vehicles and methods of operation, which include controller(s) configured to respond to cruise control signals, and to generate a route efficiency profile according to instantaneous vehicle performance parameters and environmental conditions. The controller(s) are also modified to adjust a vehicle cruise speed according to the signal and profile, to enable reaching at least one designated destination in a minimum time, and whereby vehicle range is extended to the destination, while one or more reserve energy limits of battery power and fuel are maintained. The controller(s) are also adapted to detect instantaneous feedback signals that include the performance parameters and environmental conditions, and to generate error signals according to an actual vehicle watt-hour per mile efficiency and the route efficiency profile. The controller(s) adjust the cruise speed adaptively according to the error signal, such that error signal magnitude is reduced.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a powertrain coupled with a traction battery and controller configured to,

responsive to detecting an activation of cruise control and a designated destination, generate a route efficiency profile, the route efficiency profile being related to an instantaneous vehicle range,

determine if the designated destination is within the instantaneous vehicle range based on the route efficiency profile,

responsive to determining that the designated destination is not within the instantaneous vehicle range, operate the powertrain to decrease a cruise speed from an initial speed set upon initiating the cruise control to increase the route efficiency profile thereby extending the instantaneous vehicle range beyond the designated destination, and

responsive to determining that the instantaneous vehicle range is beyond the designated destination based on the route efficiency as increased, increase the cruise speed to decrease the route efficiency profile.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to;

generate an error signal according to an actual efficiency, according to changing vehicle performance parameter and environmental conditions, and the route efficiency profile that includes optimal vehicle performance parameter targets;

adjust one or more of the cruise speed and profile adaptively according to the error signal; and

such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to;

generate the route efficiency profile according to changing vehicle performance parameters that include speed target and watt-hour per mile efficiency target profiles, which target profiles are adjusted according to feedback signals that communicate actual watt-hour per mile efficiency and two or more of vehicle position, mass, tire pressure, drag, vehicle accessory load, and remaining energy available;

generate an error signal according to the target profiles and the actual watt-hour per mile efficiency; and

adjust one or more of the cruise speed and the profiles adaptively in response to the error signal, such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to;

adjust the route efficiency profile according to changing vehicle performance parameters that include speed and watt-hour per mile efficiency target profiles, which are adjusted according to feedback signals that communicate actual watt-hour per mile efficiency and two or more of vehicle position, mass, tire pressure, drag, vehicle accessory load, and remaining energy available.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to;

adjust the route efficiency profile according to environmental conditions that include instantaneous feedback signals that communicate two or more of posted speed limits, terrain inclination and elevation, wind speed and direction, nearby traffic speed and distance, and atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the designated destination includes two or more destinations; and

the controller configured to adjust one or more reserve energy limits such that vehicle range extends to the two or more destinations.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to communicate to another controller one or more of changing vehicle performance parameters and environmental conditions, and one or more predicted variables that include real-time vehicle range, trip time span, and reserve energy remaining at the designated destination.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

the controller configured to;

communicate one or more predicted variables that include instantaneous vehicle range, trip time span, and reserve energy remaining at the designated destination;

receive one or more changes to;

the designated destination and one or more reserve energy limits of battery power and fuel; and

adjust the cruise speed adaptively according to the changes, to reach the designated destination in a reduced time span.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is further powered by a conventional engine consuming conventional fuel including gasoline and diesel, the controller is further configured to:

adjust the route efficiency profile using a level of remaining conventional fuel.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a battery coupled to a controller configured to;

initiate a cruise control responsive to a cruise signal;

responsive to detecting a designated destination, generate a route efficiency profile, the route efficiency profile being related to an instantaneous vehicle range,

determining if the designated destination is within the instantaneous vehicle range based on the route efficiency profile, and

responsive to determining that the designated destination is not within the instantaneous vehicle range, operate a powertrain to decrease a cruise speed from an initial speed set upon initiating the cruise control to increase the route efficiency profile thereby extending the instantaneous vehicle range beyond the designated destination.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, comprising:

the controller configured to;

generate an error signal according to an actual efficiency and the route efficiency profile that includes one or more vehicle performance parameters and environmental conditions;

adjust one or more of the cruise speed and profile adaptively according to the error signal; and

such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

12. The vehicle according to claim 10, comprising:

the controller configured to;

adjust a route efficiency profile according to real-time feedback signals that communicate vehicle performance parameters including speed target and watt-hour per mile efficiency target profiles,

which target profiles are adjusted according to the feedback signals that also communicate actual watt-hour per mile efficiency and two or more of vehicle position, mass, tire pressure, drag, vehicle accessory load, and remaining energy available;

generate an error signal according to the target profiles and the actual watt-hour per mile efficiency; and

adjust one or more of the cruise speed and profiles adaptively in response to the error signal, such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

13. The vehicle according to claim 10, comprising:

the designated destination includes two or more destinations; and

the controller configured to adjust one or more reserve energy limits such that vehicle range extends to the two or more destinations.

14. The vehicle according to claim 10, comprising:

the controller configured to;

communicate one or more predicted variables that include instantaneous vehicle range, trip time span, and reserve energy remaining upon reaching the designated destination;

receive one or more changes to;

the designated destination and a battery SoC; and

adjust the cruise speed adaptively according to the changes, to reach the at the designated destination having exhausted the vehicle range in a reduced time span.

15. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to responsive to determining the instantaneous vehicle range is beyond the designated destination based on the route efficiency as increased, increase the cruise speed to revise the route efficiency profile.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

by a controller coupled to a traction battery,

responsive to detecting an activation of cruise control and a designated destination, generating a route efficiency profile, the route efficiency profile being related to an instantaneous vehicle range,

determining if the designated destination is within the instantaneous vehicle range based on the route efficiency profile,

responsive to determining that the designated destination is not within the instantaneous vehicle range, operating a powertrain to decrease a cruise speed from an initial speed set upon initiating the cruise control to increase the route efficiency profile thereby extending the instantaneous vehicle range beyond the designated destination, and

responsive to determining the instantaneous vehicle range is beyond the designated destination based on the route efficiency as increased, increasing the cruise speed to decrease the route efficiency profile.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

by the controller,

generating an error signal according to an actual efficiency and the route efficiency profile;

adjusting one or more of the cruise speed and profile adaptively according to the error signal; and

such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

by the controller,

adjusting the route efficiency profile according to instantaneous feedback signals that communicate vehicle performance parameters including speed target and watt-hour per mile efficiency target profiles, which target profiles are adjusted according to the feedback signals that also communicate actual watt-hour per mile efficiency and two or more of vehicle position, mass, tire pressure, drag, vehicle accessory load, and remaining energy available;

generating an error signal according to the target profiles and the actual watt-hour per mile efficiency; and

adjusting one or more of the cruise speed and profiles adaptively in response to the error signal, such that a magnitude of the error signal is reduced.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

by the controller,

communicating one or more predicted variables that include instantaneous vehicle range, trip time span, and reserve energy remaining at the designated destination;

receiving one or more changes to;

the destination and one or more reserve energy limits of battery power and fuel; and

adjusting the cruise speed adaptively according to the changes, to reach the designated destination in a reduced time span.