Vehicle and vehicle emulator

• US 10,807,600 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2017
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Jordan, III, Dale F., Villavicencio, Fernando, Jenkins, Brendan, Gelfuso, Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US15/789,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20190118815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/90 Calibration of instruments, e.g. setting initial or reference parameters; Testing of instruments, e.g. detecting malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/20 Drive modes; Transition between modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/085 Torque change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/202 Steering torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/223 Stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/11 : Noise generation, e.g. drive noise to warn pedestrians that an electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2410/132 : Magnetic, e.g. permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle subsystem, a user interface, and a controller. The user interface is configured to display a plurality of selectable vehicle models. The controller is programmed to, in response to a selection of a particular vehicle model, adjust a parameter of the subsystem to emulate a corresponding subsystem parameter of the particular vehicle model.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle subsystem;

a user interface configured to display a plurality of selectable vehicle models;

wheels configured to move the vehicle between various locations;

a controller programmed to, in response to a selection of a particular vehicle model, adjust a parameter of the subsystem to emulate a corresponding subsystem parameter of the particular vehicle model;

wherein the subsystem is an electric machine configured to generate torque within a powertrain of the vehicle, the parameter is a commanded electric machine torque, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is an engine torque profile of the particular vehicle model; and

wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine torque profile exceeding a torque output limit of the electric machine, adjust the electric machine torque to emulate a scaled version of the engine torque profile that does not exceed the torque output limit of the electric machine.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a speaker, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the commanded electric machine torque and the selection of a particular vehicle model, activate the speaker to emulate an engine sound of the particular vehicle model.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the speaker is located on an exterior of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the speaker is located on an interior of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the commanded electric machine torque and the selection of the particular vehicle model, intermittently adjust the electric machine torque to simulate transmission gear shifting based on a shift schedule of the particular vehicle model.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the subsystem is a power steering system, the parameter is a resistance torque of the power steering system, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a steering system resistance torque of the particular vehicle model.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the power steering system has an electric motor configured to generate torque in the power steering system and the resistance torque of the power steering system is adjusted to emulate the steering system resistance torque of the particular vehicle model via adjusting the torque of the electric motor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the subsystem is a power steering system, the parameter is a steering ratio of the power steering system, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a steering system ratio of the particular vehicle model.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the subsystem is a suspension system having adjustable dampers, the parameter is a stiffness of the dampers, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a damper stiffness of the particular vehicle model.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the stiffness of the dampers is adjusted by altering a pressure of a fluid within the dampers.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the stiffness of the dampers is adjusted by altering a magnetic field that interacts with particles suspended within a fluid within the dampers.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a dashboard display screen, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the selection of the particular vehicle model, activate the display screen to display vehicle gauges based on a gauge layout of the particular vehicle model.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle subsystem;

a user interface configured to display a plurality of selectable engine models; and

wheels configured to move the vehicle between various locations;

a controller programmed to, in response to a selection of a particular engine model, adjust a parameter of the subsystem to emulate a corresponding subsystem parameter of the particular engine model;

wherein the subsystem is an electric machine configured to generate torque within a powertrain of the vehicle, the parameter is a commanded electric machine torque, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is an engine torque profile of the particular vehicle model; and

wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine torque profile exceeding a torque output limit of the electric machine, adjust the electric machine torque to emulate a scaled version of the engine torque profile that does not exceed the torque output limit of the electric machine.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the subsystem is an electric machine configured to generate torque within a powertrain of the vehicle, the parameter is a commanded electric machine torque, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a torque profile of the particular engine model.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle subsystem;

a user interface configured to display a plurality of selectable vehicle models;

wheels configured to move the vehicle between various locations;

an emulator programmed to, in response to a selection of a particular vehicle model, adjust a parameter of the subsystem to emulate a corresponding subsystem parameter of the particular vehicle model;

wherein the subsystem is an electric machine configured to generate torque within a powertrain of the vehicle, the parameter is a commanded electric machine torque, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is an engine torque profile of the particular vehicle model; and

wherein the emulator is further programmed to, in response to the engine torque profile exceeding a torque output limit of the electric machine, adjust the electric machine torque to emulate a scaled version of the engine torque profile that does not exceed the torque output limit of the electric machine.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the subsystem is an electric machine configured to generate torque within a powertrain of the vehicle, the parameter is a commanded electric machine torque, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is an engine torque profile of the particular vehicle model.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the subsystem is a power steering system, the parameter is a resistance torque of the power steering system, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a steering system resistance torque of the particular vehicle model.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the subsystem is a suspension system having adjustable dampers, the parameter is a stillness of the dampers, and the corresponding subsystem parameter is a damper stiffness of the particular vehicle model.