Vehicle Driver-Model Controller with Energy Economy Rating Adjustments

• US 20140379246A1
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rose, Lawrence M., Pence, Benjamin L., Tsou, Poyu, Che, Judy H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A controller with energy economy rating (EER) calibration logic is configured to adjust a look-ahead time and feed-forward mapping window for vehicle controls according to EER.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a vehicle, comprising:

storing vehicle dynamic information (VDI) during vehicle operation;

defining a relationship between VDI over a look-ahead time window; and

controlling the vehicle according to the defined relationship;

wherein when a target energy economy rating (EER) is less than a predetermined value, controlling the vehicle over a larger look-ahead time window than when the target energy economy rating (EER) is less than the predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the target EER.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating EER with a driving style;

wherein an EER greater than or equal to zero is correlated with an aggressive driving style;

wherein an EER less than zero is correlated with a smooth driving style.

4. A computer-implemented method of operating a vehicle, comprising:

storing data for a plurality of vehicle dynamic information (VDI) over time;

defining a first relationship between a first VDI and a second VDI based on stored data received over a first look-ahead time window;

defining a second relationship between the first VDI and second VDI based on stored data received over a second look-ahead time window; and

controlling the vehicle based on a target energy economy rating (EER).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first VDI is vehicle velocity and wherein the second VDI is vehicle acceleration.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the target EER from a vehicle user.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

correlating EER with a driving style;

wherein an EER greater than or equal to zero is correlated with an aggressive driving style; and

wherein an EER less than zero is correlated with a smooth driving style.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first look-ahead time window is greater than the second look-ahead time window.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

calculating EER based on vehicle performance.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the first look-ahead time window is greater than the second look-ahead time window.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

calculating EER based on vehicle performance.

12. A controller with energy economy rating (EER) calibration logic configured to adjust a look-ahead feed-forward mapping window for vehicle controls according to EER.

13. The controller of claim 12, further comprising:

EER calculation logic, configured to calculate a desired energy economy rating.

14. The controller of claim 12, wherein the EER calibration logic is configured to output driver pedal commands to achieve an EER that corresponds to a desired driving style.

15. A system for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

vehicle dynamic sensors configured to collect vehicle dynamic information (VDI);

memory configured to store the plurality of VDI;

a controller configured to control a first vehicle subsystem associated with a first VDI based on relationship data between the first VDI and a second VDI over a flexible time-mapping window; and

an energy economy rating (or EER) calibrator, configured to alter the time-mapping window in which control over the first vehicle subsystem is based.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first vehicle subsystem is a driver vehicle interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the EER calibrator is configured to correlate EER with a predetermined driving style;

wherein a target EER greater than or equal to zero is correlated with an aggressive driving style; and

wherein a target EER less than zero is correlated with a smooth driving style.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the EER calibrator is configured to reduce the time window where the target EER is greater than or equal to zero.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the EER calibrator is configured to correlate EER with a predetermined driving style;

wherein a target EER greater than or equal to zero is correlated with an aggressive driving style; and

wherein a target EER less than zero is correlated with a smooth driving style.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a user interface for receiving a target EER.