Method and arrangement for controlling a motor vehicle

• US 5,941,925 A
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Zhang, Hong, Hess, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/684,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 701/82, 701/84, 701/85, 701/86, 701/87, 701/90, 701/91, 701/48, 180/197
• US Class Current: 701/91
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/60 Signal noise suppression; Electronic filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0045 using databus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/26 Wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1006 Engine torque losses, e.g. friction or pumping losses or losses caused by external loads of accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1504 with particular means during a transient phase, e.g. acceleration, deceleration, gear change during starting F02P5/1506
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1518 using two or more central computing units, e.g. interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling a motor vehicle having a plurality of component systems. A first one of the component systems is a motor control system. An interface is defined between various ones of the component systems and faces toward the first component system. The interface operates on the basis of the torque generated by the motor. The component systems exchange data via the interface with respect to this torque for controlling the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a motor vehicle which has a drive unit for generating a torque to propel the vehicle and a motor control system defining a first control system for controlling the torque of the drive unit, the drive unit having specific performance characteristics, the motor vehicle having a second control system for operating on said torque in at least one operating state of said drive unit, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a software interface through which torque signal values are transmitted between said first and second control systems;

generating a desired value (mokupdes) of said torque in said second control system and transmitting said desired value (mokupdes) to said first control system via said software interface;

adapting said second control system to permit said second control system to operate without any data indicative of said specific performance characteristics of said drive unit;

programming said first control system to perform the following additional method steps;

reading in said desired value (mokupdes) of the torque of said drive unit with said desired value (mokupdes) defining a value of said torque of said drive unit;

detecting a value of at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

forming an electrical output signal (DKdes, X, dzw) based on said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque;

computing an actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of said value of said at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

outputting said at least one electrical output signal to an actuator for affecting a variable of said drive unit so that the value of the actual torque of said drive unit approaches said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque; and

,

transmitting the actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said torque via said software interface to said second control system where said actual torque (mokuptu, mokupact) is processed to generate said desired value (mokupdes) for said first control system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second control system executes at least one of the following functions:

controlling the transmission;

controlling drive slip, controlling motor drag torque and determining a command of the driver of said motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of converting said read-in desired value (mokupdes) of said torque into at least one of the following variables:

a number (X) of cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted;

a correction (dzw) of the ignition angle setting; and

, a control variable (DKdes) for adjusting an actuator controlling the air supplied to said drive unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said motor control system and said second control system are embodied in the same microcomputer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said motor control system and said second control system are physically separated from each other an d communicate with each other via a communication system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second control system is a drive-slip control system including means for forming said desired value of said torque;

and, wherein said method comprises the step of transmitting said actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) to said means for forming said desired value of said torque.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said software interface is adapted to transmit only torque signal values between said first and second control systems.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising detecting two operating variables of said drive unit with one of said operating variables being the air mass (tLHFM) supplied to the drive unit and the other operating variable being the engine rpm (n);

and, computing said actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of the detected air mass (tLHFM) and the detected engine rpm (n) while considering at least one of said ignition angle setting and said number (X) of said cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein, to compute said correction (dzw) of said ignition angle setting, the method comprises the further step of forming a second actual torque (movopt, movfu) by adjusting the air supplied to said drive unit;

and, compensating the deviation of said second actual torque (movopt, movfu) from said desired torque (mokupdes) by said ignition angle setting correction (dzw).

10. The method of claim 3, wherein, to determine said number (X) of cylinders to which fuel is to be interrupted, the method comprises the further steps of forming a second actual torque (movopt, movft) by adjusting the air supplied to said drive unit;

and, compensating the deviation of said actual torque (movopt, movfu) from said desired torque (mokupdes) by said number (X) of said cylinders to which fuel is to be interrupted.

11. A method of controlling a motor vehicle which has a drive unit for generating a torque to propel the vehicle and a motor control system defining a first control system for controlling the torque of the drive unit, the motor vehicle having a second control system for operating on said torque in at least one operating state of said drive unit, the method comprising the steps of:

reading in a desired value (mokupdes) of the torque of said drive unit with said desired value (mokupdes) defining a value of said torque of said drive unit;

detecting a value of at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

forming an electrical output signal (DKdes, X, dzw) based on said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque;

computing an actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of said value of said at least one operating variable of said drive unit;

outputting said at least one electrical output signal to an actuator for affecting a variable of said drive unit so that the value of the actual torque of said drive unit approaches said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque; and

,

providing an interface between said first and second control systems;

transmitting the actual value (mokupfu, mokupact) of said torque to said second control system via said interface;

converting said read-in desired value (mokupdes) of said torque into at least one of the following variables;

a number (X) of cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted;

a correction (dzw) of the ignition angle setting; and

, a control variable (DKdes) for adjusting an actuator controlling the air supplied to said drive unit;

detecting two operating variables of said drive unit with one of said operating variables being the air mass (tLHFM) supplied to the drive unit and the other operating variable being the engine rpm (n); and

,

computing said actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of the detected air mass (tLHFM) and the detected engine rpm (n) while considering at least one of said ignition angle setting and said number (X) of said cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted.

12. A method of controlling a motor vehicle which has a drive unit for generating a torque to propel the vehicle and a motor control system defining a first control system for controlling the torque of the drive unit, the motor vehicle having a second control system for operating on said torque in at least one operating state of said drive unit, the method comprising the steps of:

reading in a desired value (mokupdes) of the torque of said drive unit with said desired value (mokupdes) defining a value of said torque of said drive unit;

detecting a value of at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

forming an electrical output signal (DKdes, X, dzw) based on said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque;

computing an actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of said value of said at least one operating variable of said drive unit;

outputting said at least one electrical output signal to an actuator for affecting a variable of said drive unit so that the value of the actual torque of said drive unit approaches said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque; and

,

providing an interface between said first and second control systems;

transmitting the actual value (mokupfu, mokupact) of said torque to said second control system via said interface;

converting said read-in desired value (mokupdes) of said torque into at least one of the following variables;

a number (X) of cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted;

a correction (dzw) of the ignition angle setting; and

, a control variable (DKdes) for adjusting an actuator controlling the air supplied to said drive unit;

wherein, to compute said correction (dzw) of said ignition angle setting, the method comprises the further step of forming a second actual torque (movopt, movfu) by adjusting the air supplied to said drive unit; and

, compensating the deviation of said second actual torque (movopt, movfu) from said desired torque (mokupdes) by said ignition angle setting correction (dzw).

13. A method of controlling a motor vehicle which has a drive unit for generating a torque to propel the vehicle and a motor control system defining a first control system for controlling the torque of the drive unit, the motor vehicle having a second control system for operating on said torque in at least one operating state of said drive unit, the method comprising the steps of:

reading in a desired value (mokupdes) of the torque of said drive unit with said desired value (mokupdes) defining a value of said torque of said drive unit;

detecting a value of at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

forming an electrical output signal (DKdes, X, dzw) based on said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque;

computing an actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of said value of said at least one operating variable of said drive unit;

outputting said at least one electrical output signal to an actuator for affecting a variable of said drive unit so that the value of the actual torque of said drive unit approaches said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque; and

,

providing an interface between said first and second control systems;

transmitting the actual value (mokupfu, mokupact) of said torque to said second control system via said interface;

converting said read-in desired value (mokupdes) of said torque into at least one of the following variables;

a number (X) of cylinders to which fuel metering is interrupted;

a correction (dzw) of the ignition angle setting; and

, a control variable (DKdes) for adjusting an actuator controlling the air supplied to said drive unit;

wherein, to determine said number (X) of cylinders to which fuel is to be interrupted, the method comprises the further steps of forming a second actual torque (movopt, movfu) by adjusting the air supplied to said drive unit; and

,

compensating the deviation of said actual torque (movopt, movfu) from said desired torque (mokupdes) by said number (X) of said cylinders to which fuel is to be interrupted.

14. An arrangement for controlling a motor vehicle having a drive unit generating a torque to propel said vehicle and said drive unit having specific performance characteristics, the arrangement comprising:

a motor control system defining a first control system for controlling the torque of said drive unit of said motor vehicle;

a second control system for operating on said torque in at least one operating state of said drive unit;

a software interface through which torque signal values are transmitted between said first and second control systems;

said second control system including means for generating a desired value (mokupdes) of said torque in said second control system and transmitting said desired value (mokupdes) to said first control system via said software interface;

said second control system being adapted to permit said second control system to operate without any data indicative of said specific performance characteristics of said drive unit;

said first control system including;

means for reading in said desired value (mokupdes) for the torque of said drive unit with said desired value (mokupdes) defining a value of said torque of said drive unit;

means for forming at least one electrical output signal (DKdes, X, dzw) on the basis of said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque;

means for detecting a value of at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n) of said drive unit;

means for computing an actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) of said drive unit on the basis of said value of said at least one operating variable (tLHFM, n);

means for outputting said at least one electrical output signal to an actuator for affecting a variable of said drive unit so that the value of the actual torque of said drive unit approaches said desired value (mokupdes) of said torque; and

,

means for transmitting said actual torque (mokupfu, mokupact) via said software interface to said second control system where said actual value (mokupfu, mokupact) is processed to generate said desired value (mokupdes) for said first control system.