Method and system for varying an output of a driveforce unit based on load data

• US 8,655,569 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Choby, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/716,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 701/99, 701/70, 701/36, 701/48, 701/73, 477/107, 477/98
• US Class Current: 701/99
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and system for varying an output of a driveforce unit based on load data. The present invention includes an automobile including a driveforce system. The driveforce system includes a driveforce unit for generating an output according to a driveforce map, a memory for storing the driveforce map, a load determination unit for determining a load data indicating a load on the automobile, a speed sensor for detecting speed data indicating a speed of the automobile and/or an acceleration of the automobile, an acceleration input device for detecting acceleration input data indicating a percent application of the acceleration input device, and a processor. The processor receives the acceleration input data, the speed data, and the load data, and adjusts a driveforce curve in the driveforce map to maintain a speed of the automobile, even when the load data indicates an increased or decreased load on the automobile.

Claims

1. A driveforce system of an automobile, the driveforce system comprising:

an acceleration input device configured to detect acceleration input data;

a load determination unit configured to determine load data;

a memory configured to store driveforce data corresponding to a driveforce curve that indicates a driveforce output for a corresponding acceleration input;

a driveforce unit configured to generate driveforce outputs based on the driveforce curve; and

a processor connected to the acceleration input device, the driveforce unit, the load determination unit and the memory, the processor configured to adjust the driveforce curve based on the load data such that a speed of the automobile for a given acceleration input is substantially maintained when the load data indicates an increased load.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the processor is further configured to calculate an updated driveforce output for the given acceleration input when the load data indicates the increased load, and

the driveforce unit is further configured to generate the updated driveforce output such that the speed of the automobile is substantially maintained for the given acceleration input.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor adjusts the driveforce data by up-shifting the driveforce curve.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor adjusts the driveforce data by down-shifting the driveforce curve.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a speed sensor connected to the processor and configured to detect the speed of the automobile.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the speed of the automobile is maintained when the acceleration input data remains substantially the same.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the speed of the automobile is increased when the acceleration input data indicates an increase in application of an acceleration pedal.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor receives the acceleration input data and the processor varies the driveforce output of the driveforce unit according to the driveforce curve.

9. An automobile comprising:

a load determination unit configured to determine load data;

an acceleration input device configured to detect acceleration input data;

a memory configured to store driveforce data corresponding to a driveforce curve that indicates a driveforce output of the driveforce unit for a corresponding acceleration input;

a driveforce unit configured to generate driveforce outputs based on the driveforce curve; and

a processor connected to the load determination unit and the memory, the processor configured to;

calculate an updated driveforce output when the load data indicates an increased load such that a speed of the automobile is substantially maintained for the acceleration input, and

adjust the driveforce curve based on the load data, and vary the driveforce output of the driveforce unit according to the driveforce curve.

10. The automobile of claim 9 wherein

the processor adjusts the driveforce data by up-shifting the driveforce curve when the load data indicates a load above a first predetermined load threshold, and

the processor adjusts the driveforce data by down-shifting the driveforce curve when the load data indicates a load below a second predetermined load threshold.

11. The automobile of claim 9 further comprising a speed sensor connected to the processor and configured to detect the speed of the automobile, wherein the processor adjusts the driveforce map by up-shifting the driveforce curve to substantially maintain the speed of the automobile when the load data indicates the increased load.

12. The automobile of claim 11 wherein the speed of the automobile is substantially maintained when the acceleration input data remains substantially the same, and wherein the speed of the automobile is increased when the acceleration input data indicates an increase in application of an acceleration pedal.

13. The automobile of claim 9 wherein the processor receives the acceleration input data and the processor varies the driveforce output of the driveforce unit according to the driveforce curve.

14. A method for varying an output of a driveforce unit in an automobile, the method comprising:

detecting, using an acceleration input device acceleration input data;

determining, using a load determination unit, load data for the automobile;

storing, using a memory, driveforce data corresponding to a driveforce curve that indicates a driveforce output for a corresponding acceleration input;

generating, using a driveforce unit, driveforce outputs based on the driveforce curve; and

adjusting, using a processor, the driveforce curve based on the load data such that a speed of the automobile for a give acceleration input is substantially maintained when the load data indicates an increased load.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

calculating, using the processor, an updated driveforce output for the given acceleration input when the load data indicates the increased load; and

generating, using the driveforce unit, the updated driveforce output such that the speed of the automobile is substantially maintained for the given acceleration input.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

adjusting the driveforce map by up-shifting the driveforce curve when the load data indicates a load above a first predetermined load threshold; and

adjusting the driveforce map by down-shifting the driveforce curve when the load data indicates a load below a second predetermined load threshold.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

detecting, using a speed sensor, the speed of the automobile; and

adjusting, using the processor, the driveforce data by up-shifting the driveforce curve to substantially maintain the speed of the automobile when the load data indicates the increased load.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising substantially maintaining, using the processor, the speed of the automobile when the acceleration input data remains substantially the same.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising increasing the speed of the automobile when the acceleration input data indicates an increase in application of an acceleration.