Vehicle having key-based performance mode

• US 9,133,784 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Seaman, Jeffrey Robert, Bresky, Aaron Anthony, Desjarlais, Frank J., Carney, Shawn, Grube, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Assistant Examiner(s): VILAKAZI, SIZO BINDA
• Application Number:
  US13/018,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/99, 701/101, 701/110, 701/111, 701/112, 701/113, 701/115, 701/116
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1422 Variable gain or coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/604 Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/003 for idle speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0235 in relation with the state of the exhaust gas treating apparatus control of exhaust gas treating apparatus per se F01N
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/08 for idling F02D41/06, F02D41/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/12 for deceleration F02D41/0005, F02D41/107 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0252 with means for initiating skip or double gear shifts, e.g. by moving selection lever beyond a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0227 Shift map selection, i.e. methods for controlling selection between different shift maps, e.g. to initiate switch to a map for up-hill driving
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2306/14 Skipping gear shift for smoothing gear shift F16H2061/0444
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/50 Inputs being a function of the status of the machine, e.g. position of doors or safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

A system or method for controlling a vehicle having a normal operating mode and a performance operating mode include detecting a removable key unique to each vehicle associated with the performance operating mode, operating the vehicle in the performance operating mode in response to detecting the removable key, and operating the vehicle in the normal operating mode otherwise. Operation in performance or track mode may include adjusting valve timing using a variable cam timing device, adjusting idle speed control, adjusting torque response, and/or enhancing engine braking. Performance mode operation may also disable one or more features, such as a transmission skip shift feature.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vehicle having a normal mode and a performance mode, the method comprising:

detecting a removable key unique to each vehicle associated with the performance mode; and

operating the vehicle in the performance mode in response to detecting the removable key comprising disabling a manual transmission skip-shift feature and operating the vehicle in the normal operating mode otherwise.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the removable key comprises an ignition key and wherein detecting comprises detecting the removable key being placed in an associated ignition key slot.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the removable key comprises a keyless ignition fob and wherein detecting comprises detecting the removable key within range of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes an engine having a variable cam timing device and first and second look-up tables associated with normal cam timing and performance cam timing, respectively, and wherein operating in the performance mode comprises retrieving cam timing values from the associated look-up table.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein operating the vehicle in the performance mode comprises modifying feedback gains associated with engine idle speed control.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein operating the vehicle in the performance mode comprises modifying engine deceleration to increase engine braking in response to detecting a decrease in accelerator pedal position.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a removable key unique to each vehicle comprises wirelessly communicating information from the removable key to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein wirelessly communicating comprises wirelessly communicating information only when the removable key is inserted into an ignition switch.

9. A method for controlling an engine of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an ignition key; and

operating the engine in a second operating mode by changing valve timing at idle to provide a lopey idle sound if the ignition key includes an identifier to enable operation in the second operating mode, and operating the engine in a first operating mode with valve timing at idle that does not provide a lopey idle sound otherwise.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising wirelessly detecting information stored on the ignition key when the ignition key is inserted into a key slot.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising operating a vehicle transmission in a performance mode when operating the engine in the second operating mode.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein operating the vehicle transmission in the performance mode comprises disabling a transmission skip shift feature.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein operating the engine in the second operating mode comprises changing spark and airflow control during engine idle relative to spark and airflow control in the first operating mode for substantially identical operating conditions.