Predictive method for operating a vehicle and corresponding driver assistance system for a vehicle

• US 9,981,560 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Zinner, Helge
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/028,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20160243945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/28 Accelerator pedal thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/14 in conjunction with braking regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method for controlling operation of a vehicle with a recuperation unit may include determining at least one first parameter denoting possible imminent actuation of the recuperation unit, evaluating whether actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, and if yes, calculating a probable profile for a speed of the vehicle during the actuation on the basis of a prescribable level of a recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit. The method may also include generating at least one second parameter denoting the ascertained probable profile of the speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit and displaying the at least one second parameter with an output apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for operating a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a recuperation unit to recuperate kinetic energy from the vehicle and an output apparatus to output driving information and wherein the method comprises the following steps:

determining at least one first parameter denoting possible imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

evaluating whether actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, on the basis of the at least one ascertained first parameter,

if it is ascertained that actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, calculating a probable profile for a speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of a prescribable level of a recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

generating at least one second parameter denoting the ascertained probable profile of the speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

determining a probable braking path for the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of the prescribable level of the recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit;

generating at least one third parameter, denoting the ascertained probable braking path of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit; and

displaying the at least one second parameter and the at least one third parameter with the output apparatus.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the probable braking path of the vehicle involves ascertainment of a distance within which the speed of the vehicle falls below a predetermined threshold value during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining at least one operating parameter for an energy storage apparatus for storing energy recuperated by means of the recuperation unit, and

wherein generating the at least one second parameter is additionally effected on the basis of the at least one ascertained operating parameter.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining at least one fourth parameter, selected from the group consisting of an instantaneous mass of the vehicle, an instantaneous tire pressure of at least one tire of the vehicle and an instantaneous attitude of a chassis of the vehicle, and

wherein generating the at least one second parameter is additionally effected on the basis of the at least one ascertained fourth parameter.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a route profile and/or an instantaneous road condition of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, and

wherein the at least one second parameter is additionally effected on the basis of the ascertained route profile and/or the ascertained instantaneous road condition.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one second parameter depends at least in part on a plurality of probable profiles for the speed of the vehicle determined on the basis of a plurality of different recuperation intensities of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one second parameter is transmitted to at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle and/or to at least one further vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first parameter depends at least in part on traffic regulations that apply in a region of instantaneous surroundings of the vehicle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the traffic regulations include at least one traffic regulation, selected from the group consisting of a speed limit, a traffic priority rule, and a switching phase of a light signal installation.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, the traffic regulations are based at least in part on data ascertained by at least one sensor of the vehicle and/or data received by at least one communication unit of the vehicle and/or on map data stored in the memory apparatus.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first parameter depends at least in part on a degree of depression of a gas pedal of the vehicle.

12. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium and program code stored on the computer-readable medium, when executed on a computation unit, instructs the computation unit to:

determine at least one first parameter denoting possible imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

evaluate whether actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, on the basis of the at least one ascertained first parameter,

if it is ascertained that actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, calculate a probable profile for a speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of a prescribable level of a recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

generate at least one second parameter denoting the ascertained probable profile of the speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

determine a probable braking path for the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of the prescribable level of the recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit;

generate at least one third parameter, denoting the ascertained probable braking path of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit; and

displaying the at least one second parameter and the at least one third parameter with the output apparatus.

13. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an output apparatus to output driving information,

a computation unit, and

a computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium and program code stored on the computer-readable medium, when executed on the computation unit, instructs the computation unit to;

determine at least one first parameter denoting possible imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

evaluate whether actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, on the basis of the at least one ascertained first parameter,

if it is ascertained that actuation of the recuperation unit is imminent, calculate a probable profile for a speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of a prescribable level of a recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

generate at least one second parameter denoting the ascertained probable profile of the speed of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit,

determine a probable braking path for the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit on the basis of the prescribable level of the recuperation intensity of the recuperation unit during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit;

generate at least one third parameter, denoting the ascertained probable braking path of the vehicle during the ascertained imminent actuation of the recuperation unit; and

displaying the at least one second parameter and the at least one third parameter with the output apparatus.

14. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the output apparatus includes a head-up display.