Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-14
2001-07-31
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S095000, C701S096000, C701S065000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269296
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vehicle driving force control systems and methods.
Japanese Patent Kokoku (post-examination) Publication No. 59(1984)-8698 and Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 8(1996)-219242 show systems for adapting a driving performance to a grade or slope of a road by adjusting the characteristic of a transmission.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for providing adequate acceleration adapted to the road grade with less cost and less complication.
The system of the above-mentioned Japanese Publication No. 8(1996)-219242 tries to maintain acceleration on an ascending slope by continuously modifying a transmission ratio in accordance with the slope of a road. However, the control of the transmission ratio can not always produce a driving force matching driver's expectation, so that the driver may feel excess or deficiency in acceleration.
The system of the above-mentioned Japanese Publication No. 59(1984)-8698 switches shift maps to maintain acceleration on an ascending slope. However, the adaptation of one or more shift maps to uphill slopes of various grades tends to increase the required memory capacity and man-hour.
According to the present invention, an apparatus for controlling a vehicle driving force comprises: an input section for sensing a driver's accelerator input quantity and a vehicle speed of a vehicle; an output section for varying an actual vehicle driving force; and a control section connected with said input section to receive input information therefrom, to determine, as a normal target driving force, a desired vehicle driving force on a level road in accordance with the accelerator input quantity and the vehicle speed, further to determine a vehicle grade resistance, to calculate a modification parameter in accordance with the vehicle grade resistance, and to determine a grade-adapted target driving force in accordance with the normal driving force and the modification parameter, the controller being further connected with said output section to achieve the grade-adapted target driving force with the output section.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle comprises: an output section comprising a prime mover such as an engine; an input section for collecting input information on vehicle operating conditions; and a control section comprising a controller for determining a normal target driving force, for determining a vehicle grade resistance, for calculating a driving force modification quantity in accordance with the vehicle grade resistance, for determining a grade-adapted target driving force from the driving force modification quantity and the normal driving force, and for achieving the grade-adapted target driving force by controlling the output section.
A vehicle driving force controlling apparatus according to the present invention may comprise first means for ascertaining an accelerator input quantity or accelerator operation quantity and a vehicle speed; second means for determining, as a normal target driving force, a desired vehicle driving force on a level road in accordance with the accelerator input quantity and the vehicle speed; third means for determining a vehicle grade resistance; fourth means for calculating a driving force modification quantity in accordance with the grade resistance; fifth means for determining a grade-adapted target driving force which is a sum of the normal driving force and the driving force modification driving; and sixth means for achieving the grade-adapted target driving force. According to the present invention, a process for controlling a vehicle driving force of a vehicle, comprises: determining a normal driving force representing a desired vehicle driving force on a level road; calculating a driving force modification quantity in accordance with a vehicle grade resistance; and determining a grade-adapted target driving force which is a sum of the normal driving force and the driving force modification quantity, to control the vehicle driving force.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4285252 (1981-08-01), Yamaki et al.
patent: 5752214 (1998-05-01), Minowa et al.
patent: 59-8698 (1984-02-01), None
patent: 8-219242 (1996-08-01), None
Abe Hiroshi
Toukura Nobusuke
Uchida Masaaki
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Donnelly Arthur D.
Foley & Lardner
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
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