Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-05-22
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C180S197000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236928
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for determining a quantity representing the traction resistance in a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the drive train of a motor vehicle, various components are arranged such as the vehicle engine, engine ancillary equipment (for example, current generator, climate control system), a clutch, a torque converter, a transmission having a transmission ratio which can be varied, a differential transmission and/or the driven vehicle wheels. To optimize the drive train control, it is necessary to use information as to the actual load state or the actual traction resistance of the vehicle. An increased traction resistance occurs, for example, when driving uphill and by a change of the drag coefficient of the vehicle. An increased traction resistance generates a driving situation to which the control of the drive train should react in a suitable manner. Especially, an adaptation of the strategy for transmission ratio determination is advantageous.
Electronic transmission controls are provided with algorithms for detecting load or traction resistance. Shift characteristic lines are shifted and/or further measures are initiated to avoid up and down gear shifting in dependence upon the detected load or the detected traction resistance. For the detection, a comparison of the actual vehicle longitudinal acceleration to the expected vehicle longitudinal acceleration is made, for example. For this purpose, the expected vehicle longitudinal acceleration is to be determined.
The Patent DE 30 18 032 C2 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,590) describes a method wherein the expected vehicle longitudinal acceleration is determined with the aid of the output torque. Here, the efficiency of the drive train is considered. The result determined in this manner is, however, only correct for steady-state driving operation because the torques, which are required for acceleration and deceleration of the rotating masses in the drive train, are not considered.
A method is described in DE 41 38 822 C2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,519) wherein the mass of the vehicle is increased by a “rotation mass” in order to compensate for this effect. This procedure however requires a gear-dependent correction of this “rotation mass”.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to determine the actual traction resistance very precisely with the least possible adaptation complexity.
As mentioned, the invention proceeds from a motor vehicle having a drive train wherein the elements of the drive train are rotatable. Such elements include the vehicle engine, the engine ancillary equipment, the clutch, the torque converter, the transmission changeable with respect to its transmission ratio, the differential and/or the wheels of the vehicle. The determination of a variable representing the traction resistance takes place in such a manner that an acceleration quantity is detected which represents the instantaneous acceleration of the vehicle. Furthermore, a reference quantity for the acceleration of the vehicle is determined and the variable representing the traction resistance is determined in dependence upon a comparison of the detected acceleration quantity with the determined reference quantity.
The essence of the invention is that a rotational quantity is determined which represents the rotation torque of at least one element mounted in the drive train. The determination of the reference quantity takes place in accordance with the invention in dependence upon the determined rotation quantity. It is especially provided that the rotation quantities of individual elements, which are mounted in the drive train, are determined separately.
The traction resistance can be very precisely determined by considering the torque required for the deceleration or acceleration of each individual component of the drive train. The separate consideration of each individual component of the drive train permits a simple variant formation. Thus, for example, for a change of the gear shifting steps of the built-in transmission, only that part of the determination of the rotation quantity according to the invention must be modified which concerns the component “transmission”. An adaptation of global characteristic variables is not required.
It is especially advantageous that rotational movement quantities, which represent the instantaneous rotational movement of the elements mounted in the drive train, are detected. The particular rotation quantity is then determined in dependence upon the detected instantaneous rotational movement of the particular element. Here, it is especially provided that the rotational movement quantities detect the instantaneous rotational velocities of the elements.
The traction resistance is elementarily determined by considering the rotational movements of the individual components which, inter alia, are different for the individual components. In this way, an application of empirical characteristic variables is not necessary because of the physical basis. In this way, the complexity of adaptation is reduced.
Furthermore, it is advantageous that the determination of the reference quantity takes place in such a manner that a wheel drive torque quantity and/or a wheel power quantity is formed in dependence upon the determined rotation quantities. The wheel drive torque quantity represents the torque outputted by the wheels and the wheel power quantity represents the power outputted at the wheels.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4625590 (1986-12-01), Müller
patent: 5231897 (1993-08-01), Morita
patent: 5465208 (1995-11-01), Kenji et al.
patent: 5557519 (1996-09-01), Morita
patent: 5813942 (1998-09-01), Nakagawa et al.
patent: 5908461 (1999-06-01), Tsukamoto et al.
patent: 6059064 (2000-05-01), Nagano et al.
patent: 0532957 (1993-03-01), None
Bolz Martin-Peter
Frei Rasmus
Hermsen Wolfgang
Hulser Holger
Loffler Jurgen
Ottesen Walter
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Zanelli Michael J.
LandOfFree
Method and device for determining a variable representing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and device for determining a variable representing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and device for determining a variable representing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2476842