Motor vehicles – With means responsive to speed of vehicle for maintaining...
Patent
1996-06-27
1998-08-18
Ballato, Josie
Motor vehicles
With means responsive to speed of vehicle for maintaining...
364424083, 364426043, B60K 3100, B60K 2600, B60K 2800, B60T 832
Patent
active
057947350
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a vehicle, in particular the speed of the vehicle.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A method and a device for controlling a vehicle is described, e.g., by the German Patent Application No. 37 03 645 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,203). This German application relates to a method and a device for influencing the driving speed of a motor vehicle, whereby in dependence upon a driver's operator-control (driving mode selector) signals, the engine output is controlled with a view to observing a constant driving speed desired by the driver, in that a throttle valve provided in the air intake system of the internal combustion engine is adjusted in dependence upon the setting of an operating-control element actuated by the driver.
As a rule, such a cruise control ensures that the desired speed is maintained. However, when driving on a downhill grade, it can happen that it does not suffice to intervene in the engine output to maintain the desired speed, because the vehicle is traveling faster.
If the driver actuates the operating control element to reduce the setpoint speed, the vehicle is then decelerated or the driving speed is only reduced on a plane (level) or uphill road surface. When traveling downhill, it is possible that one single intervention in the engine output control does not suffice to decelerate the vehicle. Since the cruise control is usually switched off when the brake is activated, the driver must himself intervene in this case by activating the brake and, subsequently reset the cruise control.
An object of the present invention is to devise a more user-friendly cruise control to allow the desired driving speed to be maintained, even when traveling on downhill grades.
The German Patent Application No. 33 31 297 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,611) describes a device for preventing the driven wheels of a vehicle from spinning. When working with this control device, the rotary speed of the driven wheels is compared to a reference signal. If it is determined that the rotary speed of the wheels deviates from the reference signal, a slip signal is generated. In response to a slip signal, the device produces a signal for activating the brake of the corresponding driven wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A substantially more user-friendly cruise control can be realized, due to an assessment on the basis of at least one of the signals, rpm, speed, acceleration, throttle valve position, and/or injected fuel quantity, whether it suffices to throttle back engine power in order to adhere to a setpoint speed and, in some instances, and whether a second control unit is needed to increase the braking power.
The device according to the present invention relieves the driver from some of his tasks, since he no longer has to activate the brake to keep the driving speed constant when driving on a downhill grade. Furthermore, when working with systems with vehicle-speed limitation, it is ensured that the speed limit can be observed, even when driving downhill.
When working with the device and method according to the present invention, it is not necessary when driving on downhill grades for the driver to activate the brake in order to adjust the desired speed. Also, the driver is spared from resetting the cruise control following a braking intervention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a control system in a vehicle according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a flow chart for illustrating the method according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a first control unit 10, which, via an output line 12, controls a device or devices 14 for controlling the engine output of an internal combustion engine, such as a throttle valve, fuel metering, ignition, control rod, injection pump, etc. The internal combustion engine is preferably used for driving a vehicle.
The control unit
REFERENCES:
patent: 4583611 (1986-04-01), Frank et al.
patent: 4884203 (1989-11-01), Preis et al.
patent: 4953093 (1990-08-01), Etoh
patent: 5166881 (1992-11-01), Akasu
patent: 5575542 (1996-11-01), Tanaka et al.
Ballato Josie
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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