Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/14—Adaptive cruise control
  • B60W30/16—Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/14—Adaptive cruise control
  • B60W30/143—Speed control
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/18—Propelling the vehicle
  • B60W30/18009—Propelling the vehicle related to particular drive situations
  • B60W30/18072—Coasting
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
  • B60W10/04—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units
  • B60W10/06—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units including control of combustion engines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2510/00—Input parameters relating to a particular sub-units
  • B60W2510/06—Combustion engines, Gas turbines
  • B60W2510/0638—Engine speed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2520/00—Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
  • B60W2520/10—Longitudinal speed
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2554/00—Input parameters relating to objects
  • B60W2554/80—Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
  • B60W2554/801—Lateral distance
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2710/00—Output or target parameters relating to a particular sub-units
  • B60W2710/06—Combustion engines, Gas turbines
  • B60W2710/0666—Engine torque
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
  • B60W30/14—Adaptive cruise control

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a system for control of an engine, particularly to a method and a system for control of an engine adapted to being controlled by means of a cruise control.
• Controlling the engine in a motor vehicle entails engine speed and gear selection being controlled partly by commands from the driver and partly by control units adapted to optimising the engine's operating performance with regard to fuel economy, exhaust emissions etc.
• the control unit usually called ECU (electronic control unit)
• a constant cruise control regulates the vehicle to automatically maintain a constant velocity.
• the driver sets the constant cruise control when the vehicle has reached cruising velocity, e.g. 80 or 90 km/h.
• a regulating algorithm controls the engine so that the vehicle's velocity is continually urged towards the desired value irrespective of the operating conditions in other respects.
• Another type of cruise control is a radar cruise control.
• a radar cruise control is normally used in rather dense traffic and sets the vehicle's velocity automatically to maintain a certain distance from, for example, a vehicle ahead.
• US patent 6,003,396 describes a conventional system for controlling a constant cruise control and, in particular, how various gear change times have to be selected. As optimisation of fuel consumption is always desirable, there is a need to reduce the fuel consumption of vehicles powered by a combustion engine. This applies even when the vehicle is travelling with cruise control activated.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system which reduce the fuel consumption of a combustion engine which powers a motor vehicle, particularly when the vehicle is travelling with a cruise control activated.
• the present invention provides a method for control of a combustion engine which powers a vehicle.
• the combustion engine is adapted to being controlled by an activated cruise control which is set to run the vehicle at a preset regulated velocity. This results in the engine running alternately in a high-torque mode at high torque and a zero-torque mode at zero torque. Running in a range at low torque is thus prevented, thereby reducing total fuel consumption.
• the invention relates also to a control system, a vehicle and a computer programme product adapted to effecting control according to the method described above.
• the vehicle and the computer programme product according to the invention results in lower fuel consumption of a vehicle powered by a combustion engine.
• Fig. 1 is a depiction of selected parts of a control system for the engine in a vehicle
• Fig. 2 is a depiction of various torque ranges
• Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating steps in the control of an engine in a motor vehicle with activated constant cruise control.
• Fig. 1 schematically depicts selected parts of a control system 100 in a motor vehicle 10.
• the system depicted in Fig. 1 may for example be intended to form part of a truck or some other heavy vehicle, eg a bus or the like.
• Fig. 1 also shows an engine 101 which is controlled by the control system.
• the engine 101 is controlled by at least one control unit 107, e.g. an electronic control unit (ECU).
• the control unit is adapted to receiving sensor signals from various parts of the vehicle, including the gearbox and the engine.
• the control unit 107 is further adapted to supplying control signals to various parts and components of the vehicle.
• the control unit 107 is also connected to a cruise control designated generally by ref. 105.
• the cruise control e.g. a constant cruise control or a radar cruise control, is here depicted outside the control unit 107 but may also be integrated in the control unit 107.
• the functioning of various parts and components of the vehicle is controlled by pre-programmed instructions in the control unit.
• the preprogrammed instructions typically take the form of a computer programme product 109 stored on a digital storage medium such as a working memory (RAM), flash memory (EPROM, EEPROM) or a read-only memory (ROM) and are executed by the control unit.
• RAM working memory
• EPROM EPROM
• EEPROM electrically erasable programmable programmable read-only memory
• ROM read-only memory
• the engine When it runs with a cruise control activated, the engine is caused to maintain a velocity which depends on the value to which the driver has set the cruise control.
• a constant cruise control will endeavour to maintain the set velocity.
• a radar cruise control will endeavour to maintain a given distance from a vehicle ahead.
• Other types of automatic regulation of vehicle velocity by a cruise control may also be used within the scope of the present invention.
• the engine in order to improve fuel economy and reduce fuel consumption during operation in cruise control mode, the engine is not allowed to run in a range at low torque.
• the engine is not allowed to run at a load below a certain predetermined limit value.
• the engine may only be allowed to run at 30 - 100% of the current maximum torque.
• running in the prohibited low load range may be allowed for a short period when the engine is changing over from operating at zero torque to operating in the high load range, in order to provide a smoother transition from a zero-torque mode to a high-torque mode.
• ramping up which may be allowed to take up to a few seconds, e.g. 1 - 3 seconds or, in certain operating conditions, up to a maximum of 5 seconds, the engine is allowed to run in the prohibited range.
• the engine When travelling with constant cruise control activated, the engine will run in a range at relatively high load, but if this results in a velocity which is higher than a certain predetermined velocity or if the distance from a vehicle ahead is shorter than the set distance, the torque is automatically regulated to zero. Continuous regulation of the engine so that it runs at high torque and no torque alternately reduces fuel consumption.
• Fuel consumption can be further reduced by allowing the velocity or distance to vary within a certain range, e.g. 95 - 105% of the set velocity or 95 - 105 % of the set distance.
• a certain range e.g. 95 - 105% of the set velocity or 95 - 105 % of the set distance.
• the greater the variation allowed the greater the possible fuel saving may be. If the variation is allowed to be very large, however, the object of a cruise control ceases to apply and the convenience which it is intended to provide is lost.
• the load range divides into three portions, viz. a low load range which the engine is entirely prohibited from running in, an intermediate load range in which the engine may run during a short ramping-up phase, and a high load range in which it runs for the majority of the time when it is not in a mode in which zero torque is delivered.
• the boundaries between the various ranges are not fixed but depend on current engine speed, with the result that the prohibited range may be more extensive at high engine speed than at a lower engine speed.
• the extent of the various ranges may depend on current engine speed. Ranges with engine speed over a certain limit value may also be prohibited in cases where they may result in low torque with poor fuel efficiency.
• Fig. 2 shows the various load ranges and how they may be used.
• a low load range 201 which the engine is not allowed to run in.
• a high load range 203 which the engine is allowed to run in.
• an intermediate load range 205 between the low load range 201 and the high load range 203 there may be an intermediate load range 205.
• the engine may be allowed to run in it for a short time, typically a few seconds (e.g. 2 - 5 seconds or less, e.g. one second), in order to provide a smoother transition from an operating state at zero torque to the high load range.
• the boundaries of the various ranges may vary, depending on the particular engine being controlled, and need not be fixed but may be allowed to vary depending on engine speed and/or vehicle velocity.
• the whole low load range 201 is part of the intermediate load range 205.
• Fig. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method usable for controlling an engine with activated cruise control as above.
• a first step 301 detects that the engine is running with cruise control activated, and the velocity or distance or the like which the cruise control is set to maintain.
• a step 303 bars the engine from running in a low load range, either entirely or over long periods of time. For example, this range may be permissible for a short time when changing over from operating at zero torque to operating at high torque.
• Step 305 checks whether the velocity has dropped below the set velocity or the distance is more than the set distance.
• step 305 detects that the velocity drops below the set velocity or if the distance is greater than the set distance, possibly by a certain margin, the procedure switches to a step 307, otherwise it goes on to a step 309.
• Step 307 sets the engine to run in a high load range. Thereafter the procedure goes back to step 301.
• Step 309 checks whether the velocity has risen above the set velocity or the distance is less than the set distance. If step 309 detects that the velocity has risen above the set velocity or if the distance is less than the set distance, possibly by a certain margin, the procedure switches to a step 311, otherwise it goes back to step 301.
• Step 311 sets the engine to run at zero torque. Thereafter the procedure goes back to step 301.
• Fuel consumption can be reduced by using the method and the control system according to the present invention. This is achieved by the operating range at low torque being avoided.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Controls For Constant Speed Travelling (AREA)
• Control Of Vehicle Engines Or Engines For Specific Uses (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=41050307

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2008
  • 2008-06-23 SE SE0801475A patent/SE0801475L/sv not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2009
  • 2009-06-17 DE DE112009001561T patent/DE112009001561T5/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-06-17 WO PCT/EP2009/057529 patent/WO2009156318A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-06-17 BR BRPI0910152-7A patent/BRPI0910152B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (3)

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