Operating a vehicle comprising vehicle retarding subsystem

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938909-B2
Application number	US-201817276196-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle comprising at least a first vehicle retarding subsystem controllable to retard the vehicle, and processing circuitry coupled to the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring, by the processing circuitry from the first vehicle retarding subsystem, at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and determining, by the processing circuitry, a measure indicative of a retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle, based on: the acquired at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; a predefined model of retardation energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and a predefined limit indicative of a maximum allowed energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a vehicle, comprising:
acquiring, by processing circuitry from a first vehicle retarding subsystem, at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem;
determining, by the processing circuitry, a measure indicative of a retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle, based on:
the acquired at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem;
a predefined model of retardation energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and
a predefined limit indicative of a maximum allowed energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and

determining a measure indicative of a sustainable retardation power provided by the vehicle without accumulation of retardation energy by the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring, by the processing circuitry from a second vehicle retarding subsystem, at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the second vehicle retarding subsystem; and
the measure indicative of the retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle is further determined based on:
the acquired at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the second vehicle retarding subsystem;
a predefined model of retardation energy accumulation by the second vehicle retarding subsystem; and
a predefined limit indicative of a maximum allowed energy accumulation by the second vehicle retarding subsystem.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the processing circuitry, a signal indicative of the retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring, by the processing circuitry from a routing subsystem, a signal indicative of elevation information of the future vehicle route; and
determining a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle based on:
the measure indicative of the retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle;
the signal indicative of the elevation information of the future vehicle route; and
a mass of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 ,
further comprising acquiring at least one ambient condition parameter value;
wherein the maximum allowed speed of the vehicle is determined additionally based on the at least one ambient condition parameter value.

6. The method of claim 4 ,
further comprising determining a measure indicative of a sustainable retardation power provided by the vehicle without accumulation of retardation energy by the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem; and
wherein the maximum allowed speed of the vehicle is determined additionally based on the measure indicative of the sustainable retardation power.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising providing a signal indicative of the maximum allowed speed of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising controlling the vehicle to travel with a speed below the maximum allowed speed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem includes at least one of a friction brake subsystem, an internal combustion engine, a retarder, and an electric propulsion system.

10. A vehicle control unit, for controlling operation of a vehicle comprising at least a first vehicle retarding subsystem controllable to retard the vehicle, the vehicle control unit being configured to:
acquire, from the first vehicle retarding subsystem, at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem;
determine a measure indicative of a retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle, based on:
the acquired at least one value indicative of current energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem;
a predefined model of retardation energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and
a predefined limit indicative of a maximum allowed energy accumulation by the first vehicle retarding subsystem; and

determine a measure indicative of a sustainable retardation power provided by the vehicle without accumulation of retardation energy by the at least first vehicle retarding subsystem.

11. The vehicle control unit of claim 10 , further comprising a communication interface for providing a signal indicative of the retardation energy capacity currently available for retardation of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Tagesson Kristoffer
• Henderson Leon

Classifications

• B60T13/586 Primary

  the retarders being of the electric type · CPC title

• B60L3/0076 Primary

  relating to braking · CPC title

• B60L15/2018

  for braking on a slope · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• B60W30/18127

  Regenerative braking · CPC title