Longitudinal G adjusted throttle response

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255529-B2
Application number	US-71101710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2010
Priority date	Feb 23, 2010
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for adjusting an engine throttle opening amount includes a slope-determining unit that determines an angle of inclination of a vehicle, a throttle request determining unit that determines a throttle request, and an engine control unit. The slope-determining unit may include a longitudinal g acceleration sensor. The engine control unit calculates a slope gain factor from the angle of inclination and compares the slope gain factor to a predetermined threshold. If the slope gain factor is greater than the predetermined threshold, the engine control unit generates a throttle command to increase the current throttle opening amount based on the throttle request and the slope gain factor. Alternatively, if the slope gain factor is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the engine control unit controls the throttle opening amount based on the throttle request and independently of the slope gain factor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for adjusting an engine throttle opening amount, the system comprising:
a slope-determining unit configured to determine a longitudinal angle of inclination of a vehicle from one of
a current engine torque for a given velocity, and
a deviation from a flat road acceleration to a known predetermined acceleration;

a throttle request determining unit configured to determine a throttle request; and
an engine control unit configured to control the engine throttle opening amount based on the determinations of the slope-determining unit and the throttle request determining unit on the condition that predetermined criteria is satisfied,
wherein the engine control unit receives as inputs the angle of inclination of the vehicle determined by the slope-determining unit, the throttle request determined by the throttle request determining unit, and a current throttle opening amount, the engine control unit including:
a calculating unit configured to calculate a slope gain factor based on the angle of inclination of the vehicle determined by the slope-determining unit; and
a comparing unit configured to compare the slope gain factor to a predetermined threshold,
wherein on the condition that the slope gain factor is greater than the predetermined threshold, the engine control unit is configured to generate a throttle command to increase the current throttle opening amount according to at least one predetermined setting based on the throttle request and the slope gain factor,
wherein on the condition that the slope gain factor is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the engine control unit is configured to generate a throttle command that controls the throttle opening amount based on the throttle request and independently of the slope gain factor, and
wherein the predetermined threshold is variable and is a function of at least one of an instantaneous speed of the vehicle and the angle of inclination of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the slope-determining unit includes a longitudinal g acceleration sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the throttle request determining unit is an acceleration pedal sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predetermined setting is stored in a memory unit housed in the engine control unit.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein on the condition that the slope gain factor is greater than the predetermined threshold, the throttle command generated by the engine control unit increases the current throttle opening amount according to the at least one predetermined setting such that a current vehicle speed or vehicle acceleration is maintained without an increase in the throttle request.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a speed of the vehicle is being maintained at a substantially constant level by a speed control mechanism.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a speed of the vehicle is being controlled manually by a driver.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold is determined as a function of at least one of a make and a model of the vehicle.

9. A method for determining an engine throttle opening amount, the method comprising:
using a slope-determining controller, determine an angle of inclination of a vehicle;
using a request controller, determine a throttle request;
using an engine controller, control the engine throttle opening amount based on the determined angle of inclination of the vehicle and the determined throttle request on the condition that predetermined criteria is satisfied;
using the engine controller, receive as inputs the determined angle of inclination of the vehicle, the determined throttle request, and a current throttle opening amount;
using the engine controller, calculate a slope gain factor based on the determined angle of inclination of the vehicle;
using the engine controller, compare the slope gain factor to a predetermined threshold;
using the engine controller, generate a throttle command to increase the current throttle opening amount according to a predetermined setting based on the throttle request and the slope gain factor on the condition that the slope gain factor is greater than the predetermined threshold, or generating a throttle command to control the current throttle opening amount according to at least one predetermined setting based on the throttle request and independently of the slope gain factor on the condition that the slope gain factor is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold; and
using the engine controller, send the generated throttle command to a throttle actuating element that adjusts the current throttle opening amount in accordance with the throttle command;
wherein the angle of inclination is determined from a current engine torque for a given velocity, and
wherein the predetermined threshold is variable and is a function of at least one of an instantaneous speed of the vehicle and the angle of inclination of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the throttle request is determined by an acceleration pedal sensor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one predetermined setting is stored in a memory unit housed in an engine control unit of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein on the condition that the slope gain factor is greater than the predetermined threshold, the throttle command generated and sent to the throttle actuating element instructs the throttle actuating element to increase the current throttle opening amount according to the at least one predetermined setting such that a current vehicle speed or vehicle acceleration is maintained without an increase in the throttle request.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein a speed of the vehicle is being maintained at a substantially constant level by a speed control mechanism.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a speed of the vehicle is being controlled manually by a driver of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined threshold is determined as a function of at least one of a make and a model of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Sladek Jr Thomas J
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sladek Jr Thomas J

Classifications

• F02D11/105 Primary

  characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque · CPC title

• B60K31/045

  in a memory, e.g. a capacitor · CPC title

• F02D2250/18

  Control of the engine output torque · CPC title

• B60K31/107

  the memory being digital · CPC title