Vehicle control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE49258-E
Application number	US-201815949385-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 18, 2002
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle control system has a plurality of subsystem controllers including an engine management system 28, a transmission controller 30, a steering controller 48, a brakes controller 62 and a suspension controller 82. These subsystem controllers are each operable in a plurality of subsystem modes, and are all connected to a vehicle mode controller 98 which controls the modes of operation of each of the subsystem controllers so as to provide a number of driving modes for the vehicle. Each of the modes corresponds to a particular driving condition or set of driving conditions, and in each mode each of the functions is set to the function in mode most appropriate to those conditions.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle control system having a driver input for selecting a driving surface, the vehicle control system arranged to control a plurality of vehicle subsystems each of which is operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, wherein the vehicle control system is operable in a plurality of driving modes in each of which it is arranged to select the subsystem configuration modes in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface.

2. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein the driving modes comprise a plurality of different driving modes suitable for different conditions of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes include an off-road mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on rough terrain and an on-road mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on-road.

4. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes include at least one low friction mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on low friction surfaces and a high friction mode in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on high friction surfaces.

5. A vehicle control system according to claim 4 wherein the low friction mode is arranged to be suitable for driving on grass, gravel and snow.

6. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the driving modes are selectable by a driver of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle control system according to claim 6 wherein the driving modes are selectable by means of two inputs, one of which is a terrain selection input arranged to influence the configuration mode selected on the basis of the terrain selected, and the other which is a mode of use input arranged to influence the configuration mode selected on the basis of a selected mode of use of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle control system according to claim 6 wherein the mode of use input is arranged to allow selection between a plurality of driving styles.

9. A vehicle control system according to claim 8 wherein the driving style includes a sport style.

10. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 further comprising sensing means arranged to sense at least one parameter wherein the control system is arranged to select said driving modes on the basis of said parameter.

11. A vehicle control system according to claim 10 wherein the parameter varies with the manner in which the vehicle is being used.

12. A vehicle control system according to any one of claims 1 - 11 in which the vehicle control system is further included in a motor vehicle.

13. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 further comprising a driver input for selecting a mode of use.

14. A method of controlling a plurality of subsystems within a motor vehicle in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface, the subsystems each being operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, the method comprising the steps of:
connecting a vehicle mode controller to the vehicle subsystems, the vehicle mode controller having a plurality of driving modes and a driver input for selecting a driving surface; storing a set of control commands from the plurality of driving modes in a memory of the vehicle mode controller in response to the driver input of a driving surface; transmitting the set of stored control commands to each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems; and selecting of a set of subsystem control parameters by each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems so as to provide the appropriate operation of each of the vehicle subsystems.

15. The method claimed in claim 14 , wherein at least one of the driving modes is a rock crawl mode.

16. A method of controlling a plurality of subsystems within a motor vehicle in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface, the subsystems each being operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, the method comprising the steps of:
connecting a vehicle mode controller to the vehicle subsystems, the vehicle mode controller having a plurality of driving modes, a driver input for selecting a driving surface, and a plurality of subsystem sensor information; storing a set of control commands from the plurality of driving modes in a memory of the vehicle mode controller in response to the plurality of subsystem sensor information and the driver input of the driving surface; transmitting the set of stored control commands to each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems; and selecting of a set of subsystem control parameters by each of the plurality of vehicle subsystems so as to provide the appropriate operation of each of the vehicle subsystems.

17. A computer program product comprising a medium on which or in which, when executed in a computer system, will perform the method as in any one of claims 14 - 16 .

18. A vehicle control system having a driver input for selecting a surface terrain, the vehicle control system arranged to control a plurality of vehicle subsystems each of which is operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, wherein the vehicle control system is operable in a plurality of driving modes in each of which it is arranged to select the subsystem configuration modes in a manner suitable for a respective surface terrain.

19. A vehicle control system according to claim 18 , wherein one of the plurality of vehicle subsystems is a suspension subsystem.

20. A vehicle control system according to claim 19 , wherein the plurality of vehicle subsystems further comprise a steering subsystem, a brake subsystem, an engine management subsystem, and a transmission subsystem.

21. A vehicle comprising a vehicle control system having a driver input device for selecting a driving surface, the vehicle control system arranged to control a plurality of vehicle subsystems each of which is operable in a plurality of subsystem configuration modes, wherein the vehicle control system is operable in a plurality of driving modes in each of which it is arranged to select the subsystem configuration modes in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface, and further wherein the plurality of driving modes includes at least two off-road modes in which the subsystem configurations are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on respective off-road driving surfaces, and still further wherein one of the off-road modes is a mode in which the subsystems are controlled in a manner suitable for driving on rocks and/or boulders.

22. A vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein one of the vehicle subsystems is a brake subsystem and wherein, in the mode suitable for driving on rocks and/or boulders, the subsystem configuration modes are arranged such that when the steering angle is below a predetermined threshold, higher levels of wheel slip are permitted than when the steering angle is above the predetermined threshold and/or total wheel lock is permitted.

23. A vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein one of the vehicle subsystems is a brake subsystem and wherein, in the mode suitable for driving on rocks and/or boulders, the subsystem configuration modes are arranged such that the brakes are pre-pressurized either permanently or in dependence on detection of wheel articulation.

24. A vehicle control system having a driver input device for selecting a driving surface, the vehicle contr

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Spillane Anthony Francis
• Burdock William
• Clare David Andrew
• Jones Derek Leslie
• Kellett John Anthony
• Prins Jan Pieter
• Parsons Keith Gary Reginald
• Darnell Paul Malcolm

Classifications

• B60W2552/35

  Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes · CPC title

• B60G2800/85

  System Prioritisation · CPC title

• B60T8/58

  responsive to speed and another condition or to plural speed conditions · CPC title

• B60T2220/02

  Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features · CPC title

• B60G2600/20

  Manual control or setting means · CPC title