Method and System for Warning a Driver of a Motor Vehicle
An apparatus and method for altering the drivability of a vehicle so as to alert a driver of the vehicle of a potentially hazardous condition. The vehicle has at least one sensor configured to detect the potentially hazardous potential. Additionally, the vehicle has a control system for directing a transmission of the vehicle to perform a transmission operation that catches the driver's attention by generating an acceleration or deceleration. The transmission operation is preferably an upshift, a downshift, an unlocking of a torque converter lockup clutch or a locking of the lockup clutch. In one embodiment, the control system directs the transmission to perform more than one transmission operation, the transmission operations defining a transmission operation cycle. In a preferred embodiment, more than one transmission operation cycle is performed. Potentially hazardous conditions include traffic in front of the vehicle, a second vehicle approaching from the rear, an upcoming curve in the road, an approaching speed limit or an upcoming banked portion of the road.
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The present invention pertains to a control system for a motor vehicle, and, more particularly, to using transmission shift modulation to alert a driver of the vehicle for a potential driving hazard.
Modern vehicles often include hazard warning and driver assist systems that alert drivers of potential driving hazards, with some systems actually intervening in the operation of the vehicles to avoid those hazards. There are a variety of such systems including, for example, adaptive cruise control systems, blind spot detection and warning systems, city safety systems, collision mitigation by braking systems, forward collision warning systems and rear collision warning systems. These systems use forward, side and rear sensors to determine potential driving hazards, either warning the driver or intervening, such as by applying the vehicle's brakes, to avoid the driving hazard. The forward sensors generally provide environmental information such as traffic conditions and road conditions (e.g., road curvature) in front of the vehicle, while the side sensors measure environmental information to the side of the vehicle such as whether a second vehicle is in the driver's blind spot. The rear sensors are typically used for reverse driving to detect obstacles or potential rear-end collisions from another vehicle.
These systems use audio or visual cues based on the detection of a potential hazard to warn the driver. Unfortunately, because of a proliferation of such cues, along with other driver distractions, they do not always catch the driver's prompt attention. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide another cue or warning that effectively attracts the driver's attention and does not require the driver to look away from the road.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for altering the drivability of a vehicle so as to alert a driver of the vehicle for a potentially hazardous condition. Vehicle drivability requirements show that drivers are usually very sensitive to mild changes in vehicle deceleration or acceleration due to sudden upshifting or downshifting of a transmission. As a result, drivability is typically the primary goal of shift schedule, clutch lockup schedule and shift/clutch control strategies for automatic transmission system development. For example, during launch (i.e., when a vehicle begins moving from a stop), 5 degrees of foot rotation on an accelerator pedal would generate a vehicle acceleration that might exceed a peak value of 0.5 g. The deceleration level during engine braking (i.e., no service brake is applied) would generate a vehicle deceleration that is less than −0.15 g. When a transmission shifting causes vehicle acceleration or deceleration outside certain bounds around a well-calibrated target value, a driver's attention is gained, despite other distractions. Accordingly, drivetrain drivability development attempts to improve shift quality related to the driver's feel of pedal movement and the vehicle's acceleration or deceleration in order to increase driver satisfaction. In the context of a warning system, however, drivability constraints can be ignored temporarily so that a warning is provided to the driver.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a vehicle has at least one sensor configured to detect a potentially hazardous condition. Additionally, the vehicle has a control system for directing a transmission of the vehicle to perform a transmission operation that catches the driver's attention by generating an acceleration or deceleration. The transmission operation is preferably an upshift, a downshift, an unlocking of a torque converter lockup clutch or a locking of the lockup clutch. In one preferred embodiment, the control system directs the transmission to perform more than one transmission operation, the transmission operations defining a transmission operation cycle. In another preferred embodiment, more than one transmission operation cycle is performed. Potentially hazardous conditions include traffic in front of the vehicle, a second vehicle approaching from the rear, an upcoming curve in the road, an approaching speed limit or an upcoming-banked portion of the road.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detail description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
With initial reference to
The vehicle response is preferably a warning for the driver or an intervention in the control of vehicle 100 or both a warning and an intervention. Generally, the warning is an audio or visual cue, such as a noise, a light or a text communication on a display not separately shown. In a preferred embodiment, the warning is a vehicle acceleration or deceleration change felt by the driver as a result of a transmission operation performed by transmission 105, as will be discussed below. Additionally, more than one warning or type of warning may be used. The intervention normally involves applying the brakes of vehicle 100 or steering vehicle 100 around a hazard. Once controller 110 has determined an appropriate response, controller 110 sends a control signal to a relevant control system, such as transmission 105, the display or the brakes of vehicle 100, for example. The vehicle control system then performs an action in accordance with the control signal.
In the preferred embodiment mentioned above, the driver is warned of a potential hazard by a change in deceleration or acceleration caused by a transmission operation such as an upshift, a downshift, an unlocking of a lockup clutch of a torque converter or a locking of the lockup clutch. As discussed previously, drivers are very sensitive to such changes, especially when they are outside the comfort zone around the calibrated target values, and those changes make for especially effective warnings. Additionally, in contrast to the other visual driver warnings, the acceleration or deceleration changes resulting from the transmission operation do not cause the driver to take his eyes off the road in order to perceive the warning. To accomplish this, controller 110 is in communication with transmission 105, which allows controller 110 to send control signals to transmission 105.
Normally, controller 110 controls shifting of transmission 105 in a manner consistent with good driver feel, as shown in
In contrast,
With reference to
At step 415, controller 110 begins an HTSM routine. The gear that transmission 105 is in before HTSM begins is called the reference gear. HTSM starts by determining whether the reference gear is the top gear of transmission 105. If so, controller 110 moves to step 425 and conducts one or more cycles of a downshift from the reference gear and an upshift back to the reference gear (called a downshift-backshift or DB cycle). More specifically, the DB cycle downshifts one gear below the reference gear (top gear) and then upshifts back to the reference gear. In a preferred embodiment, the DB cycle takes 2 or fewer seconds or takes a time value that helps generate uncomfortable changes in vehicle acceleration and deceleration while meeting the physical constraints of transmission hardware. If the reference gear of transmission 105 is not the top gear, controller 110 moves to step 430 and conducts one or more cycles of upshift-backshift-downshift (called a UBD cycle). More specifically, a UBD cycle upshifts one gear above the reference gear, downshifts back to the reference gear and then downshifts again to one gear below the reference gear. In the preferred embodiment, a UBD cycle takes 4 or fewer seconds or takes a time value that helps generate uncomfortable changes in vehicle acceleration and deceleration while meeting the physical constraints of transmission hardware. These warnings are intended to prompt the driver to ease off the accelerator pedal or let go of the accelerator pedal entirely. As a result, it is preferable to perform an upshift-backshift-downshift cycle, rather than a downshift-backshift-upshift cycle, so that deceleration is produced first. Additionally, in certain cases, several cycles of torque converter lockup clutch lock and unlock (called a CLU cycle) are conducted such that transmission 105 is alternately disconnected from and then connected to an engine so as to generate deceleration or acceleration changes. The CLU cycle can be conducted in a much shorter duration than a DB or a UBD cycle, and, hence, CLU cycles can be used in cases where vehicle 100 is traveling at a high speed.
As mentioned above, when the time-to-collision is below the threshold set for FCW, then controller 110 bypasses steps 415, 425 and 430 (i.e., the HTSM routine) and proceeds to step 420, which is an FCW routine. In one embodiment of the FCW routine, controller 110 sends a control signal to generate a warning, such as an audio alert or a light in a heads-up display. If necessary, the FCW routine can be followed by application of the brakes of vehicle 100 as in a collision mitigation by braking system.
With reference to
The specific shift schedules and shifting controls described above are intended as examples. Controller 110 is capable of directing transmissions 105 to perform transmission operations that serve as warnings in other contexts as well. Furthermore, other patterns and durations of upshifts, downshifts, lockup clutch locks and lockup clutch unlocks are usable in connection with the above-described embodiments. The only limitation is that the transmission operations be conducted in a manner that warns the driver. When vehicle 100 is moving at a generally constant rate of speed (i.e., the driver, or a cruise control system, is not attempting to increase or decrease a velocity of vehicle 100), an acceleration of deceleration of as little as 0.1 g can be sufficient to gain the driver's attention. If possible, the shifting is preferably conducted so as to cause acceleration (through a downshift) when a driver should be accelerating and deceleration (through an upshift) when the driver should be decelerating.
Although described with reference to several embodiments, it should be readily understood that various changes or modifications, both major and minor, could be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, in one embodiment, vehicle 100 includes more or fewer sensors than described. These sensors are the same types as described above or any other type known in the art. Additionally, in another embodiment, a sensor, such as transmission sensor 155, is actually more than one sensor. Alternatively, several sensors are combined into a single sensor. Similarly, other features known in the art are optionally included in vehicle 100. Also, in yet another embodiment, controller 110 includes more than one control system or is instead a simple system with a single controller. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle including at least one sensor for detecting a potentially hazardous condition, an automatic transmission and a controller, said method comprising:
- detecting a potentially hazardous condition with the at least one sensor; and
- alerting the driver by directing the transmission, with the controller, to perform an upshift or unlock a lockup clutch of a torque converter of the automatic transmission when the potentially hazardous condition is detected.
2. (canceled)
3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the upshift or unlocking the lockup clutch constitutes a first transmission operation, further comprising:
- directing, with the controller, the transmission to perform a second transmission operation at a predetermined time after the first transmission operation, thus defining a first transmission operation cycle; and
- directing the transmission to perform a second transmission operation cycle including a third transmission operation and a fourth transmission operation.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein performing the third transmission operation includes performing an upshift or unlocking a lockup clutch of a torque converter of the automatic transmission, and wherein performing the second and fourth transmission operations includes performing a downshift or locking the lockup clutch.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the potentially hazardous condition further includes:
- determining a traffic condition in front of the vehicle;
- determining whether the driver is requesting to slow the vehicle;
- determining if the vehicle is traveling above a predetermined rate of speed; and
- determining a time-to-collision.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the potentially hazardous condition further includes:
- determining a curvature or a degree of banking of a road in front of the vehicle; and
- determining whether the driver is requesting to slow the vehicle.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the potentially hazardous condition further includes:
- determining a speed limit of a road on which the vehicle is traveling; and
- directing the transmission to perform the upshift if the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit by a predetermined amount or percentage.
8. A method for warning a driver of a first motor vehicle including at least one sensor for detecting a potentially hazardous condition, an automatic transmission and a controller, said method comprising:
- detecting, with the at least one sensor, a second vehicle approaching the first vehicle from behind; and
- alerting the driver by directing the transmission, with the controller, to perform a transmission operation that generates an acceleration when the second vehicle is detected.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein performing the transmission operation that generates an acceleration includes performing a downshift or locking a lockup clutch of a torque converter of the automatic transmission.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the second vehicle approaching the first vehicle from behind further includes:
- determining a time-to-collision;
- determining whether the driver is requesting to increase a speed of the first vehicle; and
- determining whether there is a low time-to-collision with an obstacle in front of the first vehicle.
11. A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle including at least one sensor for detecting a potentially hazardous condition, an automatic transmission and a controller connected to the at least one sensor and the transmission, said method comprising:
- detecting a potentially hazardous condition with the at least one sensor; and
- alerting the driver by directing the transmission, with the controller, to perform at least two transmission operations, the transmission operations generating an acceleration or a deceleration, when the potentially hazardous condition is detected with the at least one sensor.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the at least two transmission operations includes performing a downshift, performing an upshift, locking a lockup clutch of a torque converter of the automatic transmission or unlocking the lockup clutch.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein directing the transmission, with the controller, to perform at least two transmission operations includes directing a first transmission operation and a second transmission operation, and further includes directing the transmission to perform the second transmission operation a predetermined time after the first transmission operation.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first transmission operation and the second transmission operation define a first transmission operation cycle, further comprising:
- directing the transmission to perform a second transmission operation cycle including a third transmission operation and a fourth transmission operation.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the potentially hazardous condition further includes:
- determining a speed limit of a road on which the vehicle is traveling; and
- directing the transmission to perform an upshift if the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit by a predetermined amount or percentage.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the potentially hazardous condition further includes:
- detecting a second vehicle approaching the vehicle from behind.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the second vehicle approaching the vehicle from behind further includes:
- determining a time-to-collision;
- determining whether the driver is requesting to increase a speed of the vehicle; and
- determining whether there is a low time-to-collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle.
18. A control system for a motor vehicle with an automatic transmission comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to detect a potentially hazardous condition; and
- a controller configured to direct the automatic transmission to perform a first transmission operation if the potentially hazardous condition is detected, wherein the controller is further configured to direct the transmission to perform a second transmission operation shortly after the first transmission operation.
19. (canceled)
20. The control system of claim 18, wherein performing the first transmission operation includes performing an upshift or unlocking a lockup clutch of a torque converter of the automatic transmission, and wherein performing the second transmission operation includes performing a downshift or locking the lockup clutch.
21. The control system of claim 18, wherein the first and second transmission operations define a first transmission operation cycle, and wherein the control system is further configured to direct the transmission to perform a second transmission operation cycle including a third transmission operation and a fourth transmission operation.
22. The control system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:
- determine a traffic condition in front of the vehicle;
- determine whether a driver has eased up on an accelerator pedal;
- determine whether the vehicle is traveling above a predetermined rate of speed; and
- determine a time-to-collision.
23. The control system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:
- determine a curvature or a degree of banking of a road in front of the vehicle; and
- determine whether a driver has eased up on an accelerator pedal.
24. The control system of claim 20, wherein the control system is further configured to:
- determine a speed limit of a road on which the vehicle is traveling;
- direct the transmission to perform the upshift if the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit by a predetermined amount or percentage.
25. A control system for a first motor vehicle with an automatic transmission comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to detect a second vehicle approaching the first vehicle from behind; and
- a controller configured to direct the transmission to: perform a transmission operation if the second vehicle approaching the vehicle from behind is detected; determine a time-to-collision; determine whether a driver is requesting to increase a speed of the vehicle; and determine whether there is a low time-to-collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle.
26. The control system of claim 25, wherein performing the transmission operation includes performing a downshift.
27. A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle including at least one sensor, a controller and an automatic transmission having a torque converter with a lockup clutch, said method comprising:
- detecting a potentially hazardous condition with the at least one sensor; and
- alerting the driver, when the potentially hazardous condition is detected, by directing the transmission, with the controller, to lock or unlock the lockup clutch to generate an acceleration or deceleration.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 4, 2014
Publication Date: Sep 10, 2015
Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Dearborn, MI)
Inventors: Jianbo Lu (Northville, MI), Zhengyu Dai (Canton, MI), Felix Nedorezov (Rochester Hills, MI), Hong Jiang (Birmingham, MI), Roger Lyle Huffmaster (Canton, MI), Dimitar Petrov Filev (Novi, MI)
Application Number: 14/196,336