Responsive To Road, External, Or Ambient Condition Patents (Class 701/65)
  • Patent number: 11951830
    Abstract: Provided is a controller for a vehicle disconnector apparatus, the controller including: a transceiving unit for receiving vehicle inside and outside information including a temperature of outside air of a vehicle and an oil temperature of a reducer; a determination unit for determining whether it is possible to control the vehicle disconnector apparatus based on the temperature of the outside air of the vehicle and the oil temperature of the reducer; and a control unit for controlling the disconnector apparatus in consideration of a result of the determination of the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hyundai Transys Inc.
    Inventor: Jong Bae Ahn
  • Patent number: 11745723
    Abstract: A vehicle driving force control method is provided. The vehicle driving force control method includes collecting vehicle driving information, estimating speed of a driving system of a vehicle from the collected vehicle driving information and calculating speed difference between measurement speed of the driving system and the estimated speed of the driving system, obtaining torque command rate information from the calculated speed difference, limiting a variation of reference torque command determined according to the vehicle driving information based on the acquired torque command rate information to determine final torque command, and controlling operation of a vehicle driving device according to the final torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ji Won Oh, Jeong Soo Eo, Sung Jae Kim, Lee Hyoung Cho
  • Patent number: 11285927
    Abstract: Vehicles according to at least some embodiments of the disclosure include a sensor, and a computing device comprising at least one hardware processing unit. The computing device is programmed to perform operations comprising capturing an image with the sensor, identifying an object in the image, and in response to an accuracy of the identification meeting a first criterion, pre-loading a braking system of the autonomous vehicle. In some aspects, the computing device may predict that an object not currently within a path of the vehicle has a probability of entering the path of the vehicle that meets a second criterion. When the probability of entering the path meets the second criterion, some of the disclosed embodiments may pre-load the braking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Calleija, Eyal Cohen, Kenneth James Jensen, Randol Aikin, Brian Neil
  • Patent number: 11226035
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powerplant, at least one drive wheel, a transmission, and a controller. The powerplant is configured to generate power to propel the vehicle. The transmission is configured to deliver power from the powerplant to the at least one drive wheel. The controller is programmed to, in response to a scheduled upshift of the transmission and detection of a set of conditions that are indicative of the vehicle climbing while on loose terrain, override upshifting the transmission and maintain a current gear of the transmission. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the scheduled upshift of the transmission and non-detection of at least one condition of the set of conditions that are indicative of the vehicle climbing while on loose terrain, upshift the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus Hill, Markian Oleh Diakiw, Robert Kowalske
  • Patent number: 11215278
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a vehicle and a method for controlling the vehicle. The vehicle includes: an engine; a transmission configured to transmit power from the engine to drive wheels; a deceleration factor detection device configured to detect a deceleration factor that is present ahead of the vehicle; and an electronic control unit configured to maintain a speed ratio of the transmission as a current speed ratio on condition that the deceleration factor is detected by the deceleration factor detection device, and change the speed ratio stepwise to a lower speed side than the current speed ratio and maintain the changed speed ratio, in response to a deceleration request from a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadanao Okubo
  • Patent number: 11203351
    Abstract: A control device of an automatic drive vehicle includes: an information acquisition unit that acquires power generator information as information on a power generator provided in the automatic drive vehicle; an operation control unit that switches between a first state in which automatic driving of the automatic drive vehicle is executed without restriction and a second state in which the automatic driving is partially or entirely restricted; and a determination unit that determines whether to perform switching to the second state by the operation control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Higashitani, Noriaki Ikemoto, Tomomi Hase
  • Patent number: 11181192
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a vehicle and a method for controlling the vehicle. The vehicle includes: an engine; a transmission configured to transmit power from the engine to drive wheels; a deceleration factor detection device configured to detect a deceleration factor that is present ahead of the vehicle; and an electronic control unit configured to maintain a speed ratio of the transmission as a current speed ratio on condition that the deceleration factor is detected by the deceleration factor detection device, and change the speed ratio stepwise to a lower speed side than the current speed ratio and maintain the changed speed ratio, in response to a deceleration request from a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadanao Okubo
  • Patent number: 10975958
    Abstract: This vehicle control devices provided with: a travel segment determination unit 15 which determines a next travel segment, forwards in the travel direction of the vehicle, which has a different road slope from the current travel segment where the vehicle is currently traveling; a next gear stage selection unit 16 which, on the basis of the road slope of the next travel segment, selects a next gear stage, which will be the gear stage of the vehicle in the next travel segment; and a shift control unit 17 which upshifts to the next gear stage in the current travel segment in the case that the travel resistance in the next travel segment is less than the travel resistance of the current travel segment, the value obtained by subtracting the travel resistance of the vehicle in the current travel segment from the drive force at the current speed of the vehicle in the next gear stage is less than a first prescribed value, and the value obtained by subtracting the travel resistance of the vehicle in the next travel se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ooshima, Nobuyuki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10823281
    Abstract: A speed control device includes: a vehicle information output unit that outputs at least two, as vehicle information, of measurement information on forward/backward acceleration of a vehicle measured by an acceleration sensor, forward/backward actual acceleration of the vehicle obtained from an output rotation of an automatic transmission, and a traveling driving force based on a driving force output by a driving source and an air resistance acting on the vehicle; and a setting unit that selects a shift mode by comparing the vehicle information with a predetermined selection threshold and sets a shift point for controlling the automatic transmission provided in the vehicle based on the shift mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Suguru Futamura
  • Patent number: 10598279
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a motor control strategy of an electric shift-by-wire (SBW) system and is a method of performing PWM waveform simulation control in order to solve an impact/noise occurrence problem in a motor control process. A method of controlling the electric motor of an electric SBW system includes determining whether a current stage and a target stage are identical, rotating the motor in the direction of the target stage when the current stage and the target stage are not identical, performing motor OFF control when the current stage and the target stage are identical, performing reverse driving duty control when a difference between the current position and target position of the motor is less than a first setting value, and stopping the motor when the difference between the current position and target position of the motor is less than a second setting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI AUTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seungman Choi
  • Patent number: 10507818
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus and a method for a vehicle are provided. The shift control apparatus and the method for a vehicle that can control gear shifts by detecting a slope ahead based on road information are provided. The shift control apparatus for a vehicle may include: an engine; a transmission configured to receive power from the engine; and a controller configured to check an effective sloping point based on road information, to calculate a target gear ratio based on a first engine torque at a location of the vehicle and a gear ratio of the transmission when the effective sloping point is reached within a predetermined amount of time, to set a target gear position based on the target gear ratio, and to control the transmission based on the target gear position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Wook Jeon, Sangjun Park, Kwang Hee Park
  • Patent number: 10501068
    Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain system in response to a command to execute a multi-state shift event for the transmission includes determining an initial output torque limit and determining an initial commanded output torque based upon the initial output torque limit. The powertrain system is controlled to generate torque in response to the initial commanded output torque prior to completion of a first state transition of the multi-state shift event that includes a commanded torque reduction. After completion of the first state transition of the multi-state shift event that includes the commanded torque reduction, a torque ramp rate is determined, and the initial commanded output torque is adjusted based upon the torque ramp rate. The powertrain system is controlled to generate torque in response to the initial commanded output torque and the adjusted initial commanded output torque during a remainder of the multi-state shift event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Krunal P. Patel, Samantha Victoria Lado, Jy-Jen F. Sah, Anthony H. Heap
  • Patent number: 10351136
    Abstract: A method for controlling a rolling or a freewheeling mode of a vehicle having a drive-train with an engine, an automatic or automated transmission and controllable means for interrupting force flow in the drive-train. A current vehicle position and a first road stretch, between the current vehicle position and a road stretch section ahead along which a speed limit applies, are determined. While driving with the drive-train engaged, for the road stretch section ahead, a predicted speed variation, if the force flow in the drive-train is interrupted, is calculated and, based this speed variation, a second road stretch is determined which the vehicle, with the force flow interrupted covers, until a value of the predicted speed variation corresponds to a value of the speed limit ahead. With regard to the determined road stretches, a road stretch point for initiating the rolling or freewheeling mode is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rachid Mansour, Maik Würthner
  • Patent number: 10073459
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes automated vehicles having optimized driving profiles including optimized speed profiles for execution between obstacles in consideration of economy of operation, and methods thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventor: Kaushik Raghu
  • Patent number: 9643616
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics are described herein. Accordingly, embodiments of a method may include predicting a route of a vehicle, determining a route feature along the route, and determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route. Some embodiments may include determining an adjustment to a vehicle performance characteristic to be made in anticipation of the route feature at the user-desired speed and implementing the adjustment on a vehicle system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman N. Lu
  • Patent number: 9604624
    Abstract: A method of controlling traveling of a vehicle may include a measuring step that measures a longitudinal acceleration sensing value by a longitudinal acceleration sensor on a vehicle, a longitudinal acceleration calculating step that calculates a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle from a speed of the vehicle, a slope degree calculating step that calculates a slope degree of a ground on which the vehicle is, from the longitudinal acceleration sensing value and the calculated longitudinal acceleration, a determining step that determines a slope direction and a slope level of the ground from the calculated slope degree, and a controlling step that provides in advance a torque amount, which is distributed from main driving wheels to sub-driving wheels for traveling, to a power distribution device, at different levels in accordance with the slope direction and the slope level of the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Wia Corporation
    Inventors: Sung Keun Lim, Ji Soo Lee, Heon Kang
  • Patent number: 9592830
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a control system adapted to making it possible to use, or prolong a use of, a higher transmission mode in a vehicle. The control system comprises a simulation unit configured for simulating at least one future speed profile for an actual speed for the vehicle along a section of road ahead of the vehicle, which simulation is conducted at a time when the section of road is still ahead of the vehicle, and is based on information related to a gradient of the section of road. The system further comprises an evaluation unit configured for evaluating whether a raising of an actual speed for the vehicle is appropriate to achieving the making possible or prolongation, which evaluation is based on the simulation of at least one future speed profile, and a use unit configured for using the evaluation during control of the actual speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Fredrik Roos, Mikael Ögren, Gustav Norman, Mengxi Wu
  • Patent number: 9399960
    Abstract: A road surface slope estimating device includes a forward/backward sensor that outputs a detected forward/backward of a vehicle, a forward/backward estimator that calculates an estimated forward/backward of the vehicle, and a road surface slope estimating device that calculates an estimated road surface slope value using the detected forward/backward and the estimated forward/backward. The road surface slope estimating device implements a momentarily rough terrain determination step to determine whether the vehicle is traveling on momentarily rough terrain or continuously rough terrain. When it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on momentarily rough terrain, the road surface slope estimating device fixes the estimated road surface slope value to an estimated road surface slope value obtained immediately before the determination is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouta Hamane, Takashi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9395233
    Abstract: A method and system of determining a vehicle's driving characteristics such as the vehicle mass, drag force coefficients and driving surface inclination. The vehicle's mass, drag force coefficients and inclination are determined using signals input from the vehicle's accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Hussein A. Dourra, Michael A. Hall, Peter G. Hartman
  • Patent number: 9182033
    Abstract: A method of initializing the mass of a motor vehicle, in particular when the motor vehicle is re-started or when it is at rest, for the control of a starting process of the motor vehicle. From measured and/or calculated operating parameters of the motor vehicle, an operating situation of the motor vehicle is determined and, on the basis of the operating situation determined and as a function of operating situation dependent loading and/or unloading patterns, the mass of the motor vehicle is initialized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Roland Mair, Florian Schneider
  • Patent number: 9140565
    Abstract: The travel plan generation method includes a maximum speed limit section setting step of setting a maximum speed limit section, a low speed allowed section setting step of setting a low speed allowed section which is in front of the maximum speed limit section on the route and is in a low speed allowable distance range from the maximum speed limit section, and a travel plan generation step of generating a travel plan in which the speed of the vehicle is limited to a speed limit or less in the maximum speed limit section and the speed of the vehicle is not reduced to a low discomfort speed or less in sections other than the maximum speed limit section and the low speed allowed section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9132857
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a parking assistance system with a system controller. During the assisted performance of a parking maneuver, the system controller receives one or more pieces of information from other controllers or units, which is continuously stored in the system controller. When restarting the internal combustion engine that has previously stalled during the ongoing parking maneuver, information previously stored by the system controller is accessed and forms the basis of a continued parking maneuver during a defined time interval, after which the assistance is once again based on current information acquired from the controllers or units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Jürgen Hartmann
  • Patent number: 9132836
    Abstract: A module for determining speed set-point values vref for a vehicle's control systems includes an input unit configured for input, e.g. by the vehicle's driver, of a reference speed vset which is the speed desired by the driver for the vehicle. A horizon unit is configured for determining a horizon by means of received position data and map data of an itinerary made up of route segments with at least one characteristic for each segment. A processor unit is configured for calculating vref across the horizon according to rules pertaining to categories in which segments within the horizon are placed, so that vref is within a range bounded by vmin, and vmax, where vmin?vset?vmax. The processor unit is further configured for determining a control signal with control parameters for the vehicle's automatic gear change control unit, based on one or more vehicle-specific values and a calculated speed set-point value vref.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Oskar Johansson, Jörgen Hansson, Henrik Pettersson, Fredrik Swartling
  • Patent number: 9080668
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a power source, such as an engine, an electric machine, or combination thereof. A torque converter is selectively coupled to the power source such that torque is altered before being distributed into a transmission of the vehicle. A torque converter bypass clutch enables torque from the power source to selectively transmit torque directly to the transmission with little or no torque altering provided by the torque converter. At least one controller in the vehicle is in communication with a remote facility in a vehicle-to-cloud (V2C) system. The controller sends road condition data to the remote facility regarding a road segment. During a subsequent drive to or over the road segment, the controller receives the road condition data and enables the torque converter bypass clutch to slip to dampen driveline disturbances when the vehicle passes over the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Walter Joseph Ortmann, Marvin Paul Kraska, Daniel Scott Colvin
  • Patent number: 9043104
    Abstract: A method of determining and shifting to an optimal gear in a vehicle prior to entering a curve in a vehicle which comprises an automatic transmission. A curve speed limit is determined for an anticipated curve which is recognized by a navigation device, an anticipated road pattern and dependent on the vehicle and curve or road data, and a sportiness indicator (Ftyp). For each anticipated curve, an actual, optimal gear is determined, based on the determined curve speed limit and the sportiness indicator (FTyp) and, after determining the optimal gear, the method performs a check to determine whether or not the optimal gear deviates from the engaged gear (RGA_DEST). When a deviation is recognized and a driver reaction, which causes a deceleration of the vehicle and/or a reduction of the vehicle speed, is present, a down shift down to the actual, optimal gear occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Kiefer, Franz-Josef Schuler, Uwe Reitemeier, Andreas Maus
  • Patent number: 9037377
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a braking force application device that executes braking force holding control which holds braking force irrespective of braking operation by a driver during a stop on a slope; and a control limiting device that limits execution of the braking force holding control when a shift position is set in a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Higa, Katsuhiko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9028367
    Abstract: A method for optimized launch of a vehicle is provided wherein a driveline of the vehicle at least includes an engine, an automatic transmission, a system for exhaust gas recirculation, which are controlled by a driveline management system, wherein the management system is able to determine the mass of the vehicle, and whereby a launching gear of the transmission is calculated dependent at least on the determined mass of the vehicle, whereby a launching gear is chosen dependent of the power loss caused by the EGR and wherein the power loss caused by the EGR is determined, the available power to launch the vehicle is determined, and the launching gear is recalculated dependent of the available power, and selecting said recalculated launching gear before launch of the vehicle, launch the vehicle with the recalculated launching gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Anders Eriksson, Johan Bjernetun
  • Patent number: 9026343
    Abstract: Operational efficiency and/or control systems and methods for vehicles are provided in order to improve fuel efficiency when traveling in a fuel powered vehicle from point A to point B. The systems and methods can determine the “best” or most efficient route to take based on one or more priorities, make driving recommendations to the operator, and/or automatically control one or more systems (e.g., engine, brakes, transmission, etc.) of the vehicle. The systems and methods can calculate the “best” route based on predefined trip requirements, including cost, schedule, route preferences, and/or risk of potential delays, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Wesley Mays
  • Patent number: 9026326
    Abstract: When a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a first vehicle speed threshold value or an uphill gradient is lower than a first gradient threshold value and uphill start control is cancelled, if a state where the vehicle speed is lower than a second vehicle speed threshold value and the uphill gradient is equal to or higher than a second gradient threshold value continues for a first set time, uphill start control is executed. When the vehicle speed is decreased after being once increased within a range where the vehicle speed is lower than the first vehicle speed threshold value and uphill start control is cancelled, if a state where the vehicle speed is lower than the second vehicle speed threshold value and the uphill gradient is equal to or higher than the second gradient threshold value continues for a second set time, the uphill start control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nozu, Ryohei Shigeta
  • Publication number: 20150120158
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and a control system are described for controlling the shifting of a vehicle, at least in part, according to its pitch. The method includes using a pitch-detection mechanism to determine one or more indicators of the pitch of the vehicle. The method includes receiving, at one or more computing devices, a signal associated with the pitch indicators and determining a pitch value for shifting. The method further includes determining, by the one or more computing devices, a shift procedure based upon, at least in part, the determined pitch value and implementing the shift procedure to effect a shift operation for the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventors: William J. Vande Haar, Jeffery M. Finley
  • Publication number: 20150120157
    Abstract: An example vehicle control method includes, among other things, controlling a towing vehicle based upon a trailered vehicle road grade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hai Yu, Ryan Abraham McGee
  • Patent number: 9020717
    Abstract: A method of controlling an automated motor vehicle transmission. A current driving resistance is taken into account when selecting a target gear to be engaged as part of a shifting process. In order to be able to regulate shifting processes in a driving-resistance-dependent manner so as to ensure that the motor vehicle can always able to continue driving on, during selection of the target gear, disregarding gears for shifting from a currently engaged gear, in a driving-resistance-dependent manner, when the required associated shifting times are longer than a respective permitted maximum shifting time. In connection with the above, the method is incorporated in an automated motor vehicle transmission, a computer program product and a data carrier, containing the computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Kemler, Maik Wuerthner, Joachim Staudinger
  • Publication number: 20150112561
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission that selectively engages a plurality of frictional engaging elements for shift control includes a shift instruction device, a temperature calculator, an engageability determiner, an engagement delay device, a load calculator, a cumulative load calculator, and a threshold temperature changer. The engageability determiner is configured to determine whether at least one of the plurality of frictional engaging elements is engageable or not based on a comparison between a temperature of the at least one of the plurality of frictional engaging elements calculated by the temperature calculator and a predetermined threshold temperature in a case where the shift instruction device outputs a shift instruction. The threshold temperature changer is configured to change the predetermined threshold temperature in a case where a cumulative load calculated by the cumulative load calculator reaches a value greater than or equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi SATOYOSHI
  • Patent number: 8989977
    Abstract: A hill rollback control system and method for controlling a rollback speed of a motor vehicle with wheel brakes. Upon ascertaining that the vehicle is rolling back, the system and method determine, based on a grade angle of the terrain that the vehicle is traveling on and a temperature of a transmission, a target rollback speed for the vehicle. The target rollback speed is lower when the grade of the terrain is above a threshold value. Also, the target rollback speed is lower when the temperature of the transmission is above a threshold value. The actual rollback speed of the vehicle is set and maintained at the target rollback speed by applying the vehicle's wheel brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Qingyuan Li, George Thomas, Ravikumar Bhadange
  • Patent number: 8983743
    Abstract: A variable control apparatus and method determines a short-term driving tendency. The apparatus may include a driving information collecting unit configured to collect driving information for determining a driving tendency, a first short-term driving tendency calculating module configured to calculate a first short-term driving tendency index using a fuzzy control theory based on an inputted opening degree of an accelerator pedal position sensor (APS), a second short-term driving tendency calculating module configured to calculate a second short-term driving tendency index using the fuzzy control theory based on an inputted forward vehicle relative speed, and a control module configured to calculate a final short-term driving tendency index by differentially applying weight values of the first short-term driving tendency index and the second short-term driving tendency index for each vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Wook Jeon, Dong Hoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 8974346
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing a multiple gear downshift of a transmission gear by transiently operating in an intermediate gear. In response to ambient humidity and a condensate level in a charge air cooler, the transmission gear may be downshifted from a higher gear to an intermediate gear, and then to a requested lower gear. Downshifting through an intermediate gear may also be controlled based on the gear shift request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Shuya Shark Yamada
  • Patent number: 8977454
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for grade-based anti-hunt shift control of an automatic transmission powering a machine. A shift controller determines a recommended gear in which to operate the transmission and sets an anti-hunt timer upon recommending a shift from a first gear to a second gear. The anti-hunt timer prevents a subsequent shift back to the first gear while the anti-hunt timer is running. A grade-based controller is configured to track machine operation and to determine when the machine operational factors change such that an estimated steady state gear differs from the second gear. When such a change is encountered, the grade-based controller clears the anti-hunt timer and sets a secondary timer. The clearing of the anti-hunt timer allows a downshift to accommodate the detected grade while the setting of the secondary timer prevents a subsequent clearing of the anti-hunt timer while the secondary timer is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Tipton, James W. Landes, Justin L. Steinlage
  • Publication number: 20150066320
    Abstract: A frictional engagement element (32) that disconnects power between an engine (1) and a drive wheel (7) in a vehicle, and a control unit (11, 12) that controls a transmission ratio of a continuously variable transmission (4) and the frictional engagement element (32), are provided. When the transmission ratio is not a maximum transmission ratio at a vehicle stop when a vehicle speed is 0, the control unit (11, 12) operates the transmission ratio to the maximum transmission ratio while controlling the frictional engagement element (32) into a slip state. Further, at this time, when a road is an upward slope, the control unit (11, 12) sets an engagement pressure of the frictional engagement element (32) and an engine torque according to the road slope, prevents slide-down of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: JATCO LTD
    Inventors: Youngjoo Woo, Jongkeun Lim, Junseok Choi, Changnam Park, MyongSeog Chang
  • Patent number: 8965644
    Abstract: A system and a method of controlling shifting for a vehicle includes a data detector detecting data for a shift control, a road condition determiner determining a road condition based on the data, a short term driving tendency determiner determining a short term driving tendency of a driver based on the data, and a long term driving tendency determiner determining a long term driving tendency of the driver based on the short term driving tendency of the driver. An optimal driving mode determiner determines an optimal driving mode based on the road condition, the short term driving tendency of the driver, and the long term driving tendency of the driver, wherein the system controls shifting according to the optimal driving mode determined by the optimal driving mode determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Wook Jeon, Heeyong Lee
  • Patent number: 8965609
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is presented. The electric vehicle may include a front motor for driving a front wheel; a rear motor for driving a rear wheel; a target torque determiner for determining a target torque of the front motor and a target torque of the rear motor, based on at least a displacement amount of an accelerator operation member operated by a driver; and a motor controller for controlling the front motor and the rear motor to cause the front motor to output the target torque and the rear motor to output the target torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Izumi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8948979
    Abstract: An irrigation system is disclosed that is configured to maintain a near straight alignment. In an implementation, an irrigation system includes multiple interconnected spans which are supported by multiple tower structures. Each tower structure includes a variable-speed drive unit for selectively driving a tower structure at a selected speed. The irrigation system also includes multiple sensors that are each associated with a corresponding span to determine an alignment of the corresponding span with respect to adjacent spans. Each of the sensors is in communication with a corresponding variable-drive control unit. Each of the variable-drive control units are configured to control the selected speed of a corresponding variable-speed drive unit to maintain the interconnected spans in a substantially linear orientation with respect to adjacent ones of the plurality of interconnected spans along a generally longitudinally oriented axis (e.g., maintain alignment of the spans with respect to each other).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Valmont Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig S. Malsam
  • Publication number: 20150019094
    Abstract: A method controls a powertrain that directs power from an engine and a transmission to all four wheels or to just front wheels or to just rear wheels. The method includes monitoring information transmitted over a communications network. The method determines whether one or more components of the powertrain are in an active condition or in an inactive condition. The one or more components of the powertrain are in the inactive condition when not connected to the transmission and not connected to the front wheels or the rear wheels. The one or more components of the powertrain are in the active condition when connected to the transmission and connected to the front wheels and the rear wheels. The method switches the one or more components of the powertrain between the inactive condition and the active condition based at least in part on visual data provided by an on-board camera system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Bradley R. Larkin, Johannes Quehenberger
  • Publication number: 20150019093
    Abstract: A system and a method of controlling a transmission for a vehicle can protect the transmission by controlling an oil temperature in the transmission when driving on a long uphill road. The system may include: an engine generating driving torque; a transmission converting and outputting the driving torque generated at the engine; a lock-up clutch disposed between the engine and the transmission, and directly coupling the engine to the transmission selectively; a data detector detecting data for controlling the transmission; and a controller determining whether a long uphill road condition is satisfied based on the data, determining whether a protective logic operating condition is satisfied if the long uphill road condition is satisfied, and operating a protective logic if the protective logic operating condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Hoon JEONG, Byeong Wook Jeon
  • Patent number: 8935068
    Abstract: A method of selecting a gear ratio of a transmission. The method includes measuring a current road grade with a sensing device and communicating the current road grade measurement to the controller. The controller receives a signal corresponding to a service brake input and determines a desired maximum acceleration limit of the vehicle. The method also includes calculating a predicted vehicle acceleration, measuring a current vehicle acceleration, and calculating an error value as a function of the predicted vehicle acceleration and measured vehicle acceleration. The method also computes an estimated required tractive braking effort and estimated tractive braking effort for at least one of N automatically selectable gear ratios of the transmission and selects one gear ratio of the N automatically selectable gear ratios for the operation of the transmission based on a comparison of the estimated required tractive braking effort and estimated tractive braking effort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: John Kresse, John A. Byerly, Todd Dygert, Mark A. Rains
  • Patent number: 8924120
    Abstract: A regenerative brake control system for a vehicle includes a vehicle controller, a driveline torque distribution device interfacing with the vehicle controller, an electric machine interfacing with the driveline torque distribution device, a plurality of wheels coupled to the electric machine and at least one traction condition input indicating traction of the plurality of wheels provided to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller engages the driveline torque distribution device and the electric machine apportions regenerative brake torque to the wheels in proportion to the traction of the wheels. A regenerative brake control method for a vehicle is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: William Paul Perkins
  • Patent number: 8903614
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method determines a short-term driving tendency. The apparatus may include a driving information collecting unit configured to collect driving information including a vehicle speed, and an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle of the driver and a forward vehicle, a short-term driving tendency calculating module configured to receive a plurality of input variables for determining the short-term driving tendency and calculate a short-term driving tendency index using a fuzzy control theory, and a calculation prohibition control module configured to check the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle of the driver and the forward vehicle and prohibit calculation of the short-term driving tendency index when the inter-vehicle distance is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Wook Jeon, Dong Hoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 8903584
    Abstract: The disclosed vehicle, control method, and program lead to improved fuel consumption, durability, and stability. When the vehicle starts to move, a clutch control performs controls so as to set the clutch to a half clutch state, in which a part of the motive force is transmitted, and thereafter to a connected state, in which the entire motive power is transmitted. When the clutch is the half clutch state, an electric motor control unit controls an electric motor to generate an assist torque when the vehicle starts to move equal to the difference between the torque requested by the driver and the idling torque generated when the engine is idling. The disclosed invention can be applied to hybrid vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hino Motors, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8903578
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle having a step ratio transmission is disclosed. The method utilizes terrain data to reduce the number of shift events. The method comprises receiving data indicative of a grade profile of an anticipated route, identifying a forecast shift sequence comprising a forecast downshift event and an adjacent forecast upshift event, and adjusting the shift criteria based on the time between the forecast shift events, the road grade between the forecast shift events, and the state of a storage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Steven Yamazaki, Walter Joseph Ortmann, Marvin Paul Kraska, Daniel Scott Colvin
  • Patent number: 8903616
    Abstract: A method is provided for increasing the safety of a vehicle, a region about the vehicle being scanned and a distance between at least one location on the vehicle and a physical limit of this region is measured in at least one direction. Subsequently, it is checked whether the distance exceeds a specifiable threshold value and finally, a warning signal is output and/or the vehicle is braked, if the result of the checking is positive. Moreover, a central processing unit for a corresponding driver assistance system and a driver assistance system are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Meike Fehse
  • Patent number: 8880308
    Abstract: A method and system of improving shift event performance in a vehicle with an automatic transmission. One or more accelerometers in the vehicle are used to sense one or more longitudinal acceleration values. The longitudinal acceleration values or values derived therefrom are compared with predetermined stored values. Shift event behavior is changed in response to differences between the one or more longitudinal acceleration values or values derived therefrom and the predetermined stored values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Hussein Dourra, Mircea Gradu, Michael Hall