3607results about "Road vehicle drive control systems" patented technology

A system and method of assisting a driver of a vehicle by providing driver and vehicle feedback control signals is disclosed. The system and method includes receiving location data of the vehicle from a GPS unit, receiving the location data of the vehicle and retrieving navigation characteristics relevant to the location data using a processing circuit, generating a most probable future path for the vehicle and determining a location of at least one navigation characteristic with respect to the most probable future path and the vehicle, generating vehicle data at least one vehicle sensor, and transmitting a control signal to a vehicle control area network to warn the driver of an upcoming navigation characteristic on the most probable path.

Disclosed herein are an autonomous driving apparatus and method for a vehicle. The autonomous driving apparatus includes an autonomous driving context data processing unit, a simulator unit, a section determination unit, a path planning unit, and a context determination main control unit. The autonomous driving context data processing unit gathers autonomous driving context data. The simulator unit simulates autonomous driving based on the gathered autonomous driving context data. The section determination unit determines a reliable section or an unreliable section based on results of the simulation. The path planning unit searches for at least one global path to a set destination based on results of the determination, and searches the at least one global path for a local path along which the autonomous driving is possible. The context determination main control unit controls the autonomous driving of the vehicle along the local path.

A method and an apparatus for sensing a lane departure using images that surround a vehicle. The lane departure sensing method includes receiving images that are taken during driving by a plurality of cameras installed in a car, through respective channels connected to the cameras; modifying the obtained images into top-view images to generate a plurality of modified images; compositing the plurality of modified images to generate images that surround a vehicle; extracting a lane from the images that surround the vehicle, and yielding the information on a distance between the vehicle and the extracted lane or the information on an angle between the travel direction of the vehicle and the lane, so as to determine a lane departure; and giving a warning if the lane departure is determined.

A powertrain for transmitting power to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle includes a power source that includes a reversible electric machine. A first transmission includes an input driveably connected to the power source, a first output, and a mechanism for producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed of the output to a speed of the input. An epicyclic transmission includes a second input driveably connected to the power source, a third input driveably connected to the first output, and a second output driveably connected to a drive wheel. The transmissions produce a range of speed of the drive wheel that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.

A system and method for providing vehicle collision avoidance at an intersection include receiving vehicle parameters from a reference vehicle and environmental parameters from roadside equipment. The system and method also include processing a vehicle behavioral map based on the vehicle parameters and the environmental parameters and transmitting the vehicle behavioral map to a target vehicle. The system and method additionally include processing a confidence table based on the vehicle behavioral map and vehicle parameters provided by the target vehicle. The system and method further include providing a collision avoidance response based on the confidence table, wherein the collision avoidance response is provided to the target vehicle to avoid a possible collision with the reference vehicle at the intersection.

A map update determination system includes a traveling plan generation unit generating, based on a target route of a vehicle set in advance and map information, a traveling plan of the vehicle including a control target value for the vehicle in accordance with a position on the target route, a detection value acquisition unit acquiring, in association with the position on the target route, a control result detection value resulting from an automatic driving control for the vehicle executed based on a road environment in a vicinity of the vehicle, a traveling situation of the vehicle, a position of the vehicle, and the traveling plan, an evaluation value calculation unit calculating an evaluation value of the traveling plan for each zone, and a map update determination unit determining a necessity of an update of the map information for each zone.

Lateral displacement reference positions LXL, LXR are set on left and right from a center in a width direction of a traffic lane L where a vehicle travels. Then, at least in a case where the vehicle is positioned on an inner side of the left and right lateral displacement reference position LXL, LXR, the vehicle is feedback-controlled so as to decrease a yaw angle deviation. Further, in a case where the vehicle is positioned at an outer side of the left and right lateral displacement reference position LXL, LXR with respect to the traffic lane center, the feedback control is performed so as to decrease the angle deviation and a lateral displacement deviation.

Methods and systems are provided for using compression heating to heat a cylinder piston before cylinder combustion is resumed. Cylinder heating is achieved using combinations of slow unfueled engine rotation where the engine cylinders are heated via compression stroke heating, and slow compressor rotation where the cylinders are heated via compression heating. One or more intake or exhaust heaters may be concurrently operated to expedite cylinder heating.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a stop / start vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine throttle position is adjusted in response to whether or not a starter engages a flywheel during engine stopping.

A map update determination system includes a traveling plan generation unit generating, based on a target route of a vehicle set in advance and map information, a traveling plan of the vehicle including a control target value for the vehicle in accordance with a position on the target route, a detection value acquisition unit acquiring, in association with the position on the target route, a control result detection value resulting from an automatic driving control for the vehicle executed based on a road environment in a vicinity of the vehicle, a traveling situation of the vehicle, a position of the vehicle, and the traveling plan, an evaluation value calculation unit calculating an evaluation value of the traveling plan for each zone, and a map update determination unit determining a necessity of an update of the map information for each zone.

The electronic control unit sets a target value of a charging amount of the electrical storage device and increases the charging amount to the target value during traveling on the freeway. The electronic control unit computes a first travel cost being cost per unit travel distance of fuel used when the EV travel is made by using the electric power charged in the electrical storage device at a time when the HV travel is made on the freeway, and the second travel cost being cost per unit travel distance of the electric power used when the EV travel is made by using the electric power charged in the electrical storage device by the charging mechanism at the destination. The electronic control unit sets the target value on the basis of a comparison result between the first travel cost and the second travel cost.

A system and method for efficiently and continuously allowing vehicles to travel through an intersection. The method includes broadcasting a synchronization signal to all vehicles that will be entering the intersection and broadcasting an intersection flow time to all of the vehicles that will be entering the intersection that identifies which travel lanes travel in what direction. The method also includes identifying an arrival synchronization pattern for all of the vehicles that will be entering the intersection and controlling a speed of the vehicles traveling through the intersection and a time for the vehicles entering the intersection so that vehicles traveling in perpendicular or cross directions to the intersection will simultaneously travel through the intersection without colliding with each other.

A driving support ECU initializes a target trajectory calculation parameter at a start of LCA; calculates, based on the target trajectory calculation parameter, a target trajectory function representing a target lateral position in accordance with an elapsed time from the start of LCA; and calculates a target control amount according to the target trajectory function. When it is determined that the own vehicle has crossed a boundary white line, the driving support ECU again initializes the target trajectory calculation parameter, and calculate the target trajectory function based on the target trajectory calculation parameter.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a transfer function of a driveline disconnect clutch is adapted.

A vehicle with a primary driveline that is configured to distribute rotary power to a first set of vehicle wheels, a power transmitting device and a secondary driveline that is configured to distribute power to a second set of vehicle wheels. The power transmitting device has an input member, which is driven by the primary driveline, and an output member that is selectively coupled to the input member to receive rotary power therefrom. The secondary driveline has a propshaft, an axle input, a pair of axle shafts and at least one torque transfer device. The propshaft transmits rotary power between the output member of the power transmitting device and the axle input. The axle shafts are rotatably coupled to an output of the differential and configured to transmit rotary power to the second set of vehicle wheels. The at least one torque transfer device is configured to selectively inhibit torque transmission between the axle input and the second set of vehicle wheels.

PCT No. PCT / DE96 / 01755 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 23, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 23, 1997 PCT Filed Sep. 12, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97 / 10456 PCT Pub. Date Mar. 20, 1997The friction clutch between the engine and an automated transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle are operated and controlled by an actuator which effects changes in the extent of engagement of the clutch as well as the selection of and shifting into particular gears. The actuator forms part of a unit which receives a pressurized hydraulic fluid from a source including an accumulator and a proportional valve which latter selects the fluid pressure necessary to shift the transmission into a selected gear.

A control apparatus for a power transmitting system of a vehicle provided with a transmission portion having a plurality of speed ratios to be established in steps, and an electric motor operatively connected to an input-side rotary member of said transmission portion and controlled to generate a regenerative torque in a decelerating state of the vehicle, the control apparatus is configured: to implement a shifting control to perform a shifting operation of said transmission portion under the condition of a determination in the decelerating state of the vehicle that an input torque of said transmission portion including said regenerative torque is substantially zero; and to implement the shifting control to perform the shifting operation of said transmission portion under the condition of an improvement of a fuel economy rather than the determination that the input torque of said transmission portion is substantially zero, when a target deceleration value of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

The invention discloses a vehicle and a glide feedback control method thereof, wherein the glide feedback control method comprises the following steps: the present speed of the vehicle, the depth of a brake pedal of the vehicle and the depth of an accelerator pedal are detected; and when the present speed of the vehicle is greater than the preset vehicle speed, the depth of the brake pedal and the depth of the accelerator pedal are both 0, the present gear of the vehicle is D gear, the vehicle is not in a cruise control mode, and an anti-locking braking system of the vehicle is in a unworking state, the vehicle is controlled to enter a glide feedback control mode, wherein when the vehicle is in the glide feedback control mode, the glide feedback torque of a first electric generator and the glide feedback torque of a second electric generator are distributed according to the selected glide feedback torque curve of the vehicle. The glide feedback control method of the vehicle can recover the energy to the greatest extent under the precondition of guaranteeing the driving comfort of the vehicle, so that the energy feedback efficiency is improved.

A safety device for motor vehicles is provided having a sensor system for locating objects in the area in front of the vehicle and at least in the lateral surroundings of the vehicle, a prediction unit for detecting a risk of collision with an object coming from the side, a detection unit for detecting an area in front of the vehicle which is clear of potential collision objects, and a control unit which is configured to suppress braking of the host vehicle when a risk of collision with an object coming from the side is detected and when the area in front of the vehicle is recognized as being clear if this would presumably make a collision with the object coming from the side avoidable. A method for intervening in the longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle is also provided.

A shift position switching device for shifting gears in association with a shift position. The device includes a shift mechanism switching between shift positions using a drive power of a motor, an encoder outputting pulse signals in sync with a rotation of the motor, and a controller rotating the motor to a target rotation position corresponding to an intended gear. The controller rotates the motor toward a dead-end on a first shift position side of the shift mechanism while observing a motor rotation speed or an acceleration of rotation of the motor based on the outputted pulse signals of the encoder. Also, the controller learns, as a reference position on the first shift position side, a first rotation position of the motor.

Methods are provided for controlling a vehicle speed during a downhill travel. Based on the estimated grade of the downhill travel and further based on an input received from the operator, different combinations of an engine braking torque and a regenerative braking torque are used to maintain the vehicle speed during the downhill travel. A battery rate of charging is also adjusted based on the duration or distance of the downhill travel, as indicated by the operator input.

For each engine operation state to which a variable cylinder engine can be switched, a fuel consumption amount to be consumed to generate a driving force required to maintain a current traveling state of a vehicle for each of a current gear and a new gear after a possible shift-up is calculated. An automatic shift control of shifting up to the new gear is performed in a condition that a calculated fuel consumption amount of the new gear after the possible shift-up is smaller than a calculated fuel consumption amount of the current gear. In this way, the fuel consumption amount can be optimally reduced and the shift control can be performed without degrading the traveling performance, even in the vehicle equipped with the variable cylinder engine.

The present invention relates to an oil pump control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle that controls an oil pump according to a demand of an output torque and oil temperature, and a method thereof. A oil pump control method includes controlling hydraulic line pressure by operating a oil pump at a maximum power if a starting demand for a hybrid vehicle is detected, calculating a viscosity to correspond to an oil temperature in an engine stop mode and controlling a rotation speed of the oil pump at a low power, and calculating a viscosity according to a variation of a line pressure in a driving mode and controlling the rotation speed of the electric oil pump in either a low power, a middle power, and a high power state.

A method and apparatus for controlling battery state of charge (SOC) in a hybrid electric vehicle are provided to enable the efficient use of energy, the maximization of energy recovery, and the improvement of fuel efficiency and operability without the improvement of capacity and performance of electrical equipment or a main battery in a hybrid electric vehicle. The apparatus includes a collecting device that collects information regarding the slope or the road type and information regarding the vehicle speed. A controller determines charge and discharge modes based on the driving information and determines a charging upper and lower limit SOC based on the road slope or road type information a road section on which the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle speed information in the road section. A charge or discharge command is output based on the charging upper limit SOC and the charging lower limit SOC.

A method and system for autonomous tracking of a following vehicle on the track of a leading vehicle. A lead message is received by the following vehicle and rejected by the following vehicle or confirmed with a follow message. After receipt of the follow message, a first element of coordination information for coordination of the autonomous tracking is sent to the following vehicle by the leading vehicle. A second element of coordination information is detected for coordination of the autonomous tracking by environment sensors of the following vehicle on the basis of movements of the leading vehicle. The first and second elements of coordination information are compared by the following vehicle. In the case of a matching comparison result, the autonomous tracking is performed corresponding to the first and second elements of coordination information and, in the case of a deviating comparison result, the autonomous tracking is ended.

The present invention relates to a vehicle accident prevention apparatus comprising a camera unit which photographs an image of a front view, an image recognition unit which processes the image of the front view to detect the registration number of a vehicle driving in front of the vehicle from a license plate of the vehicle driving in front of the vehicle, a wireless communication unit which receives accident prevention information containing an identifier and speed of the vehicle driving in front of the vehicle, a speed sensing unit which senses the speed of the vehicle equipped with the apparatus of the present invention, and a determining and control unit which identifies the vehicle driving in front of the vehicle by matching the registration number and the identifier of the vehicle driving in front of the vehicle, and generates a control signal for preventing vehicle accident by performing a speed comparison.

The present invention provides a vehicular adaptive cruise control system and method that can adapt in real-time to tire and road conditions, vehicular weight, dynamics of the host vehicle, as well as other factors, to offer improved collision avoidance and warning.

Disclosed in the present invention is a dual-structured power output apparatus of an electric drive and power system that provides a means for outputting both mechanical power and electrical power. It comprises dual motor / generators having two stator assemblies, two rotor assemblies and a power transmission unit all integrated into a single housing for easy mounting. The power transmission unit is disposed adjacent to the two motor / generators and coupled on both ends to rotating shafts mechanically linked to the rotor assemblies such that they are rotatable relative to each other. It function is to change the rotational speed and torque of at least one of the rotors in order to reduce weight and physical size of the apparatus, and thus significantly improving the power density and capability. The structure of the apparatus is well-suited to improve the performance and fuel efficiency of the prior art hybrid powertrain.