Hybrid electric vehicles and their collision avoidance control methods

By switching drive modes and adjusting the torque of the engine and electric motor in hybrid electric vehicles, collisions caused by accelerator pedal misoperation are resolved, effectively avoiding collisions caused by accelerator pedal misoperation, improving driver recognition ability, and enhancing driving safety.

CN113753017BActive Publication Date: 2026-04-03HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2020-12-24
Publication Date
2026-04-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Collisions caused by accelerator pedal misoperation are frequent in hybrid electric vehicles, and existing technologies are unable to effectively prevent them. Furthermore, it is difficult for drivers to identify misoperation through noise when the electric motor is the power source.

Method used

If an obstacle is detected, determine if the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, switch to a mode where the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force, adjust the engine's RPM and the electric motor's torque to avoid a collision, and alert the driver to misoperation through engine noise.

Benefits of technology

It effectively avoids collisions caused by misoperation of the accelerator pedal, and the driver can intuitively identify misoperation, thus improving driving safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention relates to a hybrid electric vehicle and a collision avoidance control method thereof. The method for controlling the hybrid electric vehicle to avoid a collision includes the following steps: in response to detecting an obstacle in the vehicle's driving path, determining by a controller whether the accelerator pedal has been misoperated; in response to determining that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, switching the drive mode by the controller to a mode in which the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force; adjusting the engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation by the controller; and adjusting the electric motor's torque based on a first vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle by the controller.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid electric vehicle and a method for controlling the hybrid electric vehicle to avoid a collision caused by misoperation of the accelerator pedal. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle accidents caused by accelerator pedal misoperation continue to occur. To prevent such accidents, some countries offer incentives (e.g., tax breaks) to manufacturers of vehicles with anti-misoperation features to guide the development of such features and vehicles with them.

[0003] The general function to prevent driver misoperation is to: based on the driver's behavior and voice, automatically identify the state of the driver's erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal without realizing the misoperation, and suddenly limit the engine's output torque; or it can be implemented by: detecting pedestrians by fusing information detected by different types of sensors, and warning of possible collisions with pedestrians by improving the accuracy of measuring the distance to the detected pedestrian and the speed relative to the detected pedestrian.

[0004] However, if torque is suddenly restricted to brake the vehicle to prevent a collision, an accident may still occur due to the deterioration of driving performance. Furthermore, simply providing a warning of the possibility of a collision is insufficient for drivers to effectively respond to collision risks.

[0005] At the same time, when a driver mistakenly operates the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal, the engine noise increases due to the increase in engine revolutions per minute (RPM) caused by the accelerator pedal operation. In particular, drivers can identify the misoperation by hearing the noise. However, in the case of environmentally friendly vehicles powered by electric motors (e.g., hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs)), it may be difficult for drivers to identify the misoperation by hearing the noise.

[0006] Specifically, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) typically use two power sources. In addition to the engine, an electric motor serves as the power source. In such HEVs, because the operating state of the drive source varies based on the vehicle's driving state, accelerator pedal operation does not necessarily cause an increase in drive source noise. For example, when driving a HEV in electric vehicle (EV) mode (using only the electric motor as the drive source), even if the accelerator pedal is incorrectly operated, the change in noise from the power source (i.e., the electric motor) due to the increase in revolutions per minute (RPM) is not significant compared to the engine. Therefore, there is a need to develop a more effective control method for HEVs to avoid collisions. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a hybrid electric vehicle and a collision avoidance control method thereof, which substantially avoids one or more problems caused by the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid electric vehicle and a collision avoidance method thereof to more effectively avoid collisions.

[0008] Specifically, the present invention provides a hybrid electric vehicle and a control method thereof to avoid collisions in the event of misoperation of the accelerator pedal and to enable the driver to visually identify the misoperation. However, the objectives achieved by the embodiments are not limited to the above objectives, and other objectives not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0009] To achieve the above and other objectives, a method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle to avoid collisions according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps: determining whether an accelerator pedal has been misoperated when an obstacle is detected in the driving path; switching the driving mode to a mode in which the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force in response to determining that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated; adjusting the engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation; and adjusting the electric motor's torque based on a first vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle.

[0010] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a hybrid electric vehicle includes: an electric motor; an engine; and a collision avoidance control device. The collision avoidance control device includes: a determining unit configured to: determine whether an accelerator pedal has been misoperated when an obstacle is detected in the driving path; and a controller configured to: when the determining unit determines that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, switch the driving mode to a mode in which the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force, adjust the engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation, and adjust the electric motor's torque based on a first vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 An example of the structure of a powertrain for a parallel hybrid electric vehicle to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control system for a hybrid electric vehicle to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a collision avoidance control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 4 An example of a process for limiting the torque of an electric motor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a collision avoidance control process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017] Figure 6 An example of output notification information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] It should be understood that the terms "vehicle" or "of a vehicle" or other similar terms as used herein include motor vehicles in general, such as passenger vehicles including SUVs, buses, trucks, and various commercial vehicles, watercraft including various boats and vessels, and aircraft, and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As mentioned herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle with two or more power sources, such as a vehicle that has both gasoline and electric power.

[0019] Although the exemplary implementation is described as using multiple units to perform the exemplary process, it should be understood that the exemplary process can also be performed by one or more modules. Furthermore, it is understood that the term "controller" / "control unit" refers to a hardware device including a memory and a processor, specifically programmed to perform the processes described herein. The memory is configured to store modules, and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes further described below.

[0020] Furthermore, the control logic of the present invention can be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions that are executed by a processor, controller / control unit, etc. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, optical disc (CD)-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash drive, smart card, and optical data storage device. The computer-readable recording medium can also be distributed across a network-connected computer system, enabling distributed storage and execution of the computer-readable medium, for example, via a telematics server or controller area network (CAN).

[0021] The terminology used herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that, when used in this specification, the words “comprising” and / or “including” specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the word “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0022] Unless otherwise specified or obvious from the context, the term "about" shall be understood to mean within the normal tolerance range in this field, such as within 2 standard deviations of the mean. "About" may be understood to mean within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. All numerical values ​​provided herein are modified by the term "about" unless otherwise clearly understood from the context.

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms, and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, for clarity, portions unrelated to the description of the invention will be omitted. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements. The same reference numerals used throughout the specification denote the same constituent elements.

[0024] Before describing a hybrid electric vehicle and a method for controlling the hybrid electric vehicle to avoid a collision according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the structure and control system of a hybrid electric vehicle to which an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be applied will first be described.

[0025] Figure 1 An example of the structure of a powertrain for a parallel hybrid electric vehicle to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied is shown. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the powertrain of a hybrid electric vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, wherein a drive electric motor 140 and an engine clutch (EC) 130 are mounted between an internal combustion engine (ICE) 110 and a transmission 150.

[0026] In this type of vehicle, when the driver engages the accelerator pedal after starting the vehicle, the electric motor 140 is first driven by the battery with the engine clutch 130 open. The power from the electric motor is then transmitted to the wheels via the transmission 150 and the final drive (FD) 160 to rotate the wheels (i.e., EV mode). When the vehicle accelerates and requires greater driving force, the starter / generator 120 operates to drive the engine 110.

[0027] When the engine 110 and electric motor 140 rotate at equal speeds, the engine clutch 130 is locked, so either the engine 110 or only the electric motor 140 drives the vehicle (i.e., switching from EV mode to HEV mode). When predetermined engine shutdown conditions are met, for example, when the vehicle decelerates, the engine clutch 130 disengages, and the engine 110 stops (i.e., switching from HEV mode to EV mode). Additionally, when the hybrid electric vehicle decelerates, the driving force of the wheels is converted into electrical energy, and this electrical energy is used to charge the battery; this is known as regenerative braking or brake energy recovery.

[0028] The starter / generator 120 can function as a starter when starting the engine, and as a generator when harvesting the engine's rotational energy after the engine has started or when the engine is turned off. Therefore, the starter / generator 120 can also be referred to as a "hybrid starter-generator (HSG)" or, in some cases, as an "auxiliary electric motor".

[0029] Based on the above structure, the driving modes of the hybrid electric vehicle will be described in more detail below. EV mode is primarily used for situations where the vehicle speed is low and the torque demand is low. In EV mode, the engine clutch 130 is open, and only the electric motor 140 serves as the power source to transmit torque to the wheels.

[0030] HEV mode is primarily used when vehicle speed is high and high torque is required. In HEV mode, both the engine 110 and the electric motor 140 serve as power sources. HEV mode can be divided into HEV series mode and HEV parallel mode. In HEV series mode, the engine clutch 130 is open (i.e., the engine 110 and the drive shaft are disconnected from each other), the power of the engine 110 is used to generate power in the HSG 120, and only the electric motor 140 directly generates driving force. Conversely, in HEV parallel mode, the engine clutch 130 is locked, so both the driving force of the engine 110 and the driving force of the electric motor 140 are transmitted to the wheels.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control system for a hybrid electric vehicle to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied. (Refer to...) Figure 2In a hybrid electric vehicle to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied, the internal combustion engine 110 can be operated via an engine control unit (controller) 210, and the torque of the starter / generator 120 and drive motor 140 can be operated via an electric motor control unit (MCU) 220. The engine clutch 130 can be operated via a clutch control unit 230. Specifically, the engine control unit 210 is referred to as an engine management system (EMS). Additionally, the transmission 150 can be operated via a transmission control unit 250.

[0032] Each control unit or controller can be connected to the hybrid control unit (HCU) 240 (which acts as a higher-level controller to control the entire mode switching process) and can provide the hybrid control unit 240 with information required for engine clutch control and / or engine stop control when switching drive modes or shifting gears, or can perform operations in response to control signals under the operation of the hybrid control unit 240.

[0033] For example, the hybrid power control unit 240 can be configured to determine whether to perform a mode switch between EV mode and HEV mode based on the vehicle's driving status. Therefore, the hybrid power control unit can be configured to determine the timing of opening the engine clutch 130. When the engine clutch 130 is open, the hybrid power control unit can be configured to perform hydraulic control (in the case of a wet engine clutch) or torque capacity control (in the case of a dry engine clutch). Additionally, the hybrid power control unit 240 can be configured to determine the state of the engine clutch 130 (e.g., locked, slipped, open, etc.) and can be configured to adjust the timing of stopping fuel injection into the engine 110.

[0034] Additionally, the hybrid power control unit can be configured to send a torque command for adjusting the torque of the starter / generator 120 to the electric motor control unit 220 to control engine shutdown, thereby controlling the recovery of engine rotational energy. Furthermore, the hybrid power control unit 240 can be configured to determine mode switching conditions and operate the lower-level controller to perform mode switching when executing drive mode switching control.

[0035] Of course, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the connection relationships between the controllers and the functions / divisions of the controllers described above are merely illustrative and not limited by names. For example, the hybrid power control unit 240 may be implemented such that its functions are provided by any controller other than the hybrid power control unit 240 itself, or its functions may be separated and provided by two or more other controllers.

[0036] Figure 1 and Figure 2The above configuration is merely an exemplary configuration for hybrid electric vehicles. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that hybrid electric vehicles to which exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be applied are not limited to having the above configuration.

[0037] In the following, collision avoidance control according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the above configuration of the hybrid electric vehicle.

[0038] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention proposes a technique that, when the accelerator pedal is operated while the vehicle is locked in a certain gear and traveling in one direction with the distance to an obstacle in the vehicle's path less than a predetermined distance, the torque of the hybrid electric vehicle is limited based on the vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle. Specifically, the powertrain can be operated to enter HEV series mode, and the engine's RPM can be adjusted based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation, allowing the driver to detect erroneous accelerator pedal operation by hearing engine noise. See below for further details. Figure 3 This describes the configuration of the control device used to achieve this.

[0039] Figure 3 This is an example diagram illustrating the configuration of a collision avoidance control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The collision avoidance control device 300 according to an exemplary embodiment may include a determination unit 310 and a controller 320.

[0040] The determining unit 310 may include: a misoperation determining unit 311, configured to detect a misoperation of the accelerator pedal and determine whether to execute collision avoidance control; and a control release unit 313, configured to determine whether the misoperation of the accelerator pedal has ended and release the collision avoidance control.

[0041] The controller 320 can be configured to receive instructions from the determining unit 310 to execute or deactivate collision avoidance control, and can also be configured to acquire information about the distance to objects present in the vehicle's travel path. In response to receiving instructions from the determining unit 310 to execute collision avoidance control, the controller 320 can be configured to set the drive mode to HEV series mode and adjust the operating states of the electric motor and engine. Additionally, the controller 320 can be configured to, upon control activation, output a warning message indicating accelerator pedal misoperation via a predetermined output device (e.g., an instrument cluster display or a speaker).

[0042] The operation of the components of the collision avoidance control device 300 will be described in more detail below. The determination unit 310 may be configured to: receive information about whether the hybrid electric vehicle is ready to drive (i.e., HEV ready, corresponding to "IG on" for a conventional vehicle); information about the currently selected gear; information about the distance to objects present in the vehicle's driving path (i.e., in front of or behind the vehicle); information about the value of the accelerator pedal position sensor (APS); and information about the value of the brake pedal position sensor (BPS).

[0043] Information about the currently selected gear can be obtained from the transmission control unit 250, and distance information can be obtained through sensors configured to detect distance (e.g., vision sensors, radar, or lidar), or through a controller configured to operate distance detection sensors (e.g., an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) control unit). APS or BPS values ​​can be obtained directly from the respective sensors, or through another controller configured to operate the powertrain (e.g., engine control unit 210), but are not limited thereto.

[0044] The misoperation determination unit 311 can be configured to: when the vehicle's current state is "HEV ready", when a specific gear is locked (i.e., drive (D) or reverse (R)) causing the vehicle to travel in one direction, and when the distance to an object in the vehicle's travel path is less than a predetermined distance D. thr In the event that the driver operates or engages the accelerator pedal, collision avoidance control as described in the exemplary embodiment is initiated.

[0045] Specifically, this can be achieved by using v avg_2 Multiply by t collision_2 To obtain D thr v avg_2 This indicates that the vehicle's speed at t is determined by the amount of accelerator pedal input by the driver. collision_2 The average speed curve during the period, while t collision_2 This represents a fixed value (e.g., 3 seconds). However, t can be variably set based on vehicle specifications and driving conditions. collision_2 The speed curve can be calculated using a formula based on the APS value, based on the driving mode (e.g., EV mode or HEV mode) and the current vehicle speed. Alternatively, multiple speed curves can be provided in advance based on at least one of the driving mode, current vehicle speed, and APS value, but this is not a limitation.

[0046] In the case where collision avoidance control is activated by determination by misoperation determination unit 311, when the driver performs an operation indicating his / her intention to release collision avoidance control (e.g., engaging the brake pedal or shifting the gear to neutral (N) or parking (P), control release unit 313 can be configured to instruct controller 320 to release control.

[0047] In response to receiving a control entry signal from the misoperation determination unit 311, the controller 320 can be configured to activate collision avoidance control. During collision avoidance control, the drive mode can be HEV series mode. Therefore, the engine clutch 130 can be operated to enter the open state, and the engine 110 can be operated in idle state when control is entered. When the driver operates the accelerator pedal, the controller 320 can be configured to adjust the RPM of the engine 110 based on the APS value. For example, the engine RPM can be adjusted as a function of the APS value (fnc1(APS)). Therefore, although the vehicle acceleration is limited by limiting the torque of the electric motor (described later), the driver can intuitively identify the misoperation of the accelerator pedal by the sound produced by the increase in the engine RPM.

[0048] Additionally, the controller 320 can be configured to limit the torque of the electric motor that generates the force to drive the vehicle at multiple stages, based on the vehicle speed curve and the distance to the object. For example, when the torque of the electric motor 140 is motorTq, the torque of the electric motor can be obtained as follows: motorTq = fnc2(vehicle speed curve, distance to the object).

[0049] Furthermore, assuming the motor torque is limited to two stages, if v avg_1 Multiply by t collision_1 If the obtained value is equal to or less than the distance to an object present in the driving path, it corresponds to the first stage, and the torque is limited to "motorTq" calculated using the above equation. If by v avg_1 Multiply by t collision_1 If the obtained value is greater than the distance to an object in the driving path, it corresponds to the second stage, and the torque is limited to a value less than "motorTq" calculated using the above equation (e.g., zero). Specifically, v avg_1 This indicates that the vehicle's speed at t is determined by the amount of accelerator pedal input by the driver. collision_1 The average speed curve during the period, and t collision_1 This represents a fixed value (e.g., 1 second). However, t can be variably set based on vehicle specifications and driving conditions. collision_1 The value of t. Preferably, t collision_1 Set to less than t collision_2 .

[0050] Figure 4 An example of a process for limiting the torque of an electric motor is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 4 Under normal circumstances, the torque of an electric motor tends to increase with the increase of the APS value. However, when the torque limiting control according to the exemplary embodiment is activated, the torque of the electric motor can be limited to the value of "fnc2(vehicle speed curve, distance to object)" instead of the APS value.

[0051] Meanwhile, the above reference Figure 3 The described collision avoidance control device 300 can be implemented as a standalone control unit or as the function of the hybrid control unit 240. However, this is merely illustrative, and the implementation is not limited thereto.

[0052] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a collision avoidance control process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The misoperation determination unit 311 can be configured to: when the vehicle's current state is "HEV ready" ("Yes" in S501), lock a specific gear (i.e., D or R) causing the vehicle to travel in one direction ("Yes" in S502), or when the distance to an object in the vehicle's travel path is less than a predetermined distance D. thr (Yes in S503), and when the driver operates the accelerator pedal (Yes in S504), it is determined that collision avoidance control according to the exemplary embodiment will begin.

[0053] The controller 320 can be configured to activate collision avoidance control in response to a control entry command from the misoperation determination unit 311. In other words, the controller 320 can be configured to execute control to switch the drive mode to HEV series mode (S505). For example, the hybrid power control unit 240 can be configured to operate the engine clutch 130 to enter an open state in response to a control command from the controller 320.

[0054] Additionally, the controller 320 can be configured to adjust the engine speed (engine RPM) based on the APS value (i.e., fnc1(APS)) (S506), and can be configured to adjust the electric motor torque based on the vehicle speed curve and the distance to objects present in the driving path (S507). As described above, the torque can be adjusted based on the vehicle speed curve and the distance to objects present in the driving path. avg_1 Multiply by t collision_1 The obtained values ​​and the distance to objects in the driving path limit the motor torque to "fnc2 (vehicle speed curve, distance to object)" or 0 at multiple stages. Additionally, the controller 320 can be configured as an operation output unit to output notification information to the driver regarding operational errors (S508).

[0055] Figure 6 An example of output notification information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 6 Notification information can be output through area 410 of the instrument cluster 400 (a display configured to show graphics). However, this is merely illustrative, and the notification information can be output as warning lights rather than graphics. Of course, the notification information can be displayed through a head-up display (HUD) or the head unit's display instead of the instrument cluster.

[0056] Continue to refer to Figure 5 After the collision avoidance control is activated, when the driver shifts the gear to N or P (Yes in S509) or operates the brake pedal (Yes in S510), the control release unit 313 can be configured to determine the end of control (S511) and can be configured to send a control release command to the controller 320.

[0057] Therefore, the controller 320 can be configured to deactivate collision avoidance control. When collision avoidance control is deactivated, the hybrid power control unit 240 can be configured to perform powertrain control according to default settings. Specifically, the default settings can be settings that control the powertrain based on battery status, APS value, BPS value, etc., under normal driving conditions, rather than the settings described above in HEV series mode that adjust engine speed based on the accelerator pedal and adjust motor torque based on vehicle speed and distance.

[0058] This invention can be implemented as code writable on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and thus readable by a computer system. Non-transitory computer-readable recording media include all types of recording devices that store data readable by a computing system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), optical disc ROM (CD-ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0059] As is evident from the above description, the hybrid electric vehicle according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, configured as described above, can achieve more effective collision avoidance control. Specifically, in the event of accidental accelerator pedal operation, collision avoidance control can be performed based on vehicle speed and distance to obstacles in the driving path, and the engine speed can be adjusted based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation even when the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft, thereby allowing the driver to visually identify accidental accelerator pedal operation.

[0060] However, the effects achievable by the present invention are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the above description other effects not mentioned herein.

[0061] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention as described herein. Therefore, the above detailed description is not intended to limit the invention in all respects, but should be considered as exemplary. The scope of the invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all equivalent modifications made without departing from the invention should be included in the following appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle to avoid a collision, comprising the following steps: In response to the detection of an obstacle in the vehicle's travel path, the controller determines whether the accelerator pedal has been misoperated. In response to determining that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, the controller switches the drive mode to a mode in which the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force. After the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft, the engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) are increased via the controller based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation; and The torque of the electric motor is adjusted by the controller based on the first vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The switching steps include: opening the engine clutch located between the electric motor and the engine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of adjusting the torque of the electric motor includes setting the torque of the electric motor to a first limiting torque when the first distance obtained by multiplying the first vehicle speed by the first time period is equal to or less than the distance to the obstacle, and wherein the first vehicle speed is the average speed of a first speed curve obtained during the first time period based on the operation of the accelerator pedal.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The step of adjusting the torque of the motor further includes: when the first distance obtained by multiplying the first vehicle speed by the first time period is greater than the distance to the obstacle, setting the torque of the motor to a second limiting torque that is less than the first limiting torque.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The second limiting torque is 0.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of determining whether the accelerator pedal has been misoperated is as follows: when the accelerator pedal is operated while the hybrid electric vehicle is in a driving-ready state, in a state where it has been shifted into a driving gear or a reverse gear, and when the distance to the obstacle is less than a second distance, the accelerator pedal is determined to have been misoperated.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The second distance is obtained by multiplying the second vehicle speed by the second time period, wherein the second vehicle speed is the average speed of a second speed curve obtained during the second time period based on the operation of the accelerator pedal.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step: When shifted to neutral or park, or when the brake pedal is operated, the electric motor and the engine are operated according to the default settings.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step: In response to determining that the accelerator pedal has been malfunctioned, the controller outputs information indicating the malfunction through a predetermined output unit.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium comprising a program configured to perform the method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle to avoid a collision as described in claim 1.

11. A hybrid electric vehicle, comprising: Electric motor; engine; as well as Collision avoidance control device, The collision avoidance control device includes: The determining unit is configured to: determine whether the accelerator pedal has been erroneously operated when an obstacle is detected in the driving path; and The controller is configured to: when the determining unit determines that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, switch the drive mode to a mode in which the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft and the electric motor generates driving force; after the engine is disconnected from the drive shaft, increase the engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) based on the amount of accelerator pedal operation, and adjust the torque of the electric motor based on a first vehicle speed and the distance to the obstacle.

12. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, When the determining unit determines that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated, the controller is configured to open the engine clutch located between the electric motor and the engine.

13. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, The controller is configured to set the torque of the electric motor to a first limiting torque when the first distance obtained by multiplying the first vehicle speed by the first time period is equal to or less than the distance to the obstacle, and wherein the first vehicle speed is the average speed of a first speed curve obtained during the first time period based on the operation of the accelerator pedal.

14. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein, The controller is configured to set the torque of the electric motor to a second limiting torque that is less than the first limiting torque when the first distance obtained by multiplying the first vehicle speed by the first time period is greater than the distance to the obstacle.

15. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 14, wherein, The second limiting torque is 0.

16. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, The determining unit is configured to determine that the accelerator pedal has been misoperated when the hybrid electric vehicle is in a driving-ready state, in a state of shifting into a driving gear or a reverse gear, and in a state where the distance to the obstacle is less than a second distance.

17. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 16, wherein, The second distance is obtained by multiplying the second vehicle speed by the second time period, wherein the second vehicle speed is the average speed of a second speed curve obtained during the second time period based on the operation of the accelerator pedal.

18. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, When shifted to neutral or park, or when the brake pedal is operated, the electric motor and the engine are operated according to the default settings.

19. The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising: The output unit is configured to output information indicating the malfunction when the determining unit determines that the accelerator pedal has been malfunctioned.

Citation Information

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