Vehicle including an accelerator pedal position sensor and control method for an accelerator pedal position sensor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle including an accelerator pedal position sensor and a control method of the accelerator pedal position sensor. The vehicle includes a drive motor, a battery, an accelerator pedal position sensor, and a controller configured to, during travel of the vehicle, determine an output signal change amount of the accelerator pedal position sensor for a plurality of SoC (state of charge) ranges of the battery within a time taken for each SoC of the battery to decrease by a preset amount due to discharge operating the drive motor, determine a change rate corresponding to a current power saving mode within a range of an output signal change rate per unit time determined based on the output signal change amounts of the plurality of SoC ranges, and operate the drive motor with the output signal change rate of the accelerator pedal position sensor limited within the determined change rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a vehicle including an accelerator pedal position sensor and a control method for the accelerator pedal position sensor to save drive energy. Background Technology

[0002] Various technologies are being developed to reduce vehicle power consumption. For example, Eco drive mode is a technology used to reduce unnecessary power consumption by limiting the torque output of the engine or electric motor or by effectively controlling load devices such as the air conditioning system.

[0003] Furthermore, regenerative braking systems have been proposed as a technology for reducing driving energy in electric vehicles. This regenerative braking system converts the vehicle's kinetic energy into electrical energy during braking, stores the converted energy in a battery, and then reuses this energy to drive the electric motor while the vehicle is in motion, thereby improving vehicle fuel economy.

[0004] As mentioned above, various technologies are being developed to reduce driving energy; however, these technologies have limitations in that they do not adequately consider the driving characteristics of individual drivers. For example, even when driving on the same road, the frequency and intensity of rapid acceleration or deceleration may vary depending on the driver. These driving habits directly affect energy consumption. Therefore, there is a need for a control method that can efficiently save energy by taking into account each driver's driving tendencies.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is provided solely to enhance understanding of the background of this disclosure. Therefore, the background section may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The various aspects of this disclosure are intended to provide a vehicle including an accelerator pedal position sensor and a control method for the accelerator pedal position sensor to save driving energy.

[0007] The technical objectives of the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the above-described technical objectives, and those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains should clearly understand from the following description other technical objectives not mentioned.

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the above and other objectives can be achieved by providing a vehicle including a drive motor, a battery, an accelerator pedal position sensor, and a controller. The controller can determine the amount of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple SoC ranges of the battery during vehicle operation, within a time period during which the battery's SoC (State of Charge) is reduced by a preset amount due to discharge to operate the drive motor. Furthermore, the controller can determine a rate of change corresponding to the current power-saving mode within a range of output signal change rates per unit time determined based on the amount of change in the output signal across the multiple SoC ranges, and limit the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change to operate the drive motor.

[0009] The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the multiple SoC ranges can be the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the beginning and end of each SoC range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each SoC range of the battery.

[0010] The power-saving mode can include multiple stages, and the controller can determine the corresponding rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

[0011] The controller can determine the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase among multiple phases based on the following equation:

[0012]

[0013] Where ΔAPS represents the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase, ΔAPS MAX ΔAPS represents the upper limit of the rate of change within the range of the output signal's rate of change per unit time. MIN The lower limit of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time is represented by N, where N represents the number of power saving mode stages, and m represents the integer corresponding to the current power saving mode stage among the multiple stages, 1≤m≤N.

[0014] The controller can determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on preset criteria, or it can determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode has been entered.

[0015] The controller can operate the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined rate of change when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a preset reference value and the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is less than or equal to the reference slope.

[0016] The controller can operate the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor when the vehicle speed is lower than the preset reference value or when the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than the reference slope, without considering the current power saving mode.

[0017] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a control method for an accelerator pedal position sensor is provided, comprising: determining, during vehicle operation, a change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple SoC ranges of the battery within a time period during which the battery's SoC (State of Charge) decreases by a preset amount due to discharge to drive the motor; determining, within a range of output signal change rates per unit time determined based on the change in the output signal of the multiple SoC ranges, a rate corresponding to a current power-saving mode; and operating the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change.

[0018] The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the multiple SoC ranges can be the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the beginning and end of each SoC range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each SoC range of the battery.

[0019] The power-saving mode may include multiple stages, and determining the rate of change may include: the controller determining the corresponding rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

[0020] Determining the rate of change may involve the controller determining the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase among multiple phases according to the following equation:

[0021]

[0022] Where ΔAPS represents the rate of change during the current power-saving mode phase, ΔAPS MAX ΔAPS represents the upper limit of the rate of change within the range of the output signal's rate of change per unit time. MIN The lower limit of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time is represented by N, where N represents the number of power saving mode stages, and m represents the integer corresponding to the current power saving mode stage among the multiple stages, 1≤m≤N.

[0023] The controller can determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on preset criteria, or it can determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode has been entered.

[0024] Operating the drive motor may include: the controller operating the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined rate of change when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a preset reference value and the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is less than or equal to a reference gradient.

[0025] Operating the drive motor can include: the controller operating the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor when the vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference value or when the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than a reference slope, without considering the current power saving mode.

[0026] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including: a drive motor; a battery; an accelerator pedal position sensor; and a controller. The controller can be configured to: determine, within a time period in which the battery's SoC (State of Charge) decreases by a preset amount, an amount of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple SoC ranges of the battery; determine a rate of change corresponding to a current power-saving mode within a range of output signal change rates per unit time determined based on the amount of change in the output signal across the multiple SoC ranges; and limit the rate of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change.

[0027] The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the multiple SoC ranges can be the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the beginning and end of each SoC range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each SoC range of the battery.

[0028] The power-saving mode can include multiple stages, and the controller is also configured to determine a corresponding rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

[0029] The controller is also configured to determine a phase for activating the power-saving mode based on preset criteria.

[0030] The controller is configured to determine a phase for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode is in use.

[0031] The controller can also be configured to operate the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor when the vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference value or the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than the reference slope, without considering the current power saving mode. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The above and other objects, features, and other advantages of this disclosure should be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a vehicle configuration according to the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure for determining the rate of change of a signal from an accelerator pedal position sensor to be limited.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the signal change rate of an accelerator pedal position sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when the vehicle enters a power-saving mode.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a time curve showing the signal value of the accelerator pedal position sensor and the corresponding battery SoC according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is a graph illustrating a method for determining the signal change of an accelerator pedal position sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0038] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a vehicle traveling on a road with different gradients according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0039] For the purpose of describing embodiments according to this disclosure, the following specific structural or functional descriptions of embodiments of this disclosure are merely illustrative. Embodiments according to this disclosure can be implemented in various other forms.

[0040] Various embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. This specification is not intended to limit this disclosure to the embodiments described herein, and different substitutions, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments should be interpreted as being within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0041] Unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with that in the context of the relevant art, and shall not be construed as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined in this specification.

[0042] In the following text, reference is made in detail to various embodiments of this disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Where possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar components.

[0043] In the following description of the embodiments, the term "preset" means that the value of a parameter is preset or determined in advance when the parameter is used in the process or algorithm. According to the embodiments, the value of the parameter may be set at the beginning of the process or algorithm, or it may be set during the execution of the process or algorithm.

[0044] The suffixes “module” and “unit” used for components in the following description are given for ease of description or may be used interchangeably, and do not have any distinguishing meaning or function in themselves.

[0045] In describing the embodiments, detailed descriptions of relevant known technologies have been omitted as necessary. It should be understood that the drawings are given below by way of illustration only and do not limit this disclosure, and this disclosure is intended to cover various substitutions, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0046] It should be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used in this document to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0047] Furthermore, it should be understood that when a component is “connected” or “coupled” to another component, the component may be directly connected or coupled to the other component, or indirectly connected or coupled to the other component through different components in between. Conversely, when a component is “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another component, it means that there are no intermediate components in between.

[0048] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intended to include the plural forms as well.

[0049] It should also be understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” as used herein only specify the presence of the stated features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0050] Furthermore, the term "unit" or "control unit" in the names of motor control units (MCUs), hybrid power control units (HCUs), etc., refers only to controllers that control specific vehicle functions, and does not refer to general-purpose functional units.

[0051] For example, each control unit may include a communication device for communicating with other control units or sensors, a memory for storing operating system or logic instructions and input / output information, and one or more processors for performing necessary determinations, operations, etc. When components, units, controllers, devices, elements, equipment, etc., of this disclosure are described as having a purpose or performing operations, functions, etc., the component, unit, controller, device, element, or equipment shall be considered herein to be "configured" to satisfy that purpose or perform that operation or function. Each component, unit, controller, device, element, equipment, etc., may be embodied independently or included as part of a device together with a processor and memory (such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium).

[0052] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a configuration of a vehicle 100 applicable to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] refer to Figure 1 The vehicle 100 may include an accelerator pedal position sensor (APS) 110, a drive unit 120, a battery management system (BMS) 130, a battery 140, and a vehicle control unit (VCU) 150. The individual components are described in more detail below. Throughout the following description, the term "controller" is used to refer to the vehicle control unit (VCU) 150.

[0054] First, the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 can detect the driver's accelerator pedal operation, generate an electrical signal corresponding to the detected operation, and transmit the electrical signal to the controller 150. The transmitted electrical signal can be used by the controller 150 to drive the drive motor 121 of the drive unit 120, which will be described in detail in conjunction with the controller 150.

[0055] In this embodiment, for example, the drive unit 120 may include a drive motor 121, an inverter 122, and a drive motor control unit (MCU) 123. First, the drive unit 120 can generate a driving force for vehicle movement and can transmit the generated driving force to the wheels of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the drive motor control unit 123 can receive information from the controller 150 regarding accelerator pedal operation detected by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, and can determine the torque required by the drive motor 121 based on the received accelerator pedal operation. The drive motor control unit 123 can determine the electrical energy required to provide the determined torque and can provide a control signal to the inverter 122 based on the determined electrical energy. The inverter 122 can receive direct current (DC) power supplied from the battery 140 and can convert the DC power to alternating current (AC) power based on the control signal provided by the drive motor control unit 123. The drive motor 121 can use the AC power converted by the inverter 122 to form a magnetic field, and can generate torque through the formed magnetic field to drive the wheels of the vehicle 100.

[0056] The battery management system 130 can monitor the voltage, current, temperature, and other states of the battery 140 in real time for the effective operation of the battery 140. In this embodiment, the battery management system 130 can provide the controller 150 with information about the SoC (State of Charge) of the battery 140. The controller 150 can determine the rate of change of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each SoC range of the battery 140 based on the SoC information of the battery 140 provided by the battery management system 130 and the signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 transmitted from the accelerator pedal position sensor 110. This will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the controller 150.

[0057] The controller 150 can be used as a higher-level control unit for performing overall control of the electric vehicle's power electronics (PE) system, including the drive system. In this embodiment, the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 of the drive unit 110 based on signals received from the accelerator pedal position sensor 110.

[0058] In this embodiment, the controller 150 can determine the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for multiple SoC ranges of the battery 140 during driving, within the time it takes for the SoC of the battery 140 to decrease by a preset amount due to discharge to operate the drive motor 121. According to some embodiments, each of the multiple SoC ranges of the battery may correspond to the time it takes for the battery's SoC to decrease by a preset amount. Various methods exist for the controller 150 to determine the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 within the time period described above; however, in this embodiment, two methods are proposed. First, the controller 150 can determine the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 as the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 at the beginning and end of each SoC range of the battery 140. Second, the controller 150 can determine the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 as the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 in each SoC range of the battery 140. (Reference) Figure 5 and Figure 6 The method for determining the amount of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 is described in more detail below. The above-described method for determining the amount of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 is provided only by way of example, and this disclosure is not intended to be limited thereto.

[0059] The controller 150 can determine the rate of change of the output signal per unit time based on the time spent in each SoC range of the battery 140 and the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 as determined above. The controller 150 can then determine the rate of change corresponding to the power-saving mode within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each SoC range of the determined battery 140.

[0060] In vehicle 100, the power-saving mode allows controller 150 to stop the operation of high-power sensors, or to put sensors, etc., into a low-power state to minimize the power consumption of battery 140. In this embodiment, when vehicle 100 enters power-saving mode, controller 150 can limit the signal change rate of accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to reduce the power consumed by drive motor 121.

[0061] In this embodiment, the power-saving mode can be a criterion for determining the rate of change of the signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, which is limited by the controller 150. Specifically, the power-saving mode can be divided into multiple stages. The controller 150 can determine a corresponding rate of change within a range of output signal change rates per unit time for each of the multiple stages of the power-saving mode, for each of the multiple SoC ranges of the battery 140, and the rate of change is different for different stages. The method for determining the different output signal change rates of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each stage can vary, but in this embodiment, the controller 150 can determine the rate of change corresponding to the current power-saving mode stage among the multiple stages according to the following Equation 1.

[0062] [Equation 1]

[0063]

[0064] Here, ΔAPS represents the rate of change in the stage corresponding to the current power-saving mode. MAX ΔAPS represents the upper limit of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time within the range defined for each SoC range of battery 140. MIN The lower limit of the rate of change is defined within a range of output signal change rates per unit time for each SoC range of battery 140, where N represents the number of power-saving mode stages, and m represents an integer corresponding to the current power-saving mode stage among the multiple stages, 1 ≤ m ≤ N. A method for determining the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 corresponding to the current power-saving mode stage is provided only by way of example, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] For example, controller 150 may determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on a preset standard or a mode entry command received from the driver. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and controller 150 may determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode on other bases.

[0066] Under preset conditions, the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 of the drive unit 120 by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 based on the rate of change of the output signal of each power-saving mode determined as described above. In this embodiment, the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change of the output signal when the speed of the vehicle 100 is equal to or higher than a preset reference value and the gradient of the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is less than or equal to a reference gradient. The controller 150 can also operate the drive motor 121 based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 when the speed of the vehicle 100 is lower than a preset reference value or the gradient of the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is greater than a reference gradient, regardless of the current power-saving mode. The reason for the above conditions is as follows. For example, when a vehicle 100 traveling at a speed lower than a preset reference speed enters a highway, the vehicle 100 inevitably has to accelerate rapidly to match the vehicle traveling in the main lane. In this scenario, controller 150 may need to operate drive motor 121 without limiting the rate of change of the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110. Furthermore, when vehicle 100 is traveling on a road with a gradient greater than a preset reference gradient, high torque is required to prevent vehicle 100 from slipping backward. Therefore, controller 150 may need to operate drive motor 121 based on the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110 without limiting the rate of change of the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110. The above conditions are provided only as embodiments, and this disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0067] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining the rate of change of the signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be limited, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0068] refer to Figure 2 The controller 150 can first determine whether the vehicle 100 is driving and whether the SoC of the battery 140 is decreasing due to the operation of the drive motor 121 of the drive unit 120 by discharging, for example from a fully or fully charged state or currently decreasing (S210).

[0069] When the vehicle 100 is in motion and the SoC of the battery 140 decreases due to the operation of the drive motor 121 via discharge (Yes in S210), the controller 150 can receive information about the SoC of the battery 140 from the battery management system 130. The controller 150 can store the signal change of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 output within the time it takes for the SoC of the battery 140 to decrease by a preset amount (S220). In this embodiment, the signal change of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 can be determined by the method described above, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0070] If the vehicle 100 does not accelerate via the signal output by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 or the SoC of the battery 140 does not decrease (No in S210), the controller 150 may omit the process of determining the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each power-saving mode (S220, S230, S240 and S250).

[0071] The controller 150 can determine the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each SoC range of the battery 140 based on the time spent reducing the SoC by a preset amount and the amount of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 as determined above (S230).

[0072] The controller 150 can determine the range of the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each SoC range (S240), and can determine, within the determined range, the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be limited for each power-saving mode of the vehicle 100 (S250). Various methods may exist for the controller 150 to determine the rate of change of the output signal to be limited for each power-saving mode, but in this embodiment, Equation 1 can be used to determine it. Equation 1 is provided as an example and does not limit this disclosure.

[0073] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the signal change rate of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 when the vehicle 100 enters a power-saving mode, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] First, the controller 150 can receive a command or input from the driver to enter the power-saving mode, or it can activate the power-saving mode according to preset criteria (S310).

[0075] When the power saving mode is activated (in S310), the controller 150 can determine whether the vehicle 100 is accelerating at a speed equal to or higher than the preset speed (S320), and whether the vehicle 100 is driving on a road with a gradient greater than the preset gradient (S330).

[0076] If the power-saving mode is not activated (No in S310), the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 without limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110.

[0077] When vehicle 100 accelerates to a speed equal to or higher than a preset speed and is traveling on a road with a gradient less than or equal to a preset gradient (Yes in S320, and No in S330), controller 150 can limit the rate of change of the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110 based on the rate of change of the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110 corresponding to the current power-saving mode (S340). Then, controller 150 can operate drive motor 121 based on the limited rate of change of the output signal of accelerator pedal position sensor 110 (S350).

[0078] When the vehicle 100 is traveling at a speed lower than the preset speed or on a road with a gradient greater than the preset gradient (No in S320 and Yes in S330), the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 based on the output signal from the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, regardless of the current power saving mode.

[0079] Figure 4 This is a time curve showing the signal value of the accelerator pedal position sensor and the corresponding battery SoC according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] refer to Figure 4 The horizontal axis of the graphs is the time axis, and both graphs share the same time axis. Graph 410 shows the signal value of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, which changes continuously over time. Graph 420 was obtained by modeling the moments when the SoC of battery 140 decreases by a preset amount over time using the Dirac delta function.

[0081] Referring to graph 410, output signal change rates 411, 413, 415, and 417 are shown among the continuously changing signal values ​​of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110. Output signal change rates 411, 413, 415, and 417 are the rates of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each SoC range of the battery 140, determined by the controller 150, as the SoC of the battery 140 decreases due to discharge from the drive motor 121. The controller 150 can determine the rate of change corresponding to the current power-saving mode from the output signal change rates 411, 413, 415, and 417 of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 derived from graph 410. For example, in this embodiment, the controller 150 can use Equation 1 to determine the rate of change corresponding to the current power saving mode based on the upper limit 411 and the lower limit 417 of the rate of change of the output signal among 411, 413, 415 and 417 derived from the curve 410, and can limit the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change.

[0082] In the following text, see references Figure 5 and Figure 6 The method for deriving the amount of variation of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 for each SoC range of the battery 140 is described in detail. This amount of variation is a standard used to determine the rate of change 411, 413, 415 and 417 of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110.

[0083] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is a graph illustrating a method for determining the signal change of an accelerator pedal position sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0084] refer to Figure 5 ,and Figure 4 Similarly, graph 410a continuously shows the signal values ​​of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 over time. Graph 420a, corresponding to graph 410a, is obtained by modeling the moment when the SoC of battery 140 decreases by a preset amount using the Dirac delta function.

[0085] In this embodiment, the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 derived from the SoC range 510 of the battery 140 can be the absolute value of the difference 540 between the signal value 520 output by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 at the beginning of the SoC range 510 of the battery 140 and the signal value 530 output by the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 at the end of the SoC range 510 of the battery 140.

[0086] refer to Figure 6 It shows the relationship with Figure 5 The same curve is shown in the figure. However, the signal change of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, derived from the SoC range 510 of battery 140, can be compared with... Figure 5 The amount of signal change in the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 is different. Specifically, the controller 150 can determine the amount of change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 as the difference 630 between the upper limit 610 and the lower limit 620 of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 output according to the SoC range 510 of the battery 140.

[0087] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The method for determining the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 is provided as an embodiment, and the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0088] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a vehicle 100 traveling on a road with different gradients according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] refer to Figure 7 When the power-saving mode is activated while the vehicle 100 is traveling on flat road 710, flat road 730, and flat road 750 and the vehicle 100 is accelerating at a speed equal to or higher than a preset reference speed, the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be equal to or lower than the rate of change of the output signal corresponding to the current power-saving mode.

[0090] When the vehicle is traveling on a road segment 720 with an inclination of θ, and when θ is greater than a preset slope, the drive motor 121 can be operated based on the output signal from the accelerator pedal position sensor 110, regardless of the rate of change of the output signal corresponding to the current power saving mode, to ensure high torque to prevent the vehicle 100 from slipping backward due to the road slope θ.

[0091] On the other hand, when the vehicle 100 is traveling on the downhill section 740, it is not necessary to ensure high torque. Therefore, when the vehicle 100 accelerates at a speed equal to or higher than the preset reference speed, the controller 150 can operate the drive motor 121 by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor 110 to be equal to or lower than the rate of change of the output signal corresponding to the current power saving mode.

[0092] According to the above implementation method, by taking into account the driver's accelerator pedal operation, the consumption of driving energy of vehicle 100 can be effectively reduced.

[0093] It should be apparent from the above description that the consumption of driving energy can be reduced by controlling the accelerator pedal position sensor in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] Specifically, by controlling the change in the signal from the accelerator pedal position sensor, the vehicle's driving energy can be used effectively, taking into full account the driver's rapid acceleration tendencies.

[0095] The effects that can be obtained through the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and those skilled in the art should clearly understand from the description other effects not mentioned.

[0096] Although some embodiments of this disclosure have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure as disclosed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: Drive motor; Battery; Accelerator pedal position sensor; as well as The controller is configured as follows: During vehicle operation, within the time period in which the state of charge of the battery decreases by a preset amount due to discharge to operate the drive motor, the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple state of charge ranges of the battery is determined. Within the range of the output signal change rate per unit time determined based on the output signal change amount across the multiple states of charge ranges, a change rate corresponding to the current power-saving mode is determined; and The drive motor is operated by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a determined rate of change.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the plurality of states of charge ranges is the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the start and end points of each state of charge range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each state of charge range of the battery.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The power-saving mode includes multiple stages, and the controller is also configured to determine a corresponding rate of change within a range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, The controller is also configured to determine the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase among the plurality of phases according to the following equation: Wherein, ΔAPS represents the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase, ΔAPS MAX This represents the upper limit of the rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time. ΔAPS MIN The lower limit of the rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time is given, N represents the number of power-saving mode stages, and m represents the integer corresponding to the current power-saving mode stage among the plurality of stages, 1≤m≤N.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, The controller is also configured to: determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on a preset criterion, or to determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode has been entered.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is also configured to operate the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined rate of change when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a preset reference value and the gradient of the road on which the vehicle travels is less than or equal to a reference gradient.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is also configured to operate the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor, without considering the current power-saving mode, when the vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference value or the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than a reference slope.

8. A control method for an accelerator pedal position sensor, comprising: The controller determines the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple states of charge ranges of the battery during the vehicle's operation, within the time period during which the battery's state of charge decreases by a preset amount due to discharge to operate the drive motor. The controller determines the rate of change corresponding to the current power-saving mode within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time, which is determined based on the change in the output signal based on the multiple states of charge ranges. as well as The controller operates the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a determined rate of change.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the plurality of states of charge ranges is the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the start and end points of each state of charge range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each state of charge range of the battery.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The power-saving mode includes multiple stages, and determining the rate of change includes: the controller determining a corresponding rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, Determining the rate of change includes the controller determining the rate of change in the current power-saving mode phase among the plurality of phases according to the following equation: Wherein, ΔAPS represents the rate of change during the current power-saving mode phase. MAX ΔAPS represents the upper limit of the rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time. MIN The lower limit of the rate of change within the range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time is given, N represents the number of power-saving mode stages, and m represents the integer corresponding to the current power-saving mode stage among the plurality of stages, 1≤m≤N.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The controller is configured to: determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on a preset criterion, or to determine a stage for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode has been entered.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein, Operating the drive motor includes: when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a preset reference value and the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is less than or equal to a reference gradient, the controller operates the drive motor by limiting the rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor to be equal to or lower than a determined rate of change.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein, Operating the drive motor includes: the controller operating the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor when the vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference value or the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than a reference slope, without considering the current power saving mode.

15. A vehicle comprising: Drive motor; Battery; Accelerator pedal position sensor; as well as The controller is configured as follows: During the time period in which the state of charge of the battery decreases by a preset amount, the change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for multiple state of charge ranges of the battery is determined. Within the range of the output signal change rate per unit time determined based on the output signal change amount across the multiple states of charge ranges, a change rate corresponding to the current power-saving mode is determined; and The rate of change of the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor is limited to be equal to or lower than the determined rate of change.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, The change in the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor for each of the plurality of states of charge ranges is the absolute value of the difference between the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor at the start and end points of each state of charge range of the battery, or the absolute value of the difference between the upper and lower limits of the signal values ​​output by the accelerator pedal position sensor in each state of charge range of the battery.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, The power-saving mode includes multiple stages, and the controller is also configured to determine a corresponding rate of change within a range of the rate of change of the output signal per unit time for each of the multiple stages, and the rate of change is different for different stages.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein, The controller is also configured to determine a phase for activating the power-saving mode based on a preset standard.

19. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein, The controller is configured to determine a phase for activating the power-saving mode based on input received from the driver indicating that the power-saving mode is to be entered.

20. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein, The controller is also configured to operate the drive motor based on the output signal of the accelerator pedal position sensor, without considering the current power-saving mode, when the vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference value or the slope of the road the vehicle is traveling on is greater than a reference slope.

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