VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

Abstract

A vehicle control device (50) for a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (12, 202) used as a power source and an automatic transmission (14, 16, 204), wherein the vehicle control device (50) performs a first driving mode in which shift control of the automatic transmission (14, 16, 204) and drive force control are provided in accordance with acceleration / deceleration by the driver, and a second driving mode in which shift control and drive force control are provided without acceleration / deceleration by the driver, while a target driving condition is set, wherein it has: a control section (66) for driving on an inclined road, which is configured to control the automatic transmission (14, 16, 204) in such a way that an internal combustion engine speed is maintained high during driving on an inclined road on at least one of the roads uphill road and downhill road compared to driving on a flat road, characterized in that the control section (66) for driving on an inclined road limits the increase in the combustion engine speed in the second driving mode compared to the first driving mode, The second driving mode includes a following driving mode in which a target drive force is calculated to enable following a preceding vehicle, and the target drive force is used as the target driving condition, while the steering angle is specified by the driver, and an automatic drive driving mode in which the target driving condition is set based on road information for automatic acceleration / deceleration, and the steering angle is automatically controlled based on the driving route, and The control section for driving on an inclined road makes the increase in the combustion engine speed in the following driving mode smaller than in the first driving mode, and makes the increase in the combustion engine speed in the automatic drive driving mode smaller than in the following driving mode.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present invention relates to an improvement of a vehicle control device with a driving mode in which a drive force control and a shift control are provided without acceleration / deceleration actuation by the driver. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] A technique has been proposed for a vehicle with an engine serving as the propulsion source and an automatic transmission, enabling the automatic transmission to be controlled to maintain a higher internal combustion engine speed while driving on an incline compared to driving on a flat road. An example of this device, described in JP 2005-76673A, maintains the internal combustion engine speed at a predetermined high level while driving uphill by limiting upshifts or downshifting in the automatic transmission, independent of accelerator pedal input, thus improving subsequent acceleration performance.JP 2010-90 980 A describes a technique for improving the feeling of acceleration by setting the combustion engine speed higher than usual during power-on driving (driving with the accelerator pedal depressed) on an uphill road. DE 10 2010 018 020 A1 teaches a vehicle control device for a hybrid vehicle with the options of driving solely on electric power, solely on a (diesel) combustion engine, or with a combination of these two drive sources. Further relevant prior art can be found in DE 10 2017 218 272 A1, EP 3 324 080 B1, and US 2016 / 0 347 314 A1, each of which also discloses a change in the operating point depending on the driving mode. JP 2016-175 502 A discloses a vehicle control device according to the preamble of independent claims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The problem to be solved by the invention

[0003] In recent years, a driving mode has been proposed to set a target driving condition, enabling drive force control and shift control without requiring acceleration / deceleration input from the driver, similar to automatic cruise control (constant speed driving control) described by way of example in JP 2010-90980A. In such a driving mode, it is also conceivable that the combustion engine speed is kept high on an uphill road to ensure drivability (drive force response).However, since the driver does not perform the acceleration / deceleration operation, the driver's requirement for drivability has a relatively low priority. Therefore, the driver is less likely to experience any discomfort, even if the drivability is somewhat poor. It is important to balance drivability with the increased fuel consumption resulting from setting the internal combustion engine speed higher. The same problem can also occur if the control system is designed to maintain a high internal combustion engine speed by downshifting in order to achieve engine braking on a downhill slope.

[0004] The present invention was designed with regard to the situations in mind, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to coordinate drivability and fuel consumption efficiency on an inclined road in a vehicle control device with a driving mode in which a drive force control is provided without any acceleration / deceleration actuation being performed. Solution to the problem

[0005] To solve the aforementioned problem, a first aspect of the invention provides for a vehicle control device with the features described in claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims. The present invention is defined by the claims. The aspects and embodiments described below are therefore not the subject of the claimed invention, unless they fall under claim 1. This applies even if such aspects or embodiments are described as "according to the invention" or the like.

[0006] The limitation of the combustion engine speed increase in the second driving mode includes the case of setting the combustion engine speed increase to zero or stopping the combustion engine rotation. Therefore, the control of the combustion engine speed increase while driving on an incline can be overridden by the control section for driving on an incline in the second driving mode.

[0007] A second aspect of the invention provides for a vehicle control device (a) for a vehicle with an internal combustion engine used as a power source and an automatic transmission, (b) wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle which further comprises an electric motor as a power source, wherein the vehicle control device comprises an engine driving mode which is executed by using the electric motor while the internal combustion engine is stopped, and an internal combustion engine driving mode which is executed by using the power of the internal combustion engine, (c) wherein the vehicle control device performs a first driving mode in which shift control of the automatic transmission and drive force control are provided in accordance with an acceleration / deceleration actuation by the driver, and a second driving mode in which shift control and drive force control are provided without an acceleration / deceleration actuation.while a target driving mode is set, wherein it comprises: (d) a control section for driving on an inclined road which controls the automatic transmission such that an internal combustion engine speed is maintained higher while driving on an inclined road on at least one of the roads uphill road and downhill road compared to driving on a flat road, (e) wherein the control section for driving on an inclined road limits the magnitude of the increase in the internal combustion engine speed in the second driving mode compared to the first driving mode.

[0008] A third aspect of the invention provides the vehicle control device according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the control section for driving on an inclined road actuates the internal combustion engine and controls the automatic transmission, so that the internal combustion engine speed is kept high during driving on an inclined road compared to driving on a flat road in the first driving mode, and stops the internal combustion engine in the second driving mode.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the invention provides a vehicle control device (a) for a hybrid vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, an electric generator rotatably driven by the internal combustion engine, and an electric motor for generating power from electrical energy produced by the electric generator, (b) wherein the vehicle control device performs a first driving mode in which drive force control is provided in accordance with an acceleration / deceleration input from the driver, and a second driving mode in which drive force control is provided without an acceleration / deceleration input while a target driving condition is set, wherein it comprises: (c) a control section for driving on an incline,which maintains a higher internal combustion engine speed while driving on an inclined road on at least one of the roads uphill road and downhill road compared to driving on a flat road, (d) wherein the control section for driving on an inclined road limits the magnitude of the increase in internal combustion engine speed in the second driving mode compared to the first driving mode.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the invention provides for the vehicle control device according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the hybrid vehicle is a series-type hybrid vehicle in which the internal combustion engine is used exclusively for electricity generation.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the invention provides the vehicle control device according to the fourth or fifth aspect of the invention, wherein the control section for driving on an inclined road keeps the internal combustion engine speed high during climbing the uphill road compared to driving on a flat road and makes the electrical power generated by the electric generator smaller during climbing the uphill road in the second driving mode compared to climbing the uphill road in the first driving mode.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the invention provides for the vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the fourth to sixth aspects of the invention, wherein the control section for driving on an inclined road actuates the internal combustion engine and keeps the internal combustion engine speed high during driving on an inclined road compared to driving on a flat road in the first driving mode, and stops the internal combustion engine in the second driving mode.

[0013] An eighth aspect of the invention provides the vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the first to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein the second driving mode has a following driving mode in which a target driving force is calculated to enable following driving for a preceding vehicle and the target driving force is used as the target driving condition.

[0014] A ninth aspect of the invention provides for the vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the first to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein the second driving mode has an automatic driving mode in which the desired driving state is set on the basis of road information for the automatic execution of acceleration / deceleration.

[0015] A tenth aspect of the invention provides a vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the first to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein (a) the second driving mode has a plurality of driving modes which differ in the degree of driver requirement for acceleration / deceleration, and wherein (b) the control section for driving on an inclined road makes the increase in the internal combustion engine speed smaller in the second driving mode in which the degree of requirement for acceleration / deceleration is small, compared to the second driving mode in which the degree of requirement for acceleration / deceleration is large.

[0016] The control system for reducing the increase in engine speed in the second driving mode, corresponding to the low degree of acceleration / deceleration required, includes the option of setting the increase in engine speed to zero or stopping the engine rotation altogether. Therefore, the control for increasing engine speed while driving on an incline can be overridden by the incline driving control section in the second driving mode, which is related to the low degree of acceleration / deceleration required.

[0017] An eleventh aspect of the invention provides for the vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the first to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein (a) the second driving mode comprises a following driving mode in which the target driving force is calculated to enable following a preceding vehicle and the target driving force is used as the target driving condition, and an automatic driving mode in which the target driving condition is set on the basis of road information for the automatic execution of acceleration / deceleration, and wherein (b) the control section for driving on an inclined road makes the increase in the size of the internal combustion engine speed smaller in the automatic driving mode compared to the following driving mode.

[0018] Since the acceleration / deceleration control is provided depending on the acceleration / deceleration of the preceding vehicle, the following driving mode is considered to have a greater degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement compared to the automatic drive driving mode, and can be regarded as the second driving mode in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is high in the tenth aspect of the invention, and the automatic drive driving mode can be regarded as the second driving mode in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is low in the tenth aspect of the invention.

[0019] A twelfth aspect of the invention provides the vehicle control device according to one of the aspects of the first to seventh aspects of the invention, wherein (a) the second driving mode comprises an automatic steering mode in which a steering angle is automatically controlled on the basis of road information and a manual steering mode in which the steering angle is actuated by a driver, and wherein (b) the control section for driving on an inclined road makes the increase in the combustion engine speed smaller in the automatic steering mode compared to the manual steering mode. Advantageous effects of the invention

[0020] The vehicle control device according to the first, second, and fourth aspects of the invention includes a control section for driving on an incline, which maintains a higher internal combustion engine speed while driving on an incline compared to driving on a flat road, thus achieving excellent drivability while driving on an incline. Furthermore, the magnitude of the increase in internal combustion engine speed is limited in the second driving mode compared to the first, thereby improving fuel efficiency. In the second driving mode, since the driver does not perform any acceleration / deceleration input, the driver's request for acceleration / deceleration is limited, making it less likely that the driver will experience any discomfort, even if drivability is somewhat poor due to the limitation of the increase in internal combustion engine speed.In particular, if the second driving mode has the automatic drive driving mode in which the desired driving state is set on the basis of road information for the automatic execution of acceleration / deceleration as in the ninth aspect of the invention, it is considered that prioritizing a smooth driving quality and fuel consumption efficiency over drivability corresponds to the occupant's intention.

[0021] In the tenth aspect of the invention, the increase in the combustion engine speed during the second driving mode, in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is low, is made smaller compared to the second driving mode, in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is high, and therefore fuel consumption efficiency can be further improved by making the increase in the combustion engine speed smaller during the second driving mode, in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is low, while ensuring drivability during the second driving mode, in which the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is high.More precisely, if the degree of driver demand (expectation) for acceleration / deceleration is greater, the driver's demand for drivability is considered higher, and therefore the increase in combustion engine speed is made greater than when the degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration is small, in order to ensure drivability while driving on an incline.

[0022] The eleventh aspect of the invention includes the following driving mode and the automatic drive driving mode as a second driving mode. The increase in engine speed during the automatic drive driving mode is smaller compared to the following driving mode, thus further improving fuel consumption efficiency by reducing the increase in engine speed during the automatic drive driving mode while ensuring drivability during the following driving mode. In particular, since the vehicle follows the preceding vehicle in the following driving mode, it is considered that the driver's acceleration / deceleration requirements are higher compared to the automatic drive driving mode. Therefore, the increase in engine speed is made larger compared to the automatic drive driving mode to ensure drivability when driving on an incline.

[0023] The twelfth aspect of the invention includes automatic steering mode and manual steering mode as a second driving mode. The increase in engine speed during automatic steering mode is smaller compared to manual steering mode, thus further improving fuel consumption efficiency. This smaller increase in engine speed during automatic steering mode ensures drivability during manual steering mode. In particular, the degree of driver input is greater in manual steering mode, as the driver controls the steering angle. It is considered that the level of driver input required for drivability is higher compared to automatic steering mode.Therefore, the increase in combustion engine speed is greater compared to the automatic steering mode to ensure drivability when driving on an inclined road. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic representation to illustrate a vehicle control device for a hybrid vehicle to which the present invention is applied, also showing a main section of a control system. Fig. Figure 2 is a collinear representation to explain a relative rotational speed for each rotational element of an electrical differential section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an engagement table to explain a variety of gear positions of an automatic transmission from Fig. 1 and friction engagement devices for establishing the gear positions. Fig. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of input / output signals from an electronic control device used in the vehicle's control unit. Fig. 1 is included. Fig. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a switching directory used when a control section of a multi-gear transmission is operated by Fig. 1 provides a switching control of an automatic transmission, and a power source switching directory is also shown. Fig. Figure 6 is a block diagram for the specific explanation of a function in relation to a drive system that is controlled by an automatic drive mode control section of Fig. 1 is implemented. Fig. Figure 7 is an exemplary time representation to illustrate changes in the operating state of sections when an uphill / downhill AI control is overridden by an uphill / downhill AI control section of Fig. 1 is planned. Fig. Figure 8 is a flowchart to explain an operation when an uphill / downhill AI control section limits the uphill / downhill AI control for each driving mode. Fig. Figure 9 is a diagram to illustrate a variety of simulated (total) gear positions produced by a multi-gear simulation control section, functionally integrated into a hybrid control section of Fig. 1 is included. Fig. Figure 10 is a diagram to illustrate a control range of an internal combustion engine when the simulated gear positions of Fig. 9 are manufactured, and an optimal fuel consumption efficiency line is also shown. Fig. Figure 11 is a flowchart to explain an operation where a multi-speed simulation control section limits a multi-speed simulation control for each driving mode. Fig. Figure 12 is a schematic representation to explain another vehicle drive device for a hybrid vehicle, to which the present invention is preferably applied. Fig. 13 is an intervention table for explaining a large number of gear positions of an automatic transmission. Fig. 12 and friction engagement devices for establishing the gear positions. Fig. Figure 14 is a schematic representation to explain yet another vehicle drive device for a hybrid vehicle, to which the present invention is preferably applied. MODES FOR EXECUTING THE INVENTION

[0024] The present invention is preferably applied to a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as a power source, and can also be applied to an internal combustion engine vehicle having only an internal combustion engine as a power source. The present invention is also applied to a series hybrid vehicle (see Hybrid Vehicle 230, which is described in Fig. Figure 14, for example, is applied, which comprises an internal combustion engine exclusively for electrical generation and an electric generator, as well as an electric motor for driving, wherein, when the internal combustion engine speed is increased for electrical generation while climbing an incline, that is, when the electrical power generated by the electric generator is increased, the magnitude of this increase can be changed depending on a driving mode. The internal combustion engine is a combustion engine, such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, which burns fuel to generate power, and a motor-generator, which can also be used as an electric generator, is preferably used as the electric motor.

[0025] A transmission used as an automatic transmission is a multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary gear type, a parallel shaft type, and so on, with a plurality of gear positions produced according to an engagement / release state and a plurality of friction engagement devices, or a continuously variable transmission of a belt type, and so on. The present invention is also applicable to a vehicle with an electric continuously variable transmission with a differential mechanism, such as a planetary gear mechanism, wherein an input element thereof is coupled to an internal combustion engine, a reaction force element thereof is coupled to an electric generator, and an output element thereof is coupled to drive wheels, such that the speed of the internal combustion engine is continuously variable by a speed control of the electric generator and transmitted to the output element.For example, if the combustion engine is started (i.e., put into an engaged state) while climbing an incline without an acceleration demand, in order to quickly generate driving power through the torque control of the electric generator at the time of subsequent acceleration, the combustion engine speed can be lower compared to the first driving mode, or the combustion engine rotation can be stopped altogether in the second driving mode. The combustion engine does not necessarily have to rotate itself and can simply be pulled and driven by the electric generator through torque control, and so on, by pulling and rotating. In this case, the rotation can be lower than an idle speed.

[0026] A target driving condition in the second driving mode includes, for example, a target vehicle speed, a target distance between vehicles, a target acceleration, a target propulsion force, a target braking force, a target steering angle, and so on. More precisely, the second driving mode can be a constant-speed driving mode, in which the target propulsion force is calculated so that a vehicle travels at a target vehicle speed set by a driver to perform constant-speed driving, where the vehicle travels at an essentially constant speed; a following driving mode, in which the target propulsion force is calculated based on a distance between vehicles to a preceding vehicle to perform following driving, where the vehicle travels at a predetermined target distance between vehicles; or an automatic drive driving mode.In this system, the target vehicle speed is successively set based on road information and other data from a route to calculate the target driving force and automatically control the steering angle for driving. Any of the two driving modes can be available when the present invention is implemented. If the steering angle is controlled by a driver in constant-speed driving mode and following driving mode, this can be considered a manual steering driving mode. If the steering angle is controlled automatically to drive in automatic drive mode, this can be considered an automatic drive driving mode. Driving force control can be provided based on a target torque and target acceleration.

[0027] The automatic drive mode can be a driving mode in which the target vehicle speed is sequentially set based on directory and route information, with the target drive force calculated as a function of the target vehicle speed and the steering angle automatically controlled according to the route. Alternatively, the automatic drive mode can be a driving mode in which surrounding road conditions, etc., are detected using a camera, etc., enabling parking in a garage, parallel parking, etc., without driver intervention. Another option is the automatic drive mode in which a vehicle is automatically pulled out of a parking area, etc.For example, the vehicle can be automatically dispatched along a predetermined route to a predetermined location, such as a house entrance, and various configurations are available. This automatic drive mode can be implemented not only as a manned automatic drive mode with an occupant, such as a driver, on board, but also as an unmanned automatic drive mode without any occupant, including a driver. In this description, the automatic drive mode refers to the case where the desired driving state is set based on at least road information to automatically execute acceleration / deceleration, and automatic steering angle control is not a requirement.Road information includes details about road gradients, curves, and so on, and can be obtained from directory information or captured via road-vehicle communication, etc. Alternatively, road information can be obtained from an image or video of traffic lanes, etc., using a camera.

[0028] A control section for driving on inclines directs the automatic transmission to maintain a higher engine speed while driving on inclines, on at least one of the roads designated as uphill or downhill, compared to driving on a flat road. This section can control the increase in engine speed on either uphill or downhill sections, or it can control the increase on both. In addition to limiting upshifts, the automatic transmission can also downshift to actively increase engine speed.

[0029] With regard to (a) a vehicle with an electric differential section that continuously and variably changes the speed of an internal combustion engine via a torque control of a rotary machine for differential action on an intermediate transmission element, and (b) an automatic transmission located between the intermediate transmission element and the drive wheels and capable of mechanically producing a multitude of gear positions differing in the gear ratio of the speed of the intermediate transmission element to an output speed of the automatic transmission, (c) in the case of a vehicle control device with a multi-gear simulation control section that controls the electric differential section so that a multitude of simulated gear positions are produced differing in the gear ratio of the internal combustion engine speed to the output speed of the automatic transmission, (d) is desirable,The multi-gear simulation in the second driving mode is limited compared to the first driving mode to suppress any deterioration in fuel consumption efficiency due to the multi-gear simulation. More precisely, a control range is restricted within which the combustion engine is allowed to operate during the multi-gear simulation to approximate an optimal fuel consumption efficiency line, or the multi-gear simulation can be deactivated in the second driving mode. [Examples]

[0030] Examples of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle drive unit 10 for a hybrid vehicle to which the present invention is applied, also showing a main section of a control system. This vehicle drive unit 10 comprises an internal combustion engine 12, an electric differential section 14, and an automatic transmission 16 in series. The internal combustion engine 12 is a fuel-injected engine, such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, and has an output controlled by an internal combustion engine output control device 40. The internal combustion engine output control device 40 comprises an electronic throttle valve 100, a fuel injection device 102, an ignition device 104, and so on, as shown in Figure 1. Fig. As shown in Figure 4, for example, the electronic throttle valve 100, the fuel injection device 102, the ignition device 104, and so on are each controlled according to a control signal supplied by an electronic control device 50 so that the internal combustion engine output is electrically controlled. The electric differential section 14 has a single-pinion planetary gear assembly 18 as a differential gear mechanism. The planetary gear assembly 18 has a carrier CA0 coupled to the internal combustion engine 12, a sun gear S0 coupled to the first motor generator MG1, and a ring gear R0 coupled to an intermediate transmission element 20 so that the gears can rotate with different motions relative to each other, and the intermediate transmission element 20 is coupled to a second motor generator MG2.Since the electric differential section 14 and the automatic transmission 16 are configured essentially symmetrically with respect to the axis of these, the lower halves in the schematic representation of . Fig. 1 not shown.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 is a collinear representation in which the rotational speeds of the three rotational elements S0, CA0, R0 of the electrical differential section 14 can be expressed by a straight line, a rotational speed Nmg1 of the sun gear S0 is a rotational speed of the first motor generator MG1 (MG1 speed), a rotational speed Ne of the carrier CA0 is a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine 12 (internal combustion engine speed), a rotational speed Nmg2 of the ring gear R0 is a rotational speed of the second motor generator MG2 (MG2 speed), and a regenerative torque control and a power-drive torque control of the first motor generator MG1 and the second motor generator MG2 are used so that the MG2 speed Nmg2 is continuously varied, which is a differential output speed with respect to the internal combustion engine speed Ne, which is a differential input speed.Therefore, the electric differential section 14 operates as an electric continuously variable transmission capable of continuously changing a gear ratio γ0 (= Ne / Nmg), and the first motor-generator MG1 operates as a differential rotary machine. The carrier CA0, coupled to the internal combustion engine 12, is an input element; the sun gear S0, coupled to the first motor-generator MG1, is a response element; and the ring gear R0, coupled to the intermediate transmission element 20, is an output element. The first motor-generator MG1 and the second motor-generator MG2 are connected to a rechargeable / dischargeable electrical storage device 24 via an inverter 22, and each has a motor torque that is electrically controlled according to a motor control signal supplied by the electronic control device 50.Both the motor-generator MG1 and the motor-generator MG2 have the functions of an electric motor and an electric generator. The first motor-generator MG1 is primarily used as an electric generator to produce a reaction force, while the second motor-generator MG2 is primarily used as an electric motor to output a driving force. The internal combustion engine 12, the electric differential section 14, and the second motor-generator MG2 operate as a power source for the vehicle drive system 10. In this example, the internal combustion engine 12, the first motor-generator MG1, and the second motor-generator MG2 are directly coupled to the carrier CA0, the sun gear S0, and the ring gear R0, respectively; however, a speed-changing gear, a clutch, and so on may be interposed.

[0033] The automatic transmission 16 is a planetary multi-speed transmission and changes the speed of the intermediate transmission element 20 and outputs a signal from an output shaft 22. More precisely, the automatic transmission 16 has a first single-pinion planetary gear assembly 26, a second single-pinion planetary gear assembly 28, and a third single-pinion planetary gear assembly 30, and also has two clutches C1, C2 and three brakes B1, B2, B3 (which, for the sake of simplicity, will be referred to below as clutches C and brakes B unless otherwise specified), which are designed as hydraulic friction engagement devices. As shown in the engagement actuation table of Fig. As shown in Figure 3, any one of the two devices, clutches C and brakes B, engages to produce four forward gear positions (first to fourth) and one reverse gear position (R), which differ in the gear ratio γ1 (= Nmg2 / Nout). This ratio is the ratio between the rotational speed Nmg2 of the intermediate transmission element 20 and the rotational speed (output speed) Nout of the output shaft 32. All of these are released to produce neutral (N), in which the power transmission is interrupted. The clutches C and the brakes B are engaged by supplying hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic control circuit 42, and AT solenoid valves 106 (see Figure 3). Fig. 4) and so on of the hydraulic control circuit 42 are electrically controlled according to a switching control signal supplied by an electronic control device 50, so that an engagement / release control is provided. The automatic solenoid valves 106 are accordingly arranged at the clutches C and brakes B, for example. The output shaft 32 is coupled to the left and right drive wheels 36 via a final reduction gear 34.

[0034] In the vehicle drive device 10 according to the preliminary description, the electric differential section 14 and the automatic transmission 16 can provide the continuously variable transmission control as a single unit. Alternatively, by controlling the speed of MG1 Nmg1 and so on, so that the gear ratio of the electric differential section 14 remains constant, the shift control can be provided similarly to a multi-speed transmission as a whole. In any case, when the automatic transmission 16 is shifted, the speeds of the sections of the electric differential section 14, for example, the speed of MG1 Nmg1 and so on, are controlled accordingly relative to a change in the speed of the intermediate transmission element 20 associated with the shifting, in order to execute the shifting immediately and smoothly.

[0035] The vehicle drive system 10 of this example also includes an automatic braking system 44 and an automatic steering system 46. The automatic braking system 44 electrically controls a braking force, i.e., a hydraulic brake pressure, from each of the wheel brakes 38 located on the drive wheels 36 and the driven wheels (non-drive wheels), which are not shown, according to a brake control signal supplied by the electronic control device 50. The hydraulic brake pressure is also supplied to the wheel brake 38 via a master brake cylinder when a brake pedal (not shown) is actuated, so that the braking force, i.e., a brake actuation force Brk, is generated mechanically according to the hydraulic brake pressure.The automatic steering system 46 electrically controls a steering angle Φ by means of an electric motor, and so on, according to a steering angle control signal supplied by the electronic control device 50. The steering angle Φ can be a rotation angle of a steering wheel or a rotation angle of a wheel.

[0036] The electronic control device 50 operates as a control unit that performs various controls of the vehicle drive unit 10 of this example, such as the output control of the internal combustion engine 12, the engine torque control of the motor generators MG1, MG2, the shift control of the automatic transmission 16, the brake force control by the automatic braking system 44, and the steering control by the automatic steering system 46. It is configured to include a microcomputer with a CPU, ROM, RAM, an input / output interface, and so on, and performs signal processing according to a program previously stored in ROM, while utilizing a temporary storage function of the RAM. The electronic control device 50 can also be configured separately for internal combustion engine control, engine control, shift control, and so on, as required.

[0037] Fig. Figure 4 shows examples of signals input to and output from the electronic control device 50, and in particular an internal combustion engine speed sensor 70, an MG1 rotary encoder (MG1 speed sensor) 72, an MG2 rotary encoder (MG2 speed sensor) 74, an output speed sensor 76, a foot brake sensor 78, an accelerator pedal actuation quantity sensor 80, a steering angle sensor 82 and a vehicle acceleration sensor 83 are connected to the electronic control device 50 to supply signals that measure the internal combustion engine speed Ne, the MG1 speed Nmg1, the MG2 speed Nmg2, the speed (output speed) Nout of the output shaft 32, the brake pedal actuation force Brk, an accelerator pedal actuation quantity Acc, the steering angle Φ and a Display the vehicle acceleration G, for example. The output rotational speed Nout corresponds to a vehicle speed V.

[0038] An automatic cruise control setting switch 84 is a device for performing the selection of an automatic cruise control mode in which driving at constant speed or following is performed without acceleration / deceleration by the driver, for setting a target vehicle speed VtagC, for increasing / decreasing the target vehicle speed VtagC, for setting a target distance DtagC between vehicles during following, and so on, and is located on a steering wheel, for example, and signals indicating the target vehicle speed VtagC, the target distance DtagC between vehicles, and so on, are supplied to the electronic control device 50.A navigation system 86 stores directory information in order to set a route according to a destination, to display a directory and the route on a display device located on a dashboard, etc., and to obtain the position of the vehicle and various pieces of road traffic information from traffic jams, road gradients, altitude, maximum permissible speed, signal information, weather, etc., by means of GPS (Global Positioning System), VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System), vehicle-to-vehicle communication, road-to-vehicle communication, etc., and signals indicating these pieces of information are supplied to the electronic control device 50.Actuating elements are located on and near the display device, allowing various selection, adjustment, and other operations to be performed by touch, pressure, rotation, and so forth. Information communication equipment for receiving external information relating to the vehicle can be provided separately from the navigation system 86 as required. A radar 88 detects the distance between the vehicles, a preceding or following vehicle, and a pedestrian near an obstacle, and signals indicating this information are fed to the electronic control device 50.A camera 90 is a moving image camera, a still image camera, and so on, which records other vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic lights, traffic lanes, guide rails, parking positions, or predetermined indices that are in front of, behind, or to the side of the vehicle, and a signal indicating the image information is supplied to the electronic control device 50.

[0039] A manned automatic drive switch 92 is a switch for selecting an automatic drive mode in which the vehicle's drive force and steering angle Φ are automatically controlled for driving while a driver or occupant is on board, and an unmanned automatic drive switch 94 is a switch for selecting an automatic drive mode in which the vehicle's drive force and steering angle Φ are automatically controlled for driving while a driver or occupant is not on board. The unmanned automatic drive switch 94 is provided in a wireless key that, for example, wirelessly locks and unlocks a vehicle door.In the automatic drive mode described above, the target vehicle speed is automatically set based on, for example, directory information, route information, and various pieces of road traffic information, so that the target drive force is calculated as a function of the target vehicle speed, and the steering angle Φ is automatically controlled for driving according to the route. However, the automatic drive modes can be executed for parking in a garage, parallel parking, and so on, without requiring directory information and route information, and without any input from the driver.Alternatively, the vehicle can be automatically and easily retrieved from a parking area and so on along a predetermined route to a predetermined position, such as a house entrance, and various forms of this are available. The unmanned automatic drive mode is suitable for parking in a garage and retrieving the vehicle from a parking area. The unmanned automatic drive mode is also preferably used in the case of convoy driving (following a preceding lead vehicle), for example. Switch 92 for the manned automatic drive and switch 94 for the unmanned automatic drive can be implemented in the navigation system 86, so that the selection between the manned and unmanned automatic drive modes can be made by the navigation system 86.A section or all of the functions of switch 84 for setting the automatic speed control may also be embodied in the navigation system 86.

[0040] An internal combustion engine control signal is sent from the electronic control device 50 to the internal combustion engine output control device 40 (see Fig. 1) output, which controls the internal combustion engine output, so that the throttle valve opening degree of the electronic throttle valve 100 of the internal combustion engine, the amount of fuel supplied by the fuel injection device 102, the timing of the ignition of the internal combustion engine 12 by the ignition device 104, and so on, are electrically controlled. The first motor generator MG1 and the second motor generator MG2 have engine torques that are individually electrically controlled by engine control signals output to the inverter 22. The shift control signal is output to the automatic transmission solenoid valves 106 and so on of the hydraulic control circuit 42 to provide engagement / release control for each of the clutches C and brakes B, so that a predetermined gear position of the automatic transmission 16 is electrically established.The brake control signal is output to the automatic braking system 44, so that the braking force of the wheel brake 38 is electrically controlled. The steering angle control signal is output to the automatic steering system 46, so that the steering angle Φ is electrically controlled by the electric motor, and so on.

[0041] As it is in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the electronic control device 50 functionally comprises a hybrid control section 52, a multi-gear transmission control section 54, a steering control section 56, a brake control section 58, a control section 60 for the automatic drive mode, a control section 62 for the automatic cruise control mode, a drive actuation mode control section 64 and a control section 66 for hill ascending / descending Al (artificial intelligence).The hybrid control section 52 calculates a target combustion engine output based on a transmission loss from each section, a load of the auxiliary equipment, the gear ratio γ0 of the electric differential section 14, a support torque of the second motor generator MG2, the gear position (gear ratio γ1) of the automatic transmission 16, and so on, so that the vehicle is driven with a target driving force Ftag2, which is set by the control section 60 for the automatic drive mode, and controls the engine 12 via the combustion engine output control device 40, so that the combustion engine speed Ne and a combustion engine torque Te are reached at which the target combustion engine output is achieved.The transmission ratio γ0 of the electrical differential section 14 is determined so that the internal combustion engine 12 is operated in an efficient operating range, for example on an optimal fuel consumption efficiency line, which is in . Fig. Figure 10 shows that in the case of the unmanned or manned automatic drive mode, the target drive force Ftag2 is successively set based on different pieces of road traffic information, such as speed limits and road gradients, etc., by a target vehicle speed calculation section 112, an F / F (engagement) control calculation section 132, an F / B (reverse) control calculation section 134, a drive force setting section 138, and so on. Fig. 6, to explain the function of control section 60 for the automatic drive mode, so that the vehicle drives according to a predetermined route. The target drive force Ftag2 is set sequentially, so that the vehicle travels at the preset target vehicle speed VtagC while driving at constant speed in automatic cruise control mode and performs following with the predetermined target distance DtagC between vehicles while following in automatic cruise control mode.During the drive actuation mode, where the drive force is controlled according to the driver's acceleration / deceleration input (accelerator pedal or brake pedal input), a target drive force FtagM is sequentially calculated from the accelerator pedal input Acc, the vehicle speed V, and so on. The target drive force Ftag2 is then set based on the target drive force FtagM. The target vehicle speed VtagC and the target distance DtagC between vehicles are set by control section 62 for the automatic cruise control mode based on the signal from the automatic cruise control setting switch 84. The target drive force FtagM is calculated by control section 64 for the drive actuation mode sequentially based on the accelerator pedal input Acc, the vehicle speed V, and so on.The target distance DtagC between the vehicles is selected, for example, from three levels: large, medium, and small, each set according to the vehicle speed V. The control section 62 for the automatic speed control mode calculates a target driving force FtagC by feedback control, and so on, so that an actual distance D between the vehicles to the previous vehicle covered by the radar 88 becomes the target distance DtagC between the vehicles, and the target driving force Ftag2 is set based on the target driving force FtagC.If the target driving force Ftag2 is negative, a braking force is generated by the power source through engine braking and regenerative control of the second motor-generator MG2, so that the target driving force Ftag2 is achieved in combination with the braking force of the wheel brakes 38, which are controlled by the brake control section 58, as well as the braking force from the power source. The electronic control device 50 has functions of the vehicle control device that enable the vehicle to drive in different driving modes.

[0042] A hybrid control section 52 places the internal combustion engine 12 in a stop or idle state in a low-output-torque range or a low-vehicle-speed range that is considered relatively inefficient with respect to the internal combustion engine, and switches the power source according to a predetermined power source directory, so that only the second motor-generator MG2 is used as the power source for driving. A dash-dot line in the lower left section (low-drive torque and low-vehicle-speed range) of Fig. Figure 5 shows an example of the power source switching directory, which is defined based on the vehicle speed V and the drive force, such that the range with low drive force and low vehicle speed is set as an engine driving range, and the power source switching control is provided by starting or stopping the internal combustion engine 12, and so on. For the drive force, the actual drive force can be estimated from the internal combustion engine torque, the engine torque, the gear position of the automatic transmission 16, and so on; however, the target drive force Ftag2, which is calculated by the control section 60 for the automatic drive driving mode, is used appropriately.Although not shown, hysteresis is provided to prevent frequent switching between a switching line for changing from a motor driving state to an internal combustion engine driving state and a switching line for changing from the internal combustion engine driving state to the motor driving state. Even during the internal combustion engine driving mode, using the internal combustion engine 12 as the power source for driving, electrical energy from the first motor generator MG1 under regenerative control and / or electrical energy from the electrical storage device 24 is supplied to the second motor generator MG2, and the second motor generator MG2 is driven (subject to power driving control) so that torque is applied to the drive wheels 36, thereby providing torque assistance to support the power of the internal combustion engine 12. Thus, even in an internal combustion engine driving range of . Fig. 5. The torque support is provided by the second motor generator MG2 as required.

[0043] Control section 54 for the multi-speed transmission provides the shift control of the automatic transmission 16 according to a predetermined shift schedule and controls the engagement and release of the clutches C and the brakes B via the automatic transmission solenoid valves 106 of the hydraulic control circuit 42 to set the target gear position obtained according to the shift schedule. The shift schedule represents a shift condition based on the drive force and the vehicle speed V, as specified in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, for example, the setting is defined such that as the vehicle speed V increases, the gear position to the high-speed side is shifted with the smaller gear ratio γ1, and as the driving force increases, the gear position to the low-speed side is shifted with the larger gear ratio γ1. For the driving force, the target driving force Ftag2, calculated by control section 60 for the automatic drive mode, is used, for example. Fig. 5 features solid lines as up-switching lines and dashed lines as down-switching lines, and a predetermined hysteresis is provided in between.

[0044] The longitudinal control section 56 controls the automatic longitudinal system 46 to achieve a target steering angle Φtag, which is set by the control section 60 for the automatic drive mode when the manned or unmanned automatic drive mode is selected. The target steering angle Φtag is determined based on road information and other factors and is adjusted appropriately depending on the vehicle speed V, the drive force, and other factors to drive according to a predetermined route, to drive along a lane detected by the camera 90, to change lanes, to park in a garage or parallel park based on parking information detected by the camera 90, or to avoid contact with a pedestrian or obstacle detected by the radar 88 and the camera 90, for example. Fig. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the function of the drive system of control section 60 for the automatic drive mode; the steering control is not shown. The automatic drive mode with steering control section 56, which controls the automatic steering system 46 to achieve the target steering angle Φtag, is an automatic steering mode, and the mode for driving with automatic cruise control without automatic control of the steering angle Φ by steering control section 56 is a manual steering mode.

[0045] When the manned or unmanned automatic drive mode is selected, the brake control section 58 controls the automatic braking system 44, so that the wheel brakes 38 are actuated with a target braking force Btag set by the automatic drive mode control section 60. This target braking force Btag is adjusted appropriately to decelerate with a predetermined rate of deceleration, using a calculation section 116 for the target distance between vehicles, a calculation section 118 for the actual distance between vehicles, a vehicle speed safety margin calculation section 114, a target braking force section 140, and so on, which are described in Fig. The following are shown in Figure 6: This allows the vehicle to stop at a predetermined stop position, to stop according to the signal information (red signal) detected by the camera or an external input, to maintain a distance between the vehicles and the preceding vehicle detected by the radar 88, or to prevent contact with a pedestrian or obstacle detected by the radar 88 and the camera 90. Not only in automatic drive mode, but also in automatic cruise control mode, where constant speed driving or following is performed, and in drive control mode, where the drive force is controlled according to the driver's acceleration / deceleration input, the target braking force Btag can be adjusted under certain conditions, such as collision prevention, to forcibly apply the wheel brakes 38.

[0046] The control section 60 for the automatic drive mode functionally comprises a timetable generation section 110 and a drive control section 130, as described in Fig. Figure 6 is shown in relation to the propulsion system. The timetable generation section 110 includes the target vehicle speed calculation section 112, the vehicle speed safety margin calculation section 114, the calculation section 160 for the target distance between vehicles, and the calculation section 118 for the actual distance between vehicles. The target vehicle speed calculation section 112 is fed with vehicle position information, directory information of roads, gradients, elevations, maximum speeds, and so on, infrastructure information, and information about the route and course, weather, and so on from the navigation system 86.In the navigation system 86, a destination, route, and other settings are set by the driver. Similarly, settings related to cooperative driving can be configured by the driver to add parameters such as automatic drive, time priority, fuel economy priority, upper vehicle speed limit, desired vehicle speed, and so on. Infrastructure information is data about roads, signals, and other infrastructure provided by information and communication equipment located at roads, traffic lights, and other points of interest. Based on this information, the target vehicle speed calculation section 112 sequentially sets a target vehicle speed, Vtag1, which serves as a baseline value when automatic drive is active.This target vehicle speed calculation section 112 receives information about the target vehicle speed VtagC during constant speed driving from control section 62 for automatic speed control driving mode, and this sets the target vehicle speed VtagC as the target vehicle speed Vtag1 in automatic speed control driving mode.

[0047] The vehicle speed safety margin calculation section 114 calculates a vehicle speed safety margin Vm as a function of a difference between a target distance Dref between the vehicles, which was determined by the calculation section 116 for the target distance between the vehicles, and the actual distance D between the vehicles, which was calculated by the calculation section 118 for the actual distance between the vehicles, based on the signals and so on from the radar 88 and the target vehicle speed Vtag2 is calculated by subtracting the vehicle speed safety margin Vm from the target vehicle speed Vtag1.The target distance Dref between the vehicles and the actual distance D between the vehicles are the distances between the vehicles and the preceding vehicle. The target distance Dref between the vehicles is set to a sufficient distance to prevent a collision with the preceding vehicle, depending on the actual vehicle speed V, and so on. If the actual distance D between the vehicles is greater than the target distance Dref between the vehicles, the vehicle speed safety margin Vm is satisfied at a lower limit, i.e., Vm = 0, thus preventing an unnecessary increase in vehicle speed V. The vehicle speed safety margin Vm can be obtained not only based on the preceding vehicle, but also based on the distance to a pedestrian, an obstacle, or a vehicle expected to move towards the front.

[0048] The vehicle control section 130 comprises the F / F (engagement) control calculation section 132, the F / B (feedback) control calculation section 134, a driving resistance calculation section 136, the drive force setting section 138, and the target braking force calculation section 140. The F / F control calculation section 132 calculates a FF drive force value Fff required for driving at the target vehicle speed Vtag2, according to a predetermined engagement control equation, and so on. The F / B control calculation section 134 calculates an F / B correction value Ffb based on a deviation ΔV between the target vehicle speed Vtag2 and the actual vehicle speed V, according to a predetermined feedback control equation, and so on.The driving resistance calculation section 136 calculates a driving resistance Fr based on the vehicle's road load (R / L), the road gradient, the number of occupants, payload, and so on, and adds the FF driving force value Fff, the FB correction value Ffb, and the driving resistance Fr to calculate a basic target driving force Ftag. The road load can be preset in the navigation system 86, etc., or downloaded via a communication line, or calculated from an actual driving force F, the road gradient, the vehicle speed V, etc.

[0049] The drive force adjustment section 138 sets the target drive force Ftag1 depending on a driving mode, so that the final target drive force Ftag2 is set. This drive force adjustment section 138 is supplied with information on the target drive force FtagC, which is calculated to execute following with the target distance Dtag between the vehicles, by control section 62 for the automatic speed control driving mode, and with information on the target drive force FtagM, which is calculated based on the accelerator pedal actuation quantity Acc and the vehicle speed V, etc., by the drive actuation driving mode control section 64, and these target drive forces FtagC and FtagM are used as the target drive force Ftag1 during the automatic speed driving mode and the drive actuation driving mode.For example, it is desirable to prioritize fuel consumption efficiency over drivability in the unmanned automatic drive mode, to prioritize ride quality over drivability in the manned automatic drive mode, to ensure a certain level of drivability in the automatic cruise control mode, and to prioritize drivability over fuel consumption efficiency in the drive actuation mode. Therefore, for example, with respect to a rate of change that is a maximum value of a rate of change in the target drive force Ftag1, the rate of change is maximized or no limit is placed on the rate of change in the drive actuation mode in order to set the target drive force Ftag2 from the target drive force Ftag1.In automatic speed control driving mode, the target drive force Ftag1 is limited to change at a rate lower than that in drive actuation driving mode, and then the target drive force Ftag2 is set; in manned automatic drive driving mode, the target drive force Ftag1 is limited to change at a rate lower than that in automatic speed control driving mode, and then the target drive force Ftag2 is set; and in unmanned automatic drive driving mode, the target drive force Ftag1 is limited to change at a rate lower than that in manned automatic drive driving mode, and then the target drive force Ftag2 is set.

[0050] The information about the target driving force Ftag2 is fed to the target braking force calculation section 140 and output to the hybrid control section 52 and the multi-speed transmission control section 54. If the target driving force Ftag2 is negative (assumes a negative value), the target braking force calculation section 140 calculates the target braking force Btag of the wheel brakes 38 and transmits this to the brake control section 58, so that the target driving force Ftag2 is obtained in combination with the braking force from the power source generated by the hybrid control section 52 and the target braking force Btag. When the automatic braking system 44 is controlled according to this target braking force Btag, the wheel brakes 38 are actuated with the target braking force Btag and the target driving force Ftag2 is obtained in combination with the braking force by the power source obtained under the control of the hybrid control section 52 and the target braking force Btag.

[0051] It will be used for Fig. 1 returned, with the hill ascending / descending AI control section 66 controlling the automatic transmission 16 to maintain a higher internal combustion engine speed while driving on an inclined road, both uphill and downhill, compared to driving on a flat road. For example, even if the driving force decreases due to a curve on the uphill road, and so on, upshifting based on the Fig. The switching sequence described in section 5 is limited to keep the internal combustion engine speed Ne at a high rotational level to improve drivability during renewed acceleration, and, at the time of power being engaged on the uphill road, the switching sequence is changed by Fig. 5. Shifts are made to the side of low driving force or to the side of high vehicle speed to facilitate downshifting, or downshifting is forced to increase the internal combustion engine speed (Ne) to improve climbing performance. When driving force decreases on a downhill road, upshifting is performed based on the shift pattern of Fig. 5 is limited, or a downshift is forcibly performed to increase the internal combustion engine speed Ne, thereby increasing the internal combustion engine braking force. The internal combustion engine speed Ne can be increased not only by the shift control of the automatic transmission 16, but also by using the shift control of the electric differential section 14 together. Full lines of Fig. Figure 7 is an example of a time representation in the case of maintaining the internal combustion engine speed Ne at a high value by the hill ascending / descending AI control section 66, when the driving force decreases due to the curve on the uphill road, and so on. Time t1 is the time when a hill ascending / descending control flag is activated because a road gradient is a predetermined value or more. The road gradient can be calculated from the vehicle acceleration G, an internal combustion engine torque, and an engine torque, for example, or can be detected by a gradient sensor, and so on, or can be obtained from directory information or road information. When the target driving force Ftag2 decreases at time t2, and the switching control is activated according to the switching directory of Fig. 5 is provided for, as indicated by the dashed line of Fig. When 7 is displayed, the automatic transmission 16 shifts up and the internal combustion engine speed Ne is reduced; however, in this example, as indicated by the solid line, the upshifting is prevented, so the internal combustion engine speed Ne is kept at a high rotation. This hill-up / downhill AI control section 66 corresponds to a control section for driving on an inclined road.

[0052] The uphill / downhill AI control section 66 has a limiting section that limits the uphill / downhill AI control depending on a driving mode, and executes a signal process according to steps S1 to S11 (which are referred to below as S1 to S11 for simplicity) of a flow diagram of Fig. 8 out. In S1 of Fig. 8 determines whether the automatic drive mode is selected based on whether switch 92 for manned automatic drive or switch 94 for unmanned automatic drive is turned on. If the automatic drive mode is selected, S2 is executed to determine whether the unmanned automatic drive mode is selected based on whether the switch for unmanned automatic drive is turned on. If switch 94 for unmanned automatic drive is turned on, S4 determines that the unmanned automatic drive mode is selected; if switch 94 for unmanned automatic drive is not turned on, S5 determines that the manned automatic drive mode is selected.If the determination at S1 is No (negative), that is, if the automatic drive mode is not selected, S3 is executed to determine whether the automatic cruise control driving mode is selected, based on whether the selection operation with the setting switch 84 for automatic cruise control has been performed.When the selection operation with the setting switch 84 for automatic cruise control is performed, S6 determines that the driving mode with automatic cruise control is selected, and, if the selection operation with the setting switch 84 for automatic cruise control is not performed, S7 determines that the selected mode is the normal driving mode, that is, the drive operation driving mode in which the drive force control and the shift control are provided according to an acceleration / deceleration operation by the driver, while the steering angle Φ is changed according to a steering operation.Both the unmanned automatic drive mode, the manned automatic drive mode, and the drive mode with automatic speed control are the second drive mode in which the drive force control and the shift control are provided by setting the target drive state (target vehicle speed, target distance between vehicles, target drive force, target steering angle, and so on) without an acceleration / deceleration actuation, and the drive actuation drive mode is the first drive mode in which the drive force control and the shift control are provided according to the acceleration / deceleration actuation.

[0053] If S4 indicates that the unmanned automatic drive mode is selected, a limit of 1 is set at S8; if S5 indicates that the manned automatic drive mode is selected, a limit of 2 is set at S9; if S6 indicates that the automatic cruise control mode is selected, a limit of 3 is set at S10; and if S7 indicates that the drive actuation mode is selected, no limit is set at S11. Limits 1 to 3, set at S8 to S10 respectively, differ in the magnitude of the increase in the internal combustion engine speed Ne compared to the state while driving on a level road. The magnitude of the increase is adjusted so that the relationship between the magnitude of the increase at limit 1 < the magnitude of the increase at limit 2 < the magnitude of the increase at limit 3 is satisfied.In particular, if the increase in engine speed Ne is made larger by limiting upshifting or downshifting, acceleration and re-acceleration performance on uphill roads are improved, or a large engine braking force can be achieved on downhill roads. However, since fuel consumption efficiency deteriorates due to the increase in engine speed Ne, the increase is limited depending on the driving mode to achieve a balance between fuel consumption efficiency and drivability.More precisely, if the degree of demand (driver's expectation) for acceleration / deceleration on an uphill / downhill road is lower, the increase in engine speed Ne is made smaller to improve fuel efficiency. Conversely, if the degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration on an uphill / downhill road is higher, the increase in engine speed Ne is made larger to achieve adequate drivability. The increase in engine speed Ne can be modified by the number of upshifts or downshifts, which is limited in the automatic transmission 16. Furthermore, the engine speed Ne can be controlled in more detail by the continuously variable shift control of the electric differential section 14.

[0054] In unmanned automatic drive mode, since there is no occupant and it is not necessary to consider the degree of acceleration / deceleration required, the increase in engine speed (Ne) can be reduced compared to manned driving, thus improving fuel efficiency. The increase in engine speed (Ne) can be set to zero, meaning that the hill start / downhill AI control can be deactivated. In unmanned automatic drive mode with an occupant, the higher degree of acceleration / deceleration required compared to unmanned automatic drive mode ne, resulting in the desired increase in engine speed (Ne) to ensure optimal acceleration / deceleration performance.However, since the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is lower compared to the automatic cruise control and manual drive modes, limit 2 is set to make the increase in internal combustion engine speed Ne smaller than in these drive modes. In automatic cruise control mode, because the vehicle is traveling at the target vehicle speed Vtag or following the previous vehicle at the target distance Ttag between vehicles, the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is higher than in the manual drive mode. Therefore, limit 3 is set to make the increase in internal combustion engine speed Ne larger than in the manual drive mode.However, since the degree of acceleration / deceleration required is lower compared to the drive-by-control driving mode, where the driver executes the acceleration / deceleration control in real time, the increase in combustion engine speed (Ne) can be smaller than in the drive-by-control driving mode. In the drive-by-control driving mode, because the driver creates the acceleration / deceleration request themselves, excellent drivability for acceleration / deceleration is required, even on uphill / downhill roads, and the hill-going AI control is provided as desired without limitations.

[0055] The degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration (degree of expectation by the driver) on the uphill / downhill road corresponds to a degree of participation in the driving action by the driver, and it is generally considered that if the degree of participation in the driving action is lower, the degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration is lower.For example, in the unmanned automatic drive mode and the manned automatic drive mode, where the steering angle Φ is automatically controlled, the degree of drivability requirement is considered lower compared to the automatic cruise control mode, where the driver controls the steering angle Φ. From this point of view, it is also desirable to make the increase in the combustion engine speed Ne during the unmanned automatic drive mode and the manned automatic drive mode smaller compared to the automatic cruise control mode, in order to improve fuel consumption efficiency.

[0056] In the driving mode described above, the increase in engine speed Ne is determined uniformly during driving on the uphill / downhill road; however, for example, in the case of following traffic in the automatic cruise control driving mode, the acceleration / deceleration can be predicted based on the distance D between the vehicles and the vehicle speed V in order to make the increase in engine speed Ne larger when the possibility of acceleration / deceleration is high. In particular, if the distance D between the vehicles is short or the vehicle speed V is high, it can be predicted that there is a high probability of a sudden acceleration / deceleration being required, so the increase in engine speed Ne is made larger.In the other driving modes, the increase in the combustion engine speed Ne during driving on uphill / downhill roads can also be changed based on the distance D between the vehicles, the vehicle speed V, and so on.

[0057] With renewed reference to Fig. In Figure 1, the hybrid control section 52 functionally includes a multi-gear simulation control section 68. The multi-gear simulation control section 68 controls the electric differential section 14 to perform multi-gear simulation control, i.e., to produce a variety of simulated gear positions that differ in the gear ratio γ2 of the combustion engine speed Ne to the output speed Nout (that is, γ2 = Ne / Nout), where the gear ratio γ2 is a value obtained by multiplying the gear ratio γ0 of the electric differential section 14 by the gear ratio γ1 of the automatic transmission 16 (that is, γ2 = γ0 * γ1). For example, as shown in Figure 1, the following applies: Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the multitude of simulated gear positions can be produced by controlling the combustion engine speed Ne through the first motor generator MG 1 according to the output speed Nout, so that the gear ratio γ2 can be maintained from each gear position. Fig. Figure 9 shows a case where a ten-speed transmission is achieved with a multitude of simulated gear positions, from a simulated first gear position to a simulated tenth gear position, and a driving feel, such as drivability and engine noise, similar to that achieved when a mechanical multi-speed transmission is used, can be obtained as a whole. In this case, the internal combustion engine 12 has the internal combustion engine torque and the internal combustion engine speed Ne within a range of a multi-speed simulation control range, which is indicated by the hatching in Figure 9. Fig. 10 is shown, changed.

[0058] The multi-speed simulation section 68 has a limiting section that limits the multi-speed simulation control depending on a driving mode, and executes a signal process according to steps R1 to R11 (hereinafter referred to as R1 to R11) of a flow diagram of Fig. 11 out. At R1 to R7 from Fig. 11. The driving mode will be changed in the same way as S1 to S7. Fig. 8, as described above, determines. The determination results from S4 to S7 can be read. If R4 determines that the unmanned automatic drive mode is selected, a limit 1 is set at R8; if R5 determines that the manned automatic drive mode is selected, a limit 2 is set at R9; if R6 determines that the automatic cruise control mode is selected, a limit 3 is set at R10; if R7 determines that the drive actuation mode is selected, no limit is set at R11. The limits 1 to 3, which are set at R8 to R10 respectively, have differences in the control range (hatched area of Fig. 10), in which the internal combustion engine 12 is operated when simulated gear positions are used, and the range of the control range is set so that the relationship of the control range at limit 1 < the control range at limit 2 < the control range at limit 3 is satisfied.In particular, if the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 is made larger in the simulated gear positions, the internal combustion engine speed Ne at the time of shifting is significantly changed, so that the driving feel (such as drivability and internal combustion engine noise) can be achieved similar to that when a multi-speed transmission is used; however, since the fuel consumption efficiency is worsened due to a deviation of an internal combustion engine operating point from the optimal fuel consumption efficiency line, the control range is limited depending on a driving mode, so that a balance between fuel consumption efficiency and drivability is achieved.More precisely, if the degree of acceleration / deceleration required (degree of driver expectation) is lower, the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 is made smaller to improve fuel consumption efficiency, and conversely, if the degree of deceleration / acceleration required is made higher, the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 is made larger so that adequate drivability is achieved.

[0059] In the unmanned automatic drive mode, since no occupant is present and it is not necessary to consider the degree of acceleration / deceleration required compared to the manned mode, the control range of the combustion engine 12 can be reduced to improve fuel efficiency. The multi-gear simulation control can be deactivated to allow the combustion engine 12 to operate at its optimal fuel efficiency. In the manned automatic drive mode, where an occupant is present, the control range of the combustion engine 12 is increased to improve the driving experience, as the degree of acceleration / deceleration required is greater than in the unmanned automatic drive mode.However, since the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is lower compared to the automatic cruise control driving mode and the manual drive mode, limit 2 is set to make the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 smaller than these driving modes. In the automatic cruise control driving mode, because the vehicle is traveling at the target vehicle speed Vtag or following the preceding vehicle at the target distance Dtag between the vehicles, the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is higher than in the manual drive mode, so limit 3 is set to make the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 larger than in the manual drive mode.However, since the degree of acceleration / deceleration required is lower compared to the drive-by-control mode, where the driver executes the acceleration / deceleration input in real time, the control range of the internal combustion engine can be smaller than in the drive-by-control mode. In the drive-by-control mode, since the driver initiates the acceleration / deceleration input themselves, it is desirable to achieve excellent drive feel, and the multi-gear simulation control is preferably provided without limitations.

[0060] The degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration (degree of expectation by the driver) corresponds to a degree of participation in the drive operation by the driver, and it is generally considered that if the degree of participation in the drive operation is lower, the degree of demand for acceleration / deceleration is lower.For example, in the unmanned automatic drive mode and the manned automatic drive mode, in which the steering angle Φ is automatically controlled, the degree of acceleration / deceleration requirement is considered to be lower compared to the automatic cruise control mode, in which the driver controls the steering angle Φ, and from this point it is desirable to make the control range of the internal combustion engine 12 smaller in order to improve fuel consumption efficiency during the unmanned automatic drive mode and the manned automatic drive mode compared to the automatic cruise control mode.

[0061] As described in the preliminary description, the electronic control device 50 of the vehicle drive device 10 of this example has the hill ascending / descending AI control section 66, which controls the automatic transmission 16 so that the internal combustion engine speed Ne is maintained while driving on an inclined road compared to driving on a flat road, and excellent drivability is achieved while driving on an inclined road, while the increase in the internal combustion engine speed Ne during the hill ascending / descending AI control in the second driving mode (the unmanned and manned automatic drive driving mode and the driving mode with automatic cruise control) is limited compared to the first driving mode (the drive actuation driving mode), so that fuel consumption efficiency is improved.In the second driving mode, since the driver does not perform any acceleration / deceleration inputs, the driver's demands regarding drivability are limited. Therefore, the driver is less likely to feel uncomfortable, even if the drivability is somewhat poor due to the limitation of the combustion engine speed increase. More precisely, in the automatic drive mode, where the target driving condition is set based on road information to automatically execute acceleration / deceleration, the consideration is that prioritizing smooth driving quality and fuel efficiency over drivability aligns with the occupant's intentions.

[0062] The following mode (driving mode with automatic speed control) and the unmanned or manned automatic drive driving mode are included in the second driving mode, and the increase in the combustion engine speed Ne under the hill start / uphill AI control is smaller during the automatic drive driving mode compared to the following driving mode, and therefore fuel consumption efficiency can be further improved by making the increase in the combustion engine speed Ne smaller during the automatic drive driving mode, while ensuring drivability during the following driving mode.In particular, since the vehicle follows the previous vehicle in following mode, it is taken into consideration that the degree of driver demand for acceleration / deceleration is higher compared to automatic drive mode, so that the increase in combustion engine speed Ne is made larger compared to automatic drive mode in order to ensure drivability while driving on an inclined road.

[0063] The automatic steering mode (unmanned and manned automatic drive mode) and the manual steering mode (driving mode with automatic cruise control) are included in the second driving mode. The increase in engine speed (Ne) under hill start / downhill AI control is smaller during automatic steering mode compared to manual steering mode. Therefore, fuel consumption efficiency can be further improved by reducing the increase in engine speed (Ne) during automatic steering mode, while maintaining drivability during manual steering mode. Specifically, the degree of driver input is greater in manual steering mode, as the driver controls the steering angle (Φ). It is considered that the level of driver input required for drivability is higher compared to automatic steering mode.Thus, the increase in the combustion engine speed Ne is made larger compared to the automatic steering mode, in order to ensure drivability while driving on an inclined road.

[0064] This example features the multi-gear simulation section 68, which controls the electric differential section 14 to produce a variety of simulated gear positions that differ in the gear ratio γ2 of the internal combustion engine speed Ne to the output speed Nout, and the driving feel (such as drivability and engine noise) similar to a multi-speed transmission can be achieved by changing the internal combustion engine speed Ne at the time of acceleration / deceleration associated with shifting the simulated gear positions, while the control range of the internal combustion engine speed Ne during multi-gear simulation control in the second driving mode (the unmanned and manned automatic drive driving mode and the driving mode with automatic cruise control) is limited compared to the first driving mode (the drive actuation driving mode), thus improving fuel efficiency.In the second driving mode, since the driver does not perform acceleration / deceleration, the driver's input regarding the driving feel, including drivability, is limited. Therefore, the driver is less likely to feel uncomfortable, even if the driving feel is somewhat poor due to the limitation of the combustion engine speed control range. Specifically, in the automatic drive mode, where the desired driving state is set based on road information to automatically execute acceleration / deceleration, the consideration is that prioritizing smooth driving quality and fuel efficiency over driving feel aligns with the occupant's intentions.

[0065] The following driving mode (driving mode with automatic speed control) and the unmanned or manned automatic drive driving mode are included as the second driving mode, and the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne during the multi-gear simulation control is narrower during the automatic drive driving mode compared to the following driving mode, and therefore fuel consumption efficiency can be further improved by making the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne smaller during the automatic drive driving mode, while ensuring the driving feel during the following driving mode.In particular, since the vehicle follows the preceding vehicle in following mode, it is taken into consideration that the degree of driver demand for acceleration / deceleration is higher compared to automatic drive mode, so that the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne is designed to be larger compared to automatic drive mode in order to achieve the excellent driving feel including drivability.

[0066] The automatic steering mode (unmanned and manned automatic drive mode) and the manual steering mode (driving mode with automatic cruise control) are included as the second driving mode, and the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne during the multi-gear simulation control is narrower during the automatic steering mode compared to the manual steering mode, and therefore fuel consumption efficiency can be further improved by narrowing the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne during the automatic steering mode, while ensuring the driving feel during the manual steering mode.In particular, the degree of driver participation in the drive system is greater in manual steering mode, as the driver controls the steering angle Φ, and it is considered that the level of driver input for drivability is higher compared to automatic steering mode. Therefore, the control range of the combustion engine speed Ne is larger compared to automatic steering mode, in order to achieve excellent drive feel and drivability.

[0067] Although the hill-up / hill-down AI control section 66 of the example limits the upshifting of the automatic transmission 16 or forcibly downshifts it to maintain a higher internal engine speed Ne while driving on an incline compared to driving on a flat road, the internal engine speed Ne can be increased by controlling the speed Nmg1 of the first motor-generator MG1 at the electric differential section 14, which operates as an electric continuously variable transmission. For example, during engine driving mode, in which the second motor-generator MG2 is used as the power source for driving, while the internal engine speed Ne is essentially kept at 0 when driving on a flat road, the internal engine speed Ne can be increased in preparation for the acceleration requirement when driving uphill.The internal combustion engine 12 can be started and allowed to rotate on its own, or it can be started manually. In this case, in the second driving mode, such as the automatic cruise control driving mode and the unmanned or manned automatic drive driving mode, the increase in the internal combustion engine speed Ne can be reduced, or the state with stopped rotation can be maintained. The electric differential section 14 corresponds to an automatic transmission.

[0068] Although the vehicle drive device 10 with the electric differential section 14 and the automatic transmission 16, which is capable of shifting between four forward gears, was described in the example, the present invention relates to an example in Fig. The vehicle drive device 200 shown in Figure 12 is applicable and is also applicable to different vehicle control devices. The vehicle drive device 200 of Fig. Reference 12 refers to a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine 202 and a motor-generator MG as a power source and with an automatic transmission 204 capable of shifting between eight forward gears. The internal combustion engine 202 is connected to a motor shaft 206 of the motor-generator MG via a coupling / disconnecting clutch K0, and the outputs of the internal combustion engine 202 and the motor-generator MG are transmitted from the motor shaft 206 via a torque converter 208 to an input shaft 222 of the automatic transmission 204. A starter (guide impeller) 210 of the torque converter 208 is arranged such that the rotation of the starter 210 is selectively stopped by a starter brake Bs.

[0069] The automatic transmission 204 has a common axis of a first transmission section 214, which is mainly formed from a first planetary gear device 212 of the double pinion type, and a second transmission section 220, which is mainly formed from a second planetary gear device 216 of the single pinion type and a third planetary gear device 218 of the double pinion type, and changes a speed of the input shaft 222 before output from an output shaft 224 so that left and right drive wheels are driven to rotation via a final reduction gear and so on, which is not shown.The second planetary gear assembly 216 and the third planetary gear assembly 218 have carriers and ring gears from both assemblies, formed from elements common to both, and form a Ravigneaux planetary gear train in which the pinion of the second planetary gear assembly 216 also serves as the second pinion (outer pinion) of the third planetary gear assembly 218. This automatic transmission 204 has four clutches C1 to C4 and two brakes B1 and B2 (which, for the sake of simplicity, will be referred to below as clutch C and brake B, unless a specific distinction is made), which are provided as hydraulic friction engagement devices and, as shown in the engagement actuation table of . Fig.As shown in Figure 13, any two of the clutches C and brakes B engage to provide forward gear positions first to eighth for eight forward gears and reverse gear positions Rev1, Rev2 for two reverse gears, and all clutches C and brakes B are released to establish N (neutral) with the power transmission interrupted.

[0070] The vehicle drive device 200, as described above, can also be used to drive the vehicle in drive actuation mode, in automatic speed control mode, in manned automatic drive mode or unmanned automatic drive mode due to the combustion engine output control device 40, the hydraulic control circuit 42, the automatic braking system 44, the automatic steering system 46 and the electronic control device 50 and so on in the vehicle drive device 200, and the same effects as the examples can be obtained if the hill ascending / descending AI control section 66 provides hill ascending / descending AI control for each of the driving modes.

[0071] Although the examples of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, these are merely an embodiment and the present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. Reference symbol list 12, 202 Internal combustion engine 14 electric differential section (automatic transmission) 16, 204 automatic transmission 50 electronic control device (vehicle control device) 66 Uphill / Downhill AI Control Section (Control section for driving on inclined roads) MG1 first motor generator (electric generator) MG2 second motor generator (electric motor) New combustion engine speed Φ Steering angle

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