MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING AN ADAPTATION OF A USER PROFILE TO A SPORT MODE, AN ECO MODE OR AN INTERMEDIATE MODE, METHOD AND PROGRAM BASED ON SUCH A VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising:- an engine (M) having an acceleration gradient (GA), driving the motor vehicle so as to propel the motor vehicle;- an accelerator pedal (PA) having a depression gradient (GE), controlling the engine (M) so that first values (V1) of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding second values (V2) of the acceleration gradient (GA);- a profile identification means identifying at least one user profile;- a vehicle calibration means adapting the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) to the acceleration gradient (GA) according to said user profile, either in a sport mode (MS), or in an eco mode (ME), or in at least one partially eco and partially sport mode. The invention also relates to a method and a program based on such a vehicle. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING AN ADAPTATION OF A USER PROFILE TO A SPORT MODE, AN ECO MODE OR AN INTERMEDIATE MODE, METHOD AND PROGRAM BASED ON SUCH A VEHICLE

[0001] The invention relates to the field of propulsion control systems for motor vehicles.

[0002] Motor vehicles of the prior art comprise propulsion systems controlled by an accelerator pedal. To meet the needs of users, some vehicles are constructed with a so-called sport control with, in essence, a specific pedal depression gradient, a specific acceleration gradient resulting in a corresponding vehicle speed. These vehicles are said to be sporty but may have a high energy consumption. Other vehicles are constructed with a so-called eco (for economical and / or ecological) control, in essence, with a less significant pedal depression gradient, a less significant acceleration gradient resulting in a corresponding vehicle speed. These vehicles have a significantly lower energy consumption than sport vehicles.

[0003] A vehicle can be used by people with a driving need that varies from one person to another, namely sometimes sporty, sometimes eco.

[0004] An objective of the present invention is to remedy the defects of the prior art, and in particular to propose a solution for adapting a vehicle to sporty driving or eco driving corresponding to a driver profile.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle comprising: - an engine having an acceleration gradient, driving the motor vehicle so as to propel the motor vehicle; - an accelerator pedal having a depression gradient, connected to the motor, controlling the motor such that first values of the depression gradient control corresponding second values of the acceleration gradient resulting in a corresponding acceleration of the motor; - a profile identification means identifying at least one user profile; - a vehicle calibration means adapting the acceleration pedal depression gradient to the acceleration gradient according to said user profile, either in a sport mode in which said first depression gradient values command third corresponding values of the acceleration gradient greater than said second values, either in an eco mode in which said first values of the sinking gradient command fourth corresponding values of the acceleration gradient lower than said second values, or in at least one partially eco and partially sport mode.

[0006] Advantageously, the vehicle calibration module makes it possible to adapt the same vehicle to sporty driving, eco driving or an intermediate mode, depending on the identified user profile.

[0007] According to a variant, the vehicle calibration means adapts the pressure gradient of the accelerator pedal on the basis of a calibration index between a 100% sport mode and a 100% eco mode.

[0008] This allows for an objective scale for calibrating eco-sport modes.

[0009] According to a variant, the vehicle calibration means adapts the gradient of depression of the accelerator pedal by means of at least one calibration line.

[0010] This makes it easy to determine the values of the acceleration gradient.

[0011] According to a variant, the profile identification means comprises a means of connection to a telephone of a user to identify the user profile.

[0012] This makes it easier to identify the user.

[0013] According to a variant, the profile identification means identifies a specific user profile among several user profiles.

[0014] This allows to select a specific user and to calibrate an eco-sport mode specific to the identified user.

[0015] The invention further relates to a method for controlling the propulsion of a motor vehicle according to the invention, comprising the following steps: - a profile identification step identifying at least one user profile; - a vehicle calibration step, adapting the acceleration pedal depression gradient to the acceleration gradient according to said user profile, either in a sport mode in which said first depression gradient values command corresponding third acceleration gradient values greater than said second values, or in an eco mode in which said first depression gradient values command corresponding fourth acceleration gradient values lower than said second values, or in at least one partially eco and partially sport mode.

[0016] According to a variant, the vehicle calibration step adapts the acceleration pedal depression gradient on the basis of a calibration index between a 100% sport mode and a 100% eco mode.

[0017] According to a variant, the vehicle calibration step adapts the gradient of pressing the accelerator pedal by means of at least one calibration line.

[0018] Another object of the invention relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the propulsion control method according to the invention, when said program operates on a computer.

[0019] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a propulsion control system of a vehicle according to a preferred variant of the invention; and - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a propulsion control method according to a preferred variant of the invention.

[0020] The invention proposes a control solution for adapting the pedal depression gradients to acceleration gradients corresponding to sport, eco or intermediate modes, in a manner specific to the user identified in a quasi-automatic manner.

[0021] The motor vehicle comprises an engine M having an acceleration gradient GA, driving the motor vehicle so as to propel the motor vehicle. In essence, high values of acceleration gradient GA imply increased engine torque and power, increased acceleration and increased speed, and vice versa.

[0022] The motor vehicle further comprises an accelerator pedal PA having a depression gradient GE. The accelerator pedal PA is connected to the motor M. It controls the motor M such that first values Vj of the depression gradient GE control corresponding second values V2 of the acceleration gradient GA resulting in a corresponding acceleration of the motor M. In essence, high values of depression gradient GE imply high values of acceleration gradient GA, and vice versa. This configuration can be defined as a normal mode MN.

[0023] According to the invention, the motor vehicle further comprises a profile identification means identifying at least one given user profile P from among several user profiles.

[0024] In particular, this is done via the so-called "smartphone" telephone T of the user to be identified. For this purpose, the vehicle further comprises a means of connection to said telephone T.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the invention, the motor vehicle further comprises a vehicle calibration means adapting the depression gradient GE of the accelerator pedal PA to the acceleration gradient GA according to said user profile P thus identified. The calibration therefore corresponds to the user identified in particular through his telephone T. We can say that it corresponds to his own identity, even to his DNA.

[0026] The calibration places the vehicle either in an MS sport mode, or in an eco mode, or in one or more intermediate modes, partially sport and partially eco.

[0027] In the sport mode, said first values Vi of the sinking gradient GE control corresponding third values V3 of the acceleration gradient GA greater than said second values V2. In the eco mode ME, said first values Vi of the sinking gradient GE control corresponding fourth values V4 of the acceleration gradient GA lower than said second values V2.

[0028] In particular, the GE sinking gradient is adapted on the basis of a calibration index between a 100% MS sport mode and a 100% ME eco mode, including several intermediate values of the MS sport mode from 100% to 0%, and of the ME eco mode from 0% to 100% (90-10, 80-20, ..., 20-80, 10-90). More precisely, this adaptation is based on calibration lines.

[0029] The invention further relates to a method and a program for controlling the propulsion of a motor vehicle as described above.

[0030] The program can be loaded into a memory of a controller of the motor vehicle.

[0031] With reference to [Fig.2], the method according to a preferred variant of the invention begins with an access control step A in which it is detected whether the driver has accessed the motor vehicle, i.e. whether he has entered the vehicle.

[0032] Then, the method comprises an identification step I in which it is detected whether the driver has accessed the vehicle with his telephone T. If the answer is yes 1 in step I, it is checked whether a corresponding user profile P has been created in a step “P?”. If the answer is no 0, the vehicle is put into normal mode MN in a step N.

[0033] If yes 1 in step "P?", it is checked whether the user wishes to use the user profile created in a step "UP?". If no 0, a new user profile is created in a step NP.

[0034] If yes 1 in step "UP?", the user profile P is selected in a step UP. If no 0, the vehicle is put into normal mode MN in step N.

[0035] Following step NP, the method comprises a step of starting the vehicle K0N, then a calibration step C to calibrate the vehicle according to the user identified by the user profile P.

[0036] Then, the method comprises a step of determining the end of driving “F?”. If yes 1 in step “F?”, the vehicle is stopped in a step F, and the driver turns off the vehicle in a step KOff-

[0037] Following step K0FF, the method comprises a backup request step "S?" where it is determined whether the user profile P must be saved. If yes 1 in step "S?", the user profile P is saved in a step S. If no 0, the profile indicated is a normal mode MN in another step N.

[0038] Regarding the calibration step C, a sports index can be created. This index can change according to the sinking gradient GE, the acceleration gradient GA and the vehicle speed. The higher the gradient parameters, the higher the sports index. This index can be useful for an interpolation of the sports user profile and the eco user profile, by a direct interpolation or specific calibration lines depending on the sports index.

[0039] For example, the index varies from 0% eco mode and 100% sport mode, to 100% eco mode and 0% sport mode, with all intermediate values.

[0040] The sport index changes depending on the speed, for example: at low speed, the index is 20%; at medium speed, the index is 40%; at high speed, the index is 55%; and at very high speed, the index is 70%.

Claims

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising: - an engine (M) having an acceleration gradient (GA), driving the motor vehicle so as to propel the motor vehicle; - an accelerator pedal (PA) having a depression gradient (GE), connected to the engine (M), controlling the engine (M) so that first values (Vi) of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding second values (V2) of the acceleration gradient (GA) resulting in a corresponding acceleration of the engine (M); - a profile identification means identifying at least one user profile (P);- a vehicle calibration means adapting the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) to the acceleration gradient (GA) according to said user profile (P), either in a sport mode (MS) in which said first values (Vi) of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding third values (V3) of the acceleration gradient (GA) greater than said second values (V2), or in an eco mode (ME) in which said first values (VJ) of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding fourth values (V4) of the acceleration gradient (GA) lower than said second values (V2), or in at least one partially eco and partially sport mode.;

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle calibration means adapts the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) on the basis of a calibration index between a sport mode (MS) at 100% and an eco mode (ME) at 100%.

3. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the vehicle calibration means adapts the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) by means of at least one calibration line.

4. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the profile identification means comprises means for connection to a telephone of a user to identify the user profile (P).

5. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the profile identification means identifies a specific user profile (P) among several user profiles.

6. A method for controlling the propulsion of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the following steps: - a profile identification step (I) identifying at least one user profile (P); - a vehicle calibration step (C), adapting the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal to the acceleration gradient (GA) according to said user profile (P), either in a sport mode (MS) in which said first values (VJ of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding third values (V3) of the acceleration gradient (GA) greater than said second values (V2), or in an eco mode (ME) in which said first values (VJ of the depression gradient (GE) control corresponding fourth values (V4) of the acceleration gradient (GA) lower than said second values (V2), or in at least one partially eco and partially sport mode.

7. Control method according to claim 6, characterized in that the vehicle calibration step (C) adapts the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) on the basis of a calibration index between a sport mode (MS) at 100% and an eco mode (ME) at 100%.

8. Control method according to claim 7, characterized in that the vehicle calibration step (C) adapts the depression gradient (GE) of the accelerator pedal (PA) by means of at least one calibration line.

9. A computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the propulsion control method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, when said program is running on a computer.

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