Method and system for controlling inertial travel mode of commercial vehicle

Abstract

To provide a method for controlling an inertial travel mode of a commercial vehicle.SOLUTION: There is provided a method comprising the steps of: determining at least one of a travel state of a commercial vehicle and a slope state of a road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling; and setting a travel mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial travel mode in response to the travel state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the slope state satisfying a second condition. In the method, the travel mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from the inertial travel mode to a power travel mode in response to a state of braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying a third condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling the coasting mode of a commercial vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to rising fuel prices and environmental concerns, improving the fuel efficiency of automobiles is one of the major technological challenges facing modern transportation.

[0003] As an example of a conventional technique for improving fuel economy of automobiles, a technique has been proposed in which an automobile is set to an inertial running mode depending on the gradient of the road (for example, the gradient of a downhill road).

[0004] On the other hand, commercial vehicles such as large trucks may use braking means (e.g., exhaust brakes, air pressure brakes, etc.) different from those used in ordinary passenger vehicles in order to ensure high braking force and safety. However, the above-mentioned prior art has not been able to propose a technology that allows the inertial running mode or power running mode to be set according to the state of the braking means of a commercial vehicle.

[0005] Therefore, the inventor(s) propose a technology that can improve the fuel efficiency of commercial vehicles while ensuring their driving safety by determining at least one of the driving state of the commercial vehicle and the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling, and setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to inertial driving mode when the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfies a first condition or the gradient state satisfies a second condition, and switching the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from inertial driving mode to power driving mode when the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfies a third condition. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve all of the problems of the prior art mentioned above.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to determine at least one of the driving state of the commercial vehicle and the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling, and set the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to improve fuel efficiency of a commercial vehicle by setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode when the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfies a first condition or the gradient state satisfies a second condition.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to improve fuel efficiency of commercial vehicles while ensuring driving safety by enabling the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to be set to inertial driving mode when sufficient braking force is ensured, and by enabling the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to be switched from inertial driving mode to power driving mode when sufficient braking force is not ensured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A typical configuration of the present invention to achieve the above object is as follows.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method including the steps of determining at least one of a driving state of a commercial vehicle and a gradient state of a road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling, and setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition, wherein the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from the inertial driving mode to a power driving mode in response to the state of a braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying a third condition.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system including a state determination unit that determines at least one of a driving state of a commercial vehicle and a gradient state of a road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling, and a driving mode setting unit that sets the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition, and in response to the state of a braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying a third condition, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from the inertial driving mode to a power driving mode.

[0013] In addition, other methods and systems for embodying the present invention, as well as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a computer program for carrying out the methods, are also provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, at least one of the driving state of the commercial vehicle and the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling is determined, and the driving mode of the commercial vehicle can be set to the inertial driving mode in response to whether the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfies a first condition or the gradient state satisfies a second condition.

[0015] In addition, according to the present invention, when the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfies the first condition or the gradient state satisfies the second condition, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the inertial driving mode, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle.

[0016] In addition, according to the present invention, the driving mode of a commercial vehicle can be set to inertial driving mode when sufficient braking force is ensured, and when sufficient braking force is not ensured, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle can be switched from inertial driving mode to power driving mode, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle while ensuring driving safety. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an entire system for controlling an inertial driving mode of a commercial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating in detail the internal configuration of a driving mode control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following detailed description of the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example, specific embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. Such embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention, although different from one another, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described herein may be embodied in different embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components within each embodiment may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention should be understood to encompass the scope of the appended claims and all equivalents thereof. Like reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or similar components throughout the various aspects.

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention.

[0020] In this specification, the term "commercial vehicle" should be understood in a broad sense to include vehicles used for commercial purposes, such as wagons, lorries, and special purpose vehicles.

[0021] [Overall system configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire system for controlling a coasting mode of a commercial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the overall system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a communication network 100, a driving mode control system 200, and a device 300.

[0023] First, the communication network 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured regardless of the communication mode, such as wired communication or wireless communication, and may be configured as various communication networks, such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or a wide area network (WAN). Preferably, the communication network 100 referred to in this specification may be the well-known Internet or World Wide Web (WWW). However, the communication network 100 is not necessarily limited thereto, and may include at least a portion of a well-known wired / wireless data communication network, a well-known telephone network, or a well-known wired / wireless television communication network.

[0024] For example, communication network 100 may be a wireless data communication network that at least partially implements a conventional communication method such as WiFi communication, WiFi-Direct communication, Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication, 5G communication, Bluetooth® communication (including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication), infrared communication, ultrasonic communication, etc. As another example, communication network 100 may be an optical communication network that at least partially implements a conventional communication method such as LiFi (Light Fidelity), etc.

[0025] Next, the driving mode control system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can perform a function of determining at least one of the driving state of the commercial vehicle and the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is driving, and setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to whether the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfies a first condition or the gradient state satisfies a second condition.

[0026] The configuration and function of the driving mode control system 200 according to the present invention will be explained in detail below.

[0027] Next, the device 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a digital device or apparatus that has a function of being able to communicate after being connected to the driving mode control system 200, and any digital device or apparatus that has a memory means, is equipped with a microprocessor, and has computing capabilities, such as a smartphone, tablet, smart watch, smart band, smart glasses, desktop computer, laptop, workstation, PDA, web pad, mobile phone, electronic control unit (ECU) inside a commercial vehicle, etc., can be adopted as the device 300 according to the present invention.

[0028] In particular, the device 300 may include an application (not shown) that assists the user in receiving the functions according to the present invention from the driving mode control system 200. Such an application may be downloaded from the driving mode control system 200 or an external application distribution server (not shown). Meanwhile, the characteristics of such an application may be generally similar to the state determination unit 210, driving mode setting unit 220, communication unit 230, and control unit 240 of the driving mode control system 200, which will be described later. Here, at least a portion of the application may be replaced with a hardware or firmware device that can perform substantially the same or equivalent functions, if necessary.

[0029] [Configuration of driving mode control system] Hereinafter, the internal configuration of the driving mode control system 200 and the functions of each component thereof, which perform important functions for implementing the present invention, will be discussed in detail.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating in detail the internal configuration of a driving mode control system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, a driving mode control system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a state determination unit 210, a driving mode setting unit 220, a communication unit 230, and a control unit 240. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the state determination unit 210, the driving mode setting unit 220, the communication unit 230, and the control unit 240 may be program modules, at least some of which communicate with an external system (not shown). Such program modules may be included in the driving mode control system 200 in the form of an operating system, application module, or other program modules, and may be physically stored in various known storage devices. Furthermore, such program modules may be stored in a remote storage device that can communicate with the driving mode control system 200. Meanwhile, such program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or execute specific abstract data types, as described below, according to the present invention.

[0032] Meanwhile, while the driving mode control system 200 has been described above, such description is illustrative, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some of the components or functions of the driving mode control system 200 may be implemented within the device 300 or a server (not shown) or included in an external system (not shown) as needed.

[0033] First, the state determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform a function of determining at least one of the driving state of the commercial vehicle and the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is driving.

[0034] Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving conditions of a commercial vehicle may include driving conditions such as the speed, acceleration, driving direction, amount of change in driving direction, fuel efficiency, etc. of the commercial vehicle, and may include various driving conditions of the commercial vehicle other than the examples mentioned above.

[0035] For example, the state determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the driving state of the commercial vehicle based on measurements obtained from various sensors such as a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a direction sensor.

[0036] Meanwhile, the method by which the state determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the driving state of the commercial vehicle is not limited to the above-described method, and may be variously modified within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention.

[0037] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the gradient condition of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling may include gradient conditions such as terrain gradient and curvature of the terrain gradient, and may include various gradient conditions other than the above-mentioned examples.

[0038] For example, the state determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the gradient state of the road based on measurements obtained from a gradient sensor or the like.

[0039] As another example, the condition determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine the gradient condition of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling from road information stored in advance in a terrain information system (not shown).

[0040] Meanwhile, the method by which the state determination unit 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling is not limited to the above-described method, and may be variously modified within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention.

[0041] Next, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform a function of setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition.

[0042] Specifically, the first condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition related to at least one of the speed of the commercial vehicle, the acceleration of the commercial vehicle, and the fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle.

[0043] For example, the first condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the speed of the commercial vehicle is equal to or greater than a reference speed. As another example, the first condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the acceleration of the commercial vehicle is equal to or greater than a reference acceleration. As yet another example, the first condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle is equal to or less than a reference fuel efficiency.

[0044] As another example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform a function of setting the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition.

[0045] Furthermore, the second condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition regarding at least one of the terrain gradient and the curvature of the terrain gradient.

[0046] For example, the second condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the gradient of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling is a curvature that increases downward in the direction of travel of the commercial vehicle. As another example, the second condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the gradient of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling is a curvature that increases downward in the direction of travel of the commercial vehicle.

[0047] Therefore, according to the present invention, the driving mode of a commercial vehicle can be set to the coasting mode in a situation where the coasting efficiency of the commercial vehicle is optimized.

[0048] Meanwhile, the first and second conditions according to the present invention may include various conditions other than the above-mentioned conditions, and may include various conditions within a range that allows the object of the present invention to be achieved.

[0049] Continuing with the description, the driving modes according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an inertial driving mode and a power driving mode.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the coasting mode, at least one of the engine of the commercial vehicle, the power transmission means (e.g., a gearbox or a transmission), and the braking means (e.g., a main braking means or an auxiliary braking means) of the commercial vehicle may be controlled to enable the commercial vehicle to coast. In other words, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the coasting mode, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may control at least one of the engine of the commercial vehicle, the power transmission means, and the braking means of the commercial vehicle to enable the commercial vehicle to coast.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the power driving mode, at least one of the engine of the commercial vehicle, the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle, and the braking means (e.g., the main braking means or the auxiliary braking means) may be controlled so that the commercial vehicle can drive on its own power. In other words, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the power driving mode, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may control at least one of the engine of the commercial vehicle, the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle, and the braking means so that the commercial vehicle can drive on its own power.

[0052] Also, the coasting mode according to an embodiment of the present invention may be one of a first coasting mode, a second coasting mode, and a third coasting mode.

[0053] Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, in the first inertial traveling mode, the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle may be controlled to cut off contact between the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle. In other words, the traveling mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention may control the power transmission means to cut off contact between the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle (for example, control the clutch to cut off contact between the clutch and the engine) in response to the commercial vehicle traveling mode being set to the first inertial traveling mode.

[0054] Therefore, according to the present invention, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the first inertial driving mode, the power transmission from the engine is cut off, so that the commercial vehicle can be driven by using the inertia of the commercial vehicle.

[0055] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the second inertial traveling mode, the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means may be controlled so that the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle come into contact with each other and the operation of the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle is cut off. In other words, the traveling mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention may control the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means (for example, control the clutch so that the engine and the clutch come into contact with each other and control the auxiliary brake so that the auxiliary brake is activated) in response to setting the traveling mode of the commercial vehicle to the second inertial traveling mode.

[0056] Therefore, according to the present invention, when the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is set to the second inertial driving mode, the commercial vehicle can be driven by using the rotational inertia of the engine transmitted to the power transmission means.

[0057] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, in the third inertial traveling mode, the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means may be controlled so that the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle come into contact with each other and the auxiliary braking means is activated. In other words, the traveling mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention may control the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means so that the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle come into contact with each other and the auxiliary braking means is activated (for example, control the clutch so that the clutch and the engine are engaged, and control the auxiliary brake so that the auxiliary brake is activated) in response to setting the traveling mode of the commercial vehicle to the third inertial traveling mode.

[0058] Continuing with the explanation, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention may set the coasting mode corresponding to the second time interval to one of the first coasting mode, the second coasting mode, and the third coasting mode based on at least one of the driving state and the gradient state corresponding to the first time interval.

[0059] Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the first time interval may include a time interval in which the commercial vehicle has already traveled, and the second time interval may include a time interval in which the commercial vehicle will travel in the future.

[0060] For example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can set the inertial driving mode corresponding to a future 10-second section to one of the first inertial driving mode, the second inertial driving mode, and the third inertial driving mode based on at least one of the driving state (e.g., a state in which the vehicle is driving at a speed of 78 km / h on a road with a speed limit of 80 km / h) and the gradient state (e.g., a gradient state in which the commercial vehicle has a downward gradient of -5 degrees in the direction of travel) corresponding to a past 10-second section based on a predetermined point in time (e.g., the third inertial driving mode in which the engine and the power transmission means are brought into contact and the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means are controlled to operate, since there is a risk that the driving speed will exceed the speed limit, even though inertial driving is necessary due to the road section having a downward gradient).

[0061] As described above, the magnitude of inertia may differ in the first, second, and third coasting modes according to the present invention because the power transmission means or the auxiliary braking means is controlled. Here, according to the present invention, the coasting mode corresponding to the second time interval may be set based on at least one of the driving state and the gradient state corresponding to the first time interval, so that the coasting mode optimized for the current commercial vehicle driving may be set.

[0062] Meanwhile, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may determine a driving speed range corresponding to a second time interval based on at least one of a driving state and a gradient state corresponding to a first time interval.

[0063] For example, the driving speed range corresponding to the second time interval can be determined based on at least one of the driving conditions and gradient conditions (e.g., a gradient condition where the downward gradient is -10 degrees in the direction of travel of a commercial vehicle) corresponding to the past 10 seconds from a predetermined point in time (e.g., since the gradient is steeper than the reference gradient, the driving speed range can be determined to be lower than the reference driving speed range to ensure driving safety).

[0064] Next, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle may be switched from the inertial driving mode to the power driving mode in response to the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying the third condition. In other words, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may set the driving mode of the commercial vehicle to the power driving mode in response to the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying the third condition.

[0065] Specifically, the braking means according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main braking means and an auxiliary braking means. The braking means according to an embodiment of the present invention may include various braking means such as a hydraulic brake, a pneumatic brake, an exhaust brake, a Jake brake, a retarder brake, etc., and is not limited to the above examples. Meanwhile, the main braking means and the auxiliary braking means according to the present invention are relative concepts, and may be used as an exhaust brake in a specific commercial vehicle, for example.

[0066] In addition, the condition of the braking means in one embodiment of the present invention may include, but is not limited to, the temperature of the braking means, the degree of wear of the braking means, the inspection history of the braking means, the performance of the braking means, etc., and may include any factor that can affect the braking force of the braking means.

[0067] The third condition according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a condition relating to the state of at least one of the brake pad, brake disc, and brake oil that constitute the braking means.

[0068] For example, the third condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the temperature of at least one of the brake pads, brake discs, and brake oil constituting the braking means is equal to or higher than a reference value. As another example, the third condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the degree of wear of at least one of the brake pads and brake discs constituting the braking means is equal to or higher than a reference value. As yet another example, the third condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the last inspection of the braking means. As yet another example, the third condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the performance of the braking means is equal to or lower than a reference value.

[0069] When the driving mode of a commercial vehicle is set to inertial driving mode, a situation may arise in which certain braking means cannot be used (for example, engine braking may become unavailable when contact between the engine and the power transmission means is cut off), and if the temperature of the brake disc exceeds a certain threshold, braking force may suddenly decrease (the so-called fade phenomenon occurs, reducing the frictional force of the brake disc). In this case, the commercial vehicle may momentarily lose braking performance, increasing the risk of an accident. Therefore, according to the present invention, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from inertial driving mode to power driving mode in response to the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying the third condition, so that inertial driving mode is set only when driving safety is ensured, and power driving mode is set in other situations, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle while ensuring driving safety.

[0070] Continuing with the explanation, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can switch the inertial driving mode of the commercial vehicle from one of the first inertial driving mode, the second inertial driving mode, and the third inertial driving mode to another inertial driving mode (i.e., another inertial driving mode from the first inertial driving mode, the second inertial driving mode, and the third inertial driving mode) based on the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle.

[0071] For example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the first inertial driving mode to the second inertial driving mode or the third inertial driving mode based on the state of the braking means.

[0072] As a specific example, when the temperature of the main braking means (e.g., hydraulic brake) is equal to or higher than a reference value, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the first inertial driving mode to the second inertial driving mode or the third inertial driving mode so that the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle come into contact and the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle are activated to ensure driving safety.

[0073] As another example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention can switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the second inertial driving mode to the first inertial driving mode or the third inertial driving mode based on the state of the braking means.

[0074] As yet another example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the third inertial driving mode to the first inertial driving mode or the second inertial driving mode based on the state of the braking means.

[0075] To give a specific example, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention may switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the second inertial driving mode or the third inertial driving mode to the first inertial driving mode so that the contact between the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle is cut off and the efficiency of inertial driving is maximized, since driving safety may already be ensured when the temperature of the main braking means (e.g., hydraulic brake) is below a reference value.

[0076] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving mode of the commercial vehicle may be switched from the inertial driving mode to the power driving mode in response to the distance to other vehicles located around the commercial vehicle satisfying the fourth condition.

[0077] Specifically, the fourth condition according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a condition that the distance between the commercial vehicle and other vehicles located around the commercial vehicle is equal to or less than a reference distance, and may also include a condition that the amount of change in the distance between the commercial vehicle and other vehicles located around the commercial vehicle (e.g., the degree to which the distance becomes closer) is equal to or greater than a reference value.

[0078] For example, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it may be determined that the fourth condition is satisfied when the distance to another vehicle located behind the commercial vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance or when the distance to the other vehicle is decreasing faster than a reference value. Here, the driving mode setting unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may switch the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from the inertial driving mode to the power driving mode in order to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision and improve driving safety.

[0079] Next, the communication unit 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention can perform a function of enabling data transmission / reception to / from the state determination unit 210 and the driving mode setting unit 220.

[0080] Finally, the control unit 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform a function of controlling the flow of data between the state determination unit 210, the driving mode setting unit 220, and the communication unit 230. That is, the control unit 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention may control the state determination unit 210, the driving mode setting unit 220, and the communication unit 230 to perform their respective unique functions by controlling the flow of data from / to the outside of the driving mode control system 200 or the flow of data between each component of the driving mode control system 200.

[0081] The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer components and stored on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions stored on the computer-readable recording medium may be specially designed and constructed for the present invention or may be readily available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language code, such as that produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. A hardware device may be replaced by one or more software modules to perform the processes of the present invention, and vice versa.

[0082] Although the present invention has been described above using specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, this is merely provided to facilitate a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications and changes based on these descriptions.

[0083] Therefore, the concept of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and it can be said that not only the scope of the claims below but also all scopes equivalent to or modified equivalently from the scope of the claims belong to the scope of the concept of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 100:Communication network 200: Driving mode control system 210: Status determination unit 220: Driving mode setting section 230: Communications Department 240: Control unit 300:Device

Claims

1. 1. A method for controlling a coasting mode of a commercial vehicle, comprising: determining at least one of a driving condition of the commercial vehicle and a gradient condition of a road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling; and setting a driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition; The method further comprises switching a driving mode of the commercial vehicle from a coasting mode to a powered driving mode in response to the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying a third condition.

2. the first condition includes a condition related to at least one of a speed of the commercial vehicle, an acceleration of the commercial vehicle, and a fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle; The method of claim 1 , wherein the second condition includes a condition related to at least one of a terrain slope and a curvature of the terrain slope.

3. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third condition includes a condition relating to the state of at least one of a brake pad, a brake disc, and brake oil that constitute the braking means.

4. the coasting mode is one of a first coasting mode, a second coasting mode, and a third coasting mode; In the first inertial running mode, the power transmission means is controlled so that contact between the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle is interrupted, In the second inertial running mode, the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle are brought into contact with each other, and the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle are controlled so that operation of the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle is cut off; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the third coasting mode, the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle are brought into contact with each other, and the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle are controlled so that the auxiliary braking means are activated.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein in the setting step, the coasting mode corresponding to a second time interval is set to one of the first coasting mode, the second coasting mode, and the third coasting mode based on at least one of the driving state and the gradient state corresponding to a first time interval.

6. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from the inertial driving mode to the power driving mode in response to the distance to another vehicle located around the commercial vehicle satisfying a fourth condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting step determines a driving speed range corresponding to a second time interval based on at least one of the driving condition and the gradient condition corresponding to a first time interval.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for executing the method of claim 1.

9. 1. A system for controlling a coasting mode of a commercial vehicle, comprising: a state determination unit that determines at least one of a driving state of the commercial vehicle and a gradient state of the road on which the commercial vehicle is traveling; and a driving mode setting unit that sets a driving mode of the commercial vehicle to an inertial driving mode in response to the driving state of the commercial vehicle satisfying a first condition or the gradient state satisfying a second condition, The system switches the driving mode of the commercial vehicle from an inertial driving mode to a power driving mode in response to the state of the braking means of the commercial vehicle satisfying a third condition.

10. the first condition includes a condition related to at least one of a speed of the commercial vehicle, an acceleration of the commercial vehicle, and a fuel efficiency of the commercial vehicle; The system of claim 9 , wherein the second condition includes a condition related to at least one of a terrain slope and a curvature of the terrain slope.

11. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the third condition includes a condition relating to the state of at least one of a brake pad, a brake disc, and brake oil that constitute the braking means.

12. the coasting mode is one of a first coasting mode, a second coasting mode, and a third coasting mode; In the first inertial running mode, the power transmission means is controlled so that contact between the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle is interrupted, In the second inertial running mode, the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle are brought into contact with each other, and the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle are controlled so that operation of the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle is cut off; 10. The system of claim 9, wherein in the third coasting mode, the engine of the commercial vehicle and the power transmission means of the commercial vehicle are brought into contact with each other, and the power transmission means and the auxiliary braking means of the commercial vehicle are controlled so as to activate the auxiliary braking means.

13. 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the driving mode setting unit sets the inertial driving mode corresponding to a second time interval to one of the first inertial driving mode, the second inertial driving mode, and the third inertial driving mode based on at least one of the driving state and the gradient state corresponding to a first time interval.

14. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the driving mode of the commercial vehicle is switched from the inertial driving mode to the power driving mode in response to the distance to another vehicle located around the commercial vehicle satisfying a fourth condition.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the driving mode setting unit determines a driving speed range corresponding to a second time interval based on at least one of the driving state and the gradient state corresponding to a first time interval.

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