Mobile body

Abstract

This mobile body comprises a main drive motor MOT1, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a control device ECU. The control device ECU comprises: a following movement control unit 100 that performs following movement control for moving so as to follow another vehicle ahead of a vehicle Ve at a predetermined distance and / or for moving at a constant speed at a set speed; and a pseudo gear shift control unit 110 that, during movement by a braking / driving force of the main drive motor MOT1, performs pseudo gear shift control so as to generate a driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 on the basis of a pseudo gearshift stage simulating control of the driving force via a stepped transmission. The pseudo gear shift control unit 110 controls the pseudo gear shift stage on the basis of a moving speed of the vehicle Ve and an operation amount of the accelerator pedal and / or the brake pedal when the vehicle Ve moves without depending on the following movement control during execution of the pseudo gear shift control, and controls the pseudo gear shift stage on the basis of the moving speed of the vehicle Ve when the vehicle Ve moves by the following movement control during execution of the pseudo gear shift control.

Description

Moving body

[0001] The present invention relates to a moving body.

[0002] In recent years, efforts toward the realization of a low-carbon society or a carbon-neutral society have become active, and research and development related to electrification technologies have been conducted for vehicles as well, in order to reduce CO₂ emissions and improve energy efficiency.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration relating to a shift control device for a vehicle during cruise control.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 5854153

[0005] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the transmission is controlled by determining the gear ratio of the transmission from the target driving force required during follow-up travel control (during cruise control). However, such control is not required for vehicles that are not equipped with a transmission (for example, electric vehicles or vehicles capable of EV travel). On the other hand, even for electric vehicles and the like, follow-up travel control may be performed while the vehicle travels by performing pseudo or virtual shift control, so it is desirable to achieve both pseudo shift control and follow-up travel control.

[0006] The present invention provides a moving body capable of achieving both pseudo shift control and follow-up travel control.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a mobile body comprising: an electric motor mechanically connected to the output of a mobile body; a first operator which increases the acceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; a second operator which increases the deceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; and a control device for controlling the mobile body, wherein the control device comprises: a follow movement control unit which performs follow movement control to follow another mobile body in front of the mobile body at a predetermined distance and / or move at a constant speed at a set speed; and a pseudo-gear control unit which performs pseudo-gear control to generate the driving force of the electric motor based on pseudo-gear stages which simulate control via a stepped transmission while the mobile body is moving by the braking force of the electric motor, and the pseudo-gear control unit When the moving body moves without following the movement control while the pseudo-speed shift control is being performed, the pseudo-speed shift is controlled based on the moving speed of the moving body and the amount of operation of the first operator and / or the second operator. When the moving body moves by following the movement control while the pseudo-speed shift control is being performed, the pseudo-speed shift is controlled based on the moving speed of the moving body.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mobile body that can achieve both pseudo-speed shift control and follow-me movement control.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of vehicle Ve. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control unit (ECU). Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a shift map using simulated gears. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the driving force characteristics of the main drive motor MOT1. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of gear setting in simulated gear shift mode. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing in an embodiment. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing in another embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are not limiting to the present invention, and not all of the elements described in the following embodiments are essential to the present invention. Furthermore, two or more elements described in the following embodiments may be arbitrarily combined without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the following, identical or similar elements will be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0011] [Vehicle] In this embodiment, the vehicle Ve to be targeted is any vehicle Ve equipped with an electric motor as a drive source. Therefore, the vehicle Ve could be, for example, an electric vehicle equipped only with an electric motor as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as drive sources. In this embodiment, Figure 1 shows a hybrid vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle") as an example. Vehicle Ve is an example of a "mobile body". As shown in Figure 1, vehicle Ve comprises a mechanically independent main drive unit DU1 and a secondary drive unit DU2. Here, "mechanically independent" means that the power of one is not mechanically transmitted to the other by a propeller shaft or the like. In this embodiment, the main drive unit DU1 outputs a main driving force to drive the front wheels FWR, which is an example of an output unit, and the secondary drive unit DU2 outputs a secondary driving force to drive the rear wheels RWR.

[0012] As an example, in this embodiment, the main drive unit DU1 is positioned as the primary drive source in the vehicle Ve, and the secondary drive unit DU2 is positioned as an auxiliary drive source. A relatively large motor is used as the main drive motor MOT1 for the main drive unit DU1, and a smaller motor is used as the secondary drive motor MOT2 for the secondary drive unit DU2 compared to the main drive motor MOT1.

[0013] Vehicle Ve further includes a battery BAT, which is an energy storage device, a voltage control unit VCU, and a control unit ECU.

[0014] A battery (BAT) is a rechargeable secondary battery having multiple energy storage cells connected in series or in series-parallel. A battery (BAT) is configured to output high voltages, such as 100 to 400 [V]. Lithium-ion batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries can be used as the energy storage cells in a battery (BAT).

[0015] The voltage control unit (VCU) boosts the output voltage from the battery (BAT) while keeping it as DC, and outputs the boosted voltage to the main drive unit (DU1) and the secondary drive unit (DU2). In other words, in vehicle Ve, the boosted voltage generated by a single voltage control unit (VCU) can be supplied to both the main drive unit (DU1) and the secondary drive unit (DU2) in common. The voltage control unit (VCU) may also step down the input voltage input to the battery (BAT). The voltage control unit (VCU) is, for example, a DC-DC converter.

[0016] [Main drive unit] The main drive unit DU1 comprises an engine ENG, which is an example of a prime mover; a generator motor GEN; a main drive motor MOT1, which is an example of an electric motor; a first inverter INV1; a second inverter INV2; and a first transmission mechanism T1.

[0017] An engine is an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, in which engine power is generated by the combustion of air introduced through an intake passage and engine fuel injected from a fuel injection valve.

[0018] The main drive motor MOT1 and the generator motor GEN are connected to the battery BAT via the voltage control unit VCU, the first inverter INV1, and the second inverter INV2, enabling power supply from the battery BAT and energy regeneration to the battery BAT. In Figure 1, dotted lines indicate power wiring, and dashed lines indicate control signal lines.

[0019] The first inverter INV1 converts DC voltage to AC voltage and supplies three-phase current to the generator motor GEN. The first inverter INV1 also converts the AC voltage generated by the generator motor GEN to DC voltage.

[0020] The second inverter INV2 converts DC voltage to AC voltage and supplies three-phase current to the main drive motor MOT1. Furthermore, the second inverter INV2 converts the AC voltage generated by the main drive motor MOT1 to DC voltage when the vehicle Ve is braking.

[0021] The first transmission mechanism T1 comprises an input shaft 21, a generator motor shaft 23, a counter shaft 25, and a first differential mechanism D1, all of which are arranged parallel to each other.

[0022] The input shaft 21 is arranged coaxially with the crankshaft 12 of the engine ENG. Power from the crankshaft 12 is transmitted to the input shaft 21 via a damper 13. The input shaft 21 is provided with an output gear 32, which constitutes a gear train for driving the generator motor, as will be described later.

[0023] On the input shaft 21, opposite to the engine ENG side, is an output gear 53 which constitutes an engine power transmission gear train that transmits power from the engine ENG. Between the output gear 32 and the output gear 53 on the input shaft 21 is a hydraulic clutch CL which connects the input shaft 21 and the output gear 53 in a detachable manner.

[0024] The generator motor shaft 23 is a double-structured rotating shaft comprising an inner shaft 27 and an outer shaft 29 arranged concentrically with respect to the inner shaft 27 on the outer circumference. On the engine ENG side of the inner shaft 27, there is an input gear 34 that meshes with the output gear 32 on the input shaft 21. The output gear 32 on the input shaft 21 and the input gear 34 on the inner shaft 27 constitute a gear train for driving the generator motor, which transmits power from the input shaft 21 to the inner shaft 27.

[0025] Furthermore, an outer circumferential shaft 29 is installed on the outer diameter side of the inner circumferential shaft 27, approximately in the center, so as to be rotatable relative to it. A generator motor GEN is attached to the inner circumferential shaft 27 on the side opposite to the engine ENG side. The generator motor GEN comprises a rotor R fixed to the inner circumferential shaft 27 and a stator S fixed to a case (not shown) and positioned opposite the outer diameter side of the rotor R.

[0026] The driving force from the input shaft 21 is transmitted to the inner circumferential shaft 27 of the generator motor shaft 23 via a gear train for driving the generator motor. As a result, the rotation of the inner circumferential shaft 27 causes the rotor R of the generator motor GEN to rotate. This allows the driving force from the input shaft 21 to be converted into electricity by the generator motor GEN.

[0027] On the outer circumferential shaft 29, an output gear 52 is provided that meshes with an input gear 54 on the counter shaft 25, which will be described later. On the side opposite to the engine EN side, a main drive motor MOT1 is attached. The main drive motor MOT1 comprises a rotor R fixed to the outer circumferential shaft 29 and a stator S fixed to a case (not shown) and positioned opposite the outer diameter side of the rotor R.

[0028] The output gear 52 on the outer shaft 29 and the input gear 54 on the counter shaft 25 form a motor power transmission gear train for transmitting power from the outer shaft 29 to the counter shaft 25. Therefore, when the outer shaft 29 rotates due to the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1, that rotation is transmitted to the counter shaft 25 via the motor power transmission gear train.

[0029] The counter shaft 25 is provided with, in order from the engine ENG side, an output gear 56 that meshes with the ring gear 58 of the first differential mechanism D1, and an input gear 54 that meshes with the output gear 53 on the input shaft 21 and the output gear 52 on the outer circumferential shaft 29. The output gear 53 on the input shaft 21 and the input gear 54 on the counter shaft 25 constitute an engine power transmission gear train for transmitting power from the input shaft 21 to the counter shaft 25. In addition, the output gear 56 on the counter shaft 25 and the ring gear 58 of the first differential mechanism D1 constitute a final gear train for transmitting the driving force of the counter shaft 25 to the first differential mechanism D1.

[0030] The driving force of the main drive motor MOT1, which is input to the counter shaft 25 via the motor power transmission gear train, and the driving force of the engine ENG, which is input to the counter shaft 25 via the engine power transmission gear train, are output as the main driving force of the main drive unit DU1, transmitted to the first differential mechanism D1 via the final gear train, and then transmitted from the first differential mechanism D1 to the front wheel FWR.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first transmission mechanism T1 of the main drive unit DU1 includes a first transmission mechanism 41 that mechanically connects the generator motor GEN and the engine ENG in a power-transmitting manner, and a second transmission mechanism 42 that mechanically connects the main drive motor MOT1 and the front wheel FWR in a power-transmitting manner. Specifically, the first transmission mechanism 41 consists of an input shaft 21, an output gear 32, an input gear 34, and an inner circumferential shaft 27, and the second transmission mechanism 42 consists of an outer circumferential shaft 29, an output gear 52, an input gear 54, a counter shaft 25, an output gear 56, and a first differential mechanism D1.

[0032] Furthermore, the hydraulic clutch CL is an example of a disconnection means, and is configured to selectively switch between a state in which the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 is connected and a state in which the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 is disconnected. That is, by engaging the hydraulic clutch CL, the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 is mechanically connected, and by releasing the hydraulic clutch CL, the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 is mechanically disconnected. In the first transmission mechanism T1, the input gear 54 meshes with the output gear 53 on the input shaft 21 and the output gear 52 on the outer circumferential shaft 29, so when the hydraulic clutch CL is engaged, the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 is mechanically connected, and power transmission between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 becomes possible. On the other hand, when the hydraulic clutch CL is released, the output gear 53 disengages from the input shaft 21, mechanically interrupting the power transmission path between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42, making power transmission between the first transmission mechanism 41 and the second transmission mechanism 42 impossible.

[0033] [Subordinate Drive Unit] The subordinate drive unit DU2 comprises a subordinate drive motor MOT2, a third inverter INV3, and a second transmission mechanism T2. The subordinate drive motor MOT2 is connected to the battery BAT via a voltage control unit VCU and a third inverter INV3, enabling power supply from the battery BAT and energy regeneration to the battery BAT. In Figure 1, dotted lines indicate power wiring, and dashed lines indicate control signal lines.

[0034] The second transmission mechanism T2 comprises motor output shafts 26 and 28 arranged parallel to each other, and a second differential mechanism D2.

[0035] The subordinate drive unit DU2 has a third drive gear 62 mounted on one end of the motor output shaft 26 of the subordinate drive motor MOT2 so as to rotate integrally with it. A third driven gear 64 that meshes with the third drive gear 62 and an output gear 66 are mounted on an output shaft 28 that extends parallel to the motor output shaft 26 of the subordinate drive motor MOT2 so as to rotate integrally with the output shaft 28. Therefore, the driving force of the subordinate drive motor MOT2 is transmitted to the output shaft 28 via the third drive gear 62 and the third driven gear 64. The driving force transmitted to the output shaft 28 is then transmitted from the output gear 66 to the rear wheel RWR via the second differential mechanism D2. Conversely, the driving force from the rear wheel RWR is transmitted to the subordinate drive motor MOT2 via the second differential mechanism D2, the output gear 66, the output shaft 28, the third driven gear 64, the third drive gear 62, and the motor output shaft 26.

[0036] Vehicle Ve also includes an accelerator pedal, the acceleration request to Vehicle Ve increases as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; a brake pedal, the deceleration request to Vehicle Ve increases as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; and paddle shifters (none of which are shown) for shifting up or down the gear in the simulated gear shift described later. Note that the accelerator pedal is an example of a "first operator," the brake pedal is an example of a "second operator," and the paddle shifters are an example of a "third operator."

[0037] [Drive Mode of Main Drive Unit] Next, the drive mode of the main drive unit DU1 will be explained.

[0038] The drive modes of the main drive unit DU1 include an electric drive mode in which the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 is output as the main driving force, and an engine drive mode in which the driving force of the engine ENG is output as the main driving force. In electric drive mode, the hydraulic clutch CL is released and the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 is output as the main driving force. Electric drive mode includes EV driving and series driving, which will be described later. In engine drive mode, the hydraulic clutch CL is engaged and the driving force of the engine ENG is output as the main driving force. Engine drive mode includes engine driving, which will be described later.

[0039] <EV Driving (Electric Drive Mode)> In EV driving mode, the engine ENG is deactivated, and the main drive motor MOT1 is driven by electricity supplied from the battery BAT. Specifically, by driving the main drive motor MOT1 with electricity supplied from the battery BAT, the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 rotates the outer circumferential shaft 29 of the generator motor shaft 23, and this rotation is transmitted to the counter shaft 25 via the motor power transmission gear train. The driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 transmitted in this way is output as the main driving force via the final gear train and the first differential mechanism D1, and transmitted to the front wheels FWR. This enables EV driving.

[0040] <Series Operation (Power Drive Mode)> In series operation, the engine ENG is running, and the power generated by the generator motor GEN drives the main drive motor MOT1. That is, the driving force of the engine ENG is input from the input shaft 21 to the inner shaft 27 via the generator motor drive gear train, causing the inner shaft 27 to rotate. As a result, the rotor R of the generator motor GEN, which is fixed to the inner shaft 27, rotates, and the generator motor GEN generates electricity. At this time, the engine ENG can be operated to mimic a continuously variable transmission by changing the engine speed Ne. The power generated by the generator motor GEN is supplied to the main drive motor MOT1, and this power drives the main drive motor MOT1. The driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 rotates the outer shaft 29 of the generator motor shaft 23, and this rotation is transmitted to the counter shaft 25 via the motor power transmission gear train. The driving force transmitted by the main drive motor MOT1 in this manner is output as the main driving force via the final gear train and the first differential mechanism D1, and transmitted to the front wheel FWR. This makes it possible to operate in so-called series driving mode, where the driving force of the engine ENG is entirely converted into electricity by the generator motor GEN.

[0041] Furthermore, when the vehicle Ve is decelerating, it performs regenerative driving, recovering energy through the regenerative operation of the main drive motor MOT1. Normally, the regenerated power is stored in the battery BAT, but in cases such as when continuously driving downhill, the battery BAT may reach full charge and charging of the battery BAT may not be possible. In such cases, the regenerated power is consumed by waste power, which is used to consume excess power that cannot be stored in the battery BAT.

[0042] <Engine Driving (Engine Drive Mode)> In engine driving mode, with the hydraulic clutch CL engaged, the driving force of the engine ENG is output as the main driving force and transmitted to the front wheel FWR. That is, by engaging the hydraulic clutch CL, the driving force of the input shaft 21 is transmitted to the counter shaft 25 via the engine power transmission gear train, and then to the front wheel FWR via the final gear train and the first differential mechanism D1. This enables engine driving. Here, since the input shaft 21 and the inner shaft 27 are always connected via the gear train for driving the generator motor, the rotor R of the generator motor GEN rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the inner shaft 27. Therefore, since the generator motor GEN can generate electricity, the generated electricity can rotate the main drive motor MOT1, and so-called parallel driving is also possible, where the driving force of the engine ENG and the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 are output as the main driving force.

[0043] In addition, the Vehicle Ve offers several driving modes that allow for changes in driving force characteristics: a Sport mode that enhances acceleration / deceleration responsiveness and steering responsiveness; a Normal mode that prioritizes a balance between steering operability and acceleration; and a Comfort mode (or Eco mode) that suppresses fluctuations in fuel injection amount and motor torque to promote fuel-efficient driving. These Sport, Normal, and Comfort modes can be set and switched using, for example, a user-operated switch (not shown).

[0044] Furthermore, the vehicle Ve can be set to a pseudo shift mode that allows a user to select an arbitrary gear stage in pseudo gear stages. Here, the pseudo gear stage is a gear stage that simulates a gear stage determined based on, for example, vehicle speed and accelerator operation amount in a state where the engine ENG and the drive wheels are disconnected. The pseudo shift mode allows traveling at an engine speed Ne based on a plurality of pseudo gear stages and vehicle speed. That is, traveling can be performed by operating the engine speed Ne to simulate a stepped transmission. This makes it possible to produce a pseudo shift change that simulates a stepped transmission. As an example of such production, in addition to operating the engine speed Ne to simulate a stepped transmission, for example, driving force based on a pseudo shift change is generated and a shift shock is produced, an engine speed sound based on a pseudo shift change is output from a speaker (not shown), and an engine speed based on an abnormal pseudo shift change and the currently selected pseudo gear stage are displayed on a multi-information display (hereinafter referred to as "MID").

[0045] Note that the pseudo shift mode can be set in any of the above-described drive modes. For example, when the vehicle Ve is in an electric drive mode, that is, when traveling by EV, the engine ENG is in a non-operating state, so control of the engine speed Ne simulating a stepped transmission is not performed. In that case, as effects based on the pseudo shift mode, effects including generating driving force, producing shift shock, outputting pseudo engine speed sound, displaying the pseudo gear stage and pseudo engine speed on the MID, and the like are performed. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the simple term "gear stage" refers to a pseudo gear stage.

[0046] The pseudo-shift mode is set or canceled, for example, when a user performs a predetermined shift operation, switch operation or the like. Then, the shift switching in the pseudo shift speeds is switched, for example, based on an operation of an accelerator pedal, or switched by a paddle shift operation performed by a user. Note that when, for example, the temperature of a catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (high temperature), or the temperature of a battery BAT is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (high temperature), even if the user has set the pseudo-shift mode, the setting is not accepted in consideration of the durability of devices and the like. The setting of the pseudo shift speeds, the shift map for the pseudo shift speeds and the like will be described later.

[0047] Further, the vehicle V can be set with a follow-up traveling mode that allows a user to control driving force and the like and perform follow-up traveling behind a preceding vehicle without the user operating an accelerator pedal or the like. The follow-up traveling mode includes Adaptive Cruise Control [ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control], which enables follow-up traveling with a predetermined distance from another vehicle moving ahead, and cruise control, which enables constant-speed traveling at a set speed. Switching between these ACC modes and the like is set or canceled, for example, by operating a switch provided on a side of a steering wheel, a steering pad or the like.

[0048] [Control Device] The control device ECU is a computer that performs overall control of the entire vehicle Ve, and includes, for example, a processor that performs various calculations, a storage unit having a non-transitory storage medium that stores various information such as predetermined maps and programs, and an input / output unit (both not shown) that controls input and output of data between the inside and the outside of the control device ECU. For example, the control device ECU is realized by a single ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or by cooperation of a plurality of ECUs.

[0049] For example, the control unit (ECU) is configured to communicate with each inverter (INV), voltage control unit (VCU), engine (ENG), hydraulic clutch (CL), etc. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the control unit (ECU) controls the output of the engine (ENG) by controlling the engine (ENG), the output of the generator motor (GEN) by controlling the first inverter (INV1), and the output of the main drive motor (MOT1) by controlling the second inverter (INV2).

[0050] The control unit (ECU) executes various programs stored in, for example, the memory unit. As described above, in the vehicle Ve of the embodiment, multiple driving states can be set, and in some cases, multiple driving modes can be set. For example, the follow-me driving mode may be set while the simulated gear shift mode is set. Since the simulated gear shift mode simulates driving with a stepped gear, it is a mode in which the user's intention to operate is higher than that of the follow-me driving mode (in other words, the follow-me driving mode is a mode in which the user's intention to operate is relatively lower), and it is preferable to control the gear selected depending on whether the follow-me driving mode is set in addition to the simulated gear shift mode. Therefore, in the embodiment, a predetermined program is executed that balances the simulated gear shift mode and the follow-me driving mode and sets an appropriate gear. This predetermined program will be described as one example of a program that is executed when the vehicle is driving in EV mode.

[0051] The control unit ECU, as a functional unit realized by the execution of a predetermined program, includes a follow-up movement control unit 100 and a simulated gear shift control unit 110, as shown in Figure 2. In the following description, the processes performed by the follow-up movement control unit 100 and the simulated gear shift control unit 110 are processes realized by the control unit ECU.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit (ECU) receives input from various sensors. For example, it receives input from sensors such as an accelerator position sensor 120 that detects the amount of operation on the accelerator pedal of the vehicle Ve, a brake position sensor 130 that detects the amount of operation on the brake pedal of the vehicle Ve, a vehicle speed sensor 140 that detects the vehicle speed which is the driving speed of the vehicle Ve, a shift position sensor 150 that detects the shift position of a shift device such as a paddle shifter, a catalyst temperature sensor 160 that detects the temperature of the catalyst, a battery temperature sensor 170 that detects the temperature of the battery BAT, and a battery SOC sensor 180 that detects the amount of charge stored in the battery BAT. The values ​​from the various sensors are not limited to those detected; they may also be acquired values ​​obtained by estimation or other means.

[0053] The follow-up movement control unit 100 performs follow-up movement control, which involves following another vehicle in front of the vehicle Ve at a predetermined distance or moving at a constant speed at a set speed. In other words, when a predetermined operation switch or the like is pressed, the follow-up movement control unit 100 sets the above-mentioned follow-up driving mode and drives the vehicle Ve.

[0054] The simulated gear shift control unit 110 performs simulated gear shift control so that, while moving due to the braking force of the main drive motor MOT1, it generates the driving force of the main drive motor MOT1 based on simulated gear shifts that simulate control via a stepped transmission. In other words, in this embodiment, when the simulated gear shift mode is set, it generates driving force based on the simulated gear shifts. Also in this embodiment, when the simulated gear shift mode is set, it controls the selected simulated gear shift depending on whether or not the follow-me driving mode is set.

[0055] Specifically, when the pseudo-gear control unit 110 is performing pseudo-gear control (i.e., when the pseudo-gear mode is set) and the vehicle is moving without follow-me movement control, it controls the pseudo-gear step based on the vehicle speed, which is the vehicle's movement speed Ve, and the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal and / or brake. In other words, when the pseudo-gear mode is set but the follow-me driving mode is not set, pseudo-gear control is performed based on user operation.

[0056] Figure 3 shows a shift map for setting the simulated gears, with the accelerator pedal input on the vertical axis and vehicle speed on the horizontal axis. This shift map is similar to that of a stepped transmission and is selected according to changes in the accelerator pedal input and vehicle speed. Here, it is possible to set simulated gears from "1st gear" to "8th gear" that simulate a stepped transmission. For example, a predetermined gear is selected by an increase or decrease in the amount of accelerator pedal input based on the user's accelerator operation, or by an increase or decrease in vehicle speed. The simulated gear control unit 110, for example, refers to this shift map and selects a simulated gear based on the amount of accelerator pedal input.

[0057] In this shift map, downshifts and upshifts are configured to shift based on the same shift line. However, to prevent shifts from crossing the shift line multiple times in a short period, separate upshift and downshift lines may be provided, for example, and a predetermined hysteresis may be introduced between the upshift and downshift lines.

[0058] Furthermore, if the user operates the brake pedal, the system may be configured to assume an intention to decelerate and, for example, to maintain the currently selected gear by using a shift hold function or to downshift. Also, if the road is uphill, the system may be configured to select a lower gear than on a flat road.

[0059] The vehicle Ve then generates driving force based on the pseudo-gear stage selected in this manner. Figure 4 shows an example of a map of the driving force characteristics of the main drive motor MOT1 corresponding to "1st gear" to "8th gear" in the pseudo-gear stages, with the vehicle speed on the horizontal axis and the driving force on the vertical axis. The control unit ECU refers to this map and controls the main drive motor MOT1 to output driving force based on the selected pseudo-gear stage. Thus, in this embodiment, when a pseudo-gear mode is set, driving force is generated based on the pseudo-gear stage.

[0060] On the other hand, when pseudo-gear shift control is being performed (i.e., when the pseudo-gear shift mode is set) and the vehicle is moving by follow-me movement control, the pseudo-gear shift control unit 110 controls the pseudo-gear step based on the vehicle speed, which is the vehicle speed of the vehicle Ve. In other words, when the pseudo-gear shift mode is set and the follow-me driving mode is set, the pseudo-gear step is set based on the vehicle speed.

[0061] When the vehicle is moving in follow-me mode, the user does not operate the accelerator pedal as usual. In other words, the accelerator input is "0". In this state, the simulated gear is selected based on, for example, the shift map shown in Figure 3 above. Specifically, in the shift map of Figure 3, the simulated gear is selected based on the vehicle speed when the accelerator input is "0" and the vehicle is moving in follow-me mode.

[0062] The control unit (ECU) then generates a driving force based on the selected pseudo-gear stage. In other words, the control unit (ECU) controls the main drive motor MOT1 to output a driving force based on the selected pseudo-gear stage by referring to the map in Figure 4.

[0063] Furthermore, when vehicle Ve is moving with the simulated gear shift mode and follow-me mode set, the simulated gear shift control based on brake pedal operation, as would be the case when moving without the follow-me mode set, will not be performed in the simulated gear shift mode described above. This is because when the follow-me mode is set, the vehicle may decelerate to maintain a predetermined distance from other vehicles ahead. In such cases, performing the simulated gear shift control based on deceleration, as would be done when the follow-me mode is not set, could cause discomfort to the user.

[0064] Therefore, when vehicle Ve moves in the simulated gear shift mode with the follow-me mode set, for example, shift hold, which is a control that maintains the simulated gear based on the operation of the brake pedal, is not performed. Also, when vehicle Ve moves in the simulated gear shift mode with the follow-me mode set, for example, downshifts based on the operation of the brake pedal are not performed. In other words, as described above, vehicle Ve selects a simulated gear based on the vehicle speed.

[0065] Furthermore, when the simulated gear shift mode is set, as described above, regardless of the setting of the follow-me driving mode, effects such as generating a simulated engine speed sound and displaying that simulated engine speed in MID will be performed. In this case, the simulated engine speed may be controlled based on the gear shift settings, for example, as shown in Figure 5.

[0066] [Flowchart] Next, an example of control performed by the control unit ECU described above will be explained. Figure 6 shows an example of the flowchart, in which processing is performed to select an appropriate pseudo-gear step depending on whether or not the follow-up driving mode is set while the pseudo-gear mode is set. This processing is performed when the vehicle Ve is driving in EV mode, as described above. It is also assumed that the pseudo-gear mode is set as a prerequisite. The processing details will be explained in detail below.

[0067] First, the control unit (ECU) determines whether the follow-me driving mode is set (step S1). For example, if the follow-me driving mode operation switch is turned ON, the determination in step S1 is positive.

[0068] If it is determined that the follow-me driving mode is set (Yes in step S1), the control unit ECU selects a simulated gear based on the vehicle speed (step S2). As described above, when the follow-me driving mode is set, the user does not usually operate the accelerator, so the control unit ECU, for example, refers to the shift map explained using Figure 3 above and selects a simulated gear based on the vehicle speed in follow-me driving mode when the accelerator operation amount is "0".

[0069] The control unit (ECU) then generates a driving force based on the selected pseudo-gear stage (step S3). For example, the control unit (ECU) controls the output of the main drive motor (MOT1) to generate a driving force based on the selected pseudo-gear stage, referring to the map described using Figure 4 above.

[0070] On the other hand, if it is determined that the follow-up driving mode is not set (No in step S1), for example, because the operation switch for the follow-up driving mode is turned off, the control unit ECU selects a simulated gear based on the vehicle speed and the accelerator and / or brake operation (step S4). In other words, if the simulated gear mode is set and the follow-up driving mode is not set, the control unit ECU selects a simulated gear based on the vehicle speed and user operation. For example, the control unit ECU refers to the shift map in Figure 3 and selects a simulated gear based on the current amount of accelerator operation by the user and the vehicle speed. Also, if the brakes are applied, the control unit selects a simulated gear that takes that brake operation into consideration. For example, depending on the amount of brake pedal operation, it performs a shift hold to maintain the currently selected simulated gear or a control to lower the gear (i.e., downshift) and determines the simulated gear to select.

[0071] Then, the control unit (ECU) generates a driving force based on the pseudo-gear stage selected in step S4 (step S3).

[0072] As described above, in this embodiment, when a simulated gear shift mode is set, the system is configured to control the selected simulated gear according to the setting of the follow-up driving mode. That is, as described above, when the follow-up driving mode is set, a simulated gear is selected based on the vehicle speed, and when the follow-up driving mode is not set, a simulated gear is selected based on user operation. Therefore, when the follow-up driving mode is set, the selection of a simulated gear based on user operation, which is performed when the follow-up driving mode is not set, is not performed. As a result, even when the follow-up driving mode is set in the simulated gear shift mode, it is possible to drive the vehicle Ve while suppressing the possibility of causing discomfort to the user. On the other hand, when the follow-up driving mode is not set in the simulated gear shift mode, the selection of a simulated gear based on user operation is performed, making it possible to drive in a way that reflects the user's intentions.

[0073] [Other Embodiments] Next, other embodiments will be described. As described above, when the simulated gear shift mode is set, the follow-me driving mode may be set, and in that state, the user may operate the paddle shifters. Furthermore, when the paddle shifters are operated, it is also conceivable that the accelerator pedal may be operated. Here, an example of control when the follow-me driving mode is set and the paddle shifters and accelerator pedal are operated will be described.

[0074] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the control. In this example, it is assumed that the simulated gear shift mode and the follow-me driving mode are set. It is also assumed that the user has operated the paddle shifters. In this case, the simulated gear selected is the gear selected based on the operation of the paddle shifters. Then, under such circumstances, if the accelerator is operated, the system executes a process to generate the appropriate driving force in response to that accelerator operation.

[0075] The control unit (ECU) first determines whether or not the accelerator has been operated (step S10). When the paddle shifter has been operated, the accelerator may be operated. For example, the accelerator may be operated when the user intends to accelerate. Thus, the accelerator may be operated in conjunction with the intention to shift gears. Therefore, the control unit (ECU) determines whether or not the accelerator has been operated based, for example, on the amount of accelerator operation output from the accelerator position sensor.

[0076] If it is determined that the user has operated the accelerator pedal (Yes in step S10), the control unit ECU determines the required driving force from the accelerator pedal signal based on the accelerator operation and the selected pseudo-gear stage, and outputs the determined required driving force to drive the vehicle Ve (step S11). In other words, the control unit ECU controls the output of the main drive motor MOT1 to generate the required driving force based on the accelerator operation and the selected pseudo-gear stage. The pseudo-gear stage is set to the gear stage selected by the operation of the paddle shifter.

[0077] Conversely, if it is determined that there is no accelerator operation by the user (No in step S10), the control unit ECU calculates the accelerator pedal signal from the requested driving force based on the follow-me driving to determine the requested driving force and drives the vehicle Ve in the selected pseudo-gear stage (step S12). Therefore, the control unit ECU controls the output of the main drive motor MOT1 to generate the determined requested driving force. At this time, the pseudo-gear stage is set to the gear stage selected by the paddle shift operation. In the case where the above-mentioned paddle shift operation is performed but there is no accelerator operation, it is conceivable that the user may be trying out various functions, such as wanting to experience the effects of the pseudo-gear mode by changing the pseudo-gear stage (such as the simulated engine speed sound and MID display). For example, it is conceivable that the user may want to experience how the simulated engine speed sound and MID display change when the user selects "5th gear" while currently driving in "6th gear".

[0078] Next, the control unit (ECU) determines whether the selection of a simulated gear using the paddle shifters has been completed (step S13). Since the operation of the paddle shifters is performed, for example, when the user selects a predetermined gear, and is not a continuous operation, if the control that reflects the operation of the paddle shifters (i.e., the control in steps S11 and S12) is performed continuously, it may cause discomfort to the user. Therefore, the control unit (ECU) determines whether the selection of a simulated gear using the paddle shifters has been completed based on predetermined conditions.

[0079] Specifically, the control unit (ECU) determines that the selection of a simulated gear shift via the paddle shifter has ended if, after a paddle shifter operation, the amount of change in the acceleration request and / or deceleration request remains below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time or longer. In other words, based on the accelerator pedal signal obtained from the user's accelerator operation and the accelerator pedal signal obtained from the requested driving force in the follow-me driving mode, it determines that the selection of a simulated gear shift via the paddle shifter has ended if the amount of change in the acceleration request or deceleration request remains below a predetermined value.

[0080] Furthermore, since the process in step S12 described above is performed when the accelerator is not being operated, if the process in step S13 is executed after the process in step S12, it can be assumed that the result in step S13 will almost always be positive.

[0081] Furthermore, if the amount of change in acceleration or deceleration requests is less than a predetermined value, in other words, it can be said that the amount of change in the required driving force and the amount of change in vehicle speed based on the accelerator operation amount, etc., are also less than a predetermined value. Therefore, in addition to acceleration and deceleration requests, it may be possible to determine whether the selection of the simulated gear shift by the paddle shift has been completed based on the amount of change in the required driving force and the amount of change in vehicle speed.

[0082] If the result in step S13 is positive (Yes in step S13), that is, if it is determined that the selection of a simulated gear shift using the paddle shift has been completed, the control unit ECU terminates the control that reflects the selection of a simulated gear shift using the paddle shift and moves to a control that selects a simulated gear shift based on the vehicle speed of the vehicle Ve (step S14). In other words, when the control that reflects the selection of a simulated gear shift using the paddle shift is completed, the vehicle enters a state where the follow-me driving mode is set in the simulated gear shift mode, and the control unit ECU executes the process described in Figure 6 above (specifically, the process in step S2).

[0083] On the other hand, if the result in step S13 is negative (No in step S13), that is, if it is determined that the selection of the simulated gear shift by the paddle shift has not been completed because the amount of change in the acceleration request or deceleration request is greater than or equal to a predetermined value based on the accelerator pedal signal obtained from the user's accelerator operation or the accelerator pedal signal obtained from the requested driving force in the follow-me driving mode, the system returns.

[0084] As shown in the example in Figure 7, when the simulated gear shift mode and follow-me driving mode are set, if the paddle shift is operated, a simulated gear ratio based on that paddle shift operation is selected. Then, if the accelerator is pressed, driving force is generated based on the selected simulated gear ratio and the accelerator operation. If there is no accelerator operation, driving force is generated based on follow-me driving. Therefore, it becomes possible to realize vehicle Ve driving that reflects the user's intentions.

[0085] Furthermore, if, after a paddle shift operation, the change in acceleration request and / or deceleration request remains below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time or longer, the control reflecting the selection of a simulated gear ratio via the paddle shift is terminated. Therefore, if a simulated gear ratio is selected via the paddle shift while the simulated gear ratio mode and follow-me driving mode are set, the control is performed based on that selection of the simulated gear ratio. When the selection of a simulated gear ratio ceases, the control returns to a state that balances both the original follow-me driving mode and the simulated gear ratio mode, making it possible to move the vehicle Ve without causing any discomfort to the user.

[0086] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these are also understood to naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0087] For example, in the above-described embodiment, a paddle shift was described as an example of a third operator that acquires the operation to select a pseudo-gear step, but the third operator may also be implemented by other means such as a tip shift or a button operation.

[0088] Furthermore, the control described in the above-mentioned embodiments can be realized by executing a pre-prepared control program on a computer. This control program is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and executed by reading it from the storage medium. This control program may also be provided in the form of a non-transient storage medium such as flash memory, or it may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes this control program may be included in the control device, included in an electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer that can communicate with the control device, or included in a server device that can communicate with these control devices and electronic devices.

[0089] This specification contains at least the following information. The components indicated in parentheses in the embodiments described above are, but are not limited thereto.

[0090] (1) A mobile body comprising: an electric motor (main drive motor MOT1) mechanically connected to the output section (front wheel FWR) of a mobile body (vehicle Ve); a first operator (accelerator pedal) which increases the acceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; a second operator (brake pedal) which increases the deceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; and a control device (control device ECU) which controls the mobile body, wherein the control device comprises: a follow movement control unit (follow movement control unit 100) which performs follow movement control to follow another mobile body in front of the mobile body at a predetermined distance and / or move at a constant speed at a set speed; and a pseudo-gear control unit (pseudo-gear control unit 110) which performs pseudo-gear control to generate the driving force of the electric motor based on pseudo-gear stages that mimic the control of a stepped transmission while moving by the braking force of the electric motor, The pseudo-gear control unit controls the pseudo-gear stage based on the moving speed of the moving body and the amount of operation of the first operator and / or the second operator when the moving body moves without following movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed, and controls the pseudo-gear stage based on the moving speed of the moving body when the moving body moves by following movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed.

[0091] According to (1), when pseudo-gear shift control is performed without follow-up movement control, the pseudo-gear shift is controlled based on the operation amounts of the first and second operators. When pseudo-gear shift control is performed with follow-up movement control, the pseudo-gear shift is controlled based on the movement speed of the moving object. As a result, during follow-up driving, the selection of a pseudo-gear shift based on user operation is not performed, making it possible to move the moving object without causing the user any discomfort, even when pseudo-gear shift control is performed during follow-up driving. On the other hand, when not in follow-up driving, the selection of a pseudo-gear shift based on user operation is performed, enabling the movement of the moving object to reflect the user's intentions. According to (1), in this way, it is possible to achieve both follow-up movement control and pseudo-gear shift control.

[0092] (2) A mobile body as described in (1), wherein the pseudo-gear control unit does not perform the pseudo-gear stage control based on the operation of the second operator when the mobile body moves by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed.

[0093] According to (2), when pseudo-gear shift control is performed while following movement control is performed, in particular, the pseudo-gear shift stage is not selected based on the operation of the second operator. Therefore, for example, even when pseudo-gear shift control is performed during following movement, it is possible to move the moving object without causing the user any discomfort.

[0094] (3) A mobile body as described in (2), wherein the control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the second operator, which is not performed when the mobile body moves by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear stage control is being performed, is a control that maintains the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the second operator.

[0095] According to (3), when pseudo-gear shift control is performed while following movement control is performed, the pseudo-gear stage holding control based on the operation of the second operator is not performed. Therefore, for example, even when pseudo-gear shift control is performed during following movement, it is possible to achieve both following movement control and pseudo-gear shift control without causing discomfort to the user.

[0096] (4) A mobile body as described in (2), wherein the control of the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the second operator that is not performed when the mobile body is moving by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear step control is being performed is a control that lowers the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the second operator.

[0097] According to (4), when pseudo-gear shift control is performed while following movement control is in place, the pseudo-gear step down control (downshift) based on the operation of the second operator is not performed. Therefore, for example, even when pseudo-gear shift control is performed during following driving, it is possible to achieve both following movement control and pseudo-gear shift control without causing discomfort to the user.

[0098] (5) A mobile body as described in (1), wherein the mobile body comprises a third operator separate from the first and second operators for acquiring an operation to select the pseudo-gear step, and the pseudo-gear control unit controls the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the third operator when the third operator is operated while the mobile body is moving by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed.

[0099] According to (5), when pseudo-gear shift control is performed in a state accompanied by follow-up movement control, even if the pseudo-gear shift is controlled based on the movement speed of the moving body, if a selection operation for a pseudo-gear shift (for example, operation such as paddle shifting) is performed by a third operator while following and performing pseudo-gear shift control, the control will be performed based on the selection of the pseudo-gear shift, making it possible to move the moving body without causing discomfort while reflecting the user's intentions.

[0100] (6) A mobile body as described in (5), wherein the control device terminates the control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the third operator if, after an operation of the third operator, the amount of change in the acceleration request and / or the deceleration request is less than a predetermined value for a predetermined time or longer, and performs control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the mobile speed of the mobile body.

[0101] According to (6), if a pseudo-gear selection operation is performed while following another vehicle and pseudo-gear control is being executed, the control will be performed based on the selection of the pseudo-gear, and when the operation to select a pseudo-gear is discontinued, the control will return to the original control that balances following vehicle control and pseudo-gear control, making it possible to move the vehicle without causing the user any discomfort.

[0102] 100 Follow-up movement control unit 110 Simulated speed change control unit ECU Control unit FWR Front wheel (output unit) MOT1 Main drive motor (electric motor) Ve Vehicle (moving unit)

Claims

1. A mobile body comprising: an electric motor mechanically connected to the output of the mobile body; a first operator which increases the acceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; a second operator which increases the deceleration request to the mobile body as the amount of operation increases and decreases as the amount of operation decreases; and a control device which controls the mobile body, wherein the control device comprises: a follow movement control unit which performs follow movement control to follow another mobile body in front of the mobile body at a predetermined distance and / or move at a constant speed at a set speed; and a pseudo-gear control unit which performs pseudo-gear control to generate the driving force of the electric motor based on pseudo-gear stages which simulate control of the electric motor via a stepped transmission while the mobile body is moving by the braking force of the electric motor, and the pseudo-gear control unit A mobile body wherein, when the mobile body moves without following movement control while the mobile body is performing the pseudo-speed shift control, the pseudo-speed shift is controlled based on the mobile body's movement speed and the amount of operation of the first operator and / or the second operator, and when the mobile body moves by following movement control while the mobile body is performing the pseudo-speed shift control, the pseudo-speed shift is controlled based on the mobile body's movement speed.

2. A mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the pseudo-gear control unit does not perform control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the second operator when the mobile body moves by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed.

3. A mobile body according to claim 2, wherein the control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the second operator, which is not performed when the mobile body moves by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear stage control is being performed, is a control that maintains the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the second operator.

4. A mobile body according to claim 2, wherein the control of the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the second operator, which is not performed when the mobile body moves by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear shift control is being performed, is a control that lowers the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the second operator.

5. A mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the mobile body comprises a third operator separate from the first and second operators for acquiring an operation to select the pseudo-gear step, and the pseudo-gear control unit controls the pseudo-gear step based on the operation of the third operator when the third operator is operated while the mobile body is moving by the follow-up movement control while the pseudo-gear control is being performed.

6. A mobile body according to claim 5, wherein the control device terminates the control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the operation of the third operator if, after an operation of the third operator, the amount of change in the acceleration request and / or the deceleration request is less than a predetermined value for a predetermined time or longer, and performs control of the pseudo-gear stage based on the mobile speed of the mobile body.

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