Saddle-riding type vehicle

Abstract

This saddle-riding type vehicle includes: an engine; an automatic transmission which changes a speed of an output of the engine at a predetermined change gear ratio and outputs the same; and a change gear ratio control means for controlling the change gear ratio of the automatic transmission. The saddle-riding type vehicle includes an external environment detection means for detecting an object in front of the saddle-riding type vehicle, and a travel control means for performing following control for causing the saddle-riding type vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle such that an inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the saddle-riding type vehicle is maintained at a target inter-vehicle distance on the basis of the detection result of the external environment detection means. The gear ratio control means performs a downshift when a predetermined downshift condition is satisfied during deceleration of the saddle-riding type vehicle, the predetermined downshift condition being satisfied before the saddle-riding type vehicle stops. When a prohibition condition is satisfied, which includes at least a condition that execution of the following control is set, the gear ratio control means does not perform a downshift even when the predetermined downshift condition is satisfied.

Description

Straddle-type vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle.

[0002] Cruise control that automatically maintains the vehicle speed at a target speed is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that makes a shift schedule during cruise control different from that during normal driving. Furthermore, technologies that automatically accelerate and decelerate the vehicle by following a preceding vehicle, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), are also known. In such following control, the vehicle is controlled so as to maintain a target inter-vehicle distance with respect to the preceding vehicle.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-031467

[0004] In a straddle-type vehicle, the rider's driving operation is easily reflected in the behavior of the vehicle. If the ride comfort differs between when acceleration and deceleration are automated by following control and when the rider drives by themselves, the rider may feel a sense of discomfort. For example, when following control is executed while a straddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road, repeated acceleration and deceleration in a low speed range, and repeated stopping and starting may occur. Under such circumstances, repeated shift changes may give the rider a sense of discomfort.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that prevents repeated shift changes during execution of following control from giving a rider a sense of discomfort.

[0006] According to the present invention, a saddle-type vehicle (1) comprises an engine (21), an automatic transmission (22) that shifts the output of the engine (21) at a predetermined gear ratio and outputs it, and a gear ratio control means (131) that controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission, wherein the saddle-type vehicle (1) comprises an external detection means (301) that detects an object in front of the saddle-type vehicle (1), and a driving control means (111) that performs follow control to make the saddle-type vehicle (1) follow the preceding vehicle (PV) so that the distance (L) between the preceding vehicle (PV) and the saddle-type vehicle (1) is maintained at a target distance, and the gear ratio control means (131) performs a downshift when a predetermined downshift condition is met during the deceleration of the saddle-type vehicle (1) and before the saddle-type vehicle (1) comes to a stop. A saddle-type vehicle is provided, characterized in that, if a prohibition condition is met which at least includes the setting that the execution of the follow-up control is enabled, a downshift will not be performed even if the predetermined downshift condition is met.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that prevents repeated gear changes during follow-up control from causing discomfort to the rider.

[0008] A right-side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. A front view of the saddle-type vehicle in Figure 1. A block diagram of the control device. A flowchart showing an example of processing related to ACC setting. A diagram showing an example of stopping and starting when ACC is set. A diagram showing an example of a shift schedule. A flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A timing chart showing an example of changes in vehicle speed and gear ratio. A flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing another example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing another example of processing performed by the transmission control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the driving control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the gear shift control unit. A diagram showing an example of another shift schedule.

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> <Overview of Saddle-Type Vehicle> Figure 1 is a right-side view of a saddle-type vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a front view of the saddle-type vehicle 1. In the figures, arrow D1 indicates the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1, arrow D2 indicates the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle 1, and arrow D3 indicates the up-down direction. F indicates the front side, and B indicates the rear side. R indicates the right side when moving forward, and L indicates the left side when moving forward. U indicates the upper side, and D indicates the lower side.

[0011] The saddle-type vehicle 1 is a touring-type motorcycle suitable for long-distance travel, but the present invention is applicable to various types of saddle-type vehicles, including other types of motorcycles. Hereinafter, the saddle-type vehicle 1 may be referred to as vehicle 1.

[0012] Vehicle 1 is equipped with a power unit 2 between the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. In this embodiment, the power unit 2 includes a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine 21 and an automatic transmission 22 that shifts the output of the engine 21 to produce the output. The driving force of the automatic transmission 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels RW via a drive shaft (not shown), causing the rear wheels RW to rotate. The automatic transmission 22 in this embodiment is a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) and has gear ratios from 1st to 6th forward gear. The automatic transmission 22 may be other stepped transmissions such as an automated manual transmission (AMT) or a torque converter type automatic transmission instead of a DCT.

[0013] The power unit 2 is supported by the vehicle frame 3. The vehicle frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the direction D1. Above the main frames 31 are a shelter case 5 and an air cleaner box (not shown). In front of the shelter case 5 is a meter panel MP that displays various information to the rider.

[0014] The front end of the main frame 31 is provided with a head pipe 32 that rotatably supports a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by the handle 8. The rear end of the main frame 31 is provided with a pair of left and right pivot plates 33. The power unit 2 is supported by the main frame 31. The rear end of the main frame 31 is provided with a pair of left and right seat rails (not shown) that extend to the rear, and the seat rails support the seat 4a on which the rider sits, the seat 4b on which a passenger sits, and the rear trunk 7b, etc.

[0015] The pivot plate 33 supports the front end of a rear swing arm (not shown) that extends in the front-rear direction, allowing it to swing freely. The rear swing arm is capable of swinging up and down, and the rear wheel RW is supported at its rear end. An exhaust muffler 6, which silences the exhaust from the engine 21, extends in the direction D1 from the lower side of the rear wheel RW. Left and right saddlebags 7a are provided on the upper side of the rear wheel RW.

[0016] The front end of the main frame 31 is configured with a front suspension mechanism 9 that supports the front wheel FW. The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper link 91, a lower link 92, a fork support 93, a cushion unit 94, and a pair of left and right front forks 95.

[0017] The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are each positioned at the front end of the main frame 31 with a vertical gap between them. The rear ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotably connected to the front end of the main frame 31. The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 each extend in the front-rear direction and are positioned substantially parallel to each other.

[0018] The cushion unit 94 has a structure in which a shock absorber is inserted through a coil spring, and its upper end is pivotably supported by the main frame 31. The lower end of the cushion unit 94 is pivotably supported by the lower link 92.

[0019] The fork support 93 is cylindrical and tilted backward. The front end of the upper link 21 is rotatably connected to the upper front part of the fork support 93. The front end of the lower link 92 is rotatably connected to the lower rear part of the fork support 93.

[0020] A steering shaft 96 is rotatably supported on a fork support 93. The steering shaft 96 has a shaft portion (not shown) that passes through the fork support 93. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 96, and a pair of left and right front forks 95 are supported on this bridge. The front wheel FW is rotatably supported on the front forks 95. The upper end of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by a handle 8. The steering shaft 96 rotates when the handle 8 is turned, and the front wheel FW is steered. The upper part of the front wheel FW is covered by a fender 10, which is supported by the front forks 95.

[0021] Vehicle 1 is equipped with a brake device 19F for braking the front wheel FW and a brake device 19R for braking the rear wheel RW. The brake devices 19F and 19R are configured to be operable by the rider's operation of the brake lever 8a or brake pedal 18 and the operation of the brake control device. The brake devices 19F and 19R are, for example, hydraulic disc brakes.

[0022] A headlight unit 11 that illuminates the front of the vehicle 1 is positioned at the front of the vehicle 1. The headlight unit 11 in this embodiment is a two-lens type headlight unit that has a right-side light-emitting section 11R and a left-side light-emitting section 11L arranged symmetrically. However, a single-lens type, a triple-lens type headlight unit, or an asymmetrical two-lens type headlight unit can also be used.

[0023] The front of the vehicle 1 is covered by a front cover 12, and the front sides of the vehicle 1 are covered by a pair of left and right side covers 14. A screen 13 is positioned above the front cover 12. The screen 13 is a windbreak that reduces the wind pressure experienced by the rider while riding, and is made of, for example, a transparent resin material. A pair of left and right side mirror units 15 are positioned on the sides of the front cover 12. The side mirror units 15 support side mirrors (not shown) for the rider to see behind them.

[0024] The front cover 12 includes cowl members 121 to 123, which together constitute the front cowl. Cowl member 121 extends in the D2 direction and forms the main body of the front cover 12, while cowl member 122 forms the upper part of cowl member 121. Cowl member 123 is positioned spaced downward from cowl member 121.

[0025] An opening is formed between cowl member 121 and cowl member 123, and between the pair of left and right side covers 14, exposing the headlight unit 11. The upper edge of this opening is defined by cowl member 121, the lower edge by cowl member 123, and the left and right side edges are defined by the side covers 14.

[0026] A detection unit 301 is located behind the front cover 12. The detection unit 301 is an external sensor that detects targets for the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, the detection unit 301 will also be referred to as the external sensor 301. In this embodiment, the external sensor 301 is a radar (for example, a millimeter-wave radar) and is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle 1 and the distance to the preceding vehicle. The external sensor 301 may be a camera or other type of sensor, or it may be a combination of multiple sensors such as a radar and a camera.

[0027] <Control Device> Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device 100 of the vehicle 1, and only the necessary components are shown in relation to the explanation described later. The control device 100 is an electronic circuit that controls the saddle-type vehicle 1 according to the detection results of each sensor of the sensor group 300, instructions from the rider via the input unit 200, or information obtained from the communication device 400. The control device 100 includes a driving control unit 110, an engine control unit 120, and a gear shift control unit 130. These control units are not limited to three; they may consist of one unit or be further subdivided.

[0028] The driving control unit 110 controls the driving of the brake devices 19F and 19R, as well as driving assistance. Driving assistance includes, as an example, driving control that automatically accelerates and decelerates the saddle-type vehicle 1. More specifically, it includes adaptive cruise control (ACC). With ACC, the driving control unit 110 maintains the distance between the saddle-type vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle detected by the external sensor 301 at a target distance, and automatically accelerates and decelerates the saddle-type vehicle 1 so that it follows the preceding vehicle. The target distance can be set by the rider. If there is no preceding vehicle, the saddle-type vehicle 1 is automatically accelerated and decelerated so that its speed is maintained at the target speed set by the rider.

[0029] The engine control unit 120 controls the drive of the engine 21. The transmission control unit 130 controls the clutches for odd and even gears and the automatic transmission 22.

[0030] Each control unit 110 to 130 includes processing units 111, 121, and 131, storage units 112, 122, and 132, and interfaces (I / F) 113, 123, and 133. The processing units 111, 121, and 131 are processors, such as CPUs. The storage units 112, 122, and 132 are storage devices such as semiconductor memory. The I / F 113, 123, and 133 include input / output interfaces with external devices or communication interfaces for communication between control units 110 to 130. The storage units 112, 122, and 132 store programs executed by the processing units 111, 121, and 131, as well as data used by the processing units 111, 121, and 131 for processing.

[0031] The sensor group 300 includes an external sensor 301, a vehicle speed sensor 302, a throttle opening sensor 303, a shift position sensor 304, and a position sensor 305. The vehicle speed sensor 302 detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1. The vehicle speed sensor 302 is, for example, a sensor that detects the rotational speed of the output shaft of the automatic transmission 22. The vehicle speed sensor 302 may also be a sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the front wheels FW or the rear wheels RW. The throttle opening sensor 303 detects the throttle opening of the engine 21. The shift position sensor 304 detects the currently selected shift position. The position sensor 305 is a sensor (GNSS sensor) that detects the current position of the vehicle 1.

[0032] The input unit 200 is a touch panel that can be operated by the rider, and information is displayed to the rider. The rider can also perform actions such as ACC execution, setting target distance between vehicles, and target vehicle speed via the input unit 200. The communication device 400 is a wireless communication device that communicates with a server that distributes traffic information and other information via the internet, or it is a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device.

[0033] <ACC Settings and Operation Examples> ACC is executed when the rider sets it to run, and terminates when the setting is canceled. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the process for setting and canceling ACC, which is executed by the driving control unit 110.

[0034] In step S1, processing related to the acceptance of the ACC selection is performed. The Writer can set the execution of ACC via the input unit 200. If the Writer selects the execution of ACC, the execution of ACC is set in step S2 and ACC is started.

[0035] In step S3, it is determined whether the release condition has been met. If it is determined that the release condition has been met, the process proceeds to step S4. Examples of release conditions include when the rider cancels the ACC execution setting via the input unit 200, when a brake input by the rider or automatic stopping by ACC exceeds a predetermined time. In step S5, the ACC setting is canceled. This terminates the ACC.

[0036] Figure 5 shows an example of ACC operation. State ST1 indicates the state of vehicle 1 while it is in motion. When the external sensor 301 detects a preceding vehicle V, the driving control unit 110 performs follow control to make vehicle 1 follow the preceding vehicle PV. In follow control, vehicle 1 is automatically accelerated and decelerated to maintain the distance L between vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle PV at a preset target distance.

[0037] State ST2 describes the state of vehicle 1 when the preceding vehicle PV stops at an intersection or the like. In response to the deceleration of the preceding vehicle PV as it stops, vehicle 1 also automatically activates the brake devices 19F and 19R to decelerate, and when the preceding vehicle PV stops, vehicle 1 also automatically stops at a predetermined distance from the preceding vehicle PV. State ST3 describes the state of vehicle 1 when the preceding vehicle PV starts moving. When the rider performs a start operation, vehicle 1 starts moving. The start operation is received, for example, by the input unit 200. Alternatively, the external sensor 301 may detect the start of the preceding vehicle PV and automatically start vehicle 1.

[0038] <Shift Control> An example of control of the automatic transmission 22 by the shift control unit 130 will be described. The shift ratio change control of the automatic transmission 22 is performed based on the driving state information of the vehicle 1 and a predetermined shift schedule. The driving state information may include detection results from the sensor group 300, information acquired by the communication device 400, or control information from inside the saddle-type vehicle 1. This information can also be distinguished into internal information of the saddle-type vehicle 1 and external information related to the driving environment. The internal information includes, for example, vehicle speed information, throttle opening information, shift position information, and information related to the setting of ACC execution.

[0039] Vehicle speed information is information used to identify the vehicle speed of vehicle 1. Vehicle speed information is, for example, the detection result of vehicle speed sensor 302. The detection result of vehicle speed sensor 302 may be received directly by the transmission control unit 130 from vehicle speed sensor 302, or it may be received via other control units 110 or 120. Throttle opening information is information used to identify the throttle opening of engine 21. Throttle opening information is, for example, the detection result of throttle opening sensor 303. The detection result of throttle opening sensor 303 may be received directly by the transmission control unit 130 from throttle opening sensor 303, or it may be received via other control units 110 or 120. Throttle opening information may also be the command value of the throttle opening output by engine control unit 120 to engine 21.

[0040] Shift position information is information used to identify the gear ratio (one of 1st to 6th gear) of the automatic transmission 22. Shift position information is, for example, the detection result of the shift position sensor 304. Information regarding the ACC execution setting is whether or not ACC is running, and is notified from the driving control unit 110 to the gear shift control unit 130.

[0041] The shift schedule is a map that defines the gear ratio according to the driving conditions and defines the timing of gear ratio changes. The shift schedule can be stored in the memory unit 132. Multiple types of shift schedules may be prepared, and one shift schedule to be used for gear ratio switching control may be selected from among the multiple types of shift schedules according to the driving conditions of the vehicle 1, etc.

[0042] Figure 6 shows an example of a shift schedule. In the illustrated shift schedule M1, the horizontal axis is vehicle speed V and the vertical axis is throttle opening θ. Vehicle speeds V1 to V4 have the relationship V1 < V2 < V3 < V4. Vehicle speed V1 is, for example, a low vehicle speed in the range of 10 to 30 km / h, vehicle speeds V2 and V3 are, for example, intermediate vehicle speeds in the range of 20 to 70 km / h, and vehicle speed V4 is, for example, a high vehicle speed in the range of 70 to 90 km / h. A throttle opening of 0 means that the throttle is fully closed, and a large throttle opening means that the throttle is opened wider.

[0043] The shift-up lines SU1 to SU5 show the conditions for shifting up as vehicle 1 accelerates, and in particular, they show the timing of the shift-up and the corresponding range of each gear ratio. Shift-up line SU1 shows the timing of the 1st to 2nd gear shift, shift-up line SU2 shows the timing of the 2nd to 3rd gear shift, and shift-up line SU3 shows the timing of the 3rd to 4th gear shift. Similarly, shift-up line SU4 shows the timing of the 4th to 5th gear shift, and shift-up line SU5 shows the timing of the 5th to 6th gear shift. When the position of the combination of vehicle speed V and throttle opening θ crosses a shift-up line, the gear ratio increases by one. For example, if the position of the combination of vehicle speed V and throttle opening θ changes to cross shift-up line SU3 as shown by arrow P1, the gear ratio will switch from 3rd to 4th gear.

[0044] The downshift lines SD1 to SD5 indicate the downshift conditions accompanying deceleration of the vehicle 1 by broken lines, and particularly indicate the downshift timing and the corresponding regions for each gear ratio. The downshift line SD1 indicates the switching timing for 2nd speed → 1st speed, the downshift line SD2 indicates the switching timing for 3rd speed → 2nd speed, and the downshift line SD3 indicates the switching timing for 4th speed → 3rd speed. Similarly, the downshift line SD4 indicates the switching timing for 5th speed → 4th speed, and the downshift line SD5 indicates the switching timing for 6th speed → 5th speed, respectively. When the position of the combination of vehicle speed V and throttle opening θ crosses a downshift line, the gear ratio is downshifted by one step. As an example, when the position of the combination of vehicle speed V and throttle opening θ changes so as to cross the downshift line SD1 as shown by arrow P2, the gear ratio is switched from 2nd speed to 1st speed. The downshift line SD1 indicates downshift conditions that can be satisfied from deceleration to stopping of the vehicle 1.

[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of processing executed by the processing unit 131 of the shift control unit 130, and shows change control for the gear ratio of the automatic transmission 22 in which a program stored in the storage unit 133 is periodically executed by the processing unit 131.

[0046] In step S11, driving state information is acquired. In step S12, it is determined whether a shift change is necessary on the basis of the driving state information acquired in step S11 and a shift schedule. If it is determined to be unnecessary, the processing ends; if it is determined to be necessary, the processing proceeds to step S13.

[0047] In step S13, it is determined whether the shift change determined to be necessary in S12 is a downshift from 2nd speed to 1st speed. If the shift change is a downshift from 2nd speed to 1st speed, the processing proceeds to step S15; if the shift change is not a downshift from 2nd speed to 1st speed, the processing proceeds to step S14.

[0048] In step S14, shift change control for the automatic transmission 22 is performed. For example, when changing the gear ratio from an even gear to an odd gear, after the odd gear is set with the odd gear side clutch released, the even gear side clutch is released and the odd gear side clutch is engaged.

[0049] In steps S15 and S16, processing related to control of whether to execute a downshift from second gear to first gear is performed. During adaptive cruise control (ACC), in the saddle-riding vehicle 1, compared with four-wheeled vehicles, the rider's driving operation is more likely to be reflected in the behavior of the vehicle. If the riding comfort differs between when acceleration and deceleration are automated by ACC and when the rider drives by themself, the rider may feel a sense of discomfort.

[0050] For example, when ACC is activated while the vehicle 1 is traveling on a congested road, repeated acceleration and deceleration in a low speed range, or repeated stopping and starting may occur. Under such circumstances, when shift busy, in which shift changes between second gear and first gear are repeated, occurs, the rider may feel a sense of discomfort. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a certain restriction is imposed on downshifting from second gear to first gear.

[0051] In step S15, it is determined whether a prohibition condition is satisfied. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the prohibition condition determination processing of step S15. In step S21, it is determined whether execution of ACC is currently set based on the traveling state information acquired in step S11. When execution of ACC is currently set, it is determined in step S22 that the prohibition condition is satisfied, and when execution of ACC is not set, it is determined in step S23 that the prohibition condition is not satisfied.

[0052] Returning to FIG. 7. In step S16, when the determination result in step S15 is that the prohibition condition is not satisfied, the processing proceeds to step S14. As a result, a downshift from second gear to first gear is performed. On the other hand, when the determination result in step S15 is that the prohibition condition is satisfied, the processing ends without proceeding to step S14. Therefore, a downshift from second gear to first gear is not performed.

[0053] FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing an example of shift control based on the processing in FIG. 7. Chart TC1 shows an example of change in vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 over time. In this example, deceleration of the vehicle 1 is started at time T1, and the vehicle 1 stops at time T2. A starting condition of the vehicle 1 is satisfied at time T4, and starting is started at time T5.

[0054] Chart TC2 shows an example where the automatic transmission 22's gear shift control is performed based on the shift schedule M1 in Figure 6, when ACC execution is not set. At time T1, 2nd gear is selected. Between time T1 and time T2, the downshift condition based on the downshift line SD1 is met (see P2 in Figure 6), and the gear ratio is switched from 2nd gear to 1st gear. Subsequently, at time T5, vehicle 1 starts moving while still in 1st gear.

[0055] Chart TC3 shows an example where ACC execution is set. At time T1, 2nd gear is selected. Between time T1 and time T2, the downshift condition based on the downshift line SD1 is met (see P2 in Figure 6), but the downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear does not occur due to the processing in steps S15 and S16 in Figure 7. The selection of 2nd gear is maintained even while vehicle 1 is stopped, and vehicle 1 starts moving at time T5 with 2nd gear still selected.

[0056] Thus, in this embodiment, while ACC is running, even if the downshift condition based on the downshift line SD1 in Figure 6 is met, the vehicle will not downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear. This prevents repeated shift changes between 2nd and 1st gear in the low-speed range of vehicle 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent repeated shift changes in the low-speed range of vehicle 1 during ACC operation, which could cause discomfort to the rider.

[0057] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the condition prohibiting downshifting from second gear to first gear (step S15) was limited to only when ACC execution was set, but other conditions may also be included. When downshifting from second gear to first gear is prohibited and vehicle 1 starts from a standstill in second gear, if the road is clear, the preceding vehicle PV may have good acceleration, which may cause delays in following the preceding vehicle PV. If the road on which vehicle 1 is traveling is congested, the acceleration of the preceding vehicle PV will also be sluggish. Therefore, in this embodiment, the condition is also that the road on which vehicle 1 is traveling is congested.

[0058] Figure 10 shows an example of a process for determining whether the road traveled by vehicle 1 is congested. In this embodiment, it is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the processing unit 111 of the travel control unit 110.

[0059] In step S31, information regarding the vehicle 1's travel path (travel path information) is acquired. This travel path information includes, for example, the detection results of the external sensor 301, traffic information acquired by the communication device 400, or information such as the speed, acceleration, and distance between vehicles of surrounding vehicles. In step S32, based on the travel path information acquired in step S31, it is determined whether or not the vehicle 1's travel path is congested. If it is determined in step S32 that there is congestion, the process proceeds to step S33; if it is determined that there is no congestion, the process proceeds to step S34.

[0060] For example, if the road information is the result of detection by the external sensor 301, and a large number of targets (vehicles) are detected, it is determined that the road of vehicle 1 is congested. Also, for example, if the road information is traffic information, and the road of vehicle 1 identified by the position sensor 305 corresponds to a congested road indicated in the traffic information, it is determined that the road of vehicle 1 is congested.

[0061] In step S32, the congestion status of the road for vehicle 1 is set to congested, and in step S33, the congestion status is set to normal. This setting result is notified from the driving control unit 110 to the gear shift control unit 130.

[0062] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the process for determining the prohibition condition in step S15 in this embodiment, and is an alternative process example to Figure 9.

[0063] In step S41, it is determined whether or not ACC is enabled based on the driving status information obtained in step S11. If ACC is enabled, the process proceeds to step S42; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S44.

[0064] In step S42, it is determined whether the road for vehicle 1 is congested or not, based on the congestion status of the road for vehicle 1 notified by the driving control unit 110. If it is determined that the road for vehicle 1 is congested, the process proceeds to step S43; if it is determined that the road is not congested, the process proceeds to step S44. In step S43, it is determined that the prohibition condition is met; in step S44, it is determined that the prohibition condition is not met.

[0065] As described above, in this embodiment, when ACC is active and the vehicle is in a traffic jam, downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited, thus eliminating shift busyness that may occur when vehicle 1 is traveling on a congested road. On the other hand, when vehicle 1 is traveling on an uncongested road, downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not prohibited, thus improving acceleration performance when starting off.

[0066] <Third Embodiment> If the vehicle 1 stops without shifting down from 2nd gear to 1st gear due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, it may shift down to 1st gear when the prohibition release condition is fulfilled. Figure 12 shows an example of processing performed by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, and shows the gear ratio change control of the automatic transmission 22, which is different from the example in Figure 7. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 7. Steps up to step S15 are the same as each step in the first embodiment.

[0067] In step S16, if the result of the determination in step S15 is false, the process proceeds to step S14 (a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is performed). On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S15 is true, the process proceeds to step S51, where it is determined whether or not vehicle 1 is stopped based on the driving state information acquired in step S11. If it is determined in step S51 that the vehicle is not stopped, the process terminates without proceeding to step S14. Therefore, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed. If it is determined in step S51 that the vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to step S52.

[0068] In step S52, the condition for lifting the ban is determined. Details of the determination will be described later. In step S53, if the determination result in step S52 is true, the process proceeds to step S14. As a result, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is performed. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S15 is false, the process ends without proceeding to step S14. Therefore, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed.

[0069] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the determination process in step S52. In the example in Figure 13, the restriction release condition is met when a predetermined time (for example, a time within the range of 10 to 20 seconds) has elapsed since vehicle 1 stopped, and downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear becomes possible. The time is measured by a timer (for example, a software counter).

[0070] In step S61, it is determined whether or not the timer is currently in operation. If it is, the process proceeds to step S64. If it is not in operation (e.g., immediately after vehicle 1 has stopped), the process proceeds to step S62. In step S62, the timer starts, and the process proceeds to step S63.

[0071] In step S64, it is determined, based on the timer's timing, whether a predetermined time has elapsed while the vehicle 1 is stopped. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S65; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S63.

[0072] In step S65, it is determined that the condition for releasing the prohibition has been met, and in the following step S66, the timing ends and the timer is reset. In step S63, it is determined that the condition is not met. As a result, the condition for releasing the prohibition in step S53 of Figure 12 is met, and the process proceeds to the shift change control in step S14, so that while the vehicle 1 is stopped, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear occurs after a predetermined time has elapsed since stopping.

[0073] Refer to Figure 8. Chart TC4 illustrates the case when the processes in Figures 12 and 13 are executed. At time T1, 2nd gear is selected. Between time T1 and time T2, the downshift condition based on the downshift line SD1 is met (see P2 in Figure 6), but the downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed by the processes in steps S15 and S16 in Figure 12. After vehicle 1 stops at time T2, a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started, and at time T3, the process in step S52 determines that the prohibition release condition has been met. According to the shift schedule M1 in Figure 6, when the vehicle speed is 0 and the throttle opening is also 0, 1st gear is selected, so the vehicle shifts down from 2nd gear to 1st gear at time T3. At time T5, 1st gear is selected and vehicle 1 starts moving.

[0074] Thus, in this embodiment, when the condition for releasing the prohibition is met while the vehicle 1 is stopped, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear occurs. Since the vehicle 1 starts with 1st gear selected, acceleration performance at startup can be improved. On the other hand, in this embodiment, 2nd gear is maintained until a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle 1 stopped. Therefore, in situations where the vehicle 1 starts immediately after stopping, 2nd gear is maintained, preventing repeated shift changes between 2nd and 1st gear, and reducing the pitching behavior of the vehicle body at startup.

[0075] In this embodiment, the condition for releasing the prohibition is set to the elapsed time since vehicle 1 stopped, but other conditions may also be used. For example, if the vehicle moves to a different lane from the preceding vehicle PV while ACC is stopped, the condition for releasing the prohibition may be a rider-operated start operation such as operating the input unit 200 or operating the accelerator grip. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing one example, which is a flowchart of an example of the determination process in step S52 that replaces the example in Figure 13.

[0076] In step S71, it is determined whether or not a starting operation has been performed by the rider. In this embodiment, if a starting operation instruction is detected for the input unit 200, it is determined that a starting operation has been performed. In step S72, if the result of the determination in step S71 is that a starting operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S73; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S74.

[0077] In step S73, it is determined that the condition for lifting the prohibition has been met, and in step S74, it is determined that it has not been met. Through this process, when vehicle 1 starts moving, it shifts down from 2nd gear to 1st gear.

[0078] Refer to Figure 8. Chart TC5 illustrates the case when the processes in Figures 12 and 14 are executed. At time T1, 2nd gear is selected. Between time T1 and time T2, the downshift condition based on the downshift line SD1 is met (see P2 in Figure 6), but the downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed by the processes in steps S15 and S16 in Figure 12. When vehicle 1 stops at time T2 and the starting operation is performed at time T4, the process in step S52 determines that the prohibition release condition has been met and 1st gear is selected. Then, at time T5, vehicle 1 starts moving.

[0079] Thus, in this embodiment, when the rider initiates a start operation while the vehicle 1 is stopped, the transmission shifts down from 2nd gear to 1st gear. Since the vehicle 1 starts with 1st gear selected, acceleration performance at startup can be greatly reduced. On the other hand, in this embodiment, 2nd gear is maintained from the time the vehicle 1 stops until a start operation is made. Therefore, in situations where the vehicle 1 automatically starts immediately after stopping, 2nd gear is maintained, preventing repeated shift changes between 2nd and 1st gear, and reducing the pitching behavior of the vehicle body at startup.

[0080] <Fourth Embodiment> While ACC is running, the control after prohibiting downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear may be selected from a group of controls and one control may be executed. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which either a control that downshifts from 2nd gear to 1st gear while the vehicle 1 is stopped (referred to as control A), as in the third embodiment, or a control that maintains 2nd gear even while the vehicle 1 is stopped (referred to as control B), as in the first embodiment, is selected and executed.

[0081] Figure 15 shows an example of processing performed by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, illustrating the control of changing the gear ratio of the automatic transmission 22, which is an alternative to the example in Figure 12. The following describes the processing that differs from the example in Figure 12.

[0082] If it is determined in step S51 that vehicle 1 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S81. If control A is selected in step S81, the process proceeds to step S52; if control B is selected, the process ends.

[0083] (Control selection based on rider settings) An example of automatically linking the control selection in step 81 to the settings previously selected by the rider will be described. As a prerequisite, an example of the process for accepting the rider's selection will be explained with reference to Figure 16. Figure 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the driving control unit 110.

[0084] In step S91, the input unit 200 displays a selection of options that the rider can choose from. In step S92, the rider's selection operation for one of the options is accepted. Once the selection is confirmed, in step S93 the setting is updated. The setting is stored in, for example, the memory unit 112, and the setting is also notified from the driving control unit 110 to the gear shift control unit 130.

[0085] *Example of setting items: One of the setting items that the rider can set in advance is the gear ratio of the automatic transmission 22 when the vehicle 1 starts (referred to as the starting gear). The rider can select either 1st gear or 2nd gear as the starting gear. The gear control unit 130 controls the automatic transmission 22 so that when the vehicle 1 starts after it has stopped, it will be in the starting gear selected by the rider.

[0086] An example of the processing in step S81 based on the starting gear selected by the rider will be explained with reference to Figure 17. Figure 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing in step S81.

[0087] In step S101, information about the starting gear set by the rider is acquired. In step S102, based on the information acquired in step S101, it is determined whether the starting gear set by the rider is 1st gear or not.

[0088] If it is determined in step S102 that the vehicle is in 1st gear, the process proceeds to step S103, and control A is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control A will select 1st gear while the vehicle is stopped. Therefore, the selection of control A is in line with the rider's intention.

[0089] If it is determined in step S102 that the vehicle is not in first gear (but in second gear), the process proceeds to step S104, and control B is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from second gear to first gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control B will maintain second gear and start the vehicle. Therefore, the selection of control B is in line with the rider's intentions.

[0090] Thus, in the example shown in Figure 17, it becomes possible to select a control that aligns with the rider's intentions in step S81. The starting gear may always be selected according to the rider's settings while ACC is engaged, or it may be selected according to the situation, such as in traffic jams.

[0091] *Example of setting item: ACC driving mode One of the settings that the rider can set in advance is the ACC driving mode. The ACC driving modes include Comfort mode and Dynamic mode. Dynamic mode has higher acceleration and deceleration performance compared to Comfort mode, and is a mode that controls the vehicle to have higher dynamic performance.

[0092] An example of the processing in step S81 based on the ACC driving mode selected by the rider will be explained with reference to Figure 18. Figure 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing in step S81.

[0093] In step S111, information about the ACC riding mode set by the rider is acquired. In step S112, based on the information acquired in step S111, it is determined whether the ACC riding mode set by the rider is dynamic mode or not.

[0094] If dynamic mode is determined in step S112, the process proceeds to step S113, and control A is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control A selects 1st gear, which has strong torque while stopped, thus improving the acceleration performance of vehicle 1 when starting. Therefore, the selection of control A is in line with the rider's intentions.

[0095] If it is determined in step S112 that the vehicle is not in dynamic mode (i.e., in comfort mode), the process proceeds to step S114, and control B is selected. If the vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control B will maintain 2nd gear and start the vehicle. Repeated shifting between 2nd and 1st gear is prevented, and the engine speed is lower compared to starting in 1st gear, resulting in smoother operation of the vehicle 1. Therefore, the selection of control B is in line with the rider's preference.

[0096] Thus, even in the example shown in Figure 18, it becomes possible to select a control that aligns with the rider's intentions in step S81.

[0097] (Selection of control based on driving environment) An example of automatically linking the control selection in step 81 to the driving environment of vehicle 1 will be described.

[0098] *Example of driving environment: The driving environment is defined as the distance L between the preceding vehicle PV and vehicle 1 while ACC is engaged. An example of the processing of step S81 based on the distance L will be explained with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of step S81.

[0099] In step S121, inter-vehicle distance information indicating the distance L between the preceding vehicle PV and vehicle 1 is acquired. The inter-vehicle distance information is, for example, the detection result of the external sensor 301. In step S122, it is determined whether the inter-vehicle distance L acquired in step S121 is below a threshold. The threshold is, for example, a value within the range of 2m to 5m.

[0100] If it is determined in step S122 that the distance L between vehicles exceeds a threshold, the process proceeds to step S123, and control A is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control A selects 1st gear while the vehicle is stopped. Because the distance L between vehicles is long, the acceleration performance of vehicle 1 when starting can be improved.

[0101] If it is determined in step S122 that the distance L between vehicles is below a threshold, the process proceeds to step S124, and control B is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control B maintains 2nd gear and starts moving. Because the distance L between vehicles is short, the acceleration performance of vehicle 1 when starting is reduced, preventing vehicle 1 from rapidly approaching the preceding vehicle PV.

[0102] *Examples of driving environments: Traffic congestion and vehicle speed during traffic congestion are examples of driving environments, specifically traffic congestion on the road traveled by vehicle 1 and vehicle speed during traffic congestion. First, an example of processing related to acquiring the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 during traffic congestion will be explained with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20 shows an example of processing related to vehicle speed collection when the road traveled by vehicle 1 is congested, and in this embodiment, it is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the processing unit 111 of the driving control unit 110.

[0103] In step S131, information regarding the vehicle 1's travel path (travel path information) is acquired. This travel path information includes, for example, the detection results from the external sensor 301, traffic information acquired by the communication device 400, or information such as the speed, acceleration, and distance between vehicles of surrounding vehicles. In step S132, based on the travel path information acquired in step S131, it is determined whether or not the vehicle 1's travel path is congested. If it is determined to be congested in step S132, the process proceeds to step S133; if it is determined not to be congested, the process ends. In step S133, vehicle speed information is created. This vehicle speed information consists of the detection results from the vehicle speed sensor 302 and the history of the detection times over a predetermined period (for example, a few minutes).

[0104] An example of the processing in step S81 based on vehicle speed information will be explained with reference to Figure 21. Figure 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing in step S81. In step S141, the vehicle speed information created in step S133 in Figure 20 is acquired. In step S142, based on the vehicle speed information acquired in step S141, the maximum speed of vehicle 1 in traffic congestion, as recorded in the vehicle speed information, is identified. In step S143, it is determined whether the maximum speed identified in step S142 is below a threshold. The threshold is, for example, a number within the range of 10 to 20 km / h.

[0105] If it is determined in step S143 that the maximum speed exceeds the threshold, the process proceeds to step S144, and control A is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control A selects 1st gear while the vehicle is stopped. When the maximum speed is high in traffic congestion, the flow of the traffic is relatively good, so the acceleration performance of vehicle 1 when starting can be improved.

[0106] If it is determined in step S143 that the maximum speed is below the threshold, the process proceeds to step S145, and control B is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control B maintains 2nd gear and starts moving. In traffic jams, when the maximum speed is low, the flow of the traffic is relatively slow, which prevents vehicle 1 from rapidly approaching the preceding vehicle PV and improves the rider's sense of security.

[0107] Next, another example of processing in step S81 based on vehicle speed information will be explained with reference to Figure 22. Figure 22 is a flowchart of an example of processing in step S81. In step S151, the vehicle speed information created in step S133 in Figure 20 is acquired. In step S152, based on the vehicle speed information acquired in step S151, the average speed of vehicle 1 in traffic congestion, as recorded in the vehicle speed information, is identified. In step S153, it is determined whether the average speed identified in step S152 is below a threshold. The threshold is, for example, a number within the range of 5 to 10 km / h.

[0108] If it is determined in step S153 that the average speed exceeds the threshold, the process proceeds to step S154, and control A is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control A selects 1st gear while the vehicle is stopped. When the average speed is high during traffic congestion, the flow of the vehicle group is relatively good, so the acceleration performance of vehicle 1 when starting can be improved.

[0109] If it is determined in step S153 that the maximum speed is below the threshold, the process proceeds to step S155, and control B is selected. If vehicle 1 stops after downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited while ACC is engaged, control B maintains 2nd gear and starts moving. In traffic jams, when the average speed is low, the flow of the traffic group is relatively slow, which prevents vehicle 1 from rapidly approaching the preceding vehicle PV and improves the rider's sense of security.

[0110] Although the example given here is the processing in step S81 based on vehicle speed information, processing may also be performed based on other information. For example, control A or control B may be selected based on the frequency of setting the vehicle to a half-clutch state, or the distance traveled from a stop to a start and then to a stop again.

[0111] <Fifth Embodiment> In the first to fourth embodiments, the transmission control unit 130 determined whether to prohibit and then release the downshift from second gear to first gear while ACC was active. However, this control may be performed by the driving control unit 110. This reduces the processing load on the transmission control unit 130.

[0112] Figure 23 shows an example of processing by the gear shift control unit 130, illustrating the gear ratio change control of the automatic transmission 22 in this embodiment, which replaces Figure 7. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 7.

[0113] In step S13, if the gear change determined to be necessary in step S12 is a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear, the process proceeds to step S161. If the gear change is not a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S161, it is determined whether or not the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is set. If the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not set, the process proceeds to step S14 and the downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is performed. If the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is set, the process ends without proceeding to step S14. Therefore, the downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed.

[0114] Thus, in this embodiment, the determination of the prohibition condition in step S15 of the example in Figure 7 is not performed, and instead, it is checked whether or not there is a setting to prohibit downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear. The setting to prohibit downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is performed by the driving control unit 110, and the result is requested from the gear shift control unit 130.

[0115] (Example of processing by the driving control unit 1) Figure 24 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the processing unit 111 of the driving control unit 110, and is an example of setting processing related to preventing downshifts, in which a program stored in the storage unit 113 is periodically executed by the processing unit 111.

[0116] In step S171, driving status information is acquired. In step S172, it is determined whether or not the prohibition condition is met. The content of the process is the same as in the examples in Figures 9 and 11.

[0117] In step S173, if the result of the determination in step S172 is true, the process proceeds to step S174, where downshifting is prohibited and the gear shift control unit 130 is requested to execute the setting. As a result, in step S161 of Figure 23, it is determined that downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is prohibited.

[0118] In step S173, if the result of the determination in step S172 is not true, the process proceeds to step S175, where the disabling of downshifting is set and the gear shift control unit 130 is requested to execute the setting. As a result, in step S161 of Figure 23, it is determined that the disabling of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not set.

[0119] (Processing Example 2 of the Driving Control Unit) Figure 25 shows a processing example of the driving control unit 110 that replaces Figure 24, and is a processing example corresponding to the control example of the third embodiment described above. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 24.

[0120] In step S173, if the result of the determination in step S172 is true, the process proceeds to step S181. In step S181, it is determined whether vehicle 1 is stopped or not based on the driving status information obtained in step S171. If it is determined in step S181 that vehicle 1 is not stopped, the process proceeds to step S174; if it is determined that vehicle 1 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S182.

[0121] In step S182, the conditions for lifting the ban are determined. Here, the same process as in Figures 13 and 14 described in the third embodiment is executed. In step S183, if the result of the determination in step S182 is true, the process proceeds to step S175; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S174.

[0122] Through this process, under the control of the driving control unit 110, the same gear ratio control as in the third embodiment can be performed.

[0123] (Processing Example 3 of the Driving Control Unit) Figure 26 shows a processing example of the driving control unit 110 that replaces Figure 25, and is a processing example corresponding to the control example of the fourth embodiment described above. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 25.

[0124] If it is determined in step S181 that the vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to step S191. In step S191, the process selects from among several control options the control to be used after prohibiting downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear. In this embodiment as well, control A or control B is selected, and the processing content is the same as the processing example described in the fourth embodiment with reference to Figures 16 to 22.

[0125] If control A is selected in step S191, the process proceeds to step S182; if control B is selected, the process proceeds to step S174.

[0126] Through this process, gear ratio control similar to that of the fourth embodiment can be performed under the control of the driving control unit 110.

[0127] <Sixth Embodiment> The prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear while using ACC, as described in the first to fourth embodiments, and the subsequent release of this prohibition, may be performed by switching the shift schedule.

[0128] Figure 27 shows an example of processing by the gear shift control unit 130, illustrating the gear ratio change control of the automatic transmission 22 in this embodiment, replacing Figure 7.

[0129] In step S201, driving status information is acquired. In step S202, it is determined whether a gear change is necessary based on the driving status information acquired in step S201 and the currently selected shift schedule. If it is determined that a gear change is not necessary, the process ends; if it is determined that a gear change is necessary, the process proceeds to step S203. In step S203, gear change control is performed on the automatic transmission 22. For example, when changing the gear ratio from an even gear to an odd gear, the clutch on the odd gear side is released, the odd gear is set, the clutch on the even gear side is released, and the clutch on the odd gear side is engaged.

[0130] Thus, in this embodiment, the processes in steps S13, S15, and S16 of the example in Figure 7 are not performed, and the shift changes are simply carried out according to the shift schedule.

[0131] (Selection Process Example 1) Figure 28 shows an example of processing by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, and is a flowchart of the selection process in which one shift schedule is selected from among multiple shift schedules, in which a program stored in the memory unit 133 is periodically executed by the processing unit 131.

[0132] In step S211, driving status information is acquired. In step S212, it is determined whether or not the prohibition condition is met. The content of the process is the same as in the examples in Figures 9 and 11. In step S213, if the result of the determination in step S212 is met, the process proceeds to step S214; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S215.

[0133] In step S215, the normal schedule is selected as the shift schedule. The normal schedule is, for example, shift schedule M1 shown in Figure 6. When this shift schedule M1 is selected, the prohibition against downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear while ACC is engaged will not be activated.

[0134] In step S214, the ACC schedule is selected as the shift schedule. Shift schedule M2 in Figure 33 shows an example of the ACC schedule. Comparing shift schedule M2 with shift schedule M1 shown in Figure 6, the downshift line SD1 in shift schedule M1 has been moved to the low-speed side and changed to the downshift line SD1'.

[0135] The downshift line SD1' is set to a vehicle speed V of 0 and a throttle opening θ of an arbitrary value. It is designed so that a downshift from 2nd to 1st gear does not occur even when the vehicle speed V is 0, and no downshift occurs under the conditions of downshift line SD1. Shift schedule M2 is a shift schedule that effectively prevents a downshift from 2nd to 1st gear. Therefore, when this shift schedule M2 is selected, the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd to 1st gear is always in effect while ACC is active.

[0136] Thus, in this embodiment, the same gear ratio control as in the first embodiment can be performed by selecting a shift schedule.

[0137] (Selection Process Example 2) Figure 29 shows an example of processing performed by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, and shows an example of selection processing that replaces the example in Figure 28. The processing example in Figure 29 is an example of processing that corresponds to the control example of the third embodiment described above. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 28.

[0138] In step S213, if the result of the determination in step S212 is true, the process proceeds to step S221, where it is determined whether or not vehicle 1 is stopped based on the driving status information obtained in step S211. If it is determined in step S221 that vehicle 1 is not stopped, the process proceeds to step S214. If it is determined in step S221 that vehicle 1 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S222.

[0139] In step S222, the condition for lifting the ban is determined. The content of the determination is the same as the process in Figures 13 and 14. In step S223, if the determination result in step S222 is true, the process proceeds to step S215, where the normal schedule is selected. As a result, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is performed. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S223 is false, the process proceeds to step S214, where the ACC schedule is selected. Therefore, a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear is not performed.

[0140] Thus, in this embodiment, the same gear ratio control as in the third embodiment can be performed by selecting a shift schedule.

[0141] (Selection Process Example 3) Figure 30 shows an example of processing performed by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, and shows an example of selection processing that replaces the example in Figure 29. The processing example in Figure 30 is an example of processing that corresponds to the control example of the fourth embodiment described above. The following describes processing that differs from the example in Figure 29.

[0142] If it is determined in step S221 that the vehicle is not stopped, the process proceeds to step S231. In step S231, the process selects from among several control options the control to be used after prohibiting downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear. In this embodiment as well, control A or control B is selected, and the processing content is the same as the processing example described in the fourth embodiment with reference to Figures 16 to 22.

[0143] If control A is selected in step S231, the process proceeds to step S222; if control B is selected, the process proceeds to step S214.

[0144] Thus, in this embodiment, the same gear ratio control as in the fourth embodiment can be performed by selecting a shift schedule.

[0145] (Selection Process Example 4) In the processing example shown in Figure 29, steps S222 and S223 are used to select a shift schedule based on whether the prohibition release condition is met. However, if the prohibition release condition is a starting operation by the rider, the shift schedule configuration can also be used to perform a downshift from 2nd gear to 1st gear as a result of the starting operation.

[0146] Figure 31 shows an example of processing performed by the processing unit 131 of the gear shift control unit 130, and shows an example of selection processing that differs from the example in Figure 29. The following describes the processing that differs from the example in Figure 29.

[0147] If it is determined in step S221 that the vehicle is not stopped, the process proceeds to step S241. In step S241, a starting schedule is selected as the shift schedule. Shift schedule M3 in Figure 33 shows an example of a starting schedule. Comparing shift schedule M3 with shift schedule M1 shown in Figure 6, the shift down line SD1 in shift schedule M1 has been changed to the shift down line SD''.

[0148] The shift down line "SD" shows that the change in throttle opening θ is small from vehicle speed V1 to 0, and at vehicle speed 0, the throttle opening θ is θ1 (>0). In other words, the shift schedule M3 is configured to select 2nd gear when vehicle speed V is 0 and throttle opening θ is fully closed, and to select 1st gear when vehicle speed V is 0 and throttle opening θ is opened. Therefore, by selecting shift schedule M3 on the condition that vehicle 1 is stopped, 2nd gear is basically selected while vehicle 1 is stopped, and when the throttle opening is opened by the rider's starting operation, it shifts down from 2nd gear to 1st gear.

[0149] Thus, in this embodiment, the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear while ACC is active, and the lifting of the prohibition while the vehicle 1 is stopped, can be achieved simply by selecting a shift schedule.

[0150] (Selection Process Example 5) Figure 32 shows a selection process example that combines the processing example of Figure 30 with the processing example of Figure 31. When control A is selected in step S231, the process proceeds to step S241, and the shift schedule for starting is selected.

[0151] Thus, in this embodiment, while performing the control selection described in the fourth embodiment, the prohibition of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear during ACC and the lifting of the prohibition while the vehicle 1 is stopped can be achieved solely by selecting the shift schedule.

[0152] <Other Embodiments> In the above embodiments, the prohibition and release of downshifting from 2nd gear to 1st gear have been described. However, in the case of an automatic transmission that primarily starts in 2nd gear, for example, the above embodiments may also be applied to the prohibition and release of downshifting from 3rd gear to 2nd gear.

[0153] <Summary of Embodiments> The above embodiments disclose at least the following saddle-type vehicles.

[0154] Item 1. A saddle-type vehicle (1) comprising: an engine (21); an automatic transmission (22) that shifts the output of the engine (21) at a predetermined gear ratio and outputs it; and a gear ratio control means (131) that controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission, wherein the saddle-type vehicle (1) comprises: an external detection means (301) that detects an object in front of the saddle-type vehicle (1); and a driving control means (111) that performs follow control to make the saddle-type vehicle (1) follow the preceding vehicle (PV) based on the detection result of the external detection means (301) so that the distance (L) between the preceding vehicle (PV) and the saddle-type vehicle (1) is maintained at a target distance, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) performs a downshift when a predetermined downshift condition is met during the deceleration of the saddle-type vehicle (1) and before the saddle-type vehicle (1) comes to a stop, A saddle-type vehicle characterized in that, if a prohibition condition is met which at least includes the setting that the execution of the follow control is enabled, a downshift will not be performed even if the predetermined downshift condition is met. According to this embodiment, by restricting downshifts during the execution of the follow control in situations where acceleration and deceleration are repeated at low speeds or when stopping and starting are repeated, it is possible to prevent repeated gear changes from causing discomfort to the rider.

[0155] Item 2. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) is characterized in that, if the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, it will downshift if the prohibition release condition is met while the vehicle is stopped. According to this embodiment, acceleration performance at startup can be increased.

[0156] Item 3. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) maintains the gear ratio at the time of stopping until the saddle-type vehicle starts moving if the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent repeated gear changes in situations where the saddle-type vehicle starts moving immediately after stopping.

[0157] Item 4. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) executes a control selected from a plurality of controls when the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, and the plurality of controls include: a first control that downshifts when a prohibition release condition that is fulfilled after the saddle-type vehicle (1) has stopped is fulfilled; and a second control that maintains the gear ratio at the time of stopping until the saddle-type vehicle (1) starts moving. According to this embodiment, by selecting the control, it is possible to prioritize acceleration performance at the time of starting or to prioritize making the operation of the saddle-type vehicle smoother.

[0158] Item 5. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, comprising determination means for determining whether the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road, wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination by the determination means that the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road. According to this embodiment, when the road is congested, downshifting can be restricted to prevent repeated gear changes, and when the road is clear, the ability to follow the preceding vehicle can be improved.

[0159] Item 6. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, comprising setting means (111) for determining whether the prohibition condition is met and, if the prohibition condition is met, setting a prohibition on downshifting based on the meeting of a predetermined downshift condition, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to a shift schedule (M1) that defines the predetermined downshift condition, and, if the prohibition on downshifting is set by the setting means, does not perform downshifting based on the meeting of the predetermined downshift condition regardless of the shift schedule. According to this embodiment, downshifting can be restricted by utilizing the shift schedule while ignoring the shift schedule under certain circumstances.

[0160] Item 7. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, comprising a selection means (131) for selecting one shift schedule from a plurality of shift schedules, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to the shift schedule selected by the selection means, and the selection means (131) selects a first shift schedule (M1) that defines a predetermined downshift condition if the prohibition condition is not met, and selects a second shift schedule (M2) that does not cause a downshift when the predetermined downshift condition is met if the prohibition condition is met. According to this embodiment, the restriction of downshifts can be achieved by selecting the shift schedule.

[0161] Item 8. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 2, characterized in that the condition for releasing the prohibition is that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the saddle-type vehicle came to a stop. According to this embodiment, if the saddle-type vehicle repeatedly starts moving immediately after coming to a stop, repeated gear changes are prevented, while if the stopping time becomes longer, a downshift is performed to improve the acceleration performance of the saddle-type vehicle when it starts moving.

[0162] Item 9. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 6, wherein the setting means (111) releases the setting to prohibit downshifting when a predetermined time has elapsed since the saddle-type vehicle came to a stop while the setting to prohibit downshifting is active. According to this embodiment, if the saddle-type vehicle repeatedly starts immediately after coming to a stop, repeated gear changes are prevented, while if the stopping time becomes long, downshifting is performed to improve the acceleration performance of the saddle-type vehicle when it starts.

[0163] Item 10. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 7, wherein the selection means (131) selects the first shift schedule (M1) when a prohibition release condition that is established after the saddle-type vehicle has stopped is met. According to this embodiment, by switching the shift schedule, a downshift can be performed while the saddle-type vehicle is stopped.

[0164] Item 11. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 2, comprising an input means (200) for receiving a rider's starting operation, wherein the condition for releasing the prohibition is that the starting operation has been performed on the input means (200). According to this embodiment, when the saddle-type vehicle is repeatedly in a situation where it starts immediately from a stop, repeated gear changes are prevented, while a downshift is performed when the saddle-type vehicle starts, thereby improving the acceleration performance of the saddle-type vehicle when it starts.

[0165] Item 12. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, comprising a selection means (131) for selecting one shift schedule from a plurality of shift schedules, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to the shift schedule selected by the selection means, the selection means (131) selects a first shift schedule (M3) when the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, and the first shift schedule (M3) specifies that when the throttle of the engine (21) is opened while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped, a downshift occurs. This embodiment makes it possible to achieve a downshift when the saddle-type vehicle starts moving by selecting the shift schedule.

[0166] Item 13. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 6, comprising an input means (200) for receiving a starting operation from the rider, wherein the setting means (111) releases the setting to prohibit downshifting when the input means (200) receives a starting operation if the setting means (111) has set to prohibit downshifting while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped. According to this embodiment, downshifting when starting the saddle-type vehicle can be achieved.

[0167] Item 14. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 6, wherein the setting means (111) does not release the setting to prohibit downshifting when the saddle-type vehicle (1) has started moving, if the setting to prohibit downshifting is enabled. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent downshifting from occurring from the time the saddle-type vehicle stops until it has finished starting.

[0168] Item 15. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 7, characterized in that the second shift schedule (M2) prevents downshifting even when the throttle of the engine (21) is opened while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped. According to this embodiment, the shift schedule makes it possible to prevent downshifting from occurring from the time the saddle-type vehicle stops until it is fully started.

[0169] Item 16. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 4, comprising setting means (111) that, according to the rider's selection, sets the gear ratio of the automatic transmission (22) at the time of starting the saddle-type vehicle (1) to a first gear ratio or a second gear ratio smaller than the first gear ratio, wherein the first control is selected when the first gear ratio is set, and the second control is selected when the second gear ratio is set. According to this embodiment, the rider can select a control that is in line with their intentions.

[0170] Item 17. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 4, comprising setting means (111) for setting the driving mode in the follow-up control to a first mode or a second mode with higher acceleration performance than the first mode, according to the rider's selection, wherein the first control is selected when the second mode is set, and the second control is selected when the first mode is set. According to this embodiment, the rider can select a control that is in line with their intentions.

[0171] Item 18. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 4, characterized in that the first control or the second control is selected based on the distance between the preceding vehicle (PV) and the saddle-type vehicle (1) when the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped. According to this embodiment, the control can be selected according to the driving environment.

[0172] Item 19. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 4, comprising: a vehicle speed detection means (302) for detecting the vehicle speed of the saddle-type vehicle (1); a determination means (111) for determining whether or not the saddle-type vehicle (1) is traveling on a congested road; and a specification means (131) for specifying the maximum speed of the saddle-type vehicle while traveling on a congested road based on the detection result of the vehicle speed detection means and the determination result of the determination means, wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination means (111) determining that the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road, and the first control or the second control is selected based on the maximum speed specified by the specification means (131). According to this embodiment, it is possible to select a control according to the driving environment.

[0173] Item 20. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 4, comprising: a vehicle speed detection means (302) for detecting the vehicle speed of the saddle-type vehicle; a determination means (111) for determining whether or not the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road; and a determination means (131) for determining the average speed of the saddle-type vehicle (1) while traveling on a congested road based on the detection result of the vehicle speed detection means (302) and the determination result of the determination means (111), wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination by the determination means (111) that the saddle-type vehicle (1) is traveling on a congested road, and the first control or the second control is selected based on the average speed determined by the determination means (131). This embodiment allows for the selection of control according to the driving environment.

[0174] Item 21. A saddle-type vehicle (1) as described in Item 1, characterized in that the predetermined downshift condition is a condition for shifting the automatic transmission down from second gear to first gear. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent repeated shifts between first and second gear in the low-speed range.

[0175] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. Accordingly, in order to make the scope of the present invention public, the following claims are attached.

[0176] 1. Saddle-type vehicle, 19F brake, 19R brake, 21. Engine, 22. Automatic transmission, 100. Control device, 110. Driving control unit, 120. Engine control unit, 130. Transmission control unit, 111. Processing unit, 121. Processing unit, 131. Processing unit, 112. Memory unit, 122. Memory unit, 132. Memory unit, 113. Interface (I / F), 123. Interface (I / F), Interface (I / F), 133, 200. Input unit, 230. Clutch, 241. Actuator, 300. Sensor group, 301. External sensor, 302. Vehicle speed sensor, 303. Throttle opening sensor, 304. Shift position sensor, 305. Position sensor, 400. Communication device

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle (1) comprising: an engine (21); an automatic transmission (22) that shifts the output of the engine (21) at a predetermined gear ratio and outputs it; and a gear ratio control means (131) that controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission, wherein the saddle-type vehicle (1) comprises: an external detection means (301) that detects an object in front of the saddle-type vehicle (1); and a driving control means (111) that performs follow control to make the saddle-type vehicle (1) follow the preceding vehicle (PV) based on the detection result of the external detection means (301) so that the distance (L) between the preceding vehicle (PV) and the saddle-type vehicle (1) is maintained at a target distance, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) performs a downshift when a predetermined downshift condition is met during the deceleration of the saddle-type vehicle (1) and before the saddle-type vehicle (1) comes to a stop, A saddle-type vehicle characterized in that, if a prohibition condition is met which at least includes the setting that the execution of the aforementioned follow-up control is enabled, a downshift will not be performed even if the predetermined downshift condition is met.

2. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) is such that if the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, it will downshift if the prohibition release condition is met while the vehicle is stopped.

3. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) maintains the gear ratio at the time of stopping until the saddle-type vehicle starts moving if the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition.

4. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) executes a control selected from a plurality of controls when the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, and the plurality of controls include: a first control that downshifts when a prohibition release condition that is fulfilled after the saddle-type vehicle (1) has stopped is fulfilled; and a second control that maintains the gear ratio at the time of stopping until the saddle-type vehicle (1) starts moving.

5. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, comprising determination means for determining whether the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road, wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination by the determination means that the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road.

6. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, comprising setting means (111) for determining whether the prohibition condition is met and, if the prohibition condition is met, setting a prohibition on downshifting based on the meeting of a predetermined downshift condition, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to a shift schedule (M1) that defines the predetermined downshift condition, and, if the prohibition on downshifting is set by the setting means, does not perform downshifting based on the meeting of the predetermined downshift condition regardless of the shift schedule.

7. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, comprising a selection means (131) for selecting one shift schedule from a plurality of shift schedules, wherein the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to the shift schedule selected by the selection means, and the selection means (131) selects a first shift schedule (M1) that defines a predetermined downshift condition if the prohibition condition is not met, and selects a second shift schedule (M2) that does not cause a downshift when the predetermined downshift condition is met if the prohibition condition is met.

8. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the condition for releasing the prohibition is that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the saddle-type vehicle came to a stop.

9. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 6, wherein the setting means (111) releases the setting to prohibit downshifting when a predetermined time has elapsed since the saddle-type vehicle stopped while the setting to prohibit downshifting was active.

10. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 7, wherein the selection means (131) selects the first shift schedule (M1) when a prohibition release condition that is established after the saddle-type vehicle has stopped is met.

11. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 2, comprising an input means (200) for receiving a starting operation from the rider, wherein the condition for releasing the prohibition is that the starting operation has been performed on the input means (200).

12. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, comprising a selection means (131) for selecting one shift schedule from a plurality of shift schedules, the gear ratio control means (131) controls the gear ratio of the automatic transmission according to the shift schedule selected by the selection means, the selection means (131) selects a first shift schedule (M3) when the saddle-type vehicle stops without downshifting due to the fulfillment of the prohibition condition, and the first shift schedule (M3) specifies that when the throttle of the engine (21) is opened while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped, a downshift occurs.

13. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 6, comprising an input means (200) for receiving a starting operation from the rider, wherein the setting means (111) releases the setting for prohibiting downshifting when a starting operation is received by the input means (200) if downshifting is prohibited while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped.

14. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 6, wherein the setting means (111) does not release the setting of the downshift prohibition when the saddle-type vehicle (1) is set to start moving.

15. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the second shift schedule (M2) does not cause a downshift even when the throttle of the engine (21) is opened while the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped.

16. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 4, comprising setting means (111) for setting the gear ratio of the automatic transmission (22) at the time of starting of the saddle-type vehicle (1) according to the rider's selection to a first gear ratio or a second gear ratio smaller than the first gear ratio, wherein the first control is selected when the first gear ratio is set, and the second control is selected when the second gear ratio is set.

17. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 4, comprising setting means (111) for setting the driving mode in the follow-up control to a first mode or a second mode with higher acceleration performance than the first mode, according to the rider's selection, wherein the first control is selected when the second mode is set, and the second control is selected when the first mode is set.

18. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first control or the second control is selected based on the distance between the preceding vehicle (PV) and the saddle-type vehicle (1) when the saddle-type vehicle (1) is stopped.

19. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 4, comprising: a vehicle speed detection means (302) for detecting the vehicle speed of the saddle-type vehicle (1); a determination means (111) for determining whether or not the saddle-type vehicle (1) is traveling on a congested road; and a specification means (131) for specifying the maximum speed of the saddle-type vehicle while traveling on a congested road based on the detection result of the vehicle speed detection means and the determination result of the determination means, wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination means (111) determining that the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road, and the first control or the second control is selected based on the maximum speed specified by the specification means (131).

20. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 4, comprising: a vehicle speed detection means (302) for detecting the vehicle speed of the saddle-type vehicle; a determination means (111) for determining whether or not the saddle-type vehicle is traveling on a congested road; and a specification means (131) for determining the average speed of the saddle-type vehicle (1) while traveling on a congested road based on the detection result of the vehicle speed detection means (302) and the determination result of the determination means (111), wherein the prohibition condition includes the determination by the determination means (111) that the saddle-type vehicle (1) is traveling on a congested road, and the first control or the second control is selected based on the average speed determined by the specification means (131).

21. A saddle-type vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined downshift condition is a condition for shifting the automatic transmission down from second gear to first gear.

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