Predictive Gear Shifting and Cruise Control Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic transmission systems in vehicles often fail to optimize gear selection, leading to reduced drivability, performance, and fuel economy, especially when climbing or descending hills, due to inadequate predictive gear shifting and cruise control integration.
Innovation Solution
The integration of predictive gear shifting and predictive cruise control management (PGSPCCM) systems, which utilize a controller to generate gear requests and vehicle speed references based on look-ahead route data, including grade, traffic, and environmental conditions, to optimize gear state and engine efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional static calibration tables are used for gear selection, then the transmission control unit operates with simple pre-programmed logic, but drivability and fuel economy are negatively impacted during terrain changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by using a look-ahead horizon to predict upcoming terrain changes before they occur. The controller proactively adjusts gear selection and cruise control settings in advance of actual terrain changes, allowing the vehicle to maintain optimal performance without reactive gear shifts that cause speed drops and reduced fuel economy.
2Reliability
If the transmission shifts gears reactively after speed loss occurs, then the vehicle attempts to regain desired speed, but additional speed is lost due to gear shift under load
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts upcoming terrain changes using a look-ahead horizon and proactively adjusts gear selection before the vehicle actually encounters the terrain change. This preliminary action prevents speed loss from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for reactive gear shifts and maintaining continuous vehicle speed.
3Speed
If conventional cruise control maintains set speed regardless of engine operating region, then vehicle speed is kept constant, but fuel economy is not optimized under varying power and speed requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts cruise control settings based on predicted terrain changes and current engine operating conditions. Rather than maintaining a fixed set speed, the controller modulates speed references to keep the engine operating in efficient regions while accounting for upcoming power requirements, thereby optimizing fuel economy without sacrificing necessary performance.
4Productivity
If predictive gear shifting and predictive cruise control are integrated, then drivability and fuel economy improve through proactive control, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges predictive gear shifting and predictive cruise control into a single integrated control system. By combining these previously separate functions, the system shares common components such as the look-ahead horizon for terrain prediction and the controller logic, reducing overall system complexity while achieving improved drivability and fuel economy through coordinated control of both gear selection and speed management.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system, apparatus, and method integrates vehicle speed management and predicted gear shifting of a vehicle by determining current and future engine power requirements from the current and forward-looking route conditions to improve performance, drivability, and/or fuel economy of the vehicle over what is achievable through conventional gear state selection via static calibration tables and conventional shifting strategies. The selection of the vehicle reference speed is responsive to a gear selection to provide increased fuel economy, decreased trip time or combinations thereof.