U.S. patent application number 16/519636 was filed with the patent office on 2019-11-14 for systems and methods for idle coasting management of a vehicle having predictive cruise control.
The applicant listed for this patent is Cummins Inc.. Invention is credited to Daniel Reed Dempsey, Joseph R. Dynes, Kenneth M. Follen, Howard Robert Frost, Nathanael G. Long, Ian Fredrick Lowry, Oruganti Prashanth Sharma.
Application Number | 20190344794 16/519636 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58691318 |
Filed Date | 2019-11-14 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190344794 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dynes; Joseph R. ; et
al. |
November 14, 2019 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDLE COASTING MANAGEMENT OF A VEHICLE
HAVING PREDICTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Abstract
A system, method, and apparatus includes management of coasting
during operation of a vehicle equipped with a predictive cruise
control system.
Inventors: |
Dynes; Joseph R.; (Columbus,
IN) ; Dempsey; Daniel Reed; (Columbus, IN) ;
Follen; Kenneth M.; (Greenwood, IN) ; Frost; Howard
Robert; (Columbus, IN) ; Sharma; Oruganti
Prashanth; (Columbus, IN) ; Lowry; Ian Fredrick;
(Bloomington, IN) ; Long; Nathanael G.; (Avon,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cummins Inc. |
Columbus |
IN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58691318 |
Appl. No.: |
16/519636 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15342948 |
Nov 3, 2016 |
10399569 |
|
|
16519636 |
|
|
|
|
62250245 |
Nov 3, 2015 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60W 2030/1809 20130101;
B60W 2710/021 20130101; B60W 30/18072 20130101; B60W 2720/103
20130101; B60W 2556/50 20200201; Y02T 10/60 20130101; Y02T 10/76
20130101; B60W 2552/20 20200201; B60W 30/143 20130101; B60W 10/02
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60W 30/18 20060101
B60W030/18; B60W 30/14 20060101 B60W030/14; B60W 10/02 20060101
B60W010/02 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: operating a vehicle including an engine
that is selectively engageable to a driveline; monitoring, with a
predictive cruise control module, a speed of the vehicle and a
grade of terrain upon which the vehicle is operated; with
predictive cruise control of the speed being inactive, operating
the vehicle in an idle coasting management mode with the driveline
disengaged from the engine in response to at least one idle
coasting management enablement condition being present; and with
predictive cruise control of the speed being active, disabling the
idle coasting management mode of operation of the vehicle.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein with predictive cruise control
being inactive and in response to idle coasting management
enablement conditions not being present, engaging the driveline
with the engine and operating the engine with the driveline
engaged.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising linearly varying a
gear down protection speed between first and second limits in
response to predictive cruise control of the speed being inactive
and fixing a limit of the gear down protection speed in response to
predictive cruise control of the speed being active.
4-16. (canceled)
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the predictive cruise control
module is connected to the driveline and in electrical
communication with a cycle efficiency management controller over a
datalink that provides at least one of a wired or wireless
connection to provide outputs from the predictive cruise control
module to the cycle efficiency management controller.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outputs from the predictive
cruise control module are determined independently of the cycle
efficiency management controller.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the outputs from the predictive
cruise control module control a speed of the vehicle in response to
predictive cruise control being active.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the idle coasting management
mode of operation is disabled to prevent disengagement of the
driveline from the engine in response to predictive cruise control
being active while the engine and driveline are engaged.
21. A method for controlling a vehicle including an engine and a
driveline selectively engageable with the engine, the engine being
operable to provide a speed of the vehicle, the method comprising:
determining that a predictive cruise control mode of operation is
active or inactive; in response to the predictive cruise control
mode of operation being inactive, selectively disengaging the
driveline from the engine to provide idle coasting of the vehicle
in response to one or more idle coasting management enablement
conditions being present; and in response to the predictive cruise
control mode of operation being active, preventing disengagement of
the driveline from the engine in response to idle coasting
management enablement conditions being present.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein with the predictive cruise
control mode of operation being inactive and in response to idle
coasting management enablement conditions not being present,
engaging the driveline with the engine and operating the engine
with the driveline engaged.
23. The method of claim 21, further comprising linearly varying a
gear down protection speed between first and second limits in
response to the predictive cruise control mode of operation being
inactive and fixing a limit of the gear down protection speed in
response to predictive cruise control mode of operation being
active.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/342,948 filed Nov. 3, 2016 which claims the
benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional App. Ser. No.
62/250,245 filed on Nov. 3, 2015, which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present application relates generally to management of
coasting operation of a vehicle for fuel economy improvements, and
more particularly to idle coasting management of a vehicle that
includes a predictive cruise control system.
[0003] Vehicle manufacturers can provide vehicles with predictive
cruise control systems that are designed to improve fuel economy of
the vehicle during certain operating conditions. These predictive
cruise control systems can be specifically configured to account
for certain vehicle operating conditions in which vehicle speed is
controlled to improve fuel economy, but fail to account for other
operating conditions in which idle coasting of the vehicle can be
beneficial for fuel economy or other operational aspects and/or
components of the vehicle. Therefore, there remains a significant
need for the apparatuses, methods and systems disclosed herein.
DISCLOSURE
[0004] For the purposes of clearly, concisely and exactly
describing exemplary embodiments of the invention, the manner and
process of making and using the same, and to enable the practice,
making and use of the same, reference will now be made to certain
exemplary embodiments, including those illustrated in the figures,
and specific language will be used to describe the same. It shall
nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the
invention is thereby created, and that the invention includes and
protects such alterations, modifications, and further applications
of the exemplary embodiments as would occur to one skilled in the
art.
SUMMARY
[0005] A system, method, and apparatus includes an idle coasting
management (ICM) system for a vehicle that is configured to engage
or disengage an engine from a vehicle driveline in response to an
OEM predictive cruise control (PCC) system being active and an
arbitration of a final vehicle speed request from each of the
predictive cruise control system and the idle coast management
system. In certain operating conditions, the ICM operations are
disabled in response to the OEM PCC system being active. In other
operating conditions, ICM operations are adjusted or changed from a
nominal operation that would occur without a PCC system being
present in response to an OEM PCC system output.
[0006] In one embodiment, the PCC system is provided with a PCC
control unit or PCC control module by the vehicle manufacturer and
the PCC system is independent of the ICM system. The ICM system can
be provided as part of a cycle efficiency management (CEM) control
unit or module, or as a separate ICM control module in the CEM
control unit. The CEM control unit and/or ICM control module can
also be provided as part of the engine control unit (ECU) of the
engine manufacturer for the engine that operates the vehicle. The
OEM PCC controller can be connected to the ICM control module via a
wired connection, a datalink, a satellite connection, a wireless
connection, a short range wireless proximity connection such as
BLUETOOTH or near-field communication (NFC) connection, or other
suitable connection for data transfer between the ICM control
module and the OEM PCC control unit/module.
[0007] This summary is not intended to identify key or essential
features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be
used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects,
and benefits shall become apparent from the following description
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle with a
predictive cruise control system and an idle coasting management
system for speed control and coasting management of the
vehicle.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a
controller system for idle coasting management of a vehicle.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a variation in gear
down protection for a vehicle equipped with a PCC system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0011] With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a schematic
view of an exemplary vehicle 100 including a powertrain 102
incorporated within vehicle 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the
powertrain 102 includes an engine 104, such as an internal
combustion engine, structured to generate power for the vehicle
100. The powertrain 102 further includes a transmission 106
connected to the engine 104 for adapting the output torque of the
engine 104 and transmitting the output torque to a driveline 107
including drive shaft 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the
transmission 106 is a manual transmission that may be disengageably
connected to an engine crankshaft 105 via a clutch 109. Other
embodiments contemplate a transmission 106 that is an automatic
transmission, an automated manual transmission, or any other
suitable transmission with a disconnect device 111 that is operable
to selectively engage and disengage engine 104 from driveline
107.
[0012] In the rear wheel drive configuration illustrated for
vehicle 100, the driveline 107 of powertrain 102 includes a final
drive 110 having a rear differential 112 connecting the drive shaft
108 to rear axles 114a, 114b. It is contemplated that the
components of powertrain 102 may be positioned in different
locations throughout the vehicle 100. In one non-limiting example
of a vehicle 100 having a front wheel drive configuration,
transmission 106 may be a trans axle and final drive 110 may reside
at the front of the vehicle 100, connecting front axles 116a and
116b to the engine 104 via the transaxle. It is also contemplated
that in some embodiments the vehicle 100 is in an all-wheel drive
configuration.
[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, vehicle 100 includes two
front wheels 122a, 122b mounted to front axles 116a, 116b,
respectively. Vehicle system 100 further includes two rear wheels
126a, 126b mounted to rear axles 114a, 114b, respectively. It is
contemplated that vehicle 100 may have more or fewer wheels than
illustrated in FIG. 1. Vehicle 100 may also include various
components not shown, such a fuel system including a fuel tank, a
front differential, a braking system, a suspension, an engine
intake system and an exhaust system, which may include an exhaust
aftertreatment system, just to name a few examples.
[0014] Vehicle 100 includes an electronic or engine control unit
(ECU) 130, sometimes referred to as an electronic or engine control
module (ECM), or the like, which is directed to regulating and
controlling the operation of engine 104. A transmission control
unit (TCU) 140 is illustrated in vehicle 100, which is directed to
the regulation and control of transmission 106 operation. ECU 130
and TCU 140 are each in electrical communication with a plurality
of vehicle sensors (not shown) in vehicle 100 for receiving and
transmitting operating conditions of vehicle 100, such as
temperature conditions, pressure conditions, speed conditions, fuel
conditions, flow conditions to and from the engine, terrain
conditions, weather conditions, global positioning system (GPS)
data, and vehicle mass, for example. It is contemplated that ECU
130 and TCU 140 may be integrated within the engine 104 and
transmission 106, respectively.
[0015] In certain embodiments, the TCU 140 may be combined into a
single control module with a predictive cruise control (PCC) module
142. The PCC module 142 and/or TCU 140 may be commonly referred to
as a powertrain control module (PCM) or powertrain control unit
(PCU), or the like. Other various electronic control units for
vehicle subsystems are typically present in vehicle system 100,
such as a braking system electronic control unit and a cruise
control electronic control unit, for example, but such other
various electronic control units are not show in vehicle 100 to
preserve clarity.
[0016] Vehicle system 100 further includes a cycle efficiency
management (CEM) controller or control unit 150, which may be
directed to the control of the operations described herein and/or
directed toward an intermediary control for the regulation and
control of the powertrain 102 in vehicle system 100. In the
illustrated embodiment, CEM control unit 150 is in electrical
communication with each of the ECU 130 and TCU 140/PCC module 142.
In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the CEM control unit
150 may be integrated within the ECU 130. In still other
embodiments, at least the PCC module 142 communicates with ECU 130
and/or CEM control unit 150 over a datalink 151 provided by a wired
or wireless connection so that outputs of PCC module 142 that are
determined independently of CEM control unit 150 and/or ECU 130 can
be provided to CEM control unit 150 and/or ECU 130.
[0017] CEM control unit 150 may further be in electrical
communication with one or more of the plurality of vehicle sensors
in vehicle 100 for receiving and transmitting conditions of vehicle
100, such as temperature and pressure conditions, route conditions,
terrain conditions, speed conditions, and weather conditions, for
example. It is contemplated that at least a portion of the
conditions and/or measured inputs used for interpreting signals by
the CEM control unit 150 may be received from ECU 130 and/or TCU
140 and/or PCC module 142, in addition to or alternatively to the
plurality of vehicle sensors. Furthermore, the CEM control unit 150
may include a processor or controller and/or could be a control
module. In the illustrated embodiment, CEM control unit 150
includes an intelligent coasting management (ICM) control module
152.
[0018] The CEM control unit 150 and/or ECU 130 and TCU 140 includes
stored data values, constants, and functions, as well as operating
instructions stored on, for example, a computer readable medium.
Any of the operations of exemplary procedures described herein may
be performed at least partially by the CEM control unit 150. In
certain embodiments, the CEM control unit 150 includes one or more
modules structured to functionally execute the operations of the
controller. The description herein including modules emphasizes the
structural independence of the aspects of the CEM control unit 150,
and illustrates one grouping of operations and responsibilities of
the CEM control unit 150. Other groupings that execute similar
overall operations are understood within the scope of the present
application. Modules may be implemented in hardware and/or
instructions on computer readable medium, and modules may be
distributed across various hardware or computer readable medium
components. More specific descriptions of certain embodiments of
controller operations are discussed below. Operations illustrated
are understood to be exemplary only, and operations may be combined
or divided, and added or removed, as well as re-ordered in whole or
part, unless stated explicitly to the contrary herein.
[0019] Certain operations described herein include operations to
interpret or determine one or more parameters. Interpreting or
determining, as utilized herein, includes receiving values by any
method known in the art, including at least receiving values from a
datalink or network communication, receiving an electronic signal
(e.g., a voltage, frequency, current, or pulse-width modulation
(PWM) signal) indicative of the value, receiving a software
parameter indicative of the value, reading the value from a memory
location on a computer readable medium, receiving the value as a
run-time parameter by any means known in the art, and/or by
receiving a value by which the interpreted or determined parameter
can be calculated, and/or by referencing a default value that is
interpreted or determined to be the parameter value.
[0020] One exemplary embodiment of PCC module 142 is configured to
dynamically adjust the vehicle speed profile while the vehicle is
in a cruise control mode of operation using predictive cruise
control. For example, PCC module 142 can use upcoming terrain data
to optimize the vehicle speed profile to improve fuel economy. Any
predictive cruise control operating methodology is contemplated
herein. The CEM control unit 150 includes a cruise control governor
that interfaces with PCC module 142 and dynamically modifies the
cruise control reference speed in response to inputs from the PCC
module 142. In one embodiment, CEM control unit 150 interfaces with
PCC module 142 with standard SAE communication protocols.
[0021] One exemplary embodiment of CEM control unit 150 receives a
PCC state and a PCC offset from PCC module 142, and CEM control
unit 150 provides a PCC offset status, a cruise control (CC) speed,
and a CC set speed to PCC module 142. The CC set speed is the
operator selected set speed, and the CC speed is the speed
currently being used as the vehicle speed target by the cruise
control governor. The PCC offset status is an indication from the
CEM control unit 150 of whether or not the requested PCC offset is
currently included in the CC speed, and the PCC state is a value
from the PCC device indicating the current state of the PCC device.
Finally, the PCC offset is the requested vehicle speed offset
provided by the PCC module which is to be applied to the CC set
speed.
[0022] In a further embodiment, the CEM control unit 150 is
configured to provide intelligent idle coasting management of the
vehicle by providing a disconnect command to disengage the engine
104 from the driveline 107 to provide an idle coasting management
(ICM) mode of operation when route conditions are favorable to do
so in order to, for example, reduce fuel consumption or management
aftertreatment component temperature(s). The driveline
disengagement decouples engine 104 from driveline 107 and therefore
reduces engine drag and increases vehicle momentum, which postpones
the return to high fuel burn conditions. The determination of
favorable route conditions can be enhanced with look-ahead route
data.
[0023] The CEM control unit 150 may include ICM module 152. ICM
module 152 is configured with an ICM control scheme that, when
enabled, operates in the same general vehicle speed range as
traditional lower droops in cruise control speed and can replace
cruise control lower droops. When ICM is enabled, the engine brakes
behave the same as when ICM is disabled. If cruise control
operation with engine brakes is enabled, the engine brakes can be
turned on and off at the same vehicle speed with and without ICM
enabled. In addition, ICM can be disabled for a calibratable period
of time after a cruise control speed bump down.
[0024] Inputs received from PCC module 142 are used by CEM control
unit 150 and ICM module 152 to enhance ICM. The messages/outputs
from PCC module 142 that control predictive cruise control
operations are independent of ICM module 152, and ICM module 152
cannot predict the various outputs from PCC module 142. In order to
receive the outputs from PCC module 142, CEM control unit 150
and/or ICM module 152 can be connected with PCC module 142 to
provide a datalink with a wired, wireless, BLUETOOTH, or satellite
connection, for example.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a controller arrangement
in which PCC module 142 is connected to CEM control unit 150 and/or
ICM module 152. PCC module 142 provides a PCC speed adjustment
request to cruise control governor module 200 of CEM control unit
150. PCC module 142 also provides a PCC status (for example, active
or inactive) to an arbitration module 202 of ICM module 152.
Arbitration module 202 also receives a vehicle speed input 204 from
a speed sensor (for example), and further receives a final vehicle
speed request from cruise control governor module 200 that is based
on the OEM PCC speed adjustment request and a cruise control speed
from cruise control setting. ICM module 152 further includes an ICM
output module 206 provides a current driveline status
(engaged/disengaged with engine 102) to arbitration module 202. ICM
output module 206 also receives a final vehicle speed request from
arbitration module 202. ICM output module 206 provides a request to
TCU 140 to disengage or re-engage the driveline 107 to engine 104
based on the data received from arbitration module 202.
[0026] Other arrangements that functionally execute the operations
of the CEM control unit 150 are contemplated in the present
application. For example, additional CEM control unit and cruise
control operational aspects with which the present invention may
have application may be found with reference to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/625,951 filed on Feb. 19, 2015, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/261,010 filed on Apr. 24, 2014, and
Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/248,728 filed on Oct. 30, 2015,
each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety
for all purposes.
[0027] In one embodiment of operation of ICM module 152 in
conjunction with PCC module 142, a terrain profile for the vehicle
route is determined. In response to PCC being active under certain
operating conditions, arbitration module 202 disables ICM
operations even if ICM enablement conditions are otherwise met, and
the final speed request varies in accordance with PCC commands from
PCC module 142 and/or cruise control governor 200. Such disablement
can occur, for example, when the actual speed of the vehicle varies
from the PCC final speed request by a threshold amount.
[0028] When PCC is inactive, ICM operations can be enabled and ICM
module 152 controls idle coasting management operations in response
to ICM enablement conditions being present. For example, ICM
operation (i.e. driveline is disengaged from engine) can be
provided for downhill slope(s) of the terrain when one or more ICM
enablement conditions such as engine speed or aftertreatment
system/component temperature are met. The driveline is subsequently
re-engaged to the engine when ICM enablement conditions are no
longer met and/or route conditions indicate engagement of the
driveline to the engine is required. ICM mode of operation
enablement conditions include any one or more vehicle and route
conditions in which idle coasting of the vehicle is suitable or
desirable for fuel economy and/or aftertreatment temperature
management benefits.
[0029] In another embodiment of operation, the PCC status is
inactive initially and not controlling the vehicle speed. The
cruise control governor module 200 continues to provide final
vehicle speed requests to arbitration module 202. In response to
the final vehicle speed request, arbitration module 202 can change
ICM operation to, for example, re-engage the driveline and the
engine in response to the actual vehicle speed deviating from the
final vehicle speed request from cruise control governor module
200/PCC module 142 by more than a calibratable threshold amount in
order to reduce the speed error. As a result, the ICM mode of
operation is altered by the outputs from the PCC module 142 to
reduce a duration of ICM operation that would occur in the absence
of PCC control.
[0030] In another embodiment of operation, the cruise control
governor module 200 continues to provide final vehicle speed
requests from PCC module 142 to arbitration module 202 while the
vehicle is in an ICM mode of operation. In response to the final
vehicle speed request from the PCC module 142 being less than an
ICM cancel speed in which the engine is normally re-engaged to the
driveline to cancel the ICM operating mode, arbitration module 202
changes ICM operation to increase the time in the ICM operating
mode as compared to a baseline or nominal ICM mode of operation,
allowing further speed reduction toward the final speed request.
When the final speed request is achieved in the ICM mode of
operation, the engine can be re-engaged to the driveline to operate
under control of PCC module 142 and/or cruise control governor
200.
[0031] In another embodiment, PCC module 142 provides a future
speed request to arbitration module 202. Arbitration module 202
modifies an ICM abort/cancel or extension condition in response to
the future speed request. In still other embodiments, ICM module
152 employs predictive road grade or terrain data and a requested
vehicle speed adjustment from PCC module 142. A request to decrease
vehicle speed from PCC module 142 can result in ICM module 152
providing an ICM (idle coasting) event when other operating
conditions would not indicate an ICM event be requested by ICM
module 152. A request to increase speed from PCC module 142 can
result in ICM module 152 not requesting an ICM event when
conditions otherwise indicate that an ICM event be requested.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a schematic illustration
of a variation in gear down protection for a vehicle equipped with
PCC module 142 and ICM module 152. Gear down protection is
configured to limit vehicle speed when the transmission 106 is not
in top gear and engine 104 is not at full load, encouraging the
driver to shift to a higher gear and save fuel. Gear down
protection module 300 receives inputs of a PCC status 302, current
gear ratio 304, vehicle load 306, a first gear down protection
limit 308, and a second gear down protection limit 310. When PCC
status 302 is inactive, arbitration module 202 can provide a gear
down protection speed limit that varies linearly between the first
and second limits based on the engine load. However, when PCC
status 302 is active, the gear down protection speed limit is fixed
by, for example, arbitration module 202 and/or CEM control unit
150.
[0033] Fixing the gear down protection speed limit when PCC status
302 is active prevents a conflict between a request to increase the
speed limit by PCC module 142 and a request to decrease the speed
limit by gear down protection module 300. This arbitration strategy
avoids the potential opposite adjustments in the speed limit while
also avoiding the disablement of the gear down protection module
300 or the PCC module 142 when the other is active.
[0034] Various aspects of the present disclosure are contemplated.
According to one aspect, a method includes: operating a vehicle
including an engine that is selectively engageable to a driveline;
monitoring, with a predictive cruise control module a speed of the
vehicle and a grade of terrain upon which the vehicle is operated;
with predictive cruise control of the speed being inactive,
operating the vehicle in an idle coasting management mode with the
driveline disengaged from the engine in response to at least one
idle coasting management enablement condition being present; and
with predictive cruise control of the speed being active, disabling
the idle coasting management mode of operation of the vehicle.
[0035] In one embodiment of the method, with the predictive cruise
control of the speed being inactive and in response to idle
coasting management enablement conditions not being present,
engaging the driveline with the engine and operating the engine
with the driveline engaged. In a refinement of this embodiment, in
response to a final speed request from the predictive cruise
control module being less than a cancellation speed threshold of
the idle coasting management mode of operation, continuing to
operate the engine with the driveline disengaged from the engine
until the speed of the vehicle reduces to the final speed request
and then operating the engine with the driveline engaged to the
engine. In another refinement, in response to a final speed request
from the predictive cruise control module deviating from an actual
speed of the vehicle by more than a threshold amount, engaging the
driveline to the engine to terminate the idle coasting management
mode of operation.
[0036] In another embodiment, the method includes linearly varying
a gear down protection speed between first and second limits in
response to predictive cruise control of the speed being inactive
and fixing a limit of the gear down protection speed in response to
predictive cruise control of the speed being active.
[0037] According to another aspect, a vehicle system includes an
engine and a driveline that is selectively engageable to the
engine. The system also includes a cycle efficiency management
controller connected to the engine, the cycle efficiency management
controller including an idle coasting management module operable to
selectively disengage the driveline from the engine in response to
one or more idle coasting management enablement conditions being
present. The system also includes a predictive cruise control
module connected to the driveline and in electrical communication
with the cycle efficiency management controller over a datalink
that provides at least one of a wired or wireless connection to
provide outputs from the predictive cruise control module to the
cycle efficiency management controller. The outputs from the
predictive cruise control module are determined independently of
the cycle efficiency management controller, and the outputs from
the predictive cruise control module control a speed of the vehicle
in response to predictive cruise control being active. The idle
coasting management module is disabled to prevent disengagement of
the driveline from the engine in response to predictive cruise
control being active while the engine and driveline are
engaged.
[0038] In one embodiment, the predictive cruise control module is
included with a transmission control unit as a single module. In
yet another embodiment, the cycle efficiency management controller
is connected to an engine control unit that is connected to the
engine.
[0039] In still another embodiment, the idle coasting management
module includes an arbitration module that is configured to receive
a vehicle speed input, an active/inactive status of predictive
cruise control of the vehicle speed, a final vehicle speed request
from the cycle efficiency management controller, and an
engaged/disengaged status of the driveline from the idle coasting
management module.
[0040] In one refinement of this embodiment, in response to
predictive cruise control being active in the arbitration module,
the idle coasting management module is disabled to prevent
disengagement of the driveline from the engine. In another
refinement, the vehicle speed request is a final vehicle speed
request from a cruise control governor module of the cycle
efficiency management controller, and the final vehicle speed
request is determined from a cruise control speed and a predictive
cruise control speed adjustment request. In still another
refinement, in response to the final vehicle speed request being
less than a cancellation speed threshold associated with an idle
coasting management mode of operation, the idle coasting management
module is configured to continue to operate the engine with the
driveline disengaged from the engine until the speed of the vehicle
reduces to the final speed request and then operate the engine with
the driveline engaged to the engine. In yet another refinement, in
response to the final speed request deviating from an actual speed
of the vehicle by more than a threshold amount, the idle coasting
management module is configured to engage the driveline to the
engine.
[0041] In another aspect, an apparatus is provided for controlling
operations of a vehicle including an engine and a driveline
selectively engageable with the engine and a predictive cruise
control module that is operable to control a speed of the vehicle
when predictive cruise control of the speed is active. The
apparatus includes a cycle efficiency management controller
including an intelligent coasting management module operable to
selectively disengage the driveline from the engine in response to
one or more idle coasting management enablement conditions being
present. The apparatus also includes the cycle efficiency
management controller being connectable to the predictive cruise
control module over a datalink that is at least one of a wired or
wireless connection to provide outputs from the predictive cruise
control module to the cycle efficiency management controller that
are independent of the cycle efficiency management controller and
indicative of whether predictive cruise control is active or
inactive. The intelligent coasting management module is disabled
from disengaging the driveline from the engine in response to
predictive cruise control being active with idle coasting
management enablement conditions being present.
[0042] In one embodiment, the cycle efficiency management
controller is connected to an engine control unit. In another
embodiment, the idle coasting management module includes an
arbitration module that is configured to receive a vehicle speed
input, an active/inactive status of predictive cruise control of
the vehicle speed, a final vehicle speed request from the cycle
efficiency management controller, and an engaged/disengaged status
of the driveline from the idle coasting management module.
[0043] In a refinement of these embodiments, in response to
predictive cruise control being active in the arbitration module,
the idle coasting management module is disabled to prevent
disengagement of the driveline from the engine. In another
refinement, the cycle efficiency management controller includes a
cruise control governor module that receives a predictive cruise
control speed adjustment request from the predictive cruise control
module and provides the final vehicle speed request to the
arbitration module. In yet another refinement, the apparatus also
includes a gear down protection module that is configured to limit
a vehicle speed when a transmission of the vehicle is not in top
gear and the engine is not at full load. In a further refinement,
the gear down protection module receives an input of the predictive
cruise control status and the limit on the vehicle speed is fixed
in response to the predictive cruise control status being
active.
[0044] It should be understood that while the use of words such as
preferable, preferably, preferred or more preferred if utilized in
the description above indicate that the feature so described may be
more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and embodiments
lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the
invention, the scope being defined by the claims that follow. In
reading the claims, it is intended that when words such as "a,"
"an," "at least one," or "at least one portion" are used there is
no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless
specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. When the language
"at least a portion" and/ or "a portion" is used the item can
include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated
to the contrary.
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