JP2010264831A - Vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device - Google Patents

Abstract

When an amount of operation of an accelerator pedal by a driver is too small when trying to obtain an optimal fuel consumption rate, the operation of the accelerator pedal by the driver is guided in a depression direction.
When it is determined that the current throttle opening speed THcv is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed THsv that is the optimum fuel consumption rate, the reaction force of the accelerator pedal is reduced, and the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal by the driver is reduced. Is guided in the direction of depression.
[Selection] Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device, and more particularly to a vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device including a reaction force variable mechanism capable of changing a reaction force with respect to an operation amount of an accelerator pedal.

  Conventionally, there has been proposed a vehicle control device that improves the fuel consumption rate by controlling the reaction force of an accelerator pedal (Patent Document 1).

  In the vehicle control device proposed in Patent Document 1, the reaction amount of the accelerator pedal is set to increase in a stepped manner with the operation amount of the accelerator pedal having an optimum fuel consumption rate.

JP 2007-76468 A

  The vehicle control device proposed in Patent Document 1 does not give an excessive amount of operation to the accelerator pedal, that is, prevents the driver from depressing the accelerator pedal too much so as to achieve an optimum fuel consumption rate. Is controlling.

  However, the optimum fuel consumption rate cannot be achieved simply by controlling so that the accelerator pedal is not depressed too much. For example, when obtaining the optimum fuel consumption rate, if the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal by the driver is too small, it is necessary to guide the amount of operation in the direction of depression of the accelerator pedal.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such knowledge. When the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal by the driver is too small when trying to obtain the optimum fuel consumption rate, the amount of operation is reduced to the accelerator. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device that can be guided in the pedal depression direction.

  A vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support apparatus according to the present invention includes a vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support including an accelerator pedal for operating a throttle opening and a reaction force variable mechanism for changing a reaction force with respect to an operation amount of the accelerator pedal. In the system, the standard throttle opening speed at which the amount of change in throttle opening per unit time is the optimum fuel consumption rate, and the current throttle opening speed derived from the amount of change in throttle opening per unit time by the operation of the current accelerator pedal And a reaction force control unit for controlling the reaction force of the reaction force variable mechanism, the reaction force control unit, by the comparison unit, the current throttle opening speed is Controlling the reaction force of the variable reaction force mechanism so as to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal when it is determined that the speed is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed. And features.

  According to the present invention, when it is determined that the current throttle opening speed is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed at which the optimum fuel consumption rate is obtained, the control is performed so as to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal. The amount of operation of the accelerator pedal can be guided in the direction of depression with a higher fuel consumption rate.

  The vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement assisting device according to the present invention includes an accelerator pedal that operates vehicle acceleration, and a vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement that includes a reaction force variable mechanism that changes a reaction force against an operation amount of the accelerator pedal. In the support device, a comparison unit that compares a reference vehicle acceleration at which the vehicle acceleration is an optimum fuel consumption rate and a current vehicle acceleration derived from a vehicle speed change amount per unit time by a current operation of an accelerator pedal; A reaction force control unit that controls a reaction force of the force variable mechanism, and the reaction force control unit, when the comparison unit determines that the current vehicle acceleration is smaller than the reference vehicle acceleration, The reaction force of the variable reaction force mechanism is controlled so as to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal.

  According to this invention, when it is determined that the current vehicle acceleration is smaller than the reference vehicle acceleration, control is performed so as to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal. It is possible to guide the fuel consumption rate to a higher depression direction.

  According to the present invention, the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal by the driver can be guided in a stepping direction with a higher fuel consumption rate.

1 is a schematic block configuration diagram of a vehicle in which a fuel consumption rate improvement support device according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated. It is a related measurement figure of the fuel consumption with respect to each acceleration when accelerating to 0-60 [km / h]. It is a characteristic view showing the relationship between each vehicle speed and the reference throttle opening at the reference vehicle acceleration. It is explanatory drawing of an example of a reference | standard throttle opening speed characteristic. It is explanatory drawing of an example of a reference | standard vehicle acceleration characteristic. It is a flowchart provided for operation | movement description of 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the correspondence of a reference | standard throttle opening speed and the present throttle opening speed. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of reaction force variable control with respect to the operation amount of an accelerator pedal. It is a flowchart provided for operation | movement description of 2nd Example. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the correspondence of a reference | standard vehicle acceleration and the present vehicle acceleration.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle 10 in which a fuel consumption rate improvement support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.

  The vehicle 10 includes an ECU (electronic control unit) 20 having various functional parts (various functional means) realized by the CPU executing a program stored in a memory. The ECU 20 performs fuel consumption rate improvement support processing. The overall operation of the vehicle 10 including it is controlled in an integrated manner.

  The vehicle 10 has an engine 12, and the rotational force of the engine 12 is transmitted as driving force to wheels 22 (driving wheels) via the transmission 14, the output shaft 16, and the differential 18.

  The wheel speed Vw of the wheel 22 is detected by the wheel speed sensor 24 and transmitted to the ECU 20. The wheel speed Vw here is the average speed of the four wheels. The wheel speed Vw is displayed as a vehicle speed on a speedometer (not shown).

  Further, the rotational speed of the output shaft 16 is detected as the vehicle body speed Vb by the vehicle body speed sensor 26 and transmitted to the ECU 20.

In this case, the ECU 20 calculates the tire slip ratio Sw from the vehicle body speed Vb and the wheel speed Vw by the following equation (1) in the tire slip ratio calculation unit 56.
Sw = {(Vw−Vb) / Vw} × 100 [%] (1)

  The engine 12 has its rotational speed (engine speed) controlled through a throttle actuator 30 that adjusts the throttle opening TH of a throttle valve 28 provided in the vicinity of the engine 12.

  The throttle opening TH of the throttle valve 28 is detected by a throttle opening sensor 32 and transmitted to the ECU 20.

  The throttle opening TH is adjusted through the ECU 20 and the throttle actuator 30 according to the operation amount (operation angle, accelerator angle) θa of the accelerator pedal 36 detected by the operation amount sensor 34. In practice, an ECU that controls the engine 12 is a separate engine ECU that is different from the ECU 20. However, in this embodiment, for convenience of understanding of the invention, the ECU 20 also operates as an engine ECU. explain.

  A reaction force (pedal reaction force) Fr is applied to the accelerator pedal 36 through a reaction force variable mechanism 38 such as a servo motor that operates according to a reaction force command value output from a reaction force control unit 50 configured by the ECU 20. It is configured to be able to.

  Furthermore, a navigation system 40 including a road condition output unit 42 is connected to the ECU 20.

  The navigation system 40 detects the position of the vehicle 10 by a GPS device and stores road map information including road condition information (slope gradient, paved or unpaved road, legal speed of the road, etc.). In addition, road condition information (including road surface information, traffic jam information, weather information, and road construction information) is received from a broadcast center (not shown). In this embodiment, the navigation system 40 is configured such that road condition information of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling and the road to be traveled is always output to the ECU 20.

  The vehicle 10 transmits an electromagnetic wave such as a millimeter wave toward the front of the vehicle 10 as a transmission wave, and detects the size of an obstacle (for example, a preceding vehicle) and the direction from the own vehicle based on the reflected wave. In addition, the radar 44 (obstacle detection means, obstacle detection unit) for detecting the relative distance Dr between the obstacle and the vehicle, the relative speed Vr between the obstacle and the vehicle, etc. Is provided. As the obstacle detection means, in addition to the radar 44, an imaging device (distance measurement means) such as a stereo camera can be used.

  From the output of the radar 44, the ECU 20 always calculates a predicted collision time TTC (Time To Collation) as TTC = Dr / Vr from the relative distance Dr from the vehicle to the obstacle and the relative speed Vr.

  As described above, the ECU 20 operates as various functional units (various functional units) when the CPU executes a program stored in the memory, but functions as the tire slip ratio calculating unit 56 and the reaction force control unit 50 described above. In addition, basically, it operates as the calculation unit 52, the comparison unit 54, and the like.

  The ECU 20 includes a storage unit 62 including an HDD, an EEPROM, a RAM, and the like.

  The storage unit 62 stores a reference throttle opening speed map 58 for deriving a reference throttle opening speed THsv that is an optimum fuel consumption rate (here, a so-called fuel consumption indicating how many kilometers of fuel can be run with 1 liter of fuel). A reference throttle opening speed characteristic) and a reference vehicle acceleration map 60 (reference vehicle acceleration characteristic) for deriving a reference vehicle acceleration Acn that provides an optimum fuel consumption rate are stored in advance.

  First, an example of how to obtain the reference throttle opening speed map 58 will be described. From when the vehicle 10 starts (0 [km / h]) until the wheel speed (vehicle speed) Vw reaches the target wheel speed (target vehicle speed) Vw1. For each acceleration Ac (Ac = ΔVw / Δt).

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the characteristic 102 (measured value) of the fuel consumption amount Fcr when accelerating to 0 to 60 [km / h] is obtained for each value of the acceleration Ac. From this characteristic 102, the standard vehicle acceleration Acn that provides the optimum fuel consumption rate with the smallest fuel consumption Fcr can be obtained.

  FIG. 3 shows a characteristic 104 (measured value) indicating the relationship between the wheel speed Vw and the reference throttle opening THr at the reference vehicle acceleration Acn.

Since the reference vehicle acceleration Acn is obtained (because it is known), the time t1 until the current wheel speed Vw reaches the target wheel speed Vw1 can be obtained by the following equation (2).
t1 = (Vw1-Vw) / Acn (2)

  From the characteristic (relationship) between the time t1 and the throttle opening TH, the amount of change in the throttle opening per unit time can be obtained.

  As an example, as shown in FIG. 4, the reference throttle opening speed map 58 has a characteristic that the amount of change in throttle opening ΔTH per unit time Δt becomes an optimum fuel consumption rate, that is, the reference throttle opening speed THsv. Is remembered as The reference throttle opening speed THsv stores a plurality of measured values (characteristics) in advance using road condition information (road gradient, weather, road surface condition, etc.) transmitted from the navigation system 40 to the ECU 20 as a parameter.

  The reference throttle opening speed THsv shown as an example in FIG. 4 is a characteristic that the throttle opening TH increases linearly with a constant inclination (ΔTH / Δt) when the driver continuously operates the accelerator pedal 36 to the depression side. It has become.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, the reference vehicle acceleration map 60 has a characteristic that the change amount ΔVw of the wheel speed Vw per unit time Δt becomes an optimum fuel consumption rate, that is, the reference vehicle acceleration Acn ( The time t1 (acceleration time) that is stored as Acn = ΔVw / Δt) and the fuel consumption rate until the current wheel speed Vw = Vwc becomes the target wheel speed Vw1 is optimal.

  The reference vehicle acceleration Acn is stored in advance in the storage unit 62 as a plurality of measured values (characteristics) using road condition information (road gradient, weather, road surface condition, etc.) transmitted from the navigation system 40 to the ECU 20 as a parameter.

  The reference vehicle acceleration Acn shown as an example in FIG. 5 has a characteristic that increases linearly with a constant slope (ΔVw / Δt) until a predetermined time t1 when the accelerator pedal 36 is continuously operated to the depression side. After the predetermined time t1, the target wheel speed Vw1 is a constant value.

  Next, to the depression side of the accelerator pedal 36 related to the optimum fuel consumption rate of the vehicle 10 incorporating the fuel consumption rate improvement assisting device according to one embodiment of the present invention basically configured as described above. The guidance control (reaction force control) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 showing the first embodiment (processing is executed by the ECU 20 every predetermined time in the ms order by the timer).

  In step S1, the ECU 20 checks whether or not the forward visibility of the traveling vehicle 10 is secured. In this case, for example, when the distance from the vehicle 10 (own vehicle) detected by the radar 44 to the obstacle (the preceding vehicle or the like) is a predetermined distance or more or the estimated collision time TTC is a predetermined time or more, the obstacle is Since it is regarded as not existing, it is determined that the front view is secured satisfactorily.

  When it is determined that the forward visibility is good, the throttle opening per unit time corresponding to the current condition (current data) of the road condition information output from the road condition output unit 42 of the navigation system 40 in step S2 The reference throttle opening speed THsv at which the change amount becomes the optimum fuel consumption rate is searched with reference to the reference throttle opening speed map 58 (FIG. 4).

  Simultaneously with the processing of step S2, in step S3, the calculation unit 52 calculates the current throttle opening speed THcv derived from the amount of change in the throttle opening per unit time based on the driver's current operation of the accelerator pedal 36. calculate.

  Next, in step S4, the comparison unit 54 compares whether or not the current throttle opening speed THcv is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed THsv.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7, it is assumed that the accelerator pedal 36 is depressed in a state where the current throttle opening speed THcv is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed THsv. The characteristic of the current throttle opening speed THcv shown in FIG. 7 is that the time measurement of a minute unit time Δt by a timer (timer) and the throttle opening TH from the throttle opening sensor 32 during the unit time Δt. Is calculated from the opening change amount ΔTH. The reference throttle opening speed THsv shown in FIG. 7 reproduces the characteristics shown in FIG.

  Next, in step S5, the calculation unit 52 calculates the tire slip rate Sw described above from the vehicle body speed Vb obtained by the vehicle body speed sensor 26 and the wheel speed Vw obtained from the wheel speed sensor 24, and the calculated tire slip. It is determined whether the rate Sw is below a reference tire slip rate Ssw (for example, 15 [%]) for determining that the wheel 22 is gripping the road (the wheel 22 is not slipping excessively).

  If it is lower, the determination result in step S4 described above is that the accelerator pedal 36 is depressed with the current throttle opening speed THcv being smaller than the reference throttle opening speed THsv (step S4: YES). Therefore, in step S6, in order to prompt the driver to depress the accelerator pedal 36 in order to guide the current throttle opening speed THcv to the reference throttle opening speed THsv with the optimum (maximum) fuel consumption rate, The force control unit 50 calculates the reaction force Fr to be reduced from the current operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 obtained from the operation amount sensor 34 and sets it in the reaction force variable mechanism 38.

  FIG. 8 shows the characteristics of the reaction force Fr with respect to the operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36. During normal times when the reaction force is not controlled, the reaction force control unit 50 applies a constant reaction force Frm to the accelerator pedal 36 by the reaction force variable mechanism 38.

  However, when all of the determinations of step S1, step S4, and step S5 are satisfied, in step S6, as indicated by the characteristic of the reaction force Frd (induced reaction force), the operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 is determined. The reaction force Fr is changed through the reaction force variable mechanism 38 so that the reaction force Fr becomes a reaction force Frd that decreases proportionally (gradually) as the operation amount θa increases from the predetermined operation amount θa1. Note that the characteristic of the reaction force Frd can be changed according to the values of the current throttle opening speed THcv and the reference throttle opening speed THsv at that time (change the slope, or change it with a curve instead of a constant slope). preferable.

  Thus, by pulling out the reaction force Fr as shown in the characteristic of the reaction force Frd, the operation of the accelerator pedal 36 by the driver is guided in the depression direction, and as a result, it is shown in the direction of the arrow in FIG. As described above, the current throttle opening speed THcv is guided (induced) to the standard throttle opening speed THsv that is the optimum fuel consumption rate.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment described above, when it is determined that the current throttle opening speed THcv is smaller than the reference throttle opening speed THsv that is the optimum fuel consumption rate (step S4: YES). ) Since the control is performed so as to reduce the reaction force Fr of the accelerator pedal 36 (step S6), the amount of operation θa of the accelerator pedal 36 by the driver can be guided in the stepping-in direction in which the fuel consumption rate is higher.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 9, the determinations / processes of steps S11, S15, and S16 are the same as the determinations / processes of steps S1, S5, and S6 described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In step S11, the ECU 20 confirms whether or not the forward visibility of the traveling vehicle 10 is secured.

  When it is determined that the forward visibility is good, the vehicle speed change amount per unit time corresponding to the current condition (current data) of the road condition information output from the road condition output unit 42 of the navigation system 40 in step S12. A reference vehicle acceleration Acn in which (the amount of change in the wheel speed Vw) is the optimum fuel consumption rate is searched with reference to the reference vehicle acceleration map 60 (FIG. 5).

  Simultaneously with the processing of step S12, in step S13, the calculation unit 52 calculates the current vehicle acceleration Acc derived from the change amount of the wheel speed Vw per unit time based on the driver's current operation of the accelerator pedal 36. To do.

  Next, in step S14, the comparison unit 54 compares whether or not the current vehicle acceleration Acc is smaller than the reference vehicle acceleration Acn.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 10, it is assumed that the accelerator pedal 36 is depressed in a state where the current vehicle acceleration Acc is smaller than the standard vehicle acceleration Acn. The characteristics of the current vehicle acceleration Acc shown in FIG. 10 are as follows: a time measurement of a minute unit time Δt by a timer (timer), and a change amount ΔVw of the wheel speed Vw from the wheel speed sensor 24 during the unit time Δt. Is calculated by The reference vehicle acceleration Acn shown in FIG. 10 reproduces the characteristics shown in FIG.

  Next, in step S15, the calculation unit 52 calculates the tire slip rate Sw described above, and the calculated tire slip rate Sw determines that the wheel 22 is gripping the road (the wheel 22 is not slipping excessively). It is determined whether or not the reference tire slip rate Ssw is lower than that described above.

  If it is lower, the determination result in step S14 is that the accelerator pedal 36 is depressed with the vehicle acceleration Acc being smaller than the reference vehicle acceleration Acn (step S14: YES). In step S16, in order to prompt the driver to depress the accelerator pedal 36 in order to guide the current vehicle acceleration Acc to the standard vehicle acceleration Acn having the optimum (maximum) fuel consumption rate, the reaction force control unit 50 operates the operation amount. The reaction force Fr to be reduced is calculated from the current operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 obtained from the sensor 34 and set in the reaction force variable mechanism 38. At this time, the characteristic of the reaction force Fr set in the reaction force variable mechanism 38 is the same as that of the reaction force Frd shown in FIG.

  In step S16, the reaction force Fr is proportional to the operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 as the operation amount θa increases from the predetermined operation amount θa1 as shown in the characteristic of the reaction force Frd (induced reaction force). The reaction force Fr is changed through the reaction force variable mechanism 38 so that the reaction force Frd decreases (gradually). Note that the characteristics of the reaction force Frd are preferably changed according to the values of the current vehicle acceleration Acc and the reference vehicle acceleration Acn at that time (changing the inclination or changing it with a curve instead of a constant inclination).

  Thus, by pulling out the reaction force Fr as shown in the characteristic of the reaction force Frd, the operation of the accelerator pedal 36 by the driver is guided in the depression direction, and as a result, it is shown in the direction of the arrow in FIG. As described above, the current vehicle acceleration Acc is guided (guided) to the reference vehicle acceleration Acn that is the optimum fuel consumption rate.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment described above, when it is determined that the current vehicle acceleration Acc is smaller than the standard vehicle acceleration Acn that is the optimum fuel consumption rate (step S14: YES), the accelerator pedal Since the control is performed so as to reduce the reaction force Fr of 36 (step S16), the operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 by the driver can be guided in the stepping-in direction in which the fuel consumption rate is higher.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various configurations can be adopted based on the contents described in this specification. For example, when the standard vehicle acceleration Acn that is the optimum fuel consumption rate (minimum fuel consumption amount Fcr) has not been reached, the reaction force Fr to be reduced per unit time depends on the degree of divergence between the current vehicle acceleration Acc and the standard vehicle acceleration Acn. Alternatively, the magnitude of the operation amount θa of the accelerator pedal 36 may be determined, and based on this, the speed at which the reaction force Fr is lowered may be determined.

10 ... Vehicle 20 ... ECU
32 ... Throttle opening sensor 34 ... Operation amount sensor 36 ... Accelerator pedal 38 ... Reaction force variable mechanism 50 ... Reaction force control unit 54 ... Comparison unit 58 ... Reference throttle opening speed map 60 ... Reference vehicle acceleration map

Claims (2)

In a fuel consumption rate improvement assisting device for a vehicle, comprising: an accelerator pedal for operating a throttle opening; and a reaction force variable mechanism for changing a reaction force with respect to an operation amount of the accelerator pedal.
The standard throttle opening speed at which the amount of change in throttle opening per unit time is the optimum fuel consumption rate, and the current throttle opening speed derived from the amount of change in throttle opening per unit time by the current accelerator pedal operation. A comparison section to compare;
A reaction force control unit that controls a reaction force of the reaction force variable mechanism,
The reaction force control unit
When the comparison unit determines that the current throttle opening speed is lower than the reference throttle opening speed, the reaction force of the reaction force variable mechanism is controlled to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal. A vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device, characterized in that: In a fuel consumption rate improvement assisting device for a vehicle, comprising: an accelerator pedal that operates vehicle acceleration; and a reaction force variable mechanism that changes a reaction force with respect to an operation amount of the accelerator pedal.
A comparison unit that compares a reference vehicle acceleration at which the vehicle acceleration is an optimum fuel consumption rate and a current vehicle acceleration derived from a vehicle speed change amount per unit time by a current accelerator pedal operation;
A reaction force control unit that controls a reaction force of the reaction force variable mechanism,
The reaction force control unit
When the comparison unit determines that the current vehicle acceleration is smaller than the standard vehicle acceleration, the reaction force of the reaction force variable mechanism is controlled so as to reduce the reaction force of the accelerator pedal. A vehicle fuel consumption rate improvement support device.

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