IP Library Granted Patent US 7,953,534
Granted Patent B2
US 7,953,534 · App. 11/791,993 · Granted May 31, 2011

Vehicle integrated-control apparatus and vehicle integrated-control method

Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,953,534
App. No.
11/791,993
Granted
May 31, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle integrated-control apparatus and method that sets a final control target by coordinating a control target primarily set based on an input of a driver with instruction values from the control systems; and that causes a drive control system to control a drive source and a stepped automatic transmission to achieve the final control target. With this apparatus and method, at least one of the control systems, which provide instruction values to be coordinated with the primarily set control target, is notified of a range of control targets that can be achieved at a current shift speed; a range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed; and a range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed.

Claims (36)

1. A vehicle integrated-control apparatus that is employed in a vehicle including a drive source and a stepped automatic transmission which is connected to the drive source and which changes a speed ratio in a stepwise manner; that includes multiple control systems; that sets a final control target by coordinating a control target primarily set based on an input of a driver with instruction values from the control systems; and that causes a drive control system, which is one of the control systems, to control the drive source and the stepped automatic transmission to achieve the final control target, the vehicle integrated-control apparatus comprising:

a controller that calculates at least one of three ranges of control targets, which include:

a first range of control targets that can be achieved at a current shift speed;

a second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed; and

a third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed; wherein,

the controller is configured to notify at least one of the control systems, which provide the instruction values, of the calculated range of control targets, and the controller is configured to transmit the at least one of three ranges of control targets as a signal to at least one of the control systems in real-time as shift speed and wheel speed change.

2. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller calculates the second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed, and at least one of the first range of control targets that can be achieved at the current shift speed and the third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed.

3. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the control system that is notified of the at least one of three ranges of control targets sets the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

4. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller calculates the second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed, the first range of control targets that can be achieved at the current shift speed, and the third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed.

5. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the control system that is notified of the at least one of three ranges of control targets sets the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

6. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the multiple control systems provides the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target to stabilize a dynamic behavior of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle integrated-control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the control system that is notified of the at least one of three ranges of control targets sets the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

8. A control method performed by a vehicle integrated-control apparatus that is employed in a vehicle including a drive source and a stepped automatic transmission which is connected to the drive source and which changes a speed ratio in a stepwise manner, and that includes multiple control systems, the control method comprising:

calculating at least one of three ranges of control targets, which include:

a first range of control targets that can be achieved at a current shift speed;

a second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed; and

a third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed;

notifying at least one of the control systems, which provide the instruction values, of the calculated range of control targets;

transmitting the at least one of three ranges of control targets as a signal to at least one of the control systems in real-time as shift speed and wheel speed change;

setting a final control target by coordinating a control target primarily set based on an input of a driver with instruction values from the control systems; and

causing a drive control system, which is one of the control systems, to control the drive source and the stepped automatic transmission to achieve the final control target.

9. The control method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

calculating the second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed, and at least one of the first range of control targets that can be achieved at the current shift speed and the third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed.

10. The control method according to 9 , further comprising:

setting the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

11. The control method according to claim 8 further comprising:

calculating the second range of control targets that can be achieved by changing the current shift speed to a currently achievable shift speed, the first range of control targets that can be achieved at the current shift speed, and the third range of control targets that can be achieved without changing the current shift speed to another shift speed.

12. The control method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

setting the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

13. The control method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

setting the instruction value to be coordinated with the control target in consideration of the notified range of the control targets.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2007
From: KUWAHARA, SEIJI; KAIGAWA, MASATO
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 019408/0289 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-126809 · Apr 25, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080015755A1 · Jan 17, 2008