JPH0639214B2 - Vehicle constant-speed traveling device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention sets a vehicle constant speed traveling device, and in particular, sets a vehicle speed regardless of the slope of the traveling road, that is, the uphill, downhill, or flat road. The present invention relates to a vehicle constant speed traveling device that maintains a target vehicle speed.

[Prior Art] There is known a constant speed traveling device for automatically traveling a vehicle such as an automobile at a constant speed.

Generally, the constant speed traveling device is basically constructed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, M1 represents a constant-speed traveling command means for issuing a command for constant-speed traveling, which usually corresponds to what is called a set switch manually operated by the driver. M2 represents a vehicle speed detecting means, which is usually built in the speedometer and generates a signal proportional to the vehicle speed V. M3 represents a target vehicle speed setting means. When a constant speed travel command is received from the constant speed travel command means M1, the vehicle speed V at this point is set as the target vehicle speed Vs for constant speed travel. M4 represents a target throttle opening setting means, which sets a target opening S of the throttle valve of the intake system of the internal combustion engine based on the target vehicle speed Vs and the detected vehicle speed V. M5 is the actual opening S of the throttle valve
It represents a throttle opening detecting means for detecting p.
The throttle opening detection means M5 corresponds to, for example, a potentiometer whose resistance value changes according to the throttle opening. M6 represents a comparing / determining means for comparing the target opening S with the detected throttle opening Sp and outputting a signal according to the magnitude relation between these S and Sp. M7
Represents the throttle actuator driving means,
A throttle actuator drive signal corresponding to the signal from the comparison / determination means M6 is output. This drive signal includes a signal for increasing the opening of the throttle valve,
A signal for reducing and a signal for holding are included. M8 represents a throttle actuator, which operates the throttle valve according to a signal from the throttle actuator driving means M7. The throttle actuator M8 operates a throttle valve by driving a DC motor, for example. Further, the actuator M8 is of a diaphragm type that uses a negative pressure of the intake pipe as a drive source. M9 represents a throttle valve, and M10 represents an intake pipe leading to a cylinder of the internal combustion engine.

The target throttle opening degree setting means M4 targets the sum of the throttle opening degree that is predetermined corresponding to the normal target vehicle speed Vs and the throttle opening degree that is proportional to the difference between the target vehicle speed Vs and the detected vehicle speed V. The throttle opening S is set. That is, the target throttle opening S is represented by the following equation S = f (Vs) + K (Vs-V). In the above equation, f (Vs) represents a function of Vs, and K represents a positive constant.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the constant speed traveling device that sets the target throttle opening degree as described above, the vehicle speed V is maintained near the target vehicle speed Vs while traveling on a flat road, but When it comes to, the vehicle speed V decreases. At this time, the throttle opening is increased by K (Vs-V) of the feedback term in the above equation, but the coefficient K must be set to a considerably large value in order to bring the vehicle speed V close to the target vehicle speed Vs. However, the coefficient K
Is set to a large value, the change of the throttle opening becomes large with respect to the change of the vehicle speed V, so to speak, the change of the vehicle speed is amplified. Therefore, the acceleration / deceleration is repeated with the target vehicle speed Vs as a reference, and The driving feeling is hindered. For this reason, the coefficient K must be set to a relatively small value, and traveling on an uphill at a vehicle speed lower than the target vehicle speed is unavoidable.

Incidentally, as a measure for solving such a point, for example, JP-A-58-98636 or JP-B-43
There was a constant speed traveling device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 19980.
According to these conventional techniques, when the vehicle leans in the front-rear direction, the pendulum or the mercury as a sensor for determining the lean moves due to gravity, a predetermined circuit is closed, and the slope opening of the throttle opening is corrected. It was supposed to be.

However, the above-mentioned pendulum or mercury is
At the time of deceleration, the inertial force acting in the direction opposite to the acceleration / deceleration direction pulls and moves, so during acceleration,
At the time of deceleration, the slope is corrected as a downhill. Therefore, for example, when temporarily accelerating to overtake the preceding vehicle and then decelerating to return to constant speed running,
It was determined that the vehicle was going downhill due to deceleration, and the throttle was closed further, resulting in excessive deceleration. That is, the problem that the road is corrected even though it is neither uphill nor downhill has not been solved yet.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to improve traveling feeling during constant speed traveling, and moreover, always maintain the vehicle speed near the target vehicle speed regardless of the inclination level of the road surface. An object is to provide a constant speed traveling device for a vehicle.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, when a command to drive the vehicle at a constant speed is issued, the vehicle is driven at a constant speed. Of the target vehicle speed Vs of the internal combustion engine and based on at least the set target vehicle speed Vs and the detected vehicle speed V.
Is set, and the target opening S is compared with the detected throttle opening Sp, and a constant-speed traveling device that increases, decreases, or holds the opening of the throttle valve M9 according to the comparison result, A road surface inclination level discriminating means M11 for recognizing and discriminating the specified road surface inclination level from a voice designating the road surface inclination level of the traveling road, and a traveling resistance R according to the discriminated road surface inclination level and the target vehicle speed Vs. Running resistance estimating means M1 for estimating
2, the throttle valve M according to the estimated running resistance R, the target vehicle speed Vs and the detected vehicle speed V.
A target throttle opening degree setting means M13 for setting the target opening degree S of 9 is provided.

The characteristic part of the above configuration will be described below with a specific example for helping understanding.

The road surface inclination level determination means M11 recognizes and determines the voices emitted by the driver, for example, "Nobolizaka", "Kudarisaka", and "Heytanlo", and outputs a signal corresponding to each voice to the running resistance estimation means M12.

The traveling resistance estimating means M12 is a road surface inclination level determining means M.
According to the determination result of _No. 11 and the target vehicle speed Vs and the vehicle speed V, for example, a running resistance R represented by the following formula R = K ₁ V ² s + K ₂ sin θ + K ₃ is calculated. In this formula, K ₁ ,
K ₂ and K ₃ are positive constants. K ₁ V ² s corresponds to air resistance and K ₃ corresponds to rolling resistance. Further K ₂
sin θ corresponds to the climbing resistance, and θ is “0” when the road surface inclination level determination means M11 determines that the road surface inclination level is a flat road, and θ when it is determined that the vehicle is an uphill road. A positive predetermined value “+ θ0” (for example, 5 °) and a negative predetermined value “−θ0” when it is determined that the vehicle is descending.

The target throttle opening degree setting means M13 calculates the target throttle opening degree S represented by the following equation S = f (R, Vs) + Kf (Vs-V) according to the running resistance R, the target vehicle speed Vs, and the vehicle speed V, for example. . In this formula, Kf is a positive constant. Also, f (R, Vs) is R and V
represents the function of s.

The comparison / determination means M14 compares the target throttle opening S with the throttle opening Sp detected by the throttle opening detection means M5. When S-Sp ≧ A (where A is a positive constant value), An instruction to increase the throttle opening is issued to the throttle actuator driving means M7, and when Sp-S ≧ A, an instruction to decrease the throttle opening is similarly issued, and | Sp-S | ≦ B (where B is A If it is a smaller constant value), an instruction to hold the throttle opening degree is issued in the same manner, and otherwise, the same instruction as the immediately preceding instruction is issued in the same manner.

In addition, M1, M2, M3, M5, M7, M in FIG.
Reference numerals 8, M9 and M10 respectively denote the same means as the same reference numerals in FIG.

[Operation] When the driver issues a constant-speed traveling command and the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, for example, when the driver determines that the vehicle starts traveling uphill and utters "Novolizaka", this sound is output. It is recognized by the road surface inclination level determination means M11,
In the traveling resistance estimating means M12, the traveling resistance R during the climbing traveling is calculated based on the recognition result. In the target throttle opening degree setting means M13, the running resistance R is added to calculate the target throttle opening degree suitable for the climbing traveling. Then, the opening of the throttle valve is controlled based on the target throttle opening and the actual throttle opening.

Therefore, for example, since the road surface inclination level is specified by the driver's voice, the slope correction is not performed by acceleration / deceleration even on a flat road, and the specified road surface inclination level can be correctly determined. Yes, again
Since the target throttle opening suitable for the road surface inclination level is calculated, it is possible to maintain the vehicle speed near the target vehicle speed while maintaining a good driving feeling regardless of uphill, downhill or flat road. Becomes

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the main part.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle speed sensor as a vehicle speed detecting means M2, which is incorporated in the speedometer and outputs a signal proportional to the vehicle speed. Reference numeral 2 denotes a throttle sensor as the throttle opening detection means M5, which is composed of a potentiometer that generates a voltage V0 proportional to the throttle opening as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 3 denotes a throttle actuator, which has a DC motor. Reference numeral 4 is a throttle valve.

Reference numeral 5 is a voice recognition device as the road surface inclination level determination means M11. The voice recognition device 5 includes a microphone 51 for converting a voice into an electric signal, a frequency analysis circuit 52 for frequency-analyzing the voice based on the electric signal, and voice information obtained by the frequency analysis (for example, shown in (a) of FIG. 4). High frequency component is removed from the spectrum density)
A filter 53 for obtaining voice information represented by the spectrum density shown in FIG. 3B, an A / D conversion circuit 54 for converting analog information from the filter 53 into digital information,
A voice dictionary 55 in which digital information about voices including at least "Novolizaka", "Kudarikaza", and "Heytanro" is written in advance, and the A / D conversion circuit 5
It is provided with a decision circuit 56 for deciphering the digital information from No. 4 by referring to the voice dictionary 55 and determining whether the input voice is "Novolizaka", "Kudalizaka", or "Heytanlo". As shown in FIG. 5, the decision circuit 56 decides whether the input voice is a flat road, a downhill, or an uphill, and the decision result is input to a control circuit described later.

Reference numeral 6 is a control circuit, which comprises a microcomputer.
The control circuit 6 outputs a drive signal to the throttle actuator 3 according to a predetermined control program based on the vehicle speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor 1, the throttle opening signal from the throttle sensor 2, and the determination result from the voice recognition device 5. To do.

In the control circuit 6, as shown in FIG. 6, the data determined by the determination circuit 56 of the voice recognition device 5 is read (step 90), and the data is determined to be uphill or downhill.
Whether it is a flat road or not is discriminated (steps 91, 92, 93), and based on the result, θ = θ0 is substituted for an uphill (step 94), and θ = −θ0 is substituted for a downhill (step 9).
5) If the road is a flat road, θ = 0 is substituted (step 9)
6). Then, the vehicle speed V is detected (step 101), the running resistance R is estimated (step 102), and the target throttle opening S
(Step 103), detection of actual throttle opening Sp (step 104), Sp-S ≧ A, S-Sp ≧ A,
Each determination of | Sp−S | ≦ B (step 105,
106, 107) and a process for increasing, decreasing or holding the throttle opening (steps 108, 109, 110).

In the vehicle speed detection step 101, the vehicle speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor 1 is periodically sampled, and this sampled value is taken as the vehicle speed V.

In the running resistance estimation step 102, R = K ₁ V ² s + K ₂ sin θ + K ₃ based on the vehicle speed V, the target vehicle speed Vs set in advance when the set switch is operated, and the above-mentioned discrimination result by the voice recognition device 5. The running resistance R is estimated by calculating the following equation. Note that this equation is similar to the above-mentioned running resistance calculation equation, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

In the target step opening setting step 103, the running resistance R obtained in the running resistance estimation step 102 and the target vehicle speed V
Based on s and the vehicle speed V, the equation S = f (R, Vs) + Kf (Vs-V) is calculated to set the target throttle opening S. By the way, since the driving force of the vehicle at the time of traveling at a constant speed is in balance with the running resistance R, the throttle opening for obtaining the driving force matching the running resistance R according to the performance of the internal combustion engine or the like. Can be obtained in advance. This throttle opening corresponds to f (R, Vs) in the above equation. Further, Kf (Vs-V) in the above equation is f (R,
Vs) is an opening correction term by feedback that is added to Vs), and this term has a value that is directly proportional to the amount of deviation of the vehicle speed V from the target vehicle speed Vs, as is clear from the equation.

In the actual throttle opening detecting step 104, the throttle opening signal from the throttle opening detecting means M5 is sampled.

In the judgment step 105, it is judged whether Sp-S≥A. This A is a constant value of 5%, for example.

If Sp-S ≧ A, the process proceeds to throttle opening reduction step 109. In step 109, a signal for reducing the throttle opening, for example, a signal for reversing the DC motor is output to the throttle actuator 3.

If Sp-S ≧ A is not satisfied, the process proceeds to the determination step 106. In step 106, it is determined whether S-Sp≥A.

If S-Sp ≧ A, the process proceeds to throttle opening increase step 108. In this step 108, a signal for increasing the throttle opening, for example, a signal for rotating the DC motor in the forward direction is output to the throttle actuator 3.

If S-Sp ≧ A is not satisfied, the process proceeds to the determination step 107. In step 107, it is determined whether or not | Sp-S | ≤B.

If | Sp−S | ≦ B, the routine proceeds to throttle opening holding step 110. In step 110, in order to maintain the throttle opening, for example, the power supply to the DC motor is cut off.

If | Sp−S | ≦ B is not satisfied, the previous output to the throttle actuator 3 is held as it is.

Thus, the throttle opening is relative to the Sp-S value,
As shown in FIG. 7, it is increased, decreased or held.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a road surface specified by a voice that specifies a plurality of road surface inclination levels according to a traveling road, for example, "Nobolizaka", "Kudarisaka", and "Heytanlo". Since the road surface inclination level discriminating means for recognizing and discriminating the inclination level, for example, "NOBOLIZAKA", is provided, the slope level is not corrected by acceleration / deceleration even though the road is a flat road, and the inclination level of the designated traveling road. Can be accurately determined, and as a result, the vehicle speed can be maintained at the target vehicle speed regardless of the inclination of the traveling road.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a basic configuration diagram of a conventional example, FIGS. 3 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. , Fig. 4 shows the filter 5
3 is a graph for explaining input / output signals of FIG. 3, FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control circuit 6, FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control circuit 6, FIG. 7 is a graph for explaining the increase / decrease of the throttle opening, and a holding mode, and FIG. 8 is the operation of the throttle sensor 2. It is an electric circuit diagram showing the principle. 1 ... Vehicle speed sensor 2 ... Throttle sensor 3 ... Throttle actuator 4 ... Throttle valve 5 ... Voice recognition device 6 ... Control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When a command to drive a vehicle at a constant speed is issued, a target vehicle speed for constant speed traveling is set and at least the internal combustion engine is detected based on the set target vehicle speed and the detected vehicle speed. The target opening of the throttle valve of the engine is set, the detected throttle opening is compared with this target opening, and the throttle opening is increased, decreased, or maintained according to the comparison result. In a high speed traveling device, a road surface inclination level discriminating means for recognizing and discriminating a designated road surface inclination level from a voice for designating a road surface inclination level of a traveling road, and traveling according to the discriminated road surface inclination level and the target vehicle speed. A running resistance estimating means for estimating the resistance, and a target opening degree of the throttle valve is set according to the estimated running resistance, the target vehicle speed and the detected vehicle speed. Vehicle constant speed running apparatus comprising: the target throttle opening setting means, the for.