DE102019118826B4 - Method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, in particular a motorcycle and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, with at least two power levels (AA, BB) that can be set by means of at least one power control device (6), the power levels (AA, BB) being set automatically depending on geographical location data, characterized in that a Emission management of the vehicle with controlled exhaust gas routing is provided by means of an exhaust flap through the power levels (AA, BB) with a corresponding actuation of the throttle and exhaust flap.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, with at least two power levels that can be set using at least one power control device.

DE 10 2016 224 787 A1 , DE 10 2018 123 708 B3 , DE 10 2014 215 259 A1 and DE 10 2018 125 764 A1 disclose methods for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle. DE 10 2014 215 259 A1 also reveals an eco mode and DE 10 2018 125 764 A1 discloses a power mode that can be reduced so that vehicle performance is reduced but fuel economy is increased.

Vehicles, in particular motorcycles, sports cars or the like, are known from the prior art, which have limited performance in public traffic, for example for insurance or emissions reasons. On off-road or race tracks that are not part of public traffic, a higher performance of the vehicle is usually required or desired. The limitation of the power available in the drive unit of the vehicle cannot generally be easily removed by conversion, so that the vehicles can/may only be operated either on the road with limited power or off-road or on race tracks with full power .

The object of the invention is to develop a method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, which enables simple switching between two power levels. A further object of the invention is to propose a vehicle which can be operated in various automatically switchable power levels.

The task is solved by the subjects of claims 1 and 7. The claims dependent on claim 1 represent advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of claim 1.

The proposed method is used to control a drive unit of a vehicle, in particular a motorcycle. The drive unit has at least two power levels that can be adjusted using at least one power control device. In order to be able to operate the vehicle on public roads with the appropriate approval as well as off-road or on race tracks with increased performance without modifications, the performance levels are set automatically depending on geographical location data.

Emissions management of the vehicle is provided with controlled exhaust gas routing by means of an exhaust flap through the power levels with a corresponding actuation of the throttle and exhaust flap.

The location data can be divided into a public traffic area and a non-public traffic area using a global positioning system, with a first power level being set with a reduced power compared to the second performance level when the vehicle is operated in the public traffic area. For example, the vehicle can be used in road traffic with low and low-emission performance and can be driven at full power in off-road or racing operations. A correspondingly location-adapted service is carried out automatically based on the location data determined by the positioning system (GPS). The position determination system can be housed in a control unit such as the vehicle's engine control unit or can be permanently connected to the vehicle as a separate device. Furthermore, mobile positioning systems can be provided, for example, in a smartphone or the like, with the location data in the control device for assigning the power levels being processed in a preferably coded manner in order to exclude misuse.

The drive unit of the vehicle can be based on an electric machine, an internal combustion engine or be hybrid and its power levels can be controlled depending on location data according to the proposed method. For example, the power control device can be formed from an automatically controlled throttle valve of the internal combustion engine. At the limited power level, the throttle valve angle can be opened to a limited extent. Alternatively, a stop can be provided, which is automatically removed in the unrestricted power level, for example by means of an actuator. Alternatively or additionally, at least two sets of different operating characteristics of the internal combustion engine can be stored in a control unit as a power control device for the two power levels, with a set with reduced power, preferably set in accordance with an existing approval, being used when the vehicle is operated in public traffic areas. For example, for a prescribed ecological operation of the vehicle in public traffic, a power level can be set with a lower-emission operation of the internal combustion engine, for example prescribed by rules, than operation in non-public traffic.

The task is further solved by a vehicle with a drive unit with a control unit and a global positioning system for operation with the proposed method.

For example, certain enduro motorcycles have significantly reduced engine power for operation on public roads. For example, such a motorcycle that is approved for road use has, for example, 8 hp, but can produce, for example, 50 hp when unthrottled. On closed enduro/motocross/racing tracks, operating the motorcycle with such low power cannot be used sensibly or competitively.

With the means of the state of the art, a power reduction to acceptable values can only be achieved through complex conversion measures in the throttle housing, on the exhaust or via a defined mapping.

A location-dependent power output from the drive unit thus represents an optimal combination of the two operating situations in public and non-public traffic areas.

According to the inventive idea, the engine power is adjusted depending on a GPS position of the vehicle in order to obtain approval for operation in public traffic and to enable maximum performance in sports activities. For this purpose, for example, corresponding GPS information from non-public off-road routes, race tracks and the like, where the approved performance is increased, can be stored and used in a control unit of the vehicle.

For example, an engine control software is expanded to include at least one further setting of a mapping with control tables of the internal combustion engine, for example engine torque, ignition timing, ignition angle, throttle valve position and/or the like, and the necessary location information is recorded and processed in a timely manner using an interface to a position determination system such as a GPS device. The GPS device or the control unit defines in which areas - public or non-public traffic areas - which mapping setting for the internal combustion engine is activated, for example an emissions-minimized setting or a performance-maximized setting.

This mapping can also include functions that go beyond the control tables and that determine engine performance and exhaust emissions, for example a throttle valve limitation and/or an exhaust flap control.

In this way, both operating situations can be covered using a single vehicle, thereby increasing the economic benefit of the vehicle.

In detail, an exemplary embodiment of an advantageous vehicle contains a known GPS device. GPS coordinate areas are stored on the GPS device, which represent closed areas such as motocross/enduro or race tracks. The GPS device sends a signal depending on where the vehicle is currently located and encodes the corresponding power level to the engine control.

Depending on this condition, either the mapping of the combustion engine with the setting for public traffic areas or with the setting for non-public traffic areas is then activated in the engine control. Since emissions from the internal combustion engine are usually correlated with performance, it can be advantageous to additionally provide a mechanical or electronic limitation of the maximum throttle valve opening. In the case of emissions management of the vehicle with controlled exhaust gas routing, for example by means of an exhaust flap, access to the emissions management with a corresponding actuation of the throttle and/or exhaust flap can also be provided in the mapping.

The invention is explained using the single figure. This shows a block diagram for selecting location-dependent performance levels of a vehicle.

The routine on which block diagram 1 is based, for example implemented in a control unit of the vehicle, is started in the START block. Current location data of the vehicle is determined in the positioning system 2, for example a GPS device present in the vehicle. In branch 3, based on location data stored in a control unit of the vehicle for the public traffic area A and the non-public traffic area B with roadways such as off-road routes or race tracks for the vehicle, a distinction is made as to whether the vehicle is in the public traffic area A or in the non-public traffic area A. public traffic area B is located. If the vehicle is in the public traffic area A, the power level AA, for example a throttled power level, is determined in block 4 and set in the power control device 6, for example a correspondingly controlled throttle valve, exhaust flap and / or a correspondingly set engine control setting.

If the vehicle is in the non-public traffic area B, the power level BB is determined in block 5 and set in the power control device 6.

The routine ends in the END block.

Reference symbol list

1

Block diagram

2

Positioning system

3

branch

4

block

5

block

6

Power control device

A

public transport space

AA

Power level

b

non-public traffic area

B.B

Power level

END

block

BEGIN

block

Claims (7)

Method for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, with at least two power levels (AA, BB) that can be set by means of at least one power control device (6), the power levels (AA, BB) being set automatically depending on geographical location data, characterized in that a Emission management of the vehicle with controlled exhaust gas routing is provided by means of an exhaust flap through the performance levels (AA, BB) with a corresponding actuation of the throttle and exhaust flap. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the location data are divided into a public traffic area (A) and a non-public traffic area (B) by means of a global positioning system (2) and when the vehicle is operated in the public traffic area (A), a first performance level (AA) is set with reduced power compared to the second power level (BB). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the drive unit is an internal combustion engine. Procedure according to Claim 3 , characterized in that the power control device (6) is a throttle valve of the internal combustion engine. Procedure according to Claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that at least two sets of different operating characteristics of the internal combustion engine are stored in a control unit for the two power levels (AA, BB) and a set with reduced power is used when the vehicle is operated in public traffic areas (A). Procedure according to one of the Claims 3 until 5 , characterized in that in public traffic areas (A) a power level (AA) is set with a lower-emission operation of the internal combustion engine than in operation in non-public traffic areas (B). Vehicle with a drive unit with a control device and a global positioning system (2) for operation with the method according to one of Claims 1 until 6 .

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