JP3316655B2 - Traffic congestion recognition device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traffic jam recognition device for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a vehicle with an automatic transmission travels on a congested road, a shift between the first and second speeds frequently occurs.
There was a problem that drivability deteriorated. For this reason, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 3-370 discloses a method of detecting the frequency of a shift and automatically recognizing traffic congestion, thereby detecting a shift position (gear position).
Or changing a shift line (shift map) in a fixed direction has been proposed.

[0003]

However, the method of recognizing traffic congestion by detecting the frequency of shifts as described above can be applied to a stepped transmission, but is always changed in a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Is difficult to apply. In view of such a situation, the present invention can be used not only for a stepped transmission but also for a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission, and can easily recognize traffic congestion in a simple manner. It is an object to provide a travel recognition device.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention, as shown in FIG.
A parameter detecting means a for detecting the One parameter, parameter and astringency said detected by the parameter detecting means a
Counting means b for counting the changes its count each time the comparison to the magnitude relation between the first reference value is a value crosses frequently during traveling residence, the detected parameters by the parameter detecting means a traffic jam When you escape from running
Resetting means c for resetting the count value of said counting means b according to a predetermined magnitude relationship by comparing with a second reference value which is a value reached by the counter means; And traffic congestion determination means d for determining that the vehicle is traveling in traffic congestion. The counting parameter and the reset parameter may be the same or different.

Here, the parameter relating to the running state of the vehicle can be a vehicle speed. The counting means b compares the vehicle speed with a first reference value and counts the number of times each time the magnitude relationship changes. The reset means c compares the vehicle speed with a second reference value larger than the first reference value, and resets the count value of the counting means b when the vehicle speed exceeds the second reference value. be able to.

The parameter relating to the running state of the vehicle can be a throttle valve opening, and the counting means b compares the throttle valve opening with a first reference value, and each time the magnitude relation changes, the counting means b changes the throttle valve opening. The reset means c compares the throttle valve opening with a second reference value larger than the first reference value, and counts the number of times when the throttle valve opening exceeds a second reference value. The count value of the means b may be reset.

Further, parameters relating to the running state of the vehicle can be a vehicle speed and a throttle valve opening. The counting means b compares the vehicle speed with a first reference value, and counts the number of times each time the magnitude relationship changes. The reset means c compares the throttle valve opening with a second reference value and resets the count value of the counting means b when the throttle valve opening exceeds the second reference value. It can be.

The counting means b compares the vehicle speed or the throttle valve opening with the first reference value and counts the number of changes each time the magnitude relationship changes.
The vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening are compared with the respective second reference values, and when one of the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening exceeds the respective second reference value, the count value of the counting means b is obtained. May be reset.

Further, an accelerator opening (accelerator pedal depression amount) can be used instead of the throttle valve opening.

[0010]

In the above arrangement, at least one parameter relating to the traveling state of the vehicle is detected, and a certain parameter is compared with a first reference value to count the number of times each time the magnitude relationship changes. Therefore, if the first reference value for the counting parameter is set to a value that frequently changes during traffic congestion, the count value increases during traffic congestion.

On the other hand, a certain parameter is compared with a second reference value, and the count value is reset according to a predetermined magnitude relation. Therefore, if the second reference value for the reset parameter is set to a value reached when the vehicle escapes from the traffic jam, the count value is reset when the vehicle escapes from the traffic jam. Therefore, based on the count value, it can be determined that the vehicle is traveling in traffic congestion when the count value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

A parameter relating to the running state of the vehicle is defined as a vehicle speed. The vehicle speed is compared with a first reference value, and each time the magnitude relationship changes, the number of times is counted, and the vehicle speed and a second reference value greater than the first reference value are counted. If the count value is reset when the vehicle speed exceeds the second reference value by comparing with the reference value, it is possible to easily recognize traffic congestion with only one piece of information such as the vehicle speed.

The same applies to the case where the throttle valve opening is used instead of the vehicle speed, and traffic congestion can be easily recognized with only one piece of information such as the throttle opening. Also, the parameters relating to the running state of the vehicle are set as the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening, the counting parameter is set as the vehicle speed, and the reset parameter is set as the throttle valve opening. It can be assured.

The vehicle speed and throttle valve opening are defined as parameters relating to the running state of the vehicle, the counting parameter is defined as the vehicle speed or throttle valve opening, and the resetting parameter is defined as the vehicle speed and throttle valve opening. If both of the resetting with the opening degree are enabled, it is possible to detect the escape from the traffic congestion more quickly.

As described above, if it is the vehicle speed and / or the throttle valve opening that are detected as parameters relating to the running state of the vehicle, these are taken in as information for determining the shift position in the normal shift control. In addition, the present invention can be easily implemented without newly adding a sensor, a signal processing program thereof, and the like. However, in the case of a vehicle equipped with an accelerator sensor instead of the throttle sensor, the accelerator opening can be used instead of the throttle valve opening.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 2 is a system diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle speed sensor 1 outputs a signal corresponding to the vehicle speed VSP. The throttle sensor 2 outputs a signal corresponding to the throttle valve opening TVO.

These signals are input to a control unit 3, which performs arithmetic processing by a built-in microcomputer to control the shift of the automatic transmission 4. Here, the vehicle speed sensor 1 (and / or the throttle sensor 2) is used as a parameter detecting means, and the vehicle speed VSP (and / or the throttle valve opening TVO) in the control unit 3 according to a predetermined program (congestion traveling recognition routine). The automatic transmission 4 recognizes whether or not the vehicle is traveling in congestion based on the information on the automatic transmission 4.
Gear shift control.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a traffic jam traveling recognition routine. In step 11 (shown as S11 in the figure, the same applies hereinafter), the vehicle speed VSP is compared with a second reference value VSP2, and if VSP ≦ VSP2, the routine proceeds to step 12. The second reference value VSP2 is set to a value (high vehicle speed) reached when the vehicle escapes from traffic congestion.

Therefore, when VSP> VSP2, it is considered that the vehicle has escaped from the traffic jam, and the flow advances to step 21 to reset the count value CNT to 0. Further, the flow advances to step 22 to reset the traffic jam flag FTJ to 0. This routine ends. In step 12, the vehicle speed VSP and the first reference value V
Compare with SP1. The first reference value VSP1 is set to a value (low vehicle speed) that frequently changes due to a change in vehicle speed during traffic congestion.

As a result of the comparison, if VSP ≦ VSP1, the process proceeds to step 13, and if VSP> VSP1, the process proceeds to step 16.
Proceed to. [If VSP ≦ VSP1] In step 13, the value of the low vehicle speed flag FLV which has been set to 1 only when the vehicle speed VSP ≦ VSP1 last time is determined.

When FLV = 0, the VSP
> VSP1, and VSP ≦ VSP1 this time,
Since the magnitude relation has changed, the routine proceeds to step 14 to increase the count value CNT by one, sets the low vehicle speed flag FLV to 1 in the next step 15, and then proceeds to step 19 to determine the traffic congestion. In the case of FLV = 1, since VSP ≦ VSP1 in both the previous time and the present time, and the magnitude relation has not changed, the flow proceeds to the traffic congestion determination of step 19 without counting up or the like.

[When VSP> VSP1] In step 16, the value of the low vehicle speed flag FLV is determined.
In the case of FLV = 1, VSP ≦ VSP1 in the previous time, and VSP> VSP1 this time, and the magnitude relation has changed.
Is increased by 1 and the low vehicle speed flag FLV is reset to 0 in the next step 18, and then the process proceeds to the traffic jam traveling determination in step 19.

If FLV = 0, VSP> VSP1 in both the previous time and the present time, and the magnitude relationship has not changed. Therefore, the flow proceeds to the traffic jam traveling determination in step 19 without counting up or the like. [Traffic congestion determination] In step 19, the count value CNT is compared with a predetermined value SL. If CNT ≧ SL, it is determined that traffic congestion is in progress, and the routine proceeds to step 20, where the congestion flag FTJ is set to 1.

If CNT <SL, it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling in a traffic jam, and the routine proceeds to step 22, where a traffic jam flag FTJ is set to 0.
Reset to. In this embodiment, steps 12 to 18
Corresponds to the counting means, the steps 11 and 21 correspond to the reset means, and the steps 19 to 22 correspond to the traffic congestion determining means.

FIG. 4 illustrates how the count value CNT and the traffic jam flag FTJ change with respect to the change in the vehicle speed VSP. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a shift control routine using the traffic jam flag FTJ. Step 31
Then, based on the vehicle speed VSP and the throttle opening TVO, the shift position NEXT is determined by referring to a shift map in which shift positions are determined in accordance with the vehicle speed VSP and the throttle opening TVO.

In step 32, the determined shift position NE
It is determined whether XT is the first speed or not, and if it is the first speed, the routine proceeds to step 33. In step 33, it is determined based on the value of the traffic jam flag FTJ whether or not the vehicle is running in traffic (FTJ = 1). If the vehicle is running in traffic, the process proceeds to step. In step 34, the shift position NEXT is fixed to the second speed in order to prevent frequent shifts (shift hunting) between the first and second speeds during traffic jam driving. Note that, in addition to fixing the shift position NEXT, the shift line on the shift map may be changed in the fixed direction.

Thereafter, the gear shift control is performed in step 35, and is determined in step 31 and, if necessary, is controlled to the fixed gear position NEXT in step 34. Next, another embodiment will be described. Although the vehicle speed VSP is used as a parameter related to the running state in the traffic jam traveling recognition routine in FIG. 3, the throttle valve opening TVO may be used instead of the vehicle speed VSP. In this case, in the flowchart of FIG. 3, "VSP" is changed to "TVO", and "VSP1" and "VSP2" are respectively changed to "TVO".
O1 "and" TVO2 ".

In the traffic jam recognition routine shown in FIG.
The counting parameter and the resetting parameter are the same, but the vehicle speed VSP is used as the counting parameter, and the throttle valve opening TV is used as the resetting parameter.
O may be used. In this case, the determination of “VSP: VSP2” in step 11 in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is changed to the determination of “TVO: TVO2”.

As shown in FIG. 6, the judgment at step 10 is added at the beginning of the routine. At step 10, the throttle valve opening TVO is compared with a second reference value TVO2, and TVO ≦ TVO2. If, go to step 11,
If TVO> TVO2, it is considered that the vehicle has escaped from the traffic jam, and the process proceeds to step 21 to reset the count value CNT to 0, and further proceeds to step 22 to set the traffic jam flag FTJ to 0.
May be reset.

That is, the vehicle speed VSP is used as a counting parameter, and the vehicle speed VS is used as a reset parameter.
By using P and the throttle valve opening TVO, both resetting at a high vehicle speed (VSP2) and resetting at a high throttle valve opening (TVO2) are performed. When using the throttle opening TVO,
It goes without saying that the accelerator opening ACC can be used instead.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, not only a stepped transmission but also a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission can automatically recognize traffic congestion by a simple method. can get. Also, if the parameter relating to the traveling state of the vehicle is the vehicle speed or the throttle valve opening, and the counting parameter and the reset parameter are the same, the congestion traveling can be more easily recognized with only one information such as the vehicle speed or the throttle valve opening. can do.

The respective parameters are appropriately selected such that the parameters relating to the running state of the vehicle are the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening, the counting parameter is the vehicle speed, and the resetting parameter is the throttle valve opening. Recognition can also be made more reliable. Also,
If the count parameter is the vehicle speed or throttle valve opening and the reset parameter is the vehicle speed and throttle valve opening to enable both resetting at the vehicle speed and resetting at the throttle valve opening, escape from congested driving can be achieved. It becomes possible to detect earlier.

Since the vehicle speed and / or the throttle valve opening is taken in as information for determining the shift position in the normal shift control, it can be easily implemented without newly adding a sensor or a signal processing thereof. it can. However, in a vehicle equipped with an accelerator sensor, the implementation can be simplified by using the accelerator opening instead of the throttle valve opening.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a traffic jam traveling recognition routine.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing changes in vehicle speed, count value, and congestion flag;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a shift control routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a traffic jam traveling recognition routine showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 vehicle speed sensor 2 throttle sensor 3 control unit 4 automatic transmission

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-4-50549 (JP, A) JP-A-2-138557 (JP, A) JP-A-59-200845 (JP, A) JP-A-61- 257332 (JP, A) JP 64-1861 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01D 21/00 F16H 61/00 B60K 23/00 G08G 1/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A and parameter detecting means for detecting at least one parameter relating to the traveling state of the vehicle, parameters and astringency detected by the parameter detecting means
A counting means for comparing each time the magnitude relationship changes by comparing with a first reference value which is a value that frequently changes when the vehicle is in a stopped state;
Reset means for comparing a second reference value, which is a value reached when the vehicle escapes from the overrun, and resetting the count value of the counting means according to a predetermined magnitude relationship, based on the count value of the counting means, A congestion traveling recognition device that includes: a congestion traveling determination unit that determines that the vehicle is traveling in congestion in the above state. A parameter relating to a running state of the vehicle is a vehicle speed, and the counting means compares the vehicle speed with a first reference value and counts the number of times each time the magnitude relationship changes.
The reset means compares the vehicle speed with a second reference value larger than the first reference value, and resets the count value of the counting means when the vehicle speed exceeds a second reference value. The traffic congestion recognition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. A parameter relating to the running state of the vehicle is a throttle valve opening. The counting means compares the throttle valve opening with a first reference value and counts the number of times each time the magnitude relationship changes. The reset means compares the throttle valve opening with a second reference value larger than the first reference value, and when the throttle valve opening exceeds the second reference value, resets the count value of the counting means. The traffic jam recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the traffic jam recognition device is reset. 4. A parameter relating to a running state of the vehicle is a vehicle speed and a throttle valve opening. The counting means compares the vehicle speed with a first reference value and counts the number each time the magnitude relationship changes. The reset means compares the throttle valve opening with a second reference value and resets the count value of the counting means when the throttle valve opening exceeds a second reference value. Claim 1
Traffic congestion recognition device as described. 5. A vehicle speed and a throttle valve opening are parameters relating to a running state of the vehicle, and the counting means compares the vehicle speed or the throttle valve opening with a first reference value and each time the magnitude relation changes, The number of times is counted, and the reset means compares the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening with the respective second reference values, and when one of the vehicle speed and the throttle valve opening exceeds the respective second reference value. 2. The traffic jam recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the count value of said counting means is reset. 6. The congestion traveling recognition device according to claim 3, wherein an accelerator opening is used instead of the throttle valve opening.