JP5461061B2 - Control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device that performs predetermined control according to an operation of an operator, and more particularly, to a control device that performs control intervention on the predetermined control according to a physical external force.

  There is a reaction force device that assists driving of a vehicle by applying a reaction force to an accelerator pedal by an actuator (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the reaction force increasing gradient with respect to the accelerator pedal opening is changed according to the magnitude of the external force acting on the vehicle (see, for example, the summary of Patent Document 1). Specifically, the change amount of the accelerator pedal depression force due to the vehicle body vibration is estimated, and when the estimated absolute value of the change amount is larger than a predetermined threshold, the reaction force characteristic of the accelerator pedal is temporarily increased (patent) Paragraphs [0034] and [0035] of Document 1.

  Moreover, what performs a learning process in the structure which gives reaction force to an accelerator pedal with an actuator is known (patent document 2). In Patent Literature 2, learning processing relating to reaction force imparting characteristics such as “running learning control” and “individual difference learning control” is performed (for example, see paragraphs [0042] to [0045] of Patent Literature 2). These learning processes are canceled when the stroke amount (S) of the accelerator pedal is stepped on by a predetermined value (ΔS) or more than the set stroke amount (SA) (see, for example, paragraph [0045] of Patent Document 2). .

JP 2006-117102 A JP 2003-025870 A

  In Patent Document 1, while adjusting the reaction force of the accelerator pedal according to the external force acting on the vehicle, it is intended to prevent the operation of the accelerator pedal unintended by the driver, while adjusting the reaction force of the accelerator pedal. This may cause the driver to feel uncomfortable. For example, an experienced driver can keep the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal constant by operating his / her own accelerator pedal, even if the road surface condition deteriorates and the external force acting on the vehicle increases. Nevertheless, if the reaction force of the accelerator pedal is uniformly increased when the predetermined threshold value is exceeded as in Patent Document 1, the accelerator pedal operation may be hindered.

  This is not limited to the accelerator pedal operation by the driver, but can generally be said to be a configuration in which the operator performs predetermined control using the operator. That is, when performing control intervention (control characteristic change, learning stop, control switching, etc.) for the predetermined control according to the physical external force acting on the control device, depending on the skill level of the operator, There is a risk of unnecessary control intervention.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control device capable of adjusting the likelihood of control intervention according to the skill of an operator.

The control device according to the present invention includes an accelerator pedal operated by an operator, a vehicle body to which the accelerator pedal is attached and which operates according to the operation of the accelerator pedal , and an external force determination device that determines an external force applied to the vehicle body. If the external force is greater than or equal to a threshold, control intervention is performed for a predetermined control according to the operation of the accelerator pedal , and if the variation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force is within a predetermined range, with increasing the threshold, the variation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force if outside the predetermined range, and maintains or decreases the threshold.

According to this invention, if the fluctuation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force applied to the vehicle body is within a predetermined range, the threshold value of the external force is increased. Therefore, even if the external force increases, if the variation of the accelerator pedal is within the predetermined range, the external force threshold value is increased, so that it is difficult to perform control intervention for the predetermined control. Further , if the variation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force applied to the vehicle body is outside the predetermined range, the external force threshold is maintained or reduced. Therefore, when the external force threshold is decreased, if the external force increases and the fluctuation of the operating element falls outside the predetermined range, the external force threshold is decreased, so that control intervention for the predetermined control is easily performed. For this reason, it becomes possible to adjust the ease of occurrence of the control intervention according to the skill of the operator.

The pre-Symbol controller, actuator by a reaction force apparatus for a vehicle which imparts a reaction force to the accelerator pedal, by the external force application determination unit may determine the external force applied to the vehicle body.

  In this case, the control device sets a target vehicle speed of the vehicle, a reaction force imparting characteristic corresponding to the target vehicle speed, and a target opening degree of the accelerator pedal, and the accelerator pedal is operated while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed. When the actual opening is different from the target opening, a learning process for setting a new reaction force imparting characteristic is performed, and the threshold of the external force for determining whether to stop the learning process is set to the actual opening per unit time. You may change according to change amount.

According to the present invention, it is possible to adjust the likelihood of occurrence of the control intervention in accordance with the skill of the steering author.

1 is a block diagram of a vehicle equipped with a reaction force device as a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the depression amount of an accelerator pedal, and the reaction force provided to an accelerator pedal. It is a flowchart which determines the propriety of the learning process of reaction force provision characteristic. It is explanatory drawing which shows whether the learning process according to external force is possible. It is a flowchart which sets a learning process stop determination threshold value. In FIG. 4, it is explanatory drawing which shows the propriety of the learning process at the time of increasing a learning process stop determination threshold value. It is explanatory drawing which compared the said embodiment and the comparative example about the ease of performing the learning process of reaction force provision characteristic.

A. EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the vehicle carrying the reaction force apparatus as a control apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to drawings.

1. Configuration of Vehicle 10 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle 10 equipped with a reaction force device 12 (control device) according to this embodiment. The vehicle 10 is, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle. In addition to the reaction force device 12, the vehicle 10 includes an accelerator pedal 14 and a return spring 16 that applies a reaction force Fr_sp [N] to the accelerator pedal 14.

  The reaction force device 12 includes an opening sensor 18, a vehicle speed sensor 20, a reaction force application start switch 22, an external force sensor 24, an ECU (electronic control unit) 26, an actuator 28, and a current sensor 30 (stepping force sensor). With.

  The opening sensor 18 detects the amount of depression (actual opening θ) [degree] from the original position of the accelerator pedal 14 and outputs it to the ECU 26. The vehicle speed sensor 20 measures the vehicle speed V [km / hour] of the vehicle 10 and outputs it to the ECU 26.

  The reaction force application start switch 22 (hereinafter also referred to as “switch 22”) commands the ECU 26 to start the application of the reaction force Fr [N] from the actuator 28 to the accelerator pedal 14 by the operation of the driver. It is. That is, when the driver turns on the switch 22, a reaction force application start signal Ss instructing the start of reaction force application is transmitted from the switch 22 to the ECU 26. The ECU 26 starts to apply the reaction force Fr in response to the received reaction force application start signal Ss.

  The external force sensor 24 determines an external force Fe applied to the vehicle 10 (vehicle body). As the external force sensor 24, for example, a G sensor that detects an acceleration Δaf [m / s / s] in the vertical direction of the vehicle 10 can be used. In the present embodiment, the external force Fe is estimated from the acceleration Δaf.

  The ECU 26 sets a characteristic for imparting a reaction force Fr (reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr) according to a target vehicle speed Vtgt [km / hour] that is a target value of the vehicle speed V, and the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr and the actual opening degree. Using θ, a reaction force Fr [N] applied from the actuator 28 to the accelerator pedal 14 is calculated. Then, a control signal Sr indicating the calculated reaction force Fr is transmitted to the actuator 28. The reaction force applying characteristic Cfr defines the relationship between the actual opening θ and the reaction force Fr for each target vehicle speed Vtgt, and is stored in the memory 32 of the ECU 26.

  The actuator 28 includes a motor (not shown) connected to the accelerator pedal 14 and applies a reaction force Fr corresponding to the control signal Sr received from the ECU 26 to the accelerator pedal 14. Thereby, in addition to the reaction force Fr_sp by the return spring 16, the reaction force Fr from the actuator 28 is added to the accelerator pedal 14. The actuator 28 may be other driving force generation means (for example, a pneumatic actuator).

  The current sensor 30 detects the current (current consumption Ia) [A] consumed by the actuator 28 and notifies the ECU 26 of it. The current Ia changes according to the output of the actuator 28, and the ECU 26 can determine the reaction force Fr generated by the actuator 28 based on the current Ia. In the present embodiment, the ECU 26 can perform a learning process for updating the reaction force application characteristic Cfr based on the reaction force Fr determined using the current Ia (details will be described later).

2. Reaction force imparting characteristics Cfr
FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the actual opening θ of the accelerator pedal 14, the reaction force Fr_sp by the return spring 16, and the reaction force Fr by the actuator 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the reaction force Fr_sp by the return spring 16 increases as the actual opening θ increases. The reaction force Fr by the actuator 28 is a lower limit {reaction force lower limit Fmin (zero in the state of FIG. 2)} until the actual opening θ reaches θ1, and the actual opening θ2 is changed from the actual opening θ1. During this period, the reaction force Fr increases. Hereinafter, the region from the actual opening θ1 to the actual opening θ2 is referred to as a reaction force increasing region Rfr. When the actual opening θ becomes θ2, the reaction force Fr becomes the upper limit (reaction force upper limit Fmax), and when the actual opening θ exceeds θ2, the reaction force upper limit Fmax is continuously maintained (or the reaction force). Fr may be gradually decreased.)

  The reaction force application characteristic Cfr is changed according to the target vehicle speed Vtgt. For example, when the target vehicle speed Vtgt becomes high, the reaction force increase region Rfr is moved to the right side in FIG. 2, and when the target vehicle speed Vtgt becomes low, the reaction force increase region Rfr is moved to the left side in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the target value (target reaction force Ftgt) [N] of the reaction force Fr when the vehicle 10 travels at a constant speed is set. The target reaction force Ftgt is, for example, a reaction force Fr that the driver feels can easily attach his / her foot, and is adjusted to coincide with the reaction force Fr when the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed. Further, the opening degree of the accelerator pedal 14 corresponding to the target reaction force Ftgt is referred to as a target opening degree θtgt [degree].

3. Process for learning reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr In the present embodiment, the ECU 26 can perform a process for learning reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr. That is, when the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed but the vehicle speed V at that time is different from the target vehicle speed Vtgt, the reaction force application characteristic Cfr is changed.

  Although the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed, the following two cases are conceivable as cases where the vehicle speed V at that time is different from the target vehicle speed Vtgt. The first is a case where the vehicle speed V requested by the driver is different from the target vehicle speed Vtgt, and the second is that the driver is required to travel at the target vehicle speed Vtgt. Since the force Fr is not appropriate, the actual opening θ and the target opening θtgt are different, and as a result, the vehicle speed V and the target vehicle speed Vtgt are different. In any case, it is easy to eliminate the current actual opening θ by setting it as a new target opening θtgt. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed but the vehicle speed V is different from the target vehicle speed Vtgt, the current actual opening θ is set as a new target opening θtgt, In response to this, the reaction force application characteristic Cfr is changed.

  Note that when the road surface state is poor (that is, the road surface is severely uneven) and the external force Fe applied to the vehicle 10 is not suitable for performing the learning process, the learning process is not performed.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for determining whether or not the learning process of the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr is possible. In step S1, the ECU 26 determines whether or not the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed. When the vehicle 10 is not traveling at a constant speed (S1: NO), the ECU 26 ends the current process without performing the learning process. When the vehicle 10 is traveling at a constant speed (S1: YES), in step S2, the external force sensor 24 determines the external force Fe applied to the vehicle body of the vehicle 10 and notifies the ECU 26 of it.

  In step S <b> 3, the ECU 26 determines whether or not the external force Fe is equal to or less than a learning process stop determination threshold THls (hereinafter also referred to as “threshold THls”). As shown in FIG. 4, the learning process stop determination threshold value THls is a threshold value of the external force Fe that determines whether or not to stop the learning process, and changes according to the external force Fe and the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 as will be described later. To do.

  When the external force Fe is greater than the threshold value THls (S3: NO), in step S4, the ECU 26 does not perform the learning process (or stops the learning process). When the external force Fe is equal to or less than the threshold value THls (S3: YES), in step S5, the ECU 26 executes (continues) the learning process.

4). As described above, in the present embodiment, the threshold value THls is changed according to the external force Fe and the operation of the accelerator pedal 14. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for setting the threshold value THls.

  In step S11, the ECU 26 determines whether or not an external force Fe greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold (external force determination threshold THfe) is applied to the vehicle body. The external force determination threshold THfe (hereinafter also referred to as “threshold THfe”) is, for example, that the acceleration / deceleration operation of the accelerator pedal 14 may be performed due to the influence of the external force Fe even though the driver does not intend to accelerate / decelerate. This is the threshold value of the external force Fe. When the external force Fe equal to or greater than the threshold value THfe is not applied to the vehicle body (S11: NO), the ECU 26 ends the current process without changing the threshold value THls. When the external force Fe equal to or greater than the threshold THfe is applied to the vehicle body (S11: YES), the process proceeds to step S12.

  In step S12, the ECU 26 determines whether the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 with respect to the external force Fe is small. Whether or not the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is small is determined by the absolute value of the change amount of the actual opening θ per unit time (actual opening change amount Δθ) [degree / s] being a predetermined threshold value (pedal stability determination threshold value THps). ) Depending on whether or not: The pedal stability determination threshold value THps (hereinafter also referred to as “threshold value THps”) is a threshold value for determining whether or not the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is stable.

  When the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is small (S12: YES), in step S13, the ECU 26 increases the threshold value THls. Thereby, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the time during which the learning process can be performed can be increased. When the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is not small (S12: NO), in step S14, the ECU 26 maintains the threshold value THls as it is. Alternatively, the threshold value THls may be decreased in order to set the threshold value THls more accurately.

5. As described above, according to the present embodiment, if the absolute value of the actual opening change amount Δθ with respect to the external force Fe is equal to or less than the pedal stability determination threshold value THps, the learning process stop determination threshold value THls is increased ( S12 in FIG. 5: YES → S13). Therefore, even if the external force Fe increases, if the absolute value of the actual opening change amount Δθ is equal to or less than the pedal stability determination threshold THps, it is difficult to stop the learning process (control intervention for the learning process). It is possible to adjust the likelihood of cancellation of the learning process according to the skill. For this reason, for example, even when the vehicle 10 often travels on an uneven road surface, the frequency of the learning process can be increased, and the target opening θtgt can be easily set appropriately.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram comparing the present embodiment and a comparative example regarding the ease of performing the learning process of the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr.

  As shown on the left side of FIG. 7, when the road surface is flat and the external force Fe is zero, both the present embodiment and the comparative example can learn the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr. In addition, as shown on the right side of FIG. 7, when the road surface is uneven and the external force Fe is large and the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is unstable, the learning process of the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr is performed in both the present embodiment and the comparative example. Not allowed.

  On the other hand, as shown in the middle of FIG. 7, when the road surface is uneven and the external force Fe is small, in the comparative example, even if the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is stable, the learning process of the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr is permitted. However, in the present embodiment, if the operation of the accelerator pedal 14 is stable, the learning process is permitted.

B. Modifications It should be noted that 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, the following configuration can be adopted.

  In the above embodiment, the external force Fe is estimated from the vertical acceleration Δaf of the vehicle 10, but the determination method of the external force Fe is not limited to this, and it is only necessary to determine the vibration of the accelerator pedal 14. In addition to the vertical acceleration Δaf, the external force Fe may be determined using, for example, the longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, wheel speed fluctuation, yaw rate, and vehicle speed V of the vehicle 10. Alternatively, a camera capable of detecting the road surface condition in the traveling direction can be provided in the vehicle 10 and the external force Fr can be determined based on the output of the camera. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a navigation device in the vehicle 10, obtain road surface information from the navigation device, and estimate the external force Fr based on the road surface information.

  In the above embodiment, the setting of the learning process stop determination threshold value THls for determining whether or not the learning process of the reaction force imparting characteristic Cfr of the accelerator pedal 14 is possible has been described. For example, as described in Patent Document 1, the threshold value for determining the necessity of temporary change of the spring characteristic component and the viscosity characteristic component of the reaction force application characteristic Cfr is changed according to the actual opening change amount Δθ. Also good. Alternatively, the threshold value (ΔS) for determining whether or not “running state learning control” or “individual difference learning control” (paragraphs [0042] to [0045] of Patent Document 2) described in Patent Document 2 is used can be changed to the actual opening change. It can also be changed according to the amount Δθ (see step S310 in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 2).

  In addition to the reaction force control of the accelerator pedal 14, the present invention can be applied. For example, in the case of a so-called drive-by-wire vehicle, in a road with unevenness, in a configuration in which the response of the throttle opening to the change in the actual opening θ of the accelerator pedal 14 is slowed (sensitivity is made dull). The sensitivity can be changed according to the degree of change Δθ. Similarly, if the vehicle is a steering-by-wire vehicle, the actual opening change will be reduced in a configuration where the response of the change of the wheel direction to the change of the steering angle of the steering is delayed (sensitivity is reduced) on uneven roads. The sensitivity can be changed according to the amount Δθ.

10 ... Vehicle 12 ... Reaction force device (control device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Accelerator pedal (operator) 16 ... Return spring 18 ... Opening sensor 20 ... Vehicle speed sensor 24 ... External force sensor (external force determination apparatus) 26 ... ECU
28 ... Actuator 30 ... Current sensor Cfr ... Reaction force imparting characteristic Fe ... Physical external force Fr ... Reaction force Ftgt ... Target reaction force THls ... Learning process stop judgment threshold value THps ... Pedal stability judgment threshold value V ... Vehicle speed Vtgt ... Target vehicle speed θ ... The actual opening of the accelerator pedal θtgt The target opening of the accelerator pedal Δθ The amount of change in the actual opening per unit time

Claims (2)

An accelerator pedal operated by the operator;
The accelerator pedal is attached, and the vehicle body that operates according to the operation of the accelerator pedal ,
An external force determination device that determines external force applied to the vehicle body ,
When the external force is greater than or equal to a threshold, a control device that performs control intervention for predetermined control according to the operation of the accelerator pedal ,
If the variation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force is within a predetermined range, thereby increasing the threshold, if the variation of the accelerator pedal with respect to the external force is out of the predetermined range, characterized by maintaining or decreasing the threshold value Control device. The control device according to claim 1,
Before SL controller is a reaction force apparatus for a vehicle which imparts a reaction force to the accelerator pedal by an actuator,
Before Symbol control device,
Setting a target vehicle speed of the vehicle, a reaction force imparting characteristic corresponding to the target vehicle speed and a target opening of the accelerator pedal;
When the actual opening of the accelerator pedal is different from the target opening while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, a learning process for setting a new reaction force application characteristic is performed,
The control device, wherein a threshold value of the external force for determining whether to stop the learning process is changed according to a change amount of the actual opening per unit time.

Images