JPH03136914A - Travel control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the proper control of vehicle posture regardless of a vibration, if any, due to door opening and closing by interrupting or limiting the control of a vehicle posture control means when a door open and close operation is detected. CONSTITUTION:Information related to vehicle posture control is detected with the first detection means 1, and inputted to a control means 3, thereby controlling the posture of a vehicle. On the other hand, the open and close operation of a door is detected with the second detection means 5 and inputted to a control means 7. This control means 7 interrupts or limits the posture control of the control means 3 depending upon the detected signal of the door open and close operation. According to the aforesaid construction, the vehicle posture can be properly controlled without any influence by a vibration, if any, caused on a body due to the open and close operation of a door.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a vehicle travel control device for controlling the travel of a vehicle.

(Prior art) In recent years, various types of vehicles have been developed that use microcomputers to adjust the suspension according to the driving conditions of the vehicle to ensure a comfortable ride and at the same time improve steering stability. A travel control device has been proposed.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of such a conventional vehicle traveling device. The vehicle speed sensor 117 is a sensor for detecting the vehicle speed when the vehicle is running.

The steering wheel angular velocity sensor 119 is a sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the steered steering wheel. Further, the acceleration sensor 113 is a sensor for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle.

The control unit 135 has a computer, and these include the vehicle speed sensor 117 and the steering wheel angular velocity sensor 1.
19. Vehicle attitude control is performed based on various detection information from the acceleration sensor 113. For example, the vehicle height is adjusted by changing the amount and pressure of compressed air in the air chamber built into the air suspension 145 according to the vehicle speed, acceleration, and amount of steering at that time, and the damping force of the shock absorber 149. I'm trying to change that.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. 10, taking as an example the case where the vehicle 151 turns to the left.

A computer 155 calculates the amount of lateral vibration of the vehicle based on various information from a detection unit 153 having a vehicle speed sensor 117, a steering wheel angular velocity sensor 119, and an acceleration sensor 113 shown in FIG. Compressed air is supplied to the air chamber of the side air suspension, and at the same time, air is exhausted from the air chamber of the inner air suspension. As a result, the angle of lateral vibration of the vehicle can be made very small, and the full potential of the tires can be utilized. Also, when the vehicle starts, the computer 15
Based on the control command from 5, the rear part of the vehicle sinks,
The so-called squat at the time of starting is controlled to improve ride comfort.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional device as described above, when faster responsive control is required, the signal from the acceleration sensor 113 is the main control signal, so such a system is When applied to a vehicle with weak traction, if the vehicle starts running before the door is closed, or if you notice that the door is ajar while driving, the door may open and close while driving. In such a case, the acceleration sensor 113 may pick up vibrations of the vehicle body due to opening and closing of the door. When the acceleration sensor 113 detects vibrations of the vehicle body in this way, there is a risk that control processing related to the turning of the vehicle, control related to the posture of the vehicle, etc. will be hindered, and there remains room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is capable of performing appropriate control processing even when the vehicle body vibrates, for example, due to the opening and closing of a door while the vehicle is running. The object of the present invention is to provide a control tlIl device.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving One Problem) The means provided by the present invention for achieving the above object are as shown in FIG. a detection means, a control means 3 for controlling the vehicle attitude based on information detected by the first detection means, a second detection means 5 for detecting an open/closed state of a door of the vehicle; When the detection means 5 of No. 2 detects the closing operation of the door, the control means 7 stops or restricts the control of the vehicle attitude by the control means 3.

(Function) In the present invention, the control means 3 controls the vehicle attitude based on the information related to the control of the vehicle attitude obtained from the first detection means 1! 1
Execute m. It also has a second detection means 5 for detecting the closing operation of the door of the vehicle, and when the second detection means 5 detects the closing of the door that was in the open state, the control means 3 control is suspended or limited. Therefore, if vibrations of a heavy body occur when the vehicle door is closed, the limiting means stops or limits the control of the vehicle attitude by the control means, so that it is not possible to appropriately control the vehicle's movement. can.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

The mode selection switch 11 is a switch for selecting various modes, such as a normal mode for setting a soft ride, or a sporty mode for setting a ride suitable for sports driving. This mode selection switch 11 is connected to a roll control section 27, a pitching/bouncing control section 29, an anti-dia control section 31, an anti-squat control a[133, and a damping force 11JI11 section 37, respectively. An acceleration sensor (G sensor) 13, which is one of the first detection means, is a sensor for detecting acceleration, and this acceleration sensor 13 is connected to a roll control section 27 and a damping force control section 37.

The door opening/closing detection mechanism section 14, which is the second detection means, is for detecting the opening/closing state of the door of the vehicle. has been done.

The vehicle height sensor 15 is a sensor for detecting the vehicle height of the vehicle, and this vehicle height sensor 15 is connected to each of the roll control section 27, pitching/bouncing control section 29, and damping force control section 37.

The vehicle speed sensor 17 is a sensor for detecting the vehicle speed of the vehicle, and this vehicle speed sensor 17 is connected to the roll control section 27, pitching/bouncing control section 29, and anti-dive control section 3.
1. It is connected to each of the anti-squat control section 33, the damping force control section 37, and the vehicle height control section 39. Further, the steering wheel angular velocity sensor 19 is a sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the steered steering wheel, and this steering wheel angular velocity sensor 19 is connected to the roll control section 27 and the damping force control section 37. The foot brake switch 21 is a switch for detecting a brake operation, that is, that the foot brake is depressed, and this brake switch 21 is connected to an anti-dive control section 31 and a damping force control section 37. Further, the throttle sensor 23 is a sensor for detecting the opening degree of a throttle valve for supplying fuel to the engine, and this throttle sensor 23 is connected to an anti-splash control section 33 and a damping force control section 37. The vehicle height selection switch 25 is a switch for selectively controlling the vehicle height of the vehicle.
is connected to the vehicle height control section 39.

The attitude control unit 35 includes a roll control unit 27, a pitching/bouncing control unit 29, an anti-diameter control unit 31, an anti-squat control unit 33, a damping force control unit 37, and a vehicle height control unit 39, and includes various switches or various Control processing related to vehicle attitude control is executed based on various information input from the sensors. Specifically, the roll control unit 27 performs control regarding the lateral vibration of the vehicle when driving on rough roads. Further, the pitching/bouncing control section 29 executes control regarding the vertical vibration of the vehicle when traveling on an uneven road surface. Further, the anti-dive control section 31 performs control regarding sinking of the front portion of the vehicle body during braking. Furthermore, the anti-squat control section 33 performs control regarding the squatting of the rear portion of the vehicle body when starting or accelerating.

Further, a display section 40 is connected to the control section 35 which is a control means. This display section 40 is formed of an LED or the like, and lights up based on a control command from the attitude control section 35 to display a warning to the driver to stop control based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13, etc.

The damping force control section 37 is connected to the shock absorber 49 via an actuator 47, and the damping force control section 37 controls the damping force of the shock absorber 49 by driving the actuator 47. The shock absorber 49 changes the damping force by switching the orifice in order to control the flow of oil that drives the built-in motor. Further, the vehicle height control section 39 executes control regarding the height of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle height. That is, the vehicle height is adjusted by changing the amount and pressure of compressed air sealed in the suspension air chamber 45 based on a control command from the attitude control section 35.

The reserve tank 41 is connected to a suspension air chamber 45 via a solenoid valve 43. Compressed air is supplied from the reserve tank 41 to the suspension air chamber 45 by operating the solenoid valve 43 based on a control command from a control unit having the attitude control section 35 described above.

Next, the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step S1, control processing related to normal vehicle running is executed based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13. Subsequently, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the door is in the open state. If the door is not in the open state, the process returns to step S1 to continue the control related to the running of the vehicle. If the door is in the open state in step S3, the process proceeds to step S5 and the control process based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13 is stopped. As a result, even if the acceleration sensor 13 detects vibrations of the vehicle body due to the opening and closing of the door, the control process based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13 is canceled, thereby preventing erroneous control processes. can. Subsequently, in step S7, the display unit 40 is operated to display a warning to discontinue the control process based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13. Next, in step S9, it is determined whether the door is closed, and if the door is not closed, step S9 is executed again.
Proceed to step 3. If the door is closed in step S9, the process returns to step S1 again.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

This embodiment uses an acceleration sensor whose detection sensitivity, that is, output gain, of the acceleration sensor 13 can be set to an arbitrary value in order to limit control of the vehicle attitude by the control means, and when the door is open. It is characterized in that when the closed state of the door is detected, the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13 is reduced only for a predetermined time ts after the door is closed.

Specifically, in step 811, control processing related to normal vehicle running is executed based on the output from the acceleration sensor 13. Here, as shown in FIG. 5(B), for example, when the door is closed from the open state in a vehicle running with the door ajar, step 813 and step 8
The process proceeds to step S17 via step S15.

Here, the curve a shown in FIG. 5(A) is the output signal from the acceleration sensor 13 during normal driving, and the curve a in this figure represents the vibration of the vehicle body caused by the closing of the opened door as described above. It shows an output signal from the acceleration sensor 13 that has detected so-called noise. Figure 5 (A)
As is clear from the above, it has been experimentally determined that a predetermined time ts is required for the acceleration sensor 13, which detects the vehicle body vibration caused by opening and closing the door, to converge to the normal state. Therefore, in step S17, the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13 that has detected so-called noise is reduced only during the time ts required for the acceleration sensor 13 that has detected so-called noise to converge to its original state. Next, in step 819, the acceleration sensor 1
It is monitored whether the control process based on the decrease in the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13 has ended or not, and if the predetermined time ts has not elapsed, the process returns to step 817 and continues the control process based on the decrease in the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13. do. Also, step S19
When the control process based on the decrease in the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13 is completed, that is, when the predetermined time ts has elapsed, the process returns to step 811.

As described above, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the detection sensitivity of the acceleration sensor 13 is reduced only for a predetermined period of time [S], so that the control due to vibrations of the vehicle body caused by opening and closing of the door is reduced. Errors can be minimized.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, an attenuator is inserted between the control unit and the acceleration sensor 13 in order to limit the control of the vehicle attitude by the control means, and the attenuator is inserted for a certain period of time ts.
By inserting this attenuator only during the period, the signal input to the control unit, that is, the acceleration sensor 13
It is characterized by attenuating the value of the output signal from.

That is, when the door is closed from the open state, the process advances to step S21 via steps 813 and S15. In step 21, the above-described attenuator is inserted between the acceleration sensor 13 and the control unit to attenuate the output signal from the acceleration sensor 13 only for a predetermined time ts.

Therefore, even if the acceleration sensor 13 detects an image of the vehicle body caused by the opening and closing of the door, the output signal from the acceleration sensor 13 is attenuated by the attenuator for a predetermined period of time ts. Malfunctions can be reliably prevented.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The present embodiment is configured such that the output signal from the attitude control unit 35, that is, the control output related to the running of the vehicle, can be reduced in order to limit the control related to the vehicle attitude by the control means, and only for a predetermined time ts. It is characterized in that the value of the control output output from the attitude control section 35 is reduced.

That is, if a door that was opened while the vehicle is running is closed, the process proceeds to step 825 via step 813 and step 815. In step 825, the acceleration sensor 13
The control output related to the running of the vehicle based on the output from the attitude controller 35, that is, the value of the control output sent from the attitude control unit 35 is reduced. Next, in step 827, it is determined whether the control process of step 825 described above has been completed, and if it has not been completed, the process returns to step 825 again. If it is determined in step 827 that the control process in step 825 has been completed, the process returns to step 811.

As described above, the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is configured to reduce the value of the control output output from the control unit only during the predetermined time ts, thereby reliably preventing malfunctions due to noise from the acceleration sensor 13. be able to.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, in order to limit the control related to the vehicle attitude by the control means, even when the acceleration sensor 13 detects noise generated by vibration of the vehicle body due to opening and closing of the door,
A low-pass filter capable of removing the detected noise is configured to be inserted into the input side of the acceleration sensor 13, and the low-pass filter is inserted into the input side of the acceleration sensor 13 and covered only for a predetermined period of time [S]. features and covers.

More specifically, if a door that was opened while the vehicle is running is closed, the process proceeds to step 831 via step 813 and step 815. In step 831, the aforementioned low-pass filter is inserted into the input side of the acceleration sensor 13 for a predetermined time ts. As a result, vibrations of the vehicle body generated by opening and closing the door, that is, noise, are transmitted to the acceleration sensor 13.
Even if noise is detected, this noise can be reliably removed by a low-pass filter. Next, in step S33, it is monitored whether the control process based on noise removal by the low-pass filter described above has been completed, and if it has not been completed, the process returns to step 831 again.

If the process related to noise removal by the low-pass filter has been completed, the process returns to step 811 again.

As described above, the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is configured so that the low-pass filter is inserted into the input side of the acceleration sensor 13 only during the predetermined time ts, so that vibrations of the vehicle body, that is, noise generated by opening and closing the vehicle, are reduced to acceleration. Even if the noise is detected by the sensor 13, this noise can be reliably removed, and the driving of the vehicle can be appropriately controlled.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when the second detection means detects the opening/closing of the door, the control of the control means is stopped or suppressed. Even if the acceleration sensor detects accompanying vibration of the vehicle body, that is, noise, this noise can be removed or reduced, so that control processing related to the running of the vehicle can be appropriately executed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims, Fig. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of another embodiment. Fig. 5 (A) is a characteristic curve diagram showing the output signal from the acceleration sensor over time, Fig. 5 (B) is an explanatory diagram showing the door opening/closing state, and Fig. 6 is the main flow chart. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment of the invention, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fourth embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation of the fifth embodiment of the invention. 9 is a block diagram showing a conventional example, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of FIG. 9. 1... First detection means 3... Control means 5... Second detection means 7... Restriction means

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A first detection means for detecting information related to control of a vehicle attitude; a control means for performing control related to a vehicle attitude based on information detected by the first detection means; a second detection means for detecting an open/closed state of a door of the vehicle; and when the second detection means detects a closing operation of the door, stopping the control related to the vehicle attitude by the control means;
A vehicle travel control device comprising: or a limiting means for limiting.