RU2602164C2 - Vehicle control method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: when controlling vehicle, it is determined whether condition for exit from phase of free rolling is met. If condition is met, engine is started and engine rotational speed is set at required value, defined based on rotational speed of transmission drive shaft. Invention also discloses a vehicle control system and a vehicle.

EFFECT: achieving smooth transition of vehicle from phase of free rolling.

19 cl, 12 dwg, 2 tbl

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to driving a vehicle having an engine that drives a transmission through a clutch, in particular to driving a vehicle while exiting the rolling phase.

State of the art

It is known that vehicles with an engine controlling a gearbox through a clutch use the free rolling phase to save fuel. During the free rolling phase, the engine is temporarily stopped and disconnected from the wheels driven, while the vehicle continues to move. The disengagement of the cardan gear eliminates engine friction and pumping losses arising from the action of forces slowing down the vehicle, thus allowing it to move further by inertia.

There are two ways to go into the free rolling phase from the normal driving phase. Firstly, the driver can switch to neutral gear, and secondly, the driver can disengage the clutch while the drive gear is still engaged.

The difficulty associated with using the free rolling phase is that when you exit the free rolling phase, you must restart the engine and reconnect the cardan gear.

If free rolling is carried out with the selected neutral gear (FRIN), then to exit this phase, the driver depresses the clutch pedal, engages the desired gear, and then releases the clutch pedal to engage the clutch.

If free rolling occurs when the transmission is in gear, but with an open electronic clutch (FRIG), then to exit this phase, the driver either presses the accelerator pedal to transmit torque from the engine, or depresses the clutch pedal, engages a new gear and then releases the clutch pedal .

In all these cases, inconsistencies between the engine speed and the power transmitted to the gearbox often appear when the clutch is engaged during exit from the free rolling phase. Any such speed mismatch leads to fluctuations in torque, which causes unwanted shocks and, as a result, makes the driving process uncomfortable. In addition, significant speed mismatches lead to premature wear of the clutch and drive train parts.

Disclosure of invention

This invention provides a method and system for controlling a vehicle during exit from the free rolling phase, which facilitates the smooth exit of the machine from this phase.

A first aspect of the invention provides a method of driving a vehicle having an engine that drives a transmission through a clutch during exit from the rolling phase. This method includes determining whether one or more conditions for exiting the free rolling phase are fulfilled, and if one or more of the conditions are fulfilled, the engine is started and the engine speed is set to the desired speed value based on the speed at the input of the transmission.

The method may further include determining the speed at the input of the transmission and adjusting the engine speed to ensure that it matches the input speed of the transmission.

Determining the input speed of a transmission may include measuring it.

Determining the input speed of the transmission may include calculating the input speed based on the current speed of the motor vehicle.

The calculation of the input transmission speed may include the use of the gear ratio of the transmission selected to exit the free rolling phase, in combination with the current vehicle speed and the total final gear ratio.

The method may also include using the selected gear determination system to determine the gear ratio selected to exit the free-rolling phase, and using the gear ratio to calculate the gearbox input speed.

The method may also include using a transmission pre-determination system to predict a transmission that will be included next, and using a prediction transmission ratio that will be next next to calculate an input transmission speed.

The method may also include using a gear pre-determination system to determine the actual gear ratio selected to exit the free-rolling phase, and using the actual gear ratio to calculate the input transmission speed.

During the free-rolling phase, the clutch may be engaged and the transmission may be neutral, and one or more conditions for exiting the free-rolling phase may be the inclusion of a forward transmission.

During the free rolling phase, the clutch may be turned off, the transmission may be in gear, and one or more conditions for exiting the free rolling phase may be a request for torque from the engine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a control system for a motor vehicle having an engine that drives a transmission through a clutch during an exit from a free rolling phase, where the system comprises a controller for determining if one or more conditions are met for exiting the free rolling phase . If one of the conditions is fulfilled, the engine is started, its speed is set to the required value based on the input transmission speed.

The system may further comprise a sensor for measuring the input transmission speed and the required engine speed (engine speed matching the input transmission speed).

To exit the free rolling phase, the controller is able to use the gear ratio of the selected gear in combination with the current speed of the vehicle and the total gear ratio of the final gear to calculate the input transmission speed. The required speed can be equal to the engine speed corresponding to the calculated input speed of the transmission.

The transmission may be mechanical, and the system may further comprise a system for determining the selected gear to determine the gear ratio selected to exit the free rolling phase.

The transmission may be mechanical, and the system may further comprise a transmission prediction system for predicting a transmission that will be included in the next one, while the controller may be configured to use the gear ratio of the predicted next transmission to calculate the input transmission speed.

In this case, the predictive transmission determination system can be used to determine the actual gear ratio selected to exit the free-rolling phase; this number can be used by the controller to calculate the input transmission speed.

During the free rolling phase, the transmission may be in a neutral position, identifying whether one of the conditions for exiting this phase is satisfied is to determine whether the forward gear is engaged.

During the free-rolling phase, the clutch may be turned off, the transmission may be in gear, and determining whether one or more of the conditions for exiting this phase is met may be to determine if there is a request for torque from the engine.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a motor vehicle equipped with a vehicle control system with an engine which, through a clutch, drives a transmission during an exit from a free rolling phase made in accordance with the second aspect of the invention described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described using examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figa is a schematic illustration of a vehicle according to one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic illustration of a portion of a drive line of a motor vehicle of FIG. 1A; FIG.

Fig. 2A is a schematic illustration of a transmission part of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1, showing the location of a two-coordinate sensor of a selected gear and a two-coordinate magnetic target;

2B is a schematic view showing the movements of a rotary gear selector cylinder, the axial (along the X axis) and angular (along the Y axis) positions of which are read by a two-coordinate sensor of the selected gear;

Fig. 3A is a first schematic illustration of a driven mechanism of a rotary selector cylinder;

Fig. 3B is a second schematic illustration of a driven mechanism of a rotary selector cylinder shown in Fig. 3A;

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a rotary gear shift mechanism of a transmission, depicting in more detail the rotary gear selector cylinder shown in Fig. 2B;

Figure 5 is a more detailed image of the part of the transmission depicted in Figure 2A, showing the position of a two-coordinate target and an array of two-coordinate magnetic sensors;

Fig. 6A is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the driven mechanism of the rotary selector cylinder of Figs. 3A and Fig. 3B, showing the driven mechanism of the rotary selector in the neutral gear position;

Fig. 6B is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the driven mechanism of the rotary selector cylinder of Figs. 3A and 3B, showing the driven mechanism of the rotary selector in the even gear position;

Fig. 6C is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the driven mechanism of the rotary selector cylinder of Figs. 3A and 3B, showing the driven mechanism of the rotary selector in the odd gear position;

Fig. 7A is a diagram showing the relationship between the angular and axial positions of a rotary selector cylinder of a transmission and the corresponding output signals of a two-coordinate sensor of a selected gear;

Fig. 7B is an enlarged view of the relationship between the angular position of the rotary selector cylinder and the output signal, depicting two control points in the plane or in the angular position according to one embodiment of the predictive transmission determination system of the invention;

Fig. 8A is a schematic illustration of an H-type rocker selector mechanism showing a series of control points on and between planes, in accordance with a second embodiment of the predictive transmission determination system of the invention;

On figv shows a graph of the relationship between the axial position of the rotary selector cylinder and the output signal, showing the control points between the planes of figa;

On figs shows a graph of the relationship between the angular position of the rotary selector cylinder and the output signal, showing the control points on the plane of figa;

On fig.8D shows a bottom view of the lever arm of the rocker gear mechanism of the N-type, showing the location of a number of sensors of the gear lever, forming part of the third variant of the predictive transmission reading system;

Figure 9 shows a graph of the relationship between vehicle speed and engine speed for various gear ratios;

Figure 10 shows a simplified block diagram of a first embodiment of a method for predicting a transmission;

FIG. 11 is a simplified flowchart of a second embodiment of a method for predicting gear engagement;

On Fig depicts a simplified block diagram of a vehicle during exit from the phase of free rolling;

The implementation of the invention

Figures 1-6C show a motor vehicle 1 having an engine 2 connected to a mechanical gearbox / transmission 3 via a clutch 10. The transmission 3 includes a gear shift lever 11, through which the driver can select different gears of the transmission 3 using H-type selector machanism.

An electronic data processing unit in the form of a power transmission control module (PCM) 4 for controlling power transmission of a motor vehicle 1. The control module 4 includes an engine control unit 6 for controlling the operation of the engine 2 and a transmission state module 5 for determining the operating mode of the transmission 3.

The control module (PCM) 4 receives a number of input signals from sensors 9, including signals from sensors 9e of the engine speed, sensors 9v of the vehicle speed associated with the wheel "W", sensors 9 from the position of the clutch pedal, sensors 9a of the position of the gas pedal, sensors 9b of the position of the brake pedal, as well as information from other possible components of the motor vehicle 1.

All or some of the input signals from the sensors 9 can be used by the engine control unit 6 to control the operation of the engine 2, namely the engine speed 2. It should be noted that the engine control unit 6 and the gearbox status module 5 can be separate elements data processing, and parts of a single electronic processor, such as the PCM 4 module, as shown in the drawings.

1B, the engine has a driven shaft 2a that drives the clutch 10 and rotates at the same frequency as the crankshaft of the engine 2. In practice, the driven shaft 2a of the engine is formed by the flywheel of the engine 2. The clutch 10 is used to detach the coupling of the driven a shaft 2a with a drive shaft 3i of the transmission 3, which in most cases is formed by the drive shaft of the transmission 3.

It should be noted that when the clutch 10 is engaged without sliding, the rotational speed of the driven shaft 2a of the engine is equal to the frequency of the drive shaft 3i of the transmission. When the clutch is turned off, there is no direct connection between the frequency of the driven shaft of the engine and the frequency of the drive shaft of the transmission. However, the frequency of the drive shaft of the transmission is related to the speed of the vehicle and the gear ratio of the transmission 3 plus the “total final drive ratio” of the motor vehicle 1.

The term "final drive final gear ratio" means the sum of the wheel rolling coefficient "W" and the actual gear ratio of the drive line from which the input speed of the transmission 3 can be determined using the following equation:

T _I = V × {R _T × RC}

Where:

T _I - rotation speed of the drive shaft 3i of the transmission 3, revolutions per minute;

V - vehicle speed 1, meters per minute;

R _T - gear ratio of the selected gear;

R _C - total gear ratio of the final drive.

For example, if the vehicle moves at a speed of 20 km / h, then for one transmission 3, the speed of the drive shaft will be equal to:

First gear (1g) = 2000 rpm (10 km / h at 1000 rpm) Second gear (2g) = 1333 rpm (15 km / h at 1000 rpm) Third gear (3g) = 1000 rpm (20 km / h at 1000 rpm) Fourth gear (4g) = 800 rpm (25 km / h at 1000 rpm) Fifth gear (5g) = 667 rpm (30 km / h at 1000 rpm) Sixth gear (6g) = 400 rpm (50 km / h at 1000 rpm)

Where:

R _T first gear = 4: 1

R _T second gear = 2.67: 1

R _T third gear = 2.0: 1

R _T fourth gear = 1.6: 1

R _T fifth gear = 1.33: 1

R _T sixth gear = 0.8: 1

and

R _C = 1.5: 1

It should be noted that the term “mechanical transmission” is used to refer to a transmission in which various gear ratios are manually selected by the driver of the motor vehicle 1 by moving the gear shift lever 11.

It should also be noted that the engagement and disengagement of the clutch 10 is carried out by the driver of the vehicle 1 manually or by electronic control in response to the actions of the driver, as is the case with the electronic clutch system. The electronic clutch system is an electronically controlled clutch, where the position of the clutch pedal is monitored by a sensor, and the clutch is engaged / disengaged using an electronically controlled drive mechanism.

A motor vehicle 1 comprises a first embodiment of a transmission prediction system, consisting of a transmission state module 5, a two-coordinate magnetic target 8, and a two-coordinate sensor 7 of a selected gear, which in combination form a pair of two-coordinate gear shifting sensors. The transmission state module 5 is positioned to receive signals from the selected gear sensor 7 attached to the transmission case 3B 3. The selected gear sensor 7 is an array of PWM bi-coordinate magnetic sensors that transmits signals based on a change in magnetic flux between the selected gear sensor 7 and the two-coordinate magnetic target 8 associated with the gearshift device in the form of a rotary selector cylinder 3A. The sensor 7 of the selected gear combines the sensor of the angular position with the sensor of displacement along the axis in one array of two-coordinate sensors.

FIGS. 2A, 4, and 5 show a typical H-type transmission configuration, consisting of a switching rotary selector cylinder 3A located inside the main transmission housing 3B. The switching rotary selector cylinder 3A rotates when the gear lever 11 is moved forward and backward to select an even or odd gear, respectively, and moves axially when the lever 11 moves left and right to change the plane of the gear lever in which the gear is selected. The reverse gear may have an even or odd gear configuration, depending on the configuration of the transmission 3. It should be noted that the shifting rotary selector cylinder can be positioned so that forward and backward movements result in axial movement of the selector cylinder, and left and right movements result in rotation of the selector cylinder, therefore, the output of the array of two-coordinate sensors can be interpreted accordingly.

The gear shift lever 11 is connected via a cable drive to a pair of levers 21A, 21B formed as part of a rotary shifting unit 20 that drives the switching rotary selector cylinder 3A.

The two-coordinate magnetic target 8 is attached to the rotary selector cylinder 3A, and, in the shown example, the selected gear sensor 7 is located on the outside of the transmission housing 3B and detects axial and rotational movements of the magnetic target 8. However, it should be noted that the selected gear sensor 7 can be installed inside crankcase 3V transmission.

Figure 2B shows the options for moving the magnetic target 8 when engaging various gears.

3A, 3B, 6A, 6B, and 6C show a driven mechanism 3C that is attached to and rotates with the selector cylinder 3A. The slave mechanism 3C has three latches 3E, the central latch corresponds to the neutral position, the latch for even transmission is located on one side of the neutral lock, and for odd transmission on the other. The ball 3D is held by a spring (schematically shown by an arrow S in Fig.6A, 6B and 6C) for docking with one of the latches 3E. A 3D ball in a sliding contact rests on the 3B gearbox housing directly or via a bracket. It should be noted that the 3D ball can be replaced by a spring-supported pin with a hemispherical end. The latches 3E determine the first, second and third angular positions corresponding to the selection position for the first, second rows of gears and the neutral transmission of the transmission 3. The protrusions located between the neutral latches and the latches of the engaged gears determine whether transmission 3 will be released when the gear lever is released 11 move to the gear engaged or neutral position, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Starting from transmission 3, it can be seen that there is a physical connection with the magnetic target 8 in the form of a mechanical connection of the target 8 with the selector cylinder 3A, as well as a physical connection with the sensor 7 of the selected gear in the form of a mechanical connection of the sensor 7 with the transmission case 3B.

There is a magnetic connection between the sensor 7 of the selected gear and the magnetic target 8, so that the change in magnetic flux can be read using the sensor 7 to obtain a signal about the angular and axial position of the selector cylinder 3A and, therefore, whether the transmission is in even gear , odd gear or neutral, and which of the even or odd gears is engaged.

The selected gear sensor 7 continuously generates output signals indicative of the axial and angular positions of the selector cylinder 3A, and these signals are used to predict the next gear engaged by comparing the output signals of the various control points.

For example, during testing, you can set the angular position of the cylinder 3A with the gear engaged. The even and odd positions with the gear engaged are shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, respectively.

In FIG. 6A, cylinder 3A is depicted in a neutral position, and in FIGS. 6B and 6C, cylinder 3A is depicted in positions of the included even gear (EPI) and the engaged odd gear (OPI). In this case, the even-shift point is reached when the cylinder 3A is rotated by Ω degrees relative to the neutral position, and the odd-gear shift point is reached when the cylinder 3A is rotated by -β degrees from the neutral position. The clockwise rotation of the cylinder 3A is shown in FIGS. 6A-6C as a positive angle, and counterclockwise rotation as a negative angle.

If the angular positions at which gears are activated (EPI and OPI) are known, and the selected gear sensor 7 is calibrated so that the transmission state module 5 is able to determine from its signals that these angular positions are reached, then this can be used to predict whether future transmission is even or not, before it is actually turned on. When combining this information with the axial position of the cylinder 3A, obtained on the basis of the axial position signal generated by the selected gear sensor 7, the transmission state module 5 is able to determine the exact position of the next gear to be engaged.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the corresponding points of engagement of the even and odd gears are the angular positions of the cylinder 3A, where various acting forces will rotate the cylinder 3A so that the 3D ball is fully locked with the appropriate lock, after which the corresponding gear will engage. In other words, at the point where the transmission is engaged and after it has passed, the transmission will automatically be engaged in transmission, and in the position in front of this point the transmission will return to the neutral position.

According to Figs. 7A and 7B, two input signals are received to the transmission state module 5: a signal with data on the angular position (Y axis) and a signal with data on axial displacement (X axis). More specifically, the selected gear sensor 7 generates a PWM signal at the output that is within the range (between 10% and 90%) or out of range (> 90% or <10%). The software driver for entering information in the transmission state module 5 processes the PWM signal, and if it goes beyond (> 90% or <10%), the driver gives this signal for an error. It should be noted that the range from 10%) to 90% is indicated as an example and is not limiting.

If the PWM signal is within the range (between 10% and 90%), the driver considers the signal normal. Then, the transmission state module 5 compares the PWM signal with a threshold value to determine whether the neutral gear is selected or not, the even gear is selected or not, the odd gear is selected or not, whether the OPI enable point has been reached and the EPI enable point has been reached.

On figa it is seen that the six-speed transmission has a traditional implementation of the switching mechanism of the H-type with odd gears located in one row with the reverse gear, and even gears located in the other row. It is also seen that the gears are located in a number of planes of the gearshift control lever, one of which has a reverse gear, and on the following planes two forward gears: first and second gears (1/2 plane), third and fourth gears (plane 3/4) and fifth and sixth gears (plane 5/6).

FIG. 7B shows that if the PWM signal is mainly 90%, the transmission status module 5 interprets this as an indication that one of the even gears has been selected. If the PWM signal is generally 10%, the transmission status module 5 interprets this as an indication that one of the odd gears has been selected. If the PWM signal is mainly 50%, the transmission status module 5 interprets this as an indication that the neutral position is selected.

It should be noted that, in practice, tolerance intervals can occur for all of these figures, for example, the transmission state module 5 can work normally for the following angular directions with logical checks:

If 85% <PWM signal <90%, then even transmission is engaged; (one)

If 10% <PWM signal <15%, then odd gear is engaged; (2)

If 45% <PWM signal <55%, then transfer to neutral. (3)

In addition to this assessment, the transmission status module 5 also compares the angular position signal of the selected gear sensor 7 with two rotary control points for the even gear points (EPI) and the odd gear positions (OPI), which are used to predict the next gear.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the transmission status module 5 performs the following checks for the angular position:

If the PWM signal is <30%, then the predicted next transmission is odd; (four)

If the PWM signal is <70%, then the predicted next transmission is even. (5)

Where the predefined turning points EPI and OPI are 70% and 30% respectively.

Using this logic, the transmission state module 5 is able to predict the next gear before it is directly engaged by combining the test results with the axial position of cylinder 3A. This information can be sent a few milliseconds earlier (20-40 ms) to other control systems that need it, for example, a driver interface indicator (HMI) or engine control unit 6 just before the transmission starts.

It should be noted that the sensor 7 of the selected gear can also be positioned so that when the transmission 3 is in the neutral position, the corresponding signal rate would be 50%, when the gear lever is moved forward to one of the odd gears, the signal norm would exceed 50%, and when one of the even gears is selected, the signal rate would be below 50%. Thus, the above logical checks will have opposite conditions, for example:

If 85% <PWM signal <90%, then odd gear is engaged; (one')

If 10% <PWM signal <15%, then even transmission (2 ') is engaged

If 45% <PWM signal <55%, then neutral transmission (3 ')

If the PWM signal is <30%, then the predicted next transmission is even; (four')

If the PWM signal is <70%, then the predicted next transmission is odd. (5')

Returning to FIG. 7A, it can be seen that the output signal from the sensor 7 of the selected gear for the axial direction (or along the X axis) is shown, and it can also be seen that the following is shown as an example for a six-speed transmission:

If the PWM signal = 10%, then the reverse gear plane is selected;

If the PWM signal = 40%, then the plane of the first / second gear is selected;

If the PWM signal = 70%, then the plane of the third / fourth gear is selected;

If the PWM signal = 90%, then the fifth / sixth gear plane is selected.

As previously mentioned, for these schemes deviations within the tolerance are applicable to provide for wear or design inaccuracies; in practice, the transmission status module can apply the following logical checks for the axial direction:

If 10% <PWM signal <15%, then the reverse gear plane is selected; (6)

If 37.5% <PWM signal <42.5%, then the plane of the first / second gear is selected; (7)

If 67.5% <PWM signal <72.5%, then the third / fourth gear plane is selected; (8)

If 85% <PWM signal <90%, then the fifth / sixth gear plane is selected; (9)

The transmission status module 5 may use logical checks (4) and (5) together with one of the checks (6) - (9) to predict the next next gear (N2G), as shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1 Verification Passed Verification Passed Verification Passed (four) (5) 6 N2G = Reverse / 7 N2G = First N2G = Second 8 N2G = Third N2G = Fourth 9 N2G = Fifth N2G = Sixth

The transmission status module 5 can then confirm when the transmission is already engaged, after which the data on the selected transmission (EG) is received from the sensor 7 of the selected transmission using the above logical checks (1) and (2) in combination with one of the checks (6 ) - (9) as shown in table 2 below.

table 2 Verification Passed Verification Passed Verification Passed (2) (one) 6 EG = Reverse / 7 EG = First EG = Second 8 EG = Third EG = Fourth 9 EG = Fifth EG = Sixth

Thus, the predictive transmission determination system also provides information regarding which transmission is currently engaged.

It should be noted that, unlike angular calibration, axial calibration can correspond to 10% = sixth gear and 90% = reverse gear. In this case, the logical checks for the plane will differ from those indicated above.

Although the gear shift prediction system has been described with respect to the use of a magnetic PWM sensor that uses a two-axis magnet and generates a PWM output signal, the invention is not limited to such sensors, and is equally applicable for use with a motion sensor, which instead of PWM -Signal generates an AC voltage output signal.

It should also be noted that the transmission inclusion prediction system is not limited to using a single array of two-coordinate magnetic sensors 7 as the sensor of the selected transmission. You can use a three-dimensional sensor and a magnetic circuit or two separate sensors: one for angular motion, the other for axial motion.

It should also be borne in mind that the invention is not limited to the six-speed gearbox or reverse gear arrangement shown in FIG. 7A, and also that the invention can be applied to a transmission with a different number of forward gears or for a different reverse gear arrangement with the same the most positive effect.

On figa-8C shows a part of the second variant of the system for predicting the inclusion of transmission, which for the most part is identical to that described previously and will not be discussed in detail again.

The main difference between the second and first options described above is that, in addition to the control points of the shift planes related to the shift points located on the plane, a plurality of control points of the intermediate planes located between the shift planes are also provided.

On figa shows a number of control points Ra, 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a located in the switching planes. The control points 1a, 3a and 5a correspond to the odd gear engagement points (OPI), and the control points 2a, 4a, and 6a correspond to the even gear engagement points (EPI). The gear shift prediction system operates as described above with respect to these control points, and, as described above, it is also capable of predicting the next gear shift.

In addition to these control points Ra, 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a, there are also a number of control points R / 1b, 1 / 2b, 3 / 4b and 1 / 2a, 3 / 4a, 5 / 6a of the intermediate planes.

The function of the control points of the intermediate planes is to preliminarily determine the possible plane that will be selected while transmission 3 remains in neutral gear.

Fig. 8B shows control points R / 1b, 1 / 2b, 3 / 4b, 1 / 2a, 3 / 4a and 5 / 6a of the intermediate planes in the form of output PWM signals expressed as a percentage of the output signal of the axial displacement sensor and sensor 7 selected gear. Fig. 8C duplicates Fig. 7B with the image of the control points in Fig. 8C (Ra, 1a, 3a, 5a, 2a, 4a and 6a) corresponding to the control points OPI and EPI in Fig. 7B.

Since the control points of the intermediate planes are given points, they are not affected by tolerance deviations in the mechanism, i.e. single values can always be used.

For example, the control points depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B have the following% PWM signal values:

R / 1b = 17.5%

1/2 a = 32.5%

1/2 b = 45%

3/4 a = 65%

3 / 3b = 75%

5 / 6a = 85%

This data is used to determine in advance in the gear shift cycle the plane that is likely to be selected, and thus one of the two potential gear ratios.

Thus, the transmission pre-determination system according to the second embodiment is able to provide additional time for any other operations, such as gear shift matching (GSH), and the input transmission speed by providing an early indication of the desired action.

It should be noted that the time required for the driver to move the gear shift lever 11 from neutral to gear is relatively small, which means that any additional information about the shifting gear received as early as possible during the gear shift is very useful for systems that need data on the selected transmission.

Figure 10 shows the basic steps necessary for the implementation of the first variant of the method for predicting a shifting gear for a multi-stage mechanical transmission of the type described above.

The method starts from step 100 with starting the ignition and then at step 110, the driver disengages the clutch (by depressing the clutch pedal), preparing to shift gears or select gears.

Next, the method proceeds to step 120, in which the selected gear sensor 7 is used to monitor the movement of the gear change element, such as cylinder 3A, in step 130, the plane of the gear shift lever is determined. In other words, at step 130, it is determined in which plane the gear lever is currently located.

Next, at step 140, it is determined whether one of the gear shift control points or points on the EPI or OPI plane has been reached. If one of the EPI or OPI control points has been reached, the method proceeds to step 150; otherwise, the operation returns to step 130 and continues to be performed cyclically until one of the EPI or OPI control points is reached.

At step 150, it is determined which of the control points in the plane was reached, and based on this decision, the method proceeds to either step 160 if the control point in the odd gear plane (OPI) was reached, or to step 170 if the even control point was reached transmission (EPI).

At steps 160 and 170, the plane information from step 130 is combined with information about whether the transmission will be odd or even to provide predictive data about the next transmission to be selected, and at step 180, this information is provided to any system that needs it.

Next, the method proceeds to step 190, where it is determined whether the engine was turned off, and if so, the method ends at step 200, otherwise the method proceeds to step 195, in which the data on the engaged gear is stored for future use. Information is then provided to step 196 for systems that require data on the current transmission position as confirmation of the preliminary data of step 180.

Next, the method proceeds to step 197, in which the driver again engages the clutch 10 and then at step 197 there is a pause until the next clutch 10 is disconnected, and from this moment the method returns to step 110 to start again.

Figure 11 shows the basic steps required to implement the second variant of the method for predicting a shifting gear for a multi-stage mechanical transmission of the type described above.

The method starts from step 1100 with the ignition on and then at step 1110 the driver disconnects the clutch (by pressing the clutch pedal), preparing to change gears or select gears, while the stored values of the recorded data about the axial and angular positions or about the currently selected gear are read .

Next, the method proceeds to step 1120, in which the selected gear sensor 7 is used to monitor the movement of the gear shift element, such as cylinder 3A, and in step 1125 it is determined whether the lever moves in the same plane (% PWM signal is constant), moves up increase transmission (% PWM signal increases) or downward decrease (% PWM signal decreases). Based on this data, the method proceeds to step 1200, if the plane has not changed, to step 1130, if the transmission is increasing, and to step 1140, if the transmission is decreasing.

At step 1130, a check is made to see if the intermediate gear upshift checkpoint has been passed, and if so, the operation proceeds to step 1150. Otherwise, the method returns to step 1120. At step 1140, a check is made whether the downshift checkpoint has been passed the intermediate plane, and if so, the operation proceeds to step 1150. Otherwise, the method returns to step 1120.

Steps 1130 and 1140 allow the use of various control points for increasing and lowering the gears of the intermediate planes. But it should be noted that if the same control points are used regardless of the direction of switching, the action can go from step 1120 to the stage that checks whether the control points of the intermediate planes have been passed, and if so, the action goes to step 1150. Otherwise, the action returns to block 1120.

At step 1150, data on the intermediate plane of the future transmission of the position of the gear lever based on the passed control point is provided to any systems that need to know whether the next transmission will most likely be lower or higher than the gear previously engaged. This may be a multi-level step, in which information is updated as various control points of the intermediate planes pass, before passing the transfer switch point at step 1200. In other words, if the check in step 1200 ends negatively, the operation proceeds to step 1150, and not to step 1120, as shown.

Continuing from step 1200, in which it is determined whether the gear shift point, that is, the control point on the plane, has been reached. Control points on the plane, EPI and OPI, are used, as before, to determine whether the next gear will be even or odd. If the gear shift point has not been reached, the method proceeds back to step 1120, and if the gear shift point has been reached, the method proceeds to step 1300, in which the plane of the gear lever is determined, and also whether the achieved shift point is related to even transmission or to odd.

Next, in steps 1600 and 1700, data about the plane in which the lever 11 is located from step 1300 are combined with data about the switching direction to predict the next selected gear.

Then, at step 1800, this data is provided to any systems that need it.

Next, the method proceeds to step 1900, where it is determined whether the engine was turned off, and if so, the method ends at step 2000, otherwise, the operation proceeds to step 1950, where the data on the engaged gear is stored for future use. Information is then provided to step 1960 for systems requiring current transmission position data as confirmation of the preliminary data of step 1800.

Next, the operation proceeds to step 1970, in which the driver re-engages the clutch 10, and then in step 1970 there is a pause until the next clutch 10 is disconnected, and from this moment the method starts again from step 1110.

It should be noted that the two above-mentioned variants of the method for predicting the next next gear are presented as an example and the invention is not limited to specific actions or the order of their implementation.

FIG. 8B illustrates a transmission prediction sensor forming part of a third embodiment of a transmission prediction system that can be used in place of the two above embodiments.

In this case, the movement of the gear shift lever 11 is monitored by a large number of individual sensors SR, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6; PR, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and P6. The gear lever is equipped with a magnetic target fixed to it (not shown), and when it passes by or near one of the sensors SR, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6; PR, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and P6, magnetic coupling occurs, which is monitored in the transmission state module 5, thereby forming a transmission prediction system.

Two types of sensors are shown. Each of the sensors of the first type SR, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6 provides a signal that can be used to determine when the transmission 3 is completely in the corresponding gear with which they are associated. The second type of sensors PR, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and P6 are control point sensors that provide a signal that can be used to determine when transmission 3 is almost in gear. In other words, a second type of sensor is used to indicate the achievement of the aforementioned gear shift points. But they not only indicate whether the shifting gear is even or odd, but they also provide information about the plane of the gear lever, which means they accurately determine the shifting gear. In Fig. 8D, the shift lever 11 is depicted in the first gear position 11G and in the neutral position 11N.

It should be noted that the following sensors (not shown) should be placed between the planes of the H-type gear mechanism to provide feedback on the movement between the planes, thereby providing information similar to that provided by the control points R / 1b, l / 2b, 3 / 4b and 1 / 2a, 3 / 4a, 5 / 6a shown in Fig. 8A.

The use of such a system in some circumstances provides more time for matching or synchronizing the engine speed with the frequency of the drive shaft 31 of the transmission 3.

In the mechanical transmission mechanism, as soon as the clutch 10 is turned off, the connection between the engine speed 2 and the transmission drive shaft 3 frequency is lost, and even if you install the angular velocity sensor on the drive shaft 31 of the transmission 3, this will not give any useful information until the gear is engaged , i.e. to change gear, the lever must go through neutral gear, and during this period of time the final frequency of the drive shaft 3i of gearbox 3 will be unknown. Thus, the only time period available for adjusting the engine speed is the period after the gear is engaged, when the driver engages the clutch 10.

However, according to the present invention, the next shifting gear can be predicted using a transmission prediction system, so that there is more time to synchronize the frequency of the driven shaft of the engine 2a with the drive shaft 3i of the transmission 3. This means that the required synchronized speed is known to the actual gear shifting when using the FRIN system or the FRIG system, when a new gear is selected either when passing through the shift control point or when passing through control points intermediate plane or different planes, which provides more time to install the engine speed to the desired value.

From Fig.9 shows a graph of the dependence of the frequency of the engine on the speed of the motor vehicle 1, shown in Fig.1.

Line X-X shows various engine speeds of 1g-6g for first to sixth gears for a vehicle speed of 20 km / h.

Figure 9 shows that the corresponding values of the engine speed are as follows:

The first gear is 2000 rpm; second gear 1333 rpm; third gear 1000 rpm; fourth gear 800 rpm; fifth gear 667 rpm; sixth gear 400 rpm

Thus, depending on the gear selected to exit the free rolling phase, the speed of engine 2 should theoretically be set to a value in the range from 2000 rpm to 400 rpm. However, in practice, the driver probably knows that at such low speeds, only the first, second and third gears are the most suitable gears to exit the free rolling phase. In some embodiments of the invention, the system is equipped with a warning device for the driver if the selected gear is too low or high. For example, if the engine speed is lower than 1000 rpm or higher than 3000 rpm, a warning is issued to the driver, which can be a sound or light signal, for example, an illuminated emergency lamp, or both types of signals.

In another embodiment of the invention, the clutch 10 is electronically controlled. In this case, the engagement of the clutch 10 may be locked when the gear selected is too low or too high.

In addition, if the speed of the motor vehicle 1 during the free rolling phase falls below a predetermined minimum value, the process of exiting this phase is stopped, and the electronic controller starts working as a standard start-stop controller. Thus, if the vehicle speed approaches zero or is equal to zero, the rolling phase is completed, the vehicle stops.

The monitoring system of the motor vehicle 1 during exit from the free rolling phase according to the first embodiment operates as follows.

The power transmission control module 4 receives input signals from various sensors, namely from the vehicle speed sensor 9v, the engine speed sensor 9e, and the selected gear sensor 7.

The speed of the motor vehicle 1 is used to evaluate the required engine speed and is constantly monitored and updated. It should be noted that other means can be used to obtain input data on the vehicle speed, such as data from the global GPS satellite navigation system. However, the invention is not limited to using only vehicle speed sensors.

The transmission status module 5 provides the engine control unit 6 with information about the predicted next gear shift as previously described. The engine control unit 6 uses this information to adjust the engine speed to the desired value obtained based on the current vehicle speed information. Thus, errors during speed synchronization are minimized, which ensures smooth engine start. If the information used is based on a predicted gear, then the required engine speed is either confirmed or adjusted (when the engaged gear is known).

It should also be noted that in other preferred embodiments of the invention, the information provided to the engine control unit 6 may be the desired engine speed, as well as the fact that in this case the engine control unit 6 simply adjusts the engine speed to the desired value.

Thus, summarizing the foregoing, a control system for exiting the free rolling phase is presented. This system comprises an engine 2, providing a transmission drive 3 through a clutch 10; a transmission sensor for providing information about the current state of the transmission 3 to the power transmission control module 4, in particular the transmission status module 5; engine control unit 6 for controlling and regulating engine speed 2; and a source of information indicative of the speed of the motor vehicle 1 for use by the power train control unit 4.

12 shows a general view of an embodiment of a method of driving a vehicle with the FRIN system during exit from the free rolling phase.

The method begins with performing step 300 with starting the ignition, then it continues at step 305, in which the engine 2 is started, and the vehicle operates in normal mode, like all other vehicles.

Next, the process proceeds to step 310, where the presence of conditions for entering the free rolling phase is checked. In the case of the FRIN system, these conditions are the transfer of the transmission 3 to the neutral position, and the vehicle 1 still continues to move. Also, one of the conditions may be the need to find the value of the speed of the vehicle 1 within predetermined limits. If the conditions are not met, the method continues returning to steps 305 and 310 until the input conditions are met, in which case the method continues by performing step 312 when the engine 2 is stopped and the vehicle 1 enters the free rolling phase.

Next, the process proceeds to step 315, where the conditions for exiting the free rolling phase are checked, which, in the case of the FRIN system, include disengaging the clutch 10 and engaging the gear, or, if there is a system using the gear prediction system, until A notification has been made that the transmission should be included.

If these conditions are not met, the engine 2 remains off, the vehicle 1 remains in the free rolling phase, and the process returns to steps 312 and 315 and executes them until the conditions for exiting the free rolling phase are met.

When the conditions in step 315 are satisfied, the method proceeds to step 318, where a gear engaged for output or a predicted gear (in the case of using a transmission prediction system) is determined and engine 2 is started. It should be noted that starting the engine can be a separate step, performed after or simultaneously with the step of determining the gear for the output.

Next, the method proceeds to step 320, where the desired engine speed is determined during exit from the free rolling phase. This value can be obtained by making direct measurements of the speed of the drive shaft 3i of the transmission 3 using a sensor, or through calculations based on the gear engaged or predicted.

As soon as the desired engine speed becomes known, the process proceeds to step 325, where the engine speed 2 is adjusted by the engine control unit 6 so that it matches the required engine speed values.

Next, the method proceeds to step 328, where it is determined whether clutch clutch 10 engaged. If clutch clutch engagement did not occur, the process returns to step 320 through step 329, and steps 320, 325 and 328 are repeated if the vehicle speed is above a predetermined minimum speed (V _min ) close to zero. If the vehicle speed is lower than its minimum speed (V _min ), this fact is recorded at step 329, the process ends with step 360.

If it is determined at step 328 that the clutch was engaged, the exit from the free rolling phase is completed, the process proceeds to step 330 to check whether the ignition has been turned off.

If the ignition has not been turned off, the method returns from step 330 back to step 305, but if the ignition has been turned off, the method proceeds from step 330 to step 350, where it ends.

If the speed of the motor vehicle 1 is constant for a period of time between engaging the gear and engaging the clutch, then fine tuning of the engine speed is not required. However, if the speed of the vehicle 1 has changed, the method, returning from step 328 to step 320, ensures that changes in the vehicle speed will be taken into account when determining the required engine speed, and the process of fine tuning it will continue until the driver engages the clutch 10.

The method will now be described with reference to FIG. 12 with respect to the FRIG system in which the free rolling occurs when the gear is engaged.

The method begins by performing step 300 with starting the ignition, then proceeds to step 305, in which the engine 2 is started and the vehicle is operating normally.

Next, the process proceeds to step 310, in which the presence of conditions for entering the free rolling phase is checked. In the case of the FRIG system, these conditions are the absence of a request for the supply of torque from the engine 2 and the automatic shutdown of the clutch 10 while the motor vehicle 1 is still moving. In other words, the clutch pedal is depressed and the gas pedal is not depressed. The conditions may also include finding the vehicle speed within predetermined limits. If these conditions are not met, then steps 305 and 310 are cyclically executed until the entry conditions are met. After that, the process proceeds to step 312, where the engine 2 is turned off, the vehicle 1 enters the free rolling phase. After that, the method proceeds to step 315, where the presence of conditions for exiting the free rolling phase is checked, which in the case of the FRIG system includes a request for torque supply, i.e., pressing the accelerator pedal by the driver of the vehicle 1.

If these conditions are not met, the engine 2 remains off, the motor vehicle 1 remains in the free rolling phase, the process returns to step 312. Steps 312 and 315 are cyclically executed until the conditions for exiting the free rolling phase are met.

When the conditions in step 315 are satisfied, the process proceeds to step 318, in which a transmission is established to exit this phase. In most cases, this will be the same gear with which the vehicle entered the free-rolling phase, but the driver can choose a different gear during free-rolling or during the exit from this phase. The gear selected to exit the free rolling phase is set either by the system for determining the selected gear, or if there is a transmission prediction system, it is installed during the exit from the free rolling phase, after which the engine 2 starts. It should be noted that the start of the engine 2 can be carried out as a separate step, performed after or simultaneously with the step of determining the gear to exit the free rolling phase.

The method then proceeds to step 320, where the desired engine speed is determined during exit from the free rolling phase. As before, this value can be obtained by conducting direct measurements of the rotational speed of the drive shaft 3i of the transmission 3 using a sensor, or through calculations based on the gear engaged or predicted.

Once the desired engine speed is known, the method proceeds to step 325, where the speed is controlled by the engine control unit 6 to meet the desired engine speed.

Next, the method proceeds to step 328, where it is determined whether the clutch 10 was engaged. If the clutch was not turned on, the method returns to step 320 through block 329, and blocks 320, 325 and 328 are repeated if the vehicle speed is higher previously a certain minimum speed (V _min ) close to zero. If the vehicle speed is lower than its minimum speed (V _min ), this fact is detected at step 329, the method ends with step 360.

If it is determined in step 328 that the clutch is engaged, the exit from the free rolling phase is completed, the method proceeds to step 330 to check whether the ignition is turned off.

If the ignition has not been turned off, the method returns from step 330 to step 305, and if it has been turned off, the method proceeds from step 330 to step 350, where it ends.

If the speed of the motor vehicle 1 is constant for a period of time between engaging the gear and engaging the clutch, then fine tuning of the engine speed is not required. However, if the speed of the vehicle 1 has changed, the method, returning from step 328 to step 320, ensures that changes in the speed of the vehicle will be taken into account when determining the required engine speed, and the process of fine-tuning it will continue until the driver engages the clutch 10.

It should be noted that the two variants of the embodiment of the vehicle control method described above during exiting the free rolling phase are provided as an example, the invention is not limited to these steps or the order of their implementation.

It should also be noted that if during any phase of the vehicle’s movement the ignition key is moved to the off position, the process ends at step 350.

In addition, the system is able to monitor the vehicle speed during the free-rolling phase and constantly inform the driver about the exit from this phase by displaying the proposed gears to exit the free-rolling phase.

Summarizing the foregoing, the present invention includes adjusting the engine speed to establish compliance with the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission after turning on the engine, but before turning on the clutch. By eliminating or minimizing the speed mismatch, fluctuations in torque are eliminated, that is, a smooth supply of drive torque will occur. Determining the speed of rotation of the drive shaft requires either direct measurements or calculations based on the speed of the vehicle and information about the selected gear. The selected gear is determined either by the gear shift system or the gear prediction system, each of which can be determined by measuring the position and rotation of the rotary switch or the shift shaft, forming part of the H-type gear shift mechanism.

Despite the fact that the invention is successfully applied to cars with a manual gearbox having an H-type gear shift mechanism, it can also be used in vehicles with a mechanical transmission of other types of shifting, or for vehicles with an automatic transmission, for example, with a double clutch (the first clutch for odd gears, the second for even). In this case, the main will be the clutch selected to exit their free rolling phase.

The term “selected gear detection system” means a system that uses a sensor to detect an engaged gear, either by detecting the position of transmission elements or elements of a gear mechanism used to change gears. Also, this system sends signals to an electronic unit that processes the signal or signals from the sensor, so as to provide an indication of the gear engaged. In other words, the selected gear sensor system includes: a selected gear sensor 7 and a transmission status module 5, as shown in FIG. 1A, or a sensor array (see FIG. 8D) and a transmission status block 5.

The term “transmission prediction system” means a system that uses a sensor to determine the position of elements within a transmission or elements of a gear shift mechanism used to shift gears. It also sends signals to the electronic unit. In this unit, the signal or signals from the sensor are processed to thereby provide an indication of the next gear that will be engaged. Thus, the transmission prediction system may include a system for determining the selected transmission with additional control points, when passing through which data is generated that can be processed by the transmission control unit to indicate the transmission engaged.

Those skilled in the art will understand that, although the invention has been described by way of example with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it is not limited to them, and one or more changes to the described embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the gist the invention presented in the attached claims.

Claims (19)

1. A method of controlling a motor vehicle having an engine that drives a transmission through a clutch during exit from the free rolling phase, in which it is determined whether at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase is satisfied, and if at least at least one condition is fulfilled, the engine is started and the engine speed is set to the required value determined based on the rotation speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which additionally determine the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission and adjust the engine speed so that it matches the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 3. The method according to claim 2, in which the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission is determined by measuring the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 4. The method according to claim 2, in which the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission is determined by calculation based on the current speed of the vehicle. 5. The method according to claim 4, in which the calculation of the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission is carried out using the gear ratio of the transmission selected to exit the free rolling phase, in combination with the current speed of the vehicle and the total final gear ratio. 6. The method according to claim 5, in which to determine the gear ratio selected to exit the free rolling phase, use the system to determine the selected gear, and a specific gear ratio is used to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 7. The method according to claim 5, in which to predict the transmission, which will be included next, use the transmission prediction system, and the gear ratio of the predicted transmission is used to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 8. The method according to claim 7, in which to determine the actual gear ratio selected to exit the free rolling phase, a transmission prediction system is used, and the obtained actual gear ratio is used to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the clutch is engaged during the free rolling phase, the transmission is in the neutral position, and at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase is the inclusion of forward gear. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the clutch is turned off during the free rolling phase, the transmission is in the engaged position, and at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase is a request for torque from the engine . 11. The control system of a vehicle having an engine that drives the transmission through the clutch during exit from the free rolling phase, the system comprising a controller configured to determine whether at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase is met, and if at least one condition is met, start the engine and set the engine speed to the desired engine speed based on the speed of the drive shaft transm SMAI. 12. The system according to claim 11, which further comprises a sensor for measuring the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission, and the required engine speed is a frequency corresponding to the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 13. The system according to claim 11, in which the controller is configured to use the gear ratio of the gear selected to exit the free rolling phase to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission, in combination with the current vehicle speed and the total final gear ratio, and the required frequency engine rotation is the frequency corresponding to the calculated speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 14. The system according to item 13, in which the transmission is a mechanical transmission, and which further comprises a system for determining the selected gear to determine the gear ratio selected to exit the free rolling phase. 15. The system according to item 13, in which the transmission is a mechanical transmission, and which further comprises a transmission prediction system to predict the transmission, which will be included next, and the controller is configured to use the gear ratio of the predicted transmission to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 16. The system of clause 15, in which the transmission prediction system is additionally used to determine the actual gear ratio selected to exit the free rolling phase, which is used by the controller to calculate the speed of the drive shaft of the transmission. 17. The system according to any one of claims 11-16, wherein the transmission is in the neutral position during the free rolling phase, and determining whether at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase includes determining whether the forward gear of the transmission is engaged . 18. The system according to any one of claims 11-16, wherein the clutch is turned off during the free rolling phase, the transmission is in the engaged position, and at least one condition for exiting the free rolling phase is to detect the presence of a torque request from the engine. 19. A motor vehicle containing a system according to any one of paragraphs.11-18.

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