# US 10,479,365 B2 · Automobile and control method for automobile

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- Number: US 10,479,365 B2
- Document ID: US10479365B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/872,348
- Filed: 2018-01-16
- Published: 2018-07-19
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-17
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yukimasa Nishimura; Yoshizo Akita; Tadaaki Watanabe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479365B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/188: Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
- B60K 6/30: characterised by chargeable mechanical accumulators, e.g. flywheels
- B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion
- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/115: with planetary gears
- B60W 10/30: including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
- B60W 20/19: for achieving enhanced acceleration
- B60W 20/30: Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio {(control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H)}
- B60W 20/50: Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
- B60W 50/038: Limiting the input power, torque or speed
- B60W 2510/1025: Input torque
- B60W 2510/18: Braking system
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position
- B60W 2540/103: Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown
- B60W 2540/12: Brake pedal position
- B60W 2540/14: Clutch pedal position
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- B60W 2710/10: Change speed gearings
- B60W 2710/1022: Input torque
- B60W 2710/1077: fluid pressure, e.g. oil pressure
- B60W 2710/1094: Direction of power flow
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- F16H 2200/2007: with two sets of orbital gears
- F16H 2200/2041: with four engaging means
- F16H 2200/2066: using one freewheel mechanism
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- Y10S 903/945: Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- F16H: GEARING
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An electronic control unit controls a motor so that a torque applied to an input shaft does not exceed an upper limit torque. The electronic control unit sets so as to restrict the upper limit torque from a first torque to a second torque smaller than the first torque, and then return the upper limit torque to the first torque more gradually when a first condition that a driver is assumed to have felt a decrease in driving force output to driving wheels is met before the upper limit torque is returned than when the first condition is not met.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automobile, comprising:
a motor;
a transmission including an input shaft connected to the motor and an output shaft coupled to driving wheels, the transmission being configured to transmit power, and the transmission being configured to change shift gears between the input shaft and the output shaft; and
an electronic control unit being configured to control the motor and the transmission,
the electronic control unit being configured to control the motor such that a torque applied to the input shaft does not exceed an upper limit torque,
the electronic control unit being configured to set so as to restrict the upper limit torque from a first torque to a second torque smaller than the first torque, and
the electronic control unit being configured to set so as to return the upper limit torque from the second torque to the first torque at a relatively slower rate of increase of the upper limit torque when a first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque as compared to a relatively higher rate of increase of the upper limit torque when the first condition is not met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque, the first condition being a condition that a driver is assumed to have felt a decrease in driving force output to the driving wheels.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising
a hydraulic control device that supplies hydraulic pressure to a plurality of engaging elements of the transmission, wherein,
the electronic control unit is configured to control the transmission so as to shift into a fail-safe shift gear when an abnormality has occurred in the hydraulic control device, and
the electronic control unit is configured to restrict the upper limit torque to the second torque when the electronic control unit controls the transmission so as to shift into the fail-safe shift gear.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The automobile according to claim 2, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to return the upper limit torque to the first torque when the transmission has shifted into the fail-safe shift gear while the upper limit torque is the second torque.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the first condition is a condition that the automobile has an experience where a brake is released while the upper limit torque is the second torque.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the first condition is a condition that the automobile has an experience where either a duration time or a cumulative time for which a brake is released reaches a predetermined time while the upper limit torque is the second torque.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the first condition is a condition that the automobile has an experience where an accelerator operation amount is larger than a threshold value while the upper limit torque is the second torque.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the first condition is a condition that the automobile has an experience where either a duration time or a cumulative time for which an accelerator operation amount is larger than a threshold value reaches a predetermined time while the upper limit torque is the second torque.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to control the motor so as to hold the upper limit torque when following conditions i) and ii) are both satisfied,
i) the first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque, and
ii) a temporary required torque for the input shaft based on an accelerator operation amount is not larger than the upper limit torque, and
the electronic control unit controls the motor so as to increase the upper limit torque when following conditions i) and iii) are both satisfied,
i) the first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque, and
iii) the temporary required torque is larger than the upper limit torque.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to control the transmission so as to shift into a fail-safe shift gear when an abnormality has occurred in the transmission, and
the electronic control unit is configured to restrict the upper limit torque to the second torque when the electronic control unit controls the transmission so as to shift into the fail-safe shift gear.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The automobile according to claim 1, wherein,
the electronic control unit is configured to set so as to return the upper limit torque to the first torque by increasing the upper limit torque from the second torque by a predetermined torque at a time when the first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned from the second torque to the first torque,
the electronic control unit is configured to set so as to return the upper limit torque to the first torque by increasing the upper limit torque from the second torque by a torque larger than the predetermined torque at a time when the first condition is not met before the upper limit torque is returned from the second torque to the first torque.

### Claim 11

A control method for an automobile,
the automobile including:
a motor;
a transmission including an input shaft connected to the motor and an output shaft coupled to driving wheels, the transmission being configured to transmit power, and the transmission being configured to change shift gears between the input shaft and the output shaft; and
an electronic control unit is configured to control the motor and the transmission, the electronic control unit is configured to control the motor such that a torque applied to the input shaft does not exceed an upper limit torque,
the control method comprising:
setting, by the electronic control unit, so as to restrict the upper limit torque from a first torque to a second torque smaller than the first torque; and
setting, by the electronic control unit, so as to return the upper limit torque from the second torque to the first torque at a relatively slower rate of increase of the upper limit torque when a first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque as compared to a relatively higher rate of increase of the upper limit torque when the first condition is not met before the upper limit torque is returned to the first torque, the first condition being a condition that a driver is assumed to have felt a decrease in driving force output to the driving wheels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The control method for the automobile according to claim 11, wherein,
setting, by the electronic control unit, so as to return the upper limit torque to the first torque by increasing the upper limit torque from the second torque by a predetermined torque at a time when the first condition is met before the upper limit torque is returned from the second torque to the first torque,
setting, by the electronic control unit, so as to return the upper limit torque to the first torque by increasing the upper limit torque from the second torque by a torque larger than the predetermined torque at a time when the first condition is not met before the upper limit torque is returned from the second torque to the first torque.