# US 11,279,359 B2 · Method and apparatus for assisting in the maintenance of a vehicle speed within a speed range, and a vehicle comprising such an apparatus

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- Number: US 11,279,359 B2
- Document ID: US11279359B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/145,466
- Filed: 2018-09-28
- Published: 2019-04-04
- Granted: 2022-03-22
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-02
- Assignees: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
- Applicants: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
- Inventors: Alex Plianos; Kestutis Jankevicius
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11279359B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/18072: {Coasting}
- B60K 31/00: Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/11: Stepped gearings
- B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes
- B60W 20/10: Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
- B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)}
- B60W 30/146: {Speed limiting}
- B60W 50/0097: {Predicting future conditions}
- B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling}
- B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
- F02D 29/02: peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
- B60K 6/20: the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
- B60K 2031/0091: {Speed limiters or speed cutters}
- B60W 2030/1809: {Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral}
- B60W 2552/20: Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
- B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
- B60W 2710/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines
- B60W 2710/08: Electric propulsion units
- B60W 2710/18: Braking system
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- B60Y 2300/18066: Coasting
- F02D 13/02: during engine operation
- F02D 13/0215: {changing the valve timing only}
- F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)}
- F02D 41/0047: {Controlling exhaust gas recirculation [EGR] (temperature control with cooler in recirculation circuit F02M26/33)}
- F02D 2200/501: Vehicle speed
- F02D 2200/702: Road conditions
- Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems
- Y02T 10/60: Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- 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
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Method and apparatus for maintaining a speed of a vehicle within a target speed range. A plurality of coasting profiles are generated for the vehicle, each having an initial speed and a starting point on a predicted vehicle path. Each coasting profile represents a predicted vehicle speed over a time and/or distance from the starting point and is generated based on a geometry of at least a portion of the predicted vehicle path. At least one of the coasting profiles that maintains the speed of the vehicle within the target speed range is identified. A prime mover of the vehicle is controlled to place the vehicle into a coasting mode in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile. Alternatively, feedback is provided to a user to place the vehicle into a coasting mode, such that the vehicle will coast in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of assisting in maintaining a speed of a vehicle within a target speed range, the method comprising:
generating a plurality of coasting profiles for the vehicle, each coasting profile having an initial speed and a starting point on a predicted vehicle path, where each coasting profile represents a predicted vehicle speed over a time and/or distance from the starting point and is generated based on a geometry of at least a portion of the predicted vehicle path;
identifying at least one of the coasting profiles that maintains the speed of the vehicle approximately equal to a current cruise control set speed and within the target speed range of the current cruise control set speed while the vehicle is coasting by identifying one or more of the coasting profiles for which the time and/or distance exceeds a threshold, wherein the target speed range has an upper speed limit above the cruise control set speed and a lower speed limit below the cruise control set speed; and
outputting a coasting signal for either:
controlling a prime mover of the vehicle to place the vehicle into a coasting mode in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile; or
providing feedback to a vehicle user to place the vehicle into a coasting mode, such that the vehicle if placed in the coasting mode by the user will coast in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising adjusting a speed of the vehicle to match the initial speed of the identified coasting profile prior to:
placing the prime mover into the coasting mode;
providing the feedback to the user; or
receiving from the user a response to the feedback.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the prime mover to place the vehicle into the coasting mode or the vehicle user placing the vehicle into the coasting mode comprises one or more of:
placing a transmission associated with the prime mover into neutral;
disengaging a clutch associated with the prime mover;
turning off the prime mover; and
modulating one or more engine system actuators, including an exhaust gas recirculation valve, variable geometry turbocharger, intake throttle, and continuous variable valve timing, so as to reduce or minimize pumping losses.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes an electric machine, and wherein the coasting mode includes providing drive via the electric machine in order to increase a total coasting distance and/or a total coasting time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes one or more braking mechanisms, and wherein the coasting mode includes providing braking via at least one of the braking mechanisms in order to increase a total coasting distance and/or a total coasting time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has at least a first speed range that is used in the identifying at least one of the coasting profiles and a second speed range for when the vehicle is not in the coasting mode, wherein the first speed range is wider than the second speed range.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer readable code which when executed causes a vehicle to carryout the method of claim 1.

### Claim 8

A vehicle coasting system for assisting in maintaining a speed of a vehicle within a target speed range, the system comprising:
at least one processor, and
an electronic memory device,
the at least one processor being configured to
generate a plurality of coasting profiles for the vehicle based upon receiving signals indicative of a value of vehicle speed and upcoming changes in geometry of a predicted vehicle path, each coasting profile having an initial speed and a starting point on a predicted vehicle path, where each coasting profile represents a predicted vehicle speed over a time and/or distance from the starting point and is generated based on a geometry of at least a portion of the predicted vehicle path, wherein the memory device has instructions stored therein, wherein the processor is configured to access the electronic memory device and execute the instructions stored therein such that it is operable to generate said coasting profiles;
identify at least one of the coasting profiles that maintains the speed of the vehicle approximately equal to a current cruise control set speed and within the target speed range of the current cruise control set speed while the vehicle is coasting by identifying one or more of the coasting profiles for which a coasting time period and/or coasting distance exceeds a threshold, wherein the target speed range has an upper speed limit above the cruise control set speed and a lower speed limit below the cruise control set speed; and
output a coasting signal for either:
controlling a prime mover of the vehicle to place the vehicle into a coasting mode in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile; or
providing feedback to a vehicle user to place the vehicle into a coasting mode, such that the vehicle if placed in the coasting mode by the user will coast in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vehicle coasting system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust a speed of the vehicle to match an initial speed of the at least one identified coasting profile, prior to:
placing the prime mover into the coasting mode;
providing the feedback to the user; or
receiving from the user a response to the feedback.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The vehicle coasting system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to do any one or more of:
placing a transmission associated with the prime mover into neutral;
disengaging a clutch associated with the prime mover;
turning off the prime mover; and
modulating one or more engine system actuators, including an exhaust gas recirculation valve, variable geometry turbocharger, intake throttle, and continuous variable valve timing, so as to reduce or minimize pumping losses.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The vehicle coasting system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle includes an electric machine, and wherein the coasting mode includes providing drive via the electric machine in order to increase a total coasting distance and/or a total coasting time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The vehicle coasting system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle includes one or more braking mechanisms, and wherein the coasting mode includes providing braking via at least one of the braking mechanisms in order to increase a total coasting distance and/or a total coasting time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The vehicle coasting system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle has at least a first speed range that is used in the identifying the at least one coasting profile, and a second speed range for when the vehicle is not in the coasting mode, wherein the first speed range is wider than the second speed range.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

A vehicle comprising the vehicle coasting system of claim 8.