# US 12,007,007 B2 · Drive control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,007 B2 - Document ID: US12007007B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/743,452 - Filed: 2022-05-13 - Published: 2022-12-08 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-04 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masaru Komatsubara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007007B2 ## CPC - F16H 48/20: Arrangements for suppressing or influencing the differential action, e.g. locking devices - B60K 17/34: for driving both front and rear wheels, e.g. four wheel drive vehicles - B60K 23/08: for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)} - B60K 23/0808: {for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch} - B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - B60Y 2400/303: Speed sensors - B60Y 2400/3032: Wheel speed sensors - F16H 2048/204: {Control of arrangements for suppressing differential actions} - F16H: GEARING - 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 - 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 - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract A drive control device includes: an estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part acquiring an estimated longitudinal acceleration of a vehicle based on an estimated driving force of the vehicle and a wheel speed of main drive wheels of the vehicle; an estimated lateral acceleration acquisition part acquiring an estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle; an estimated tire load calculation part calculating an estimated tire load of the main drive wheels based on the estimated longitudinal acceleration and the estimated lateral acceleration; and a drive mode selection part selecting one of a two-wheel drive mode driven only by the main drive wheels and a four-wheel drive mode driven by both the main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels. When the estimated tire load calculated by the estimated tire load calculation part is lower than a two-wheel drive threshold value, the drive mode selection part selects the two-wheel drive mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive control device comprising: a processor configured to function as: an estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part which acquires an estimated longitudinal acceleration of a vehicle based on an estimated driving force of the vehicle and a wheel speed of main drive wheels of the vehicle; an estimated lateral acceleration acquisition part which acquires an estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle; an estimated tire load calculation part which calculates an estimated tire load of the main drive wheels based on the estimated longitudinal acceleration acquired by the estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part and the estimated lateral acceleration acquired by the estimated lateral acceleration acquisition part; and a drive mode selection part which selects one of a two-wheel drive mode driven only by the main drive wheels and a four-wheel drive mode driven by both the main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels in the vehicle, wherein when the estimated tire load calculated by the estimated tire load calculation part is lower than a two-wheel drive threshold value, the drive mode selection part selects the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle, wherein the estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part acquires a first longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle calculated from the estimated driving force of the vehicle, wherein the estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part acquires a second longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle calculated from the wheel speed of main drive wheels of the vehicle, wherein the estimated longitudinal acceleration acquisition part compares the first longitudinal acceleration and the second longitudinal acceleration, and acquires a larger value between the first longitudinal acceleration and the second longitudinal acceleration as the estimated longitudinal acceleration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein when the estimated tire load calculated by the estimated tire load calculation part exceeds a four-wheel drive threshold value, the drive mode selection part selects the four-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive control device according to claim 2, wherein each of the two-wheel drive threshold value and the four-wheel drive threshold value constitutes a friction circle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, comprising a sudden acceleration determination part which determines whether the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly based on the estimated driving force, wherein when the sudden acceleration determination part determines that the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The drive control device according to claim 2, comprising a sudden acceleration determination part which determines whether the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly based on the estimated driving force, wherein when the sudden acceleration determination part determines that the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The drive control device according to claim 3, comprising a sudden acceleration determination part which determines whether the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly based on the estimated driving force, wherein when the sudden acceleration determination part determines that the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The drive control device according to claim 4, wherein the sudden acceleration determination part determines whether the vehicle is about to accelerate suddenly based on a differential value of a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle calculated from the estimated driving force. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, comprising a characteristic mode selection part which selects one of a normal mode that realizes a normal traveling characteristic and a non-normal mode that realizes a traveling characteristic different from a traveling characteristic of the normal mode in the vehicle, wherein when the non-normal mode is selected by the characteristic mode selection part, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The drive control device according to claim 2, comprising a characteristic mode selection part which selects one of a normal mode that realizes a normal traveling characteristic and a non-normal mode that realizes a traveling characteristic different from a traveling characteristic of the normal mode in the vehicle, wherein when the non-normal mode is selected by the characteristic mode selection part, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The drive control device according to claim 3, comprising a characteristic mode selection part which selects one of a normal mode that realizes a normal traveling characteristic and a non-normal mode that realizes a traveling characteristic different from a traveling characteristic of the normal mode in the vehicle, wherein when the non-normal mode is selected by the characteristic mode selection part, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The drive control device according to claim 4, comprising a characteristic mode selection part which selects one of a normal mode that realizes a normal traveling characteristic and a non-normal mode that realizes a traveling characteristic different from a traveling characteristic of the normal mode in the vehicle, wherein when the non-normal mode is selected by the characteristic mode selection part, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The drive control device according to claim 7, comprising a characteristic mode selection part which selects one of a normal mode that realizes a normal traveling characteristic and a non-normal mode that realizes a traveling characteristic different from a traveling characteristic of the normal mode in the vehicle, wherein when the non-normal mode is selected by the characteristic mode selection part, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, comprising a front-rear limited slip differential (LSD) operation determination part which determines whether a front-rear LSD is operating in the vehicle, wherein when it is determined by the front-rear LSD operation determination part that the front-rear LSD is operating, the drive mode selection part is prohibited from selecting the two-wheel drive mode in the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein in the four-wheel drive mode, a torque distributed to the auxiliary drive wheels among the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels is equal to or higher than a preset minimum torque. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein the main drive wheels are front wheels, and the auxiliary drive wheels are rear wheels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein the estimated driving force of the vehicle is acquired from an accelerator opening degree of an accel that is measured by an accelerator opening degree sensor.