Detecting operation of a vehicle on an ascending grade
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAndrew J. Silveri, Ihab S. Soliman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a vehicle that includes an engine driveably connected to the vehicle wheels, an accelerator pedal, and an electric motor for transmitting power to at least some of the vehicle wheels, a method for indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope includes determining that displacement of the accelerator pedal is greater than a reference displacement, determining that a rate of change of the accelerator pedal displacement is greater than a reference rate of change of displacement, determining that vehicle deceleration is greater than a reference vehicle deceleration, and producing a signal representing that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope.
Claims11
In a motor vehicle that includes an engine driveably connected to the wheels of the vehicle, an accelerator pedal, a method for indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining that displacement of the accelerator pedal is greater than a reference displacement;
- (b) determining that a rate of change of the accelerator pedal displacement is greater than a reference rate of change of displacement;
- (c) determining that vehicle deceleration is greater than a reference vehicle deceleration;
- and
- (d) producing a signal indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope.
In a motor vehicle that includes an engine driveably connected to the wheels of the vehicle, an accelerator pedal, and an electric motor able to transmit power to at least some of the vehicle wheels, a method for indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining that displacement of the accelerator pedal is greater than a reference displacement;
- (b) determining that a rate of change of the accelerator pedal displacement is greater than a reference rate of change of displacement;
- (c) determining a speed of the motor;
- (d) using the motor speed to determine that a deceleration of the vehicle is greater than a reference vehicle deceleration;
- and
- (e) producing a signal indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope.
In a motor vehicle that includes an engine driveably connected to the wheels of the vehicle, an accelerator pedal, a method for indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining that displacement of the accelerator pedal is greater than a reference displacement;
- (b) determining that a rate of change of the accelerator pedal displacement is greater than a reference rate of change of displacement;
- (c) determining that vehicle deceleration is greater than a reference vehicle deceleration;
- (d) determination that neither a traction control event nor a torque modification request has occurred;
- and
- (e) producing a signal indicating that the vehicle is operating on a grade having positive slope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.