Method and system for vehicle speed control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDouglas Raymond Martin, Matthew Allen Warner, Mathew Alan Boesch, Fazal Urrahman Syed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for controlling a vehicle speed during a downhill travel. Based on the estimated grade of the downhill travel and further based on an input received from the operator, different combinations of an engine braking torque and a regenerative braking torque are used to maintain the vehicle speed during the downhill travel. A battery rate of charging is also adjusted based on the duration or distance of the downhill travel, as indicated by the operator input.
Claims20
A method for a vehicle including an engine and a battery-powered motor, comprising:
- adjusting a ratio and timing of applying engine braking torque relative to regenerative braking torque to the vehicle during a downhill travel based on an estimated grade and an operator input from an input device separate from an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal.
A method for a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
- during downhill travel,
- applying an engine braking torque, an amount and timing of the engine braking torque based on an estimated grade of the downhill travel and an operator input received via an input device separate from accelerator and brake pedals;
- and
- maintaining a predetermined vehicle speed via applying a regenerative braking torque based on deviations from the predetermined vehicle speed during the downhill travel.
A method for a vehicle including an engine and a battery, comprising:
- during a first downhill condition, applying engine braking torque at a first time since a first pedal foot-off event and charging the battery at a first rate;
- and
- during a second downhill condition, applying engine torque at a second time since a second pedal foot-off event and charging the battery at a second rate, the second time later than the first time, the second rate higher than the first rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.