Method for actuating the cruise control function in a vehicle equipped with hybrid driving, especially an industrial or commercial vehicle

#The present invention refers to a method for actuating the cruise control function in a vehicle equipped with hybrid driving, especially an industrial or commercial vehicle.

#The cruise control function, as it is known, maintains a steady vehicle's speed, by means of a control usually activated by hand, which works by controlling the functioning of the internal combustion engine.

#If said function is adopted on a vehicle equipped with a hybrid driving system, which usually includes at least a internal combustion engine and an electric motor-generator, the problem of controlling the functioning of the hybrid driving system arises, during the activation steps of the function itself, in order to optimize the reduction of fuel consumption and of vehicle noise and the increase of driving comfort which characterize such driving system.

#Further purposes and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment (and its alternative embodiments) and the drawings that are attached hereto, which are merely illustrative and non-limitative, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a general scheme of a hybrid driving system of a vehicle which applies the method according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic system for controlling the functioning of the different elements of FIG. 1;

#A non-limitative example of a hybrid driving system of an industrial or commercial vehicle of the type known in the art, wherein it is possible to apply the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1.

#The system is characterized by a parallel hybrid driving system, comprising a primary driving system formed by a internal combustion engine 1, an electric motor-generator 2, equipped with a DC/AC inverter 4 and with a high-voltage electric driving battery 5, a single clutch unit 3 placed between the engine and the motor, and a transmission system 6 comprising an automated manual transmission. The latter is substantially a mechanical gearbox wherein electric actuators are present and are controlled by a specially provided control unit which manages shifting and clutch control requests, according to the driving management strategies of the internal combustion engine and electric motor.

#An electronic system for controlling the functioning of the different elements of FIG. 1 is present. For example the system may include, as shown in FIG. 2, a vehicular electronic control unit VCU which receives at least the signals from the sensors of the accelerator pedal ACC and of the brake pedal BRK, and a signal from a switch, that can be manually activated, which indicates the activation of the cruise control function CC. An electronic control unit of the hybrid driving system HCU controls the functioning of the internal combustion engine by means of a control unit ECU, and the functioning of the electric motor-generator by means of a control unit MGC. The unit HCU also receives data relating at least to the battery state of charge from the battery control unit BCU, and to the indication of the road slope from a road slope sensor RSS. The unit HCU preferably has at its disposal indications and data deriving from a vehicular navigation system NS, preferably of the three-dimensional type, comprising both the instant and the predictive indication of the road slope, and the indication of the vehicle weight from an evaluation system VPE of the vehicle weight when moving.