US 9,802,483 B2Granted

Accelerator force feedback pedal (AFFP) as assistance system for distance control in traffic

AssigneeConti Temic microelectronic GmbH

InventorsFrank Drews, Carmelo Leone

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A driver of a vehicle applies an actuation force to an accelerator device such as an accelerator pedal or a twist-grip throttle of the vehicle to deflect the accelerator device to an actual deflection angle (φact), which is detected. A restoring force acts on the accelerator device opposite the actuation force. An electronic controller determines a nominal deflection angle (φnom) to which the accelerator device shall be deflected, based on inputs such as an actual speed of the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to a leading vehicle driving ahead of the subject vehicle, an actual distance of the subject vehicle to the leading vehicle, and a nominal distance at which the subject vehicle shall follow the leading vehicle. The restoring force on the accelerator device is modulated as a function of the difference between the actual deflection angle (φact) and the nominal deflection angle (φnom).

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of operating an accelerator device in a subject vehicle, wherein a driver of the subject vehicle applies a driver's actuation force to the accelerator device to deflect the accelerator device to a deflected position, and the accelerator device outputs a control signal that is dependent on the deflected position and is used to control a drive power, a drive torque or a drive speed of a drive motor of the subject vehicle, wherein the method comprises:

a) with two or more sensors, determining an actual speed of the subject vehicle, a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to a leading vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle, and an actual distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle;
b) obtaining a specified distance value;
c) with a deflection sensor, determining an actual deflection of the accelerator device in the deflected position thereof;
d) with at least one electronic controller, producing a control difference as a difference between the actual distance and the specified distance value, weighting the control difference to produce a weighted control difference, producing a first control contribution based on the actual speed, the relative speed and the weighted control difference, producing a second control contribution based on the control difference, and determining a specified deflection value for the accelerator device by summing at least the first control contribution and the second control contribution;
e) determining a deflection difference between the actual deflection and the specified deflection value;
and
f) with an actuator arrangement, applying to the accelerator device a restoring force directed opposite the actuation force, and modulating the restoring force as a function of the deflection difference.

4 more elements

An electronic controller for an accelerator device in a subject vehicle, wherein a driver of the subject vehicle applies a driver's actuation force to the accelerator device to deflect the accelerator device to a deflected position that is a control indication of the driver's desired drive power, drive torque or drive speed of a drive motor of the subject vehicle, wherein the electronic controller comprises:

an actual speed input for a signal representing an actual speed of the motor vehicle,
a relative speed input for a signal representing a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to a leading vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle,
an actual distance input for a signal representing an actual distance between the subject vehicle and the leading vehicle,
a specified distance value input for a signal representing a specified distance value,
a differencing circuit element that is connected to the actual distance input and the specified distance value input, and that produces a control difference as a difference between the actual distance and the specified distance value at an output of the differencing circuit element,
a weighting circuit element that is connected to the output of the differencing circuit element, and that produces a weighted control difference at an output of the weighting circuit element,
a feed-forward control that is connected to the actual speed input, the relative speed input and the output of the weighting circuit element, and that produces a first control contribution based on the actual speed, the relative speed and the weighted control difference at an output of the feed-forward control,
a PD-controller that is connected to the output of the differencing circuit element, and that produces a second control contribution based on the control difference at an output of the PD-controller, and
a totalizer arrangement that is connected to at least the output of the feed-forward control and the output of the PD-controller, and that sums at least the first control contribution and the second control contribution to produce, at an output of the totalizer arrangement being an output of the electronic controller, a specified deflection value signal representing a specified deflection value for the accelerator device.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/967,795Filed 14 Dec 2015 · continuation in part
Priority: DE 10 2013 213 0504 Jul 2013
Published: US 2016/0096431 A17 Apr 2016
Granted: 31 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B60K 31/02
Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an…:…
B60K 26/021
Of initiating means or elements: with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
B60W 30/16
Adaptive cruise control: control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
B60W 50/16
Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention: tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force…