Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a controller to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle.

[0002] Background of the invention

[0003] While maneuvering a vehicle, the vehicle has to gain an inertia to accelerate the vehicle. For instance, a time t = 0, while vehicle is maneuvered to move from a 0 KMPH velocity, the modulating input from the driver is an acceleration pedal. Based on the pedal position (degree of pedal pressed by the driver), the engine drives to gain the inertial energy. That is, the energy is gained with respect to the accelerator pedal travel. While maneuvering the vehicle, the driver intends to move the vehicle from 0 KMPH to the required speed. In order to reach the required speed a force greater than inertial force is required to overcome an inertial point. Typically, extra energy is spent by the vehicle to reach this inertial point.

[0004] The prior art US2011077798 AA discloses a method of monitoring a conveyance apparatus within a conveyance system including: detecting a first atmospheric air pressure within the conveyance system proximate the conveyance apparatus; detecting a second atmospheric air pressure within the conveyance system proximate the conveyance apparatus; determining a change in atmospheric air pressure proximate the conveyance apparatus in response to the first atmospheric air pressure and the second atmospheric air pressure within the conveyance system; and determining at least one of a location of the conveyance apparatus and a direction of motion of the conveyance apparatus within the conveyance system in response to at least the first atmospheric air pressure and the second atmospheric air pressure.

[0005] The present disclosure estimates a required inertia to drive the engine to a inertial threshold (inertial point) in a short amount of time thereby allowing energy savings. The same can be implemented in vehicle running scenarios including in steep road or off road driving conditions. This prevents the intermittent energy loss that is otherwise incurred by vehicles.

[0006] Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0007] An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings:
[0008] Figure 1 depicts a system to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle, according to an embodiment in the present disclosure.
[0009] Figure 2 depicts a flowchart for a method to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle, according to an embodiment in the present disclosure.

[0010] Detailed description of the drawings:

[0011] The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to accompanying drawings. Throughout all the figures, same or corresponding elements may generally be indicated by same reference numerals. These depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations, and fragmentary views. In predetermined instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

[0012] Referring to Figure 1, the same discloses a system (6) comprising a controller (1) to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle within a pre-defined duration of time. The controller (1) may be a computing system with an associated memory. According to an embodiment, the controller (1) maybe a microcomputer including a microprocessor unit, input/output ports, an associated memory such as a read-only memory (e.g., non-transitory memory), random access memory, and a data bus known in the art.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the controller (1) may be a Master control unit of the vehicle, capable of controlling and synchronizing all of the electronic subcomponents of the car,

[0014] Said controller (1) is in communication with at least one sensor and an acceleration pedal of the vehicle. The at least one sensor comprise any one of a tilt sensor (3), an inertial sensor (4) , an accelerometer, a gyroscope (5) and a wheel speed sensor (14) . The controller (1) may further be in communication with sensors such as temperature sensors, pressure sensor, wheel speed sensor (14) accelerometers and the like. It is to be understood that all of the aforementioned sensors including the inertial sensor (4) , the accelerometer (11), the gyroscope (5) , the wheel speed sensor (14) , and more sensors such as an ambient temperature sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, tyre pressure sensors, sensors adapted to detect vehicular yaw, roll and pitch angle and rate, a vehicle speed sensor, a longitudinal acceleration sensor, an engine torque sensor (or engine torque estimator), a steering angle sensor, a steering wheel speed sensor (14) , a gradient sensor (or gradient estimator), a lateral acceleration sensor, a brake pedal position sensor, an acceleration pedal position sensor, longitudinal, lateral and vertical motion sensors may be in communication with the controller (1) . The underlying assumption behind listing these sensors is to enable a person skilled in the art to obtain certain vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) as described below. These sensors may be independent components or a part of a larger system/ component.

[0015] Said controller (1) is adapted to receive a set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) from the at least one sensor and the acceleration pedal of the vehicle. The set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) comprises at least one of a slope information (13) from at least one sensor of the vehicle, a weight information (7) of the vehicle from the at least one sensor, a lateral acceleration information (8) from the at least one sensor, a wheel speed information (12) from the at least one sensor, a slope information (13) from the at least one sensor and an acceleration demand (2) when the acceleration pedal is pressed by a driver of the vehicle.

[0016] Said controller (1) is adapted to determine an inertial force based on said set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13), and determine the target torque based on said inertial force. The inertial force may be calculated based on inertial navigation algorithms and techniques. In these inertial navigation techniques, a change in velocity and position of the vehicle can be determined by performing successive mathematical integrations of the acceleration with respect to time. Rotational motion of the vehicle with respect to an inertial reference frame may be sensed using gyroscopic sensors that are used to determine the orientation of the vehicle.

[0017] Further, it is to be understood that parameters such as vehicle mass, vehicle acceleration and road slope allow for calculation of inertia using inertial navigation techniques (as explained above). Further, the accelerator pedal input aids in determining the resistance offered due to inertia, to the vehicle.

[0018] Based on the inertial force determined, the controller (1) requests for a torque to overcome the said inertial force. This torque is the target torque. A magnitude of the target torque is greater than a magnitude of the inertial force. The magnitude of the target torque provided is greater than the magnitude of inertial force so as to overcome the inertial force. Therefore, the inertial navigation uses gyroscope (5) s and accelerometers to maintain an estimate of the position, velocity, and altitude rates of the vehicle.

[0019] In order to accelerate the vehicle with respect according to the determined target torque, said controller (1) is in communication with a Transmission control module (TCM) (10) of a powertrain of the vehicle to control the acceleration of the vehicle based on the determined target torque.

[0020] In order to transfer the target torque from a vehicle driveline to the wheels, the controller (1) is operatively connected to the vehicle engine and may provide inputs to engine actuators (motors) to generate the target torque.
[0021] It is further to be understood that to achieve target torque, the amount of engine torque with respect to the accelerator pedal input is modified according to the inertial force determined by the control so as to reach the inertial point /inertial threshold within a pre-defined time.

[0022] Referring to figure 2, the same depicts a method to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle, according to an embodiment in the present disclosure. The method (100) is implemented by the controller (1) as described in Figure 1 above. The method comprises the first step of receiving, by the controller (1) , a set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) from the at least one sensor and the acceleration pedal of the vehicle. The method is characterized by the step (102) of determining, by the controller (1) , an inertial force based on said set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13), and step (103) of determining, the controller (1) , the target torque based on said inertial force.

[0023] The set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) comprises at least one of a slope information (13) from at least one sensor of the vehicle, a weight information (7) of the vehicle from the at least one sensor, a lateral acceleration information (8) from the at least one sensor, a wheel speed information (12) from the at least one sensor, and an acceleration demand (2) when the acceleration pedal is pressed by a driver of the vehicle.
, Claims:We Claim:

1. A controller (1) to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle within a pre-defined duration of time, said controller (1) in communication with at least one sensor and an acceleration pedal of the vehicle, said controller (1) adapted to receive:
-a set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) from the at least one sensor and the acceleration pedal of the vehicle,
characterized in that, said controller (1) adapted to :
-determine an inertial force based on said set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13), and
-determine the target torque based on said inertial force.

2. The controller (1) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein, the set of vehicle parameters (2, 7, 8, 12, 13) comprises at least one of :
-a slope information (13) from at least one sensor of the vehicle,
-a weight information (7) of the vehicle from the at least one sensor,
-a lateral acceleration information (8) from the at least one sensor,
-a wheel speed information (12) from the at least one sensor, and
-an acceleration demand (2) when the acceleration pedal is pressed by a driver of the vehicle.

3. The controller (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the at least one sensor comprises any one of a tilt sensor (3), an inertial sensor (4) , an accelerometer, a gyroscope (5) and a wheel speed sensor (14) .

4. The controller (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a magnitude of the target torque is greater a magnitude of the inertial force.

5. The controller (1) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein, the controller (1) is in communication with a Transmission control module (TCM) (10) of a powertrain of the vehicle to control the acceleration of the vehicle based on the determined target torque.

6. A method (100) to determine a target torque to accelerate a vehicle within a pre-defined duration of time, the method implemented by a controller, said controller in communication with at least one sensor and an acceleration pedal of the vehicle, the method comprising the step of:

-receiving, by the controller, a set of vehicle parameters from the at least one sensor and the acceleration pedal of the vehicle (101),
characterized in that method:
-determining, by the controller, an inertial force based on said set of vehicle parameters (102), and
-determining, the controller, the target torque based on said inertial force (103).

7. The method (100) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein, the set of vehicle parameter comprises at least one of :
-a slope information from at least one sensor of the vehicle,
-a weight information of the vehicle from the at least one sensor,
-a lateral acceleration information from the at least one sensor,
-a wheel speed information from the at least one sensor, and
-an acceleration demand when the acceleration pedal is pressed by a driver of the vehicle.