Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Paul Beever

Andrew Fairgrieve

Timothy Reynolds

James Kelly

Nick Brockley

Jon Parr

Russell Osborn

Pete Stares

Jan Pieter Prins

Ian Beverley

Charlotte Cooke

Shaun Wick

Michael Blyth

Daniel Woolliscroft

Sam Anker

Alex Bean

Richard Cook

John Birch

Charlotte Cook

Theodor Cassell

Bruce Buckley

Krzysztof Kowalski

A motor vehicle controller comprising data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus configured to carry out the steps of: receiving a surface friction signal indicative of a coefficient of friction between a road wheel and a driving surface; receiving an accelerator position signal indicative of a position of an accelerator control with respect to an allowable range of positions; determining a powertrain torque limit value corresponding to an amount of powertrain torque at which slip of a driving wheel is expected to exceed a predetermined amount, the powertrain torque limit value being determined at least in part in dependence on the surface friction signal; and determining and outputting a powertrain torque demand signal corresponding to an instant amount of torque to be developed by a powertrain, the powertrain torque demand signal being determined in dependence at least in part on the accelerator position signal according to a predetermined relationship.

Controller and method

A motor vehicle controller configured to: receive a drive demand signal indicating an amount of net drive to be applied to one or more driving wheels of a vehicle, estimate a value of a parameter indicative of a surface coefficient of friction between one or more driving wheels and a driving surface, and apply a net torque to one or more wheels of a vehicle. The amount of net torque applied is determined in dependence at least in part on the received drive demand signal. The controller is configured to increase an amount of net torque applied to one or more driving wheels independently of the drive demand signal and to update an estimate of the parameter in dependence on a change in speed of the at least one driving wheel when the amount of net torque applied to the at least one driving wheel is increased.

Motor vehicle controller and method

A speed control system configured automatically to cause a vehicle to operate in accordance with a first target speed value stored by the system at least in part by controlling an amount of drive torque applied to one or more wheels by a powertrain. The system is configured to receive a driver drive demand signal indicative of an amount of driver demanded drive torque to be applied to one or more wheels, and is configured to cause the vehicle to operate in accordance with a second target speed value greater than the first in dependence at least in part on the driver drive demand signal.

Vehicle speed control system and method for limiting the rate of acceleration when changing from a first target speed to a second one due to a request from the accelerator pedal

A brake control system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, brakes for applying a braking effort to one or more of the wheels, and a movement sensor for detecting movement of the vehicle. The system comprises a brake actuator for actuating the brakes to supply a braking effort and a brake controller for controlling the brake actuator. The brake controller is configured to determine an acceleration of the vehicle based on movement detected by the movement sensor and to ensure that the brake actuator supplies a braking effort if the determined acceleration exceeds a set acceleration limit.

Brake control

A motor vehicle controller that carries out a method which includes: receiving a signal indicative of a surface friction parameter, surface_friction, the surface friction parameter corresponding to a coefficient of friction between a road wheel and a driving surface; receiving a signal indicative of a position of an accelerator control with respect to an allowable range of positions, accel_ctrl_pos; determining a critical powertrain torque limit value PT_TQ_CRIT in dependence at least in part on the value of surface_friction; and providing a traction warning indication to a driver in dependence on the value of accel_ctrl_pos and PT_TQ_CRIT.

Controller and method for controlling a motor vehicle

A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining whether control over a rate of torque decrease is desired in order to improve the vehicle behavior. The rate of torque decrease is controlled to stay within a range of a selected rate of change. A vehicle control system includes a controller configured to determine whether control over a rate of torque decrease is desired. The controller is also configured to control the rate of torque decrease to stay within a range of a selected rate of change.

Vehicle control including control over a rate of torque decrease

A brake control system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, brakes for applying a braking effort to one or more of the wheels, and movement sensing means for detecting movement of the vehicle. The system comprises: brake actuation means for actuating the brakes to supply a braking effort; and brake control means for controlling the brake actuation means, wherein the brake control means is arranged to determine an acceleration of the vehicle based on movement detected by the movement sensing means and to ensure that the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort if the determined acceleration exceeds a set acceleration limit.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control system for a motor vehicle, the control system being operable to determine a vehicle speed value corresponding to a speed of travel of the vehicle over a surface according to a value of a speed of a wheel of the vehicle, the control system being operable to: cause a reduction in an amount of drive torque applied to at least one of a plurality of driven wheels; obtain a value of a speed of rotation of the at least one wheel while the amount of drive torque applied thereto is reduced; and determine the vehicle speed value according to the measured value of wheel speed, wherein the system is configured to determine whether the vehicle speed value obtained according to the speed of the wheel following the reduction in torque applied to the wheel is consistent with one or more vehicle speed measurements made by alternative means.

Vehicle and method of control thereof

The invention relates to a control system and methods for controlling motion of a vehicle over a surface. The control system limits an amount of drive torque that may be applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle to prevent an amount of wheel slip from exceeding a prescribed value. The prescribed value of wheel slip is determined in dependence at least in part on vehicle speed. In addition, method claimsandare directed to providing drive torque, independent of vehicle speed, which corresponds to or exceeds the maximum traction force. These methods are suitable for highway driving with high friction or off road driving on soft terrain, respectively.

Vehicle control system and method to provide desired wheel slip

A brake control system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, brakes for applying a braking force to one or more of the wheels, sensing means for detecting movement of the vehicle, and one or more selectable drive gears each associated with an intended direction of movement of the vehicle. The system comprises: brake actuation means for actuating the brakes to supply a braking effort; and brake control means for controlling the brake actuation means, wherein the brake control means is arranged to detect the selection of a drive gear and, when a drive gear is selected, to limit a movement of the vehicle in a direction opposed to the intended direction of movement associated with the selected drive gear by ensuring that the brake actuation means supplies a braking effort.

A motor vehicle having: a prime mover; first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline to connect the prime mover to the first and second groups of wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels is driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and the second group of one or more wheels is additionally driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary driveline comprising releasable torque transmitting means operable to connect the second group of one or more wheels to the prime mover when the driveline transitions between the first mode and the second mode, wherein when in the first mode the driveline is operable to transition to the second mode responsive to an output of a reactive evaluator and a predictive evaluator.

Vehicle controller for changing the number of driven wheels

Embodiments of the present invention provide a motor vehicle having: prime mover means; at least first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline operable to connect the prime mover means to the first and second groups of one or more wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group is coupled to a torque transmission path from the prime mover means when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and both the first and second groups of one or more wheels are coupled to a torque transmission path from the prime mover means when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary portion for connecting the second group to the torque transmission path from the prime mover means, the auxiliary portion comprising first and second releasable torque transmitting means and a prop shaft, the first releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a first end of the prop shaft to the torque transmission path from the prime mover means, the second releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a second end of the prop shaft to the second group of one or more wheels, the vehicle further comprising control means operable to control the first and second torque transmitting means to switch the driveline between the first and second modes of operation such that in the first mode the prop shaft is disconnected from both the torque transmission path from the prime mover means and said second group of one or more wheels, wherein when in the first mode the vehicle is operable to control the driveline to switch from first mode to the second mode responsive to a speed of the vehicle.

Vehicle and method of controlling a vehicle

In an aspect of the invention there is provided a control method for a vehicle travelling on a surface, the vehicle having a vehicle powertrain for generating and delivering power to the vehicle wheels, the method including: measuring one or more parameters associated with motion of the vehicle on the surface; comparing the or each of the measured parameters with a predetermined threshold for said measured parameter that is indicative of a level at which wheel slip of the vehicle may occur; and in circumstances in which one or more of the measured parameters exceeds the predetermined threshold, controlling the torque applied by the powertrain to the vehicle wheels to prevent wheel slip.

Growing community of inventors

Rugby, United Kingdom

Paul Beever