1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a system of continuous measurements and transformations of signals which come from the potentiometer of an electronic acceleration pedal of a modern car.
2. Background
Lately there has been an increase in the complaints of drivers of new technology cars having an electronic acceleration pedal, concerning the lack of acceleration response to the driver's orders.
In new technology cars, the command of acceleration is not transmitted with the traditional wire (the mechanical way). Instead, the command is transmitted from the driver's foot to the electronic control unit (ECU) with a potentiometer (electronic acceleration pedal).
The application of the electronic acceleration pedal has resulted in bad acceleration of the car and the problems caused in the overacting and generally the circulation of vehicles.
This invention is designed to cover the disadvantage of poor acceleration of cars that have an electronic acceleration pedal.
The basic operation of the amplifier of acceleration signals for new technology cars is the digital transformation of the signals of the potentiometer with proper software and their transmission to the control unit.
Simultaneously with the transformation of acceleration signals, the device also executes a second operation, which is to maintain a steady speed when a switch is pressed by the driver (automatic pilot/cruise control).
The amplifier of acceleration signals for new technology cars has as a basic item a microprocessor which is programmed to measures the signals from the acceleration potentiometer, and supply the ECU with new signals which will improve the acceleration of the vehicle and will keep the speed of the vehicle steady during long travels, when it is chosen by the driver.
The invention is fully applied as it refers to changing of the signals of the electronic acceleration pedal, and it does not alter the structure of the central program of the car.
One more advantage of the device is the possibility of its inactivation by pressing a switch on the car board (grounding command).
In an exemplary embodiment, the circuitry changes the signals of the electronic acceleration pedal by multiplying the signals by an amount that is functionally dependent on the rate of change in position of the electronic accelerator. In other exemplary embodiments the amount is functionally dependent on the angular speed of the electronic accelerator. In other exemplary embodiments, the amount is proportional to the angular speed of the electronic accelerator. In other exemplary embodiments, the amount increases by a factor of F over a default value, e.g. 1.0, when the angular speed increases by a factor of G over a threshold value of the angular speed, e.g. 30°/sec, wherein F=c*G, where c is a pre-defined constant. In an exemplary embodiment, the constant can be adjusted by the user, e.g. an operator of a vehicle. In another exemplary embodiment, the constant is determined based on at least one input signal from the user.
In another exemplary embodiment, the amount is substantially dependent on the rate of change in position of said electronic accelerator, but substantially independent of an absolute position of said electronic accelerator. In some embodiments the amount is substantially independent of one single absolute position of the electronic accelerator, but substantially dependent on the difference between two absolute positions of the electronic accelerator.
In another exemplary embodiment, the amount can be varied by a user in order to obtain variable ratios of a second value represented by the output signals to a first value represented by the input signals. In some exemplary embodiments, the first value and/or the second value may be represented using a pulse-width-modulated voltage.
In another exemplary embodiment, the input signals represent at least a first value and the output signals represent at least a second value. In other exemplary embodiments the input signals and/or the output signals may represent one or more additional values. In other exemplary embodiments, any of these values may be represented using a pulse-width-modulated voltage.
In another exemplary embodiment, the step of multiplying the input signals comprises multiplying the first value by the amount to obtain the second value. In some exemplary embodiments, the amount is a factor G of the current angular speed over a threshold value of the angular speed, e.g. 30°/sec, multiplied by d, where d is a pre-defined constant. In an exemplary embodiment, the constant d can be adjusted by the user, e.g. an operator of a vehicle.
The invention is presented below with reference to the following drawings.
The signals from the acceleration potentiometer (
The microprocessor (
The signals at the entry of the microprocessor are compared between each other as well as the altered signals at the exit of the microprocessor. Another algorithm oversees the comparisons of the signals and decides whether the entry signals and their transformations should be accepted before being sent to the exit the device.
As long as the device is interfaced between the acceleration potentiometer (
When the car develops some speed, e.g. 80 km/hour, then if the driver presses the auto-pilot switch (
If the program recognizes these two conditions (switch and pedal), then it will enable the operation of the automatic pilot.
Now the microprocessor does not alter the signals of the electronic acceleration pedal, but it reads the RPM of the engine and increases or decreases the commands to the ECU with final result to keep the RPM of the engine steady as well as the speed of the car, without the driver having to press the acceleration pedal.
The pulses from the injectors (
In order to take the program out of auto pilot operation, one of the following should be done: the driver should either press the brake pedal (FIG, 2, box E), or press acceleration pedal again, (
The amplifier of acceleration signals and auto pilot (
Control unit 310 generates user input signals based on the input from the user and provides the user input signals to the microprocessor (
The system is completed in a device which is placed in the interior of the car and is attached to the connector of the acceleration pedal.
The designing of the device allows its easy installation in all models in a simple way, without needing to get into the electronic circuits of the car. (Is not influenced the operation of circuits of the car, e.g., injection system-ignition system, ABS etc.).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20050100600 | Dec 2005 | GR | national |
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/418,946, filed on Mar. 13, 2012 by the same inventors, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/094,824, filed Nov. 17, 2008 by the same inventors, which is a 35 U.S.C. §371 application of International Application No. PCT/GROG/00065, filed Nov. 28, 2006 by the same inventors and published in English, and claims priority to Greek Application No. GR 20050100600, filed by the same inventors in Greece on Dec. 9, 2005. Each of the above-referenced applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12094824 | Nov 2008 | US |
Child | 13418946 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13418946 | Mar 2012 | US |
Child | 14226340 | US |