METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SETTING A DRIVING MODE OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for setting a driving mode of a vehicle which is driven by at least one electric machine, wherein several levels of a recuperation mode and a coasting mode are provided for the vehicle mode, wherein a first operating step or a second operating step is carried out with an operating element, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is raised upon a one-time carrying out of the first operating step with the operating element, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is set by one-time carrying out of the first operating step with the operating element which level is higher than a lowest level of the recuperation mode, wherein the coasting mode is directly set up when carrying out the second operating step with the operating element starting from the set, in particular higher level of the recuperation mode.

Claims

1. A method for setting a driving mode of a vehicle comprising: driving at least one electric machine, wherein several levels of a recuperation mode and a coasting mode are provided for the vehicle mode, wherein a first operating step or a second operating step is carried out with an operating element, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is raised upon a one-time carrying out of the first operating step with the operating element, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is set by one-time carrying out of the first operating step with the operating element which level is higher than a lowest level of the recuperation mode, wherein the coasting mode is directly set when carrying out the second operating step with the operating element starting from the set, in particular higher level of the recuperation mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when carrying out the first operating step a first movement is made and when carrying out the second operating step a second movement is made.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is perceptually accelerated by an inertia of a mass of a passenger by setting the coasting mode starting from the currently set level of the recuperation mode.

4. A system for setting a driving mode of a vehicle which is driven by at least one electric machine, wherein several levels of a recuperation mode and a coasting mode are provided for the driving mode, wherein the system comprises an operating element for carrying out a first operating step and a second operating step, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is raised upon a one-time carrying out of the first operating step with the operating element, wherein a level of the recuperation mode is set by a one-time carrying out of the first operating stem with the operating element which level is higher than a lowest level of the recuperation mode, wherein the coasting mode is directly set upon carrying out the second operating step with the operating element starting from the set, in particular higher level of the recuperation mode.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the operating element comprises: at least one selection switch with which the first operating step and the second operating step can be carried out, wherein the level for the recuperation mode is selected and set when carrying out the first operating step with the at least one selection switch, and wherein the coasting mode is selected and set when carrying out the second operating step with the at least one selection switch.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the operating element comprises: a selection switch with which a first movement connected to the first operating step and a second movement connected to the second operating step can be carried out, wherein the level for the recuperation mode can be selected and set when carrying out the first movement, and wherein the coasting mode can be selected and set when carrying out the second movement.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the operating element comprises: two selection switches, wherein a first movement connected to the first operating step can be carried out with a first selection switch and a second movement connected to the second operating step can be carried out with a second operating step, wherein the level for the recuperation mode is selected and set by operating the first selection switch by carrying out the first movement, and wherein the coasting mode is selected and set by operating the second selection switch by carrying out the second movement.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the two movements are opposite one another.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein a selection switch is constructed as a sliding button or in which two selection switches are each constructed as a push button of a steering wheel rocker.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle is perceptually accelerated by an inertia of a mass of a passenger by setting the coasting mode starting from the currently set level of the recuperation mode.

11. The system according to claim 5, wherein the operating element comprises: a selection switch with which a first movement connected to the first operating step and a second movement connected to the second operating step can be carried out, wherein the level for the recuperation mode can be selected and set when carrying out the first movement, and wherein the coasting mode can be selected and set when carrying out the second movement.

12. The system according to claim 5, wherein the operating element comprises: two selection switches, wherein a first movement connected to the first operating step can be carried out with a first selection switch and a second movement connected to the second operating step can be carried out with a second operating step, wherein the level for the recuperation mode is selected and set by operating the first selection switch by carrying out the first movement, and wherein the coasting mode is selected and set by operating the second selection switch by carrying out the second movement.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the two movements are opposite one another.

14. The system according to claim 6, wherein a selection switch is constructed as a sliding button or in which two selection switches are each constructed as a push button of a steering wheel rocker.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein a selection switch is constructed as a sliding button or in which two selection switches are each constructed as a push button of a steering wheel rocker.

16. The system according to claim 8, wherein a selection switch is constructed as a sliding button or in which two selection switches are each constructed as a push button of a steering wheel rocker.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The invention is schematically represented in the drawings using embodiments and is schematically described in detail with reference made to the drawings.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the system according to the invention for a vehicle for carrying out an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a first variant of an operating element of the embodiment of the system according to the invention in FIG. 1.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a second variant of an operating element for the embodiment of the system according to the invention in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The schematically shown embodiment of the system 2 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, is provided here as vehicle 4 constructed as and/or to be designated as a motor vehicle. The vehicle 4 comprises at least one electric machine 6, at least one electrical energy store 8 constructed here as a battery and several wheels 10 for moving the vehicle 4.

[0049] Several driving modes can be set and/or executed for the vehicle 4. In order to drive the vehicle 4, electrical energy is transmitted from the energy storage 8 or optionally from an energy source, e.g., from a fuel cell if the vehicle 4 is be constructed as a fuel cell vehicle, to the at least one electric machine 6, which is operated in this case as an engine and converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy by which the wheels 10 are turned and the vehicle 4 is driven and therefore moved, wherein an engine-driven driving mode is carried out for the vehicle 4.

[0050] Furthermore, in order to brake the vehicle 4, it is provided that the at least one electric machine 6 is operated as a generator and a recuperation mode is set as a braking driving mode for the vehicle 4, wherein mechanical energy resulting from the movement of the vehicle 4 is converted back into electrical energy by the at least one electric machine 6 and is transmitted further to the at least one electrical energy storage 8. It is also provided here that different levels and therefore different strengths can be set for the recuperation mode.

[0051] An operating element 12 of the vehicle 4 is used when carrying out the embodiment of the method. In configuration, a first variant of the operating element 12a which is schematically shown in FIG. 2 can be used, or the second variant of the operating element 12b schematically shown in FIG. 3 can be used. The first variant 12a comprises a first selection switch 14 and a second selection switch 16. The second variant of the operating element 12b comprises only one selection switch 18. Therefore, each variant of the operating element 12, 12a and 12b comprises at least one selection switch 14, 16, 18.

[0052] Furthermore, a first operating step and/or at least one second operating step for actuating the operating element 12, 12a or 12b can be carried out by the at least one selection switch 14, 16, 18. It is provided here for the recuperation mode of the vehicle 4 that several, e.g., n levels are possible for the recuperation mode, wherein n2. A level of the recuperation mode is to be raised here by a one-time carrying out of the first operating step. If the vehicle 4 is originally in a driven engine driving mode or in the coasting mode, the first, lowest level of the recuperation mode is carried out by a one-time carrying out of the first operating step. A level of the recuperation mode is raised in a corresponding manner by a renewed carrying out of the first operating step. If the second operating step is carried out in the framework of the method, the coasting mode is set immediately and/or directly, independent of which level should currently be set for the recuperation mode.

[0053] If the method is carried out with the first variant of the operating element 12a, the first operating step is carried out by operating and/or actuating the first selecting switch 14. In contrast thereto, the second operating step is carried out by operating the second selection switch 16.

[0054] If the method is carried out with the second variant of the operating element 12b, which has only one selection switch 18, the first operating step is carried out by actuating and/or operating this one selection switch 18 while carrying out a first movement in a first direction, in contrast to which the second operating step is carried out by actuating and/or operating the one selection switch 18 while carrying out a second movement different from the first movement in a second direction. It is possible here that the first movement and/or the first direction and the second movement and/or direction are opposingly oriented.

[0055] Independently of with which variant of the operating element 12, 12a, 12b the method is carried out and therefore a particular driving mode of the vehicle 4 is set, a level of the recuperation mode is usually gradually raised by carrying out the first operating step, in contrast to which the coasting mode is directly set by a one-time carrying out of the second operating step from any currently set level of the recuperation mode. This results in the fact for a passenger of the vehicle 4, based on an inertia of his/her mass, that the vehicle stalled by the recuperation mode is perceived to be accelerated by him/her by directly shifting into the coasting mode.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0056] System 2 [0057] Vehicle 4 [0058] Electrical machine 6 [0059] Energy storage 8 [0060] Wheel 10 [0061] Operating element 12, 12a, 12b [0062] Selection switch 14, 16, 18