Accelerator pedal control system for automotive vehicle

Claim 2

An accelerator pedal control system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises: (a) an accelerator pedal; (b) a throttle valve; (c) means for detecting a stroke of said accelerator pedal and outputting an accelerator pedal stroke signal; (d) means for calculating a target throttle valve opening rate in response to the detected accelerator pedal stroke signal and generating a target throttle valve opening rate control command signal corresponding thereto; (e) means for driving said throttle valve in response to the target throttle valve opening rate control command signal; (f) means for detecting that said accelerator pedal is at its zero-stroke position and outputting an accelerator pedal zero-stroke signal; (g) means for detecting that said throttle valve is at its initial position and outputting a throttle valve initial-position signal; and (h) means for generting an abnormality command signal when the throttle-valve initial-position signal is not outputted within a predetermined time interval after the accelerator pedal zero-stroke signal has been outputted.

Claim 3

An accelerator pedal control system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises: (a) an accelerator pedal; (b) a throttle valve; (c) accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch for outputting a pedal zero-stroke signal when said accelerator pedal is at its zero-stroke position; (d) an accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer for outputting a pedal stroke signal indicative of the actual pedal stroke; (e) a throttle valve initial position switch for outputting a throttle initial position signal when said throttle valve is at its initial position; (f) a throttle valve potentiometer for outputting a throttle valve position signal indicative of the actual opening rate; (g) a microcomputer responsive to said accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch, said accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer, and said throttle valve initial position switch, said microcomputer determining a target throttle valve opening rate according to the detected pedal stroke signal in accordance with table look-up method and interpolation calculation and outputting a target throttle valve opening rate control command signal, said microcomputer further starting a timer function in response to the pedal zero-stroke signal and outputting an abnormality signal when the throttle initial position signal is not inputted thereto within a predetermined time interval after the pedal zero-stroke signal has been inputted thereto; and (h) a servomotor driver for driving said throttle valve to a target opening rate in response to the target control command signal outputted from said microcomputer and the throttle valve position signal outputted from said throttle valve potentiometer.

Claim 4

An accelerator pedal control system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises: (a) an accelerator pedal; (b) a throttle valve; (c) accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch for outputting a pedal zero-stroke signal when said accelerator pedal is at its zero-stroke position; (d) an accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer for outputting a pedal stroke signal indicative of the actual pedal stroke; (e) a throttle valve initial position switch for outputting a throttle initial position signal when said throttle valve is at its initial position; (f) a throttle valve potentiometer for outputting a throttle valve position signal indicative of the actual opening rate; (g) a microcomputer responsive to said accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch, said accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer, and said throttle valve initial position switch, said microcomputer determining a target throttle valve opening rate according to the detected pedal stroke signal in accordance with table look-up method and interpolation calculation and outputting a target throttle valve opening rate control command signal, said microcomputer further starting a timer function in response to the pedal zero-stroke signal and outputting an abnormality signal when the throttle initial position signal is not inputted thereto within a predetermined time interval after the pedal zero-stroke signal has been inputted thereto; and (h) a servomotor driver for driving said throttle valve to a target opening rate in response to the target control command signal outputted from said microcomputer and the throttle valve position signal outputted from said throttle valve potentiometer.

Claim 5

An accelerator pedal control system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises: (a) an accelerator pedal; (b) a throttle valve; (c) accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch for outputting a pedal zero-stroke signal when said accelerator pedal is at its zero-stroke position; (d) an accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer for outputting a pedal stroke signal indicative of the actual pedal stroke; (e) a throttle valve initial position switch for outputting a throttle initial position signal when said throttle valve is at its initial position; (f) a throttle valve potentiometer for outputting a throttle valve position signal indicative of the actual opening rate; (g) a microcomputer responsive to said accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch, said accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer, said throttle valve initial position switch, and said throttle valve potentiometer, said microcomputer determining a target throttle valve opening rate according to the detected pedal stroke signal in accordance with table look-up method and interpolation calculation and outputting a throttle valve opening rate difference control command signal between the determined target opening rate and the actual opening rate, said microcomputer further starting a timer function in response to the pedal zero-stroke signal and outputting an abnormality signal when the throttle initial position signal is not inputted thereto within a predetermined time interval after the pedal zero-stroke signal has been inputted thereto; and (h) an actuator for driving said throttle valve to a target opening rate in response to the difference control command signal outputted from said microcomputer.

Claim 6

An accelerator pedal control system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises: (a) an accelerator pedal; (b) a throttle valve; (c) accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch for outputting a pedal zero-stroke signal when said accelerator pedal is at its zero-stroke position; (d) an accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer for outputting a pedal stroke signal indicative of the actual pedal stroke; (e) a throttle valve initial position switch for outputting a throttle initial position signal when said throttle valve is at its initial position; (f) a throttle valve potentiometer for outputting a throttle valve position signal indicative of the actual opening rate; (g) a microcomputer responsive to said accelerator pedal zero-stroke switch, said accelerator pedal stroke potentiometer, said throttle valve initial position switch, and said throttle valve potentiometer, said microcomputer determining a target throttle valve opening rate according to the detected pedal stroke signal in accordance with table look-up method and interpolation calculation and outputting a throttle valve opening rate difference control command signal between the determined target opening rate and the actual opening rate, said microcomputer further starting a timer function in response to the pedal zero-stroke signal and outputting an abnormality signal when the throttle initial position signal is not inputted thereto within a predetermined time interval after the pedal zero-stroke signal has been inputted thereto; and (h) an actuator for driving said throttle valve to a target opening rate in response to the difference control command signal outputted from said microcomputer.