Tire blowout control

• US 10,266,181 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Alvarez Jaime, Angel, Morales Martinez, Zaid Moises
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L
• Application Number:
  US15/378,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20180162411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A vehicle control system to mitigate adverse effects relating to the performance and stability of a vehicle that experienced a tire blowout includes a computer programmed to determine a type of tire blowout based at least on a location of the tire blowout and a steering angle at the time of tire blowout, and based at least on the type of tire blowout, to limit at least one of a powertrain and a braking of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A computer comprising programming for:

determining a tire blowout of a wheel of a vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle at a time of the tire blowout; and

based at least on a location of the wheel and the steering angle, resetting a maximum braking force to be applied to the wheel of the vehicle when braking the vehicle.

2. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

when the location of the wheel is a vehicle front, limiting braking to one or more wheels of the vehicle.

3. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

when the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear and the steering angle is determined to be substantially equal to zero, limiting a powertrain of the vehicle.

4. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle front inside, limiting vehicle braking to one or more wheels by a first amount; and

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle front outside, limiting vehicle braking to one or more wheels by a second amount;

wherein the first amount is less than the second amount.

5. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear inside, a powertrain of the vehicle by a first amount; and

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear outside, limiting the powertrain of the vehicle by a second amount;

wherein the first amount is less than the second amount.

6. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear, limiting a powertrain of the vehicle.

7. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

actuating a lane keeping system based at least on the maximum braking force.

8. The computer of claim 1, the programing further comprising:

actuating a stability system based at least on the maximum braking force.

9. A method comprising:

determining a tire blowout of a wheel of a vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle at a time of the tire blowout; and

based at least on a location of the wheel and the steering angle, resetting a maximum braking force to be applied to the wheel of the vehicle when braking the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the location of the wheel is a vehicle front, limiting vehicle braking to one or more wheels.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear and the steering angle is determined to be substantially equal to zero, limiting a powertrain of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle front inside, limiting vehicle braking to one or more wheels by a first amount; and

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle front outside, limiting vehicle braking to one or more wheels by a second amount;

wherein the first amount is less than the second amount.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear inside, limiting a powertrain of the vehicle by a first amount; and

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear outside, limiting the powertrain of the vehicle by a second amount;

wherein the first amount is less than the second amount.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the steering angle is determined to be substantially greater than zero, and the location of the wheel is a vehicle rear, limiting a powertrain of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

actuating a lane keeping system based at least on the maximum braking force.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

actuating a stability system based at least on the maximum braking force.