System and method for desensitizing the activation criteria of a rollover control system

• US 20040024512A1
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Salib, Albert Chenouda
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0194 transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/122 Pre-actuation in case of ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/22 Banked curves
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17555 specially adapted for enhancing driver or passenger comfort, e.g. soft intervention or pre-actuation strategies
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/243 for roll-over protection

Abstract

A method of densensitizing includes determining a relative roll angle, determining when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, and when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle, reducing control effort and controlling a safety system (38) correspondingly.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

determining a relative roll angle;

determining when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver; and

when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver and the two inside wheels are grounded, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising when the vehicle is not in a transitional maneuver and the relative roll angle is less than a threshold, setting a reference bank to the maximum of a previously determined reference bank or the relative roll angle plus the wheel departure angle.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising operating a safety system in response to the roll signal for control.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle rollover in response to the roll signal for control.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transitional maneuver is a right to left maneuver.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transitional maneuver is a left to right maneuver.

8. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

determining a relative roll angle;

determining a wheel lift status; and

when the relative roll angle is above a non-transition threshold and the wheel lift status is grounded, adjusting the reference bank angle to the maximum of either the reference bank angle or the relative roll angle plus the wheel departure angle.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising generating a roll signal for control in response to the reference bank angle.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising operating a safety system in response to the roll signal for control.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising a vehicle rollover in response to the roll signal for control.

12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein the wheel lift status is a grounded status at one of two inside wheels.

13. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

determining roll condition;

holding a peak brake pressure to counteract rollover;

determining a first wheel departure angle;

determining a second wheel departure angle after the first wheel departure angle; and

when the change of the first wheel departure angle and the second wheel departure angle is less than a threshold, releasing the peak brake pressure.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising determining a roll rate, when the vehicle is below a predetermined roll rate, releasing the peak pressure.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising counteracting a rollover in response to the brake pressure.

16. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

determining a drive torque;

determining a wheel departure angle; and

when the drive torque is below a first threshold and the wheel departure angle is less than a second threshold, initiating active wheel lift detection.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein initiating comprises requesting an engine torque reduction.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein initiating comprises requesting a brake pressure command to a wheel.