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

• US 20040030481A1
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Salib, Albert Chenouda
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,468 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 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/159 characterised by computing methods or stabilisation processes or systems, e.g. responding to yaw rate, lateral wind, load, road condition

Abstract

A method for sensitizing the roll signal for a rollover control system (18) is provided. A sensitizing method for controlling a vehicle includes when the relative roll angle reaches a threshold, initiating a wheel departure angle determination, boosting control effort and controlling a safety system (38) in response to the computed roll angles.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

determining a relative roll angle;

when the relative roll angle reaches a threshold, initiating a wheel departure angle determination; and

controlling a safety system in response to the wheel departure angle.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining the vehicle is in a transition;

and

when the relative roll angle reaches a threshold and the vehicle is in the transition, initiating a determination of a wheel departure angle.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transition is a right to left transition.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transition is a left to right transition.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of initiating is performed when the relative roll angle increases to the threshold.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising a generating a roll signal for control in response to the wheel departure angle and wherein controlling a safety system comprises controlling a safety system in response to the roll signal for control.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling a safety system comprises controlling a rollover control system to counteract a vehicle rollover.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising detecting a double wheel lift;

and

boosting the roll signal for control in response to the double wheel lift.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising applying a brake pressure to counteract rollover, determining the vehicle may be bouncing, in response to bouncing holding the brake pressure.

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

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

10. A method of operating a control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

determining the vehicle is in a transition;

determining a relative roll angle;

when the relative roll angle reaches a threshold and the vehicle is in a transition, initiating a wheel departure angle determination;

determining a roll signal for control in response to the wheel departure angle; and

controlling a safety system in response to the roll signal for control.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising detecting a double wheel lift;

and

boosting the roll signal for control in response to the double wheel lift.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising applying a brake pressure to counteract rollover, determining the vehicle may be bouncing, in response to bouncing holding the brake pressure.

13. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

determining a roll signal for control;

determining a relative roll angle;

determining a double wheel lift; and

in response to determining double wheel lift and the relative roll angle, increasing the roll signal for control to a boosted roll signal for control.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising performing increasing when the left side is lifted and the relative roll angle is positive.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising performing increasing when the right side is lifted and he relative roll angle is negative.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

applying a brake pressure to prevent rollover;

determining the vehicle is bouncing; and

holding the brake pressure when the vehicle is bouncing.