Road condition estimation apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control means for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels of said vehicle, comprising:
- actuating signal detection means for detecting an actuating signal for-actuating said device of said steering control means;
aligning torque estimation means for estimating an aligning torque produced on said wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by said actuating signal detection means;
vehicle state variable detection means for detecting a state variable of said vehicle;
wheel factor estimation means for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and a slip angle applied to said wheel on the basis of the state variable detected by said vehicle state variable detection means; and
grip factor estimation means for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of said wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the aligning torque estimated by said aligning torque estimation means and the wheel factor estimated by said wheel factor estimation means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having a steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels. The apparatus includes an actuating signal detection unit for detecting an actuating signal for actuating the device of the steering control unit, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on the wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by the actuating signal detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and a slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the estimated aligning torque and the estimated wheel factor.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control means for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels of said vehicle, comprising:
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actuating signal detection means for detecting an actuating signal for-actuating said device of said steering control means;
aligning torque estimation means for estimating an aligning torque produced on said wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by said actuating signal detection means;
vehicle state variable detection means for detecting a state variable of said vehicle;
wheel factor estimation means for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and a slip angle applied to said wheel on the basis of the state variable detected by said vehicle state variable detection means; and
grip factor estimation means for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of said wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the aligning torque estimated by said aligning torque estimation means and the wheel factor estimated by said wheel factor estimation means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle motion control apparatus having an apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control means for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels of said vehicle, comprising:
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actuating signal detection means for detecting an actuating signal for actuating said device of said steering control means;
aligning torque estimation means for estimating an aligning torque produced on said wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by said actuating signal detection means;
vehicle state variable detection means for detecting a state variable of said vehicle;
wheel factor estimation means for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and a slip angle applied to said wheel on the basis of the state variable detected by said vehicle state variable detection means;
grip factor estimation means for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of said wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the alignment torque estimated by said aligning torque estimation means and the wheel factor estimated by said wheel factor estimation means; and
control means for performing at least one of a steering control to front wheels of said vehicle, a steering control to rear wheels of said vehicle and a braking force control to each wheel of said vehicle, on the basis of the grip factor estimated by said grip factor estimation means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification