Vehicle-dynamics control method and system for a vehicle train

• US 20040148085A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heuer, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• 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 8/1766 Proportioning of brake forces according to vehicle axle loads, e.g. front to rear of vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle-dynamics control method and system for a vehicle train comprising a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle. The vehicle-dynamics control system provided in the tractor vehicle, on the basis of vehicle-dynamics signals measured in the tractor vehicle, delivers brake-demand values (BAW) to the trailer vehicle. The trailer vehicle is equipped with a brake system, in which the brakes of the trailer vehicle can be actuated on the basis of the BAW. The vehicle-dynamics control method and system use data signals received from the trailer vehicle and calculates the BAW and permits activation of the brake system of the trailer vehicle while at the same time avoiding an undesirably large reduction of the cornering forces on the wheels of the trailer vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle-dynamics control method for a vehicle train, the vehicle train including a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the tractor vehicle having a vehicle-dynamics control system arranged and constructed to deliver a brake-demand value to the trailer vehicle based on vehicle dynamics signals measured in the tractor vehicle, the trailer vehicle having a brake system responsive to the brake-demand value from the vehicle-dynamics control system of the tractor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of receiving in said vehicle-dynamics control system data signals from said trailer vehicle associated with vehicle dynamics and calculating said brake-demand value based on said data signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising the step of determining wheel speed of at least one of said wheels of said trailer vehicle based on said data signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising the steps of calculating an average value of wheel speeds of two of said wheels of said trailer vehicle, and calculating a difference value representing the difference between said wheel speeds of said two of said wheels, said data signals including at least one of said average value and said difference value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of receiving in said vehicle-dynamics control system data signals from said trailer vehicle associated with vehicle dynamics and calculating said brake-demand value based on said data signals are effected in accordance with ISO Standard 11992.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising the step of identifying a lockup tendency of said wheels of said trailer vehicle based on said data signals.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of limiting said brake-demand value to a maximum value when a lockup tendency of said wheels of said trailer vehicle is identified.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of identifying a lockup tendency includes monitoring ground speed of said trailer vehicle and said wheel speed of said trailer vehicle and comparing the difference between said ground speed and said wheel speed against a preselected deviation value.

8. A system for effecting vehicle-dynamics control in a vehicle train, the vehicle train including a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the system comprising means associated with said tractor vehicle arranged and constructed to deliver a brake-demand value to said trailer vehicle based on vehicle dynamics signals measured in said tractor vehicle, said trailer vehicle having a brake system responsive to said brake-demand value, means for receiving in said tractor vehicle data signals from said trailer vehicle associated with vehicle dynamics, and means for calculating said brake-demand value based on said data signals.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising means for determining wheel speed of at least one of said wheels of said trailer vehicle based on said data signals.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising means for calculating an average value of wheel speeds of two of said wheels of said trailer vehicle, and means for calculating a difference value representing the difference between said wheel speeds of said two of said wheels, said data signals including at least one of said average value and said difference value.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said means for receiving in said vehicle-dynamics control system data signals from said trailer vehicle associated with vehicle dynamics and said means for calculating said brake-demand value based on said data signals comply with ISO Standard 11992.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said trailer vehicle includes wheels, and further comprising means for identifying a lockup tendency of said wheels of said trailer vehicle based on said data signals.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for limiting said brake-demand value to a maximum value when a lockup tendency of said wheels of said trailer vehicle is identified.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for identifying a lockup tendency includes means for monitoring ground speed of said trailer vehicle and said wheel speed of said trailer vehicle and means for comparing the difference between said ground speed and said wheel speed against a preselected deviation value.