Integrated sensing system for an automotive system

• US 20040249545A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Brown, Todd Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01325 Vertical acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/06 Sensor zero-point adjustment; Offset compensation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/08 Coordination of integrated systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/09 Complex systems; Conjoint control of two or more vehicle active control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• 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 8/17554 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 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 : Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/125 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/18 : Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/26 : Wheel slip

Abstract

An integrated sensing system for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors include a sensor cluster, a steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors, any other sensors required by subsystem controls. The outputs from the sensing system are used to drive various vehicle control systems and to warn the drivers for certain abnormal operating conditions. The vehicle controls coupled with the integrated sensing system controller achieve control objectives including: fuel economy, chassis controls, traction controls, active safety, active ride comfort, active handling, and passive safety.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising:

a housing;

a sensor cluster within said housing generating a plurality of signals including a roll rate signal, a pitch rate signal, a yaw rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal, a lateral acceleration signal, and a vertical acceleration signal;

an integrated controller receiving at least one of said plurality of signals and generating a vehicle reference velocity signal in response thereto;

a dynamic system controller receiving said vehicle reference velocity signal and generating a dynamic control signal in response thereto; and

a braking system controller receiving said dynamic control signal and further generating a braking signal in response thereto.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said sensor cluster comprises at least three angular rate sensors and at least three linear acceleration sensors.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said integrated controller further comprises a reference signal unit generating an attitude reference computation,

a road profile unit generating a road profile signal,

an attitude unit generating a vehicle attitude signal,

a global attitude unit generating a global position signal,

a directional unit generating a vehicle direction signal,

a directional velocity unit generating a vehicle direction velocity signal,

a sensor plausibility unit generating a sensor plausibility signal,

an abnormal state unit generating an abnormal state signal including information regarding abnormal vehicle conditions,

a sensor signal compensating unit generating a mounting sensor error correction signal,

a force and torque estimation unit generating force, and torque signal in response to forces and torques applied to the vehicle,

a car body to fixed body unit generating a body fixed to rollover fixed foam signal,

a normal loading, unit generating a normal signal, and

a vehicle parameter unit generating a vehicle parameter determination signal,

wherein said integrated controller generates said vehicle reference velocity from at least one of said attitude reference computation, said road profile signal, said vehicle attitude signal, said global position signal, said vehicle direction signal, said sensor plausibility signal, said:

abnormal state signal, said mounting sensor error correction signal, or said force and torque signal.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein signals'"'"' generated from said integrated controller used to initiate control commands for various control systems including, but not limited to:

power-train controls, brake controls, steering controls, transmission controls, and suspension controls, tire under inflation and unbalanced tires warning systems, on-line conditioning systems, and systems for calibration of errors in sensors due to mounting errors and vehicle loading variations.

5. A control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a housing;

a sensor cluster within said housing comprising three angular rate sensors generating angular rate signals and three linear acceleration sensors generating linear acceleration signals, wherein said three angular rate sensors and said three linear acceleration sensors comprise an IMU;

a wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal corresponding to a wheel speed of the vehicle;

a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal;

an integrated controller receiving said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal, said integrated controller generating an estimate of vehicle operation states signals a road condition, and a prediction of vehicle operation states signal in response to said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal;

a vehicle dynamic controller receiving said estimate of vehicle operation states signal, said road condition and said prediction of vehicle operation states signal and generating a rollover control signal in response thereto; and

a rollover stability control system receiving said rollover control signal and operating a braking device in response thereto.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein said vehicle dynamic controller controls vehicle control objectives, such as, but not limited, to yaw stability control, roll stability control, ABS control, traction control, slip control, power-train control, transmission control, drive-train control, suspension control, anti-roll-bar control, vehicle leveling control, fuel economy control, active safety, passive safety, and emission control.

7. A system as in claim 5., wherein said vehicle dynamic controller controls vehicle abnormal state monitoring, including, but not limited to, tire under-inflation detection and monitoring, tire imbalance monitoring and detection, excessive suspension wearing.

8. A system as in claim 5, wherein said vehicle dynamic controller conducts a sensor plausibility check, sensor signal compensation, and sensor signal real-time calibration.

9. A vehicle system comprising:

a yaw sensor generating a yaw angular rate signal;

a wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal;

a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal;

an integrated controller comprising a reference signal unit generating a vehicle reference velocity signal in response to said wheel speed sensor signal, said steering angle signal, and said yaw angular rate signal; and

a vehicle safety system receiving said vehicle reference velocity signal and activating a vehicle safety device in response thereto.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said integrated controller further comprises at least one of a road profile unit generating a road profile signal,

an attitude unit generating a vehicle attitude signal,

a global attitude unit generating a global position signal,

a directional unit generating a vehicle direction signal,

a sensor plausibility unit generating a sensor plausibility signal,

an abnormal state unit generating an abnormal state signal including information regarding abnormal vehicle conditions,

a sensor signal compensating unit generating a mounting sensor error correction signal,

a force and torque estimation unit generating force and torque signal in response to forces and torques applied to the vehicle,

a car body to fixed body unit generating a body fixed to rollover fixed form signal,

a normal loading unit generating a normal bad signal, and

a vehicle parameter unit generating a vehicle parameter determination signal,

wherein said vehicle safety system receives at least one of a plurality of signals including said road profile signal, said vehicle attitude signal, said global position signal, said vehicle direction signal, said sensor plausibility signal, said abnormal state signal, said mounting sensor error correction signal, and said force and torque signal,

and, wherein said vehicle safety system checks said vehicle reference velocity signal with said at least one of said plurality of signals.

11. A system as in claim 9, wherein said yaw sensor is a component of a sensor cluster, said sensor cluster comprising at least three angular rate sensors and at least three linear acceleration sensors.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein said sensor cluster is generating vehicle dynamic signals including a roll rate signal, a yaw rate signal, a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal, a lateral acceleration signal, and a vertical acceleration signal.

13. A vehicle control system comprising:

an IMU sensor cluster comprising at least three angular rate sensors and at least three linear acceleration sensors, said sensor cluster generating vehicle dynamic signals including a roll rate signal, a yaw rate signal, a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal, a lateral acceleration signal, and a vertical acceleration signal; and

an integrated controller comprising a plurality of processing units, said integrated controller receiving said vehicle dynamic signals, said integrated controller generates an estimate of vehicle operation states, a prediction of vehicle operation states, and a vehicle reference velocity signal in response to said vehicle dynamic signals.

14. The system as in claim 13, wherein said estimate of vehicle operation states and said prediction of vehicle operation states include at least one of vehicle global and relative attitudes, vehicle directional velocities, and forces and torques applied to a vehicle.

15. The system as in claim 13, wherein said controller further generates a sensor plausibility check.

16. The system as in claim 13, wherein said controller further monitors the abnormal conditions of the vehicle in motion.

17. The system as in claim 13, wherein said controller further corrects sensor mounting errors of said sensor cluster with respect to said vehicle body.

18. A vehicle system comprising:

an IMU sensor cluster comprising at least three angular rate sensors and at least three linear acceleration sensors, said sensor cluster generating vehicle dynamic signals including a roll rate signal, a yaw rate signal, a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal, a lateral acceleration signal, and a vertical acceleration signal; and

an integrated controller comprising a plurality of processing units receiving said vehicle dynamic signals and generating a plurality of vehicle control signals in response thereto, said plurality of processing units comprising

a reference signal unit generating an attitude reference computation,

a road profile unit generating a road profile signal,

an attitude unit generating a vehicle attitude signal,

a global attitude unit generating a global position signal,

a directional unit generating a vehicle direction signal,

a directional velocity unit generating a vehicle direction velocity signal,

a sensor plausibility unit generating a sensor plausibility signal,

an abnormal state unit generating an abnormal state signal including information regarding abnormal vehicle conditions,

a sensor signal compensating unit generating a mounting sensor error correction signal,

a force and torque estimation unit generating a force and torque signal in response to forces and torques applied to the vehicle,

a car body to fixed body unit generating a body fixed to rollover fixed form signal,

a normal loading unit generating a normal bad signal, and

a vehicle parameter unit generating a vehicle parameter determination signal; and

a vehicle safety system receiving said attitude reference computation, said road profile signal, said vehicle attitude signal, said global position signal, said vehicle direction signal, said sensor plausibility signal, said abnormal state signal, said mounting sensor error correction signal, and said force and torque signal, said vehicle safety system controlling vehicle yaw, anti-lock brakes, and traction control in response thereto.

19. A method for controlling a safety device for a vehicle comprising:

generating a roll rate signal;

generating a pitch rate signal;

generating a yaw rate signal;

generating a longitudinal acceleration signal;

generating a lateral acceleration signal;

generating a vertical acceleration signal;

generating a vehicle reference velocity signal in response to said roll rate signal, said pitch rate signal, said yaw rate signal, said longitudinal acceleration signal, said lateral acceleration signal, and said vertical acceleration signal;

generating a dynamic control signal in response to said vehicle reference velocity signal; and

controlling a vehicle safety device in response to said safety device control signal.

20. A method as in claim 19 further comprising:

generating an attitude reference computation;

generating a road profile signal;

generating a vehicle attitude signal;

generating a global position signal;

generating a vehicle direction signal;

generating a sensor plausibility signal;

generating an abnormal state signal including information regarding abnormal vehicle conditions;

generating a mounting sensor error correction signal;

generating a force and torque signal in response to forces and torques applied to the vehicle; and

generating said safety device control signal in response to a combination of said attitude reference computation, said road profile signal, said vehicle attitude signal, said global position signal, said vehicle direction signal, said sensor plausibility signal, said abnormal state signal said mounting sensor error correction signal, and said force and torque signal.

21. A method as in claim 19, wherein controlling:

said vehicle safety device further comprises controlling yaw stability control, roll stability control, ABS, control, traction control, slip control, power-train control, transmission control, drive-train control, suspension control, anti-roll-bar control, vehicle leveling control, fuel economy control, active safety, passive safety (airbag deployment), and emission control.

22. A method as in claim 19, wherein controlling said vehicle safety device further comprises controlling vehicle abnormal state monitoring, including:

tire under-inflation detection and monitoring, tire imbalance monitoring and detection.