Vehicle stability control enhancement using tire force characteristics

• US 20050080546A1
• Filed: 11/01/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Milot, Danny R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 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 2400/52 in tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/64 Wheel forces, e.g. on hub, spindle or bearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/016 Yawing condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/214 by varying the load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/215 by applying a braking action on each wheel individually
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/22 Braking, stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/24 Steering, cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9122 ARS - Anti-Roll System Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/95 Automatic Traction or Slip Control [ATC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/952 Electronic driving torque distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/984 Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/06 Active Suspension System
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/86 : Optimizing braking by using ESP vehicle or tire model
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1725 : Using tyre sensors, e.g. Sidewall Torsion sensors [SWT] for tyre pressure and temperature detection B60C23/00
• 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: B60W 10/10 : including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 : with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 : including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1307 : Load distribution on each wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0031 : Mathematical model of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/20 : Sideslip angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 : Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/125 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/403 : between front and rear axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 : Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/11 : Pitch movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/112 : Roll movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 : Yaw movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

A method of controlling an advanced chassis control system of a vehicle such as an anti-lock brake system, traction control system, vehicle stability control system, or roll control system affecting the vehicle dynamic performance and safety is disclosed. A control unit controls the operation of the advanced chassis control system based at least in part upon predictions of force generating characteristics of tires of the vehicle and driver input signals. The advanced chassis control system of the vehicle is controlled in one manner if the tire is determined to be inflated, controlled in another, different manner if the tire is determined to be deflated. During normal driving, the chassis control systems can operate to control the vehicle according to the desires of the driver while accounting for at least one tire being deflated. During braking the controller can act to distribute braking forces in order to divert forces from the deflated tire to the inflated tires.

Claims

1. A vehicle stability control system comprising:

a tire state detector that determines whether a tire is in at least one of an inflated and deflated state; and

a vehicle stability controller, wherein the controller actuates to control the forces applied to the tire in a first manner based on the tire being inflated and in a second manner based on the tire being deflated;

wherein the detector is adapted to determine whether at least one tire is in at least one of an inflated and deflated state; and

the vehicle stability controller is adapted to control the forces applied to at least one tire based on the tire being one of inflated and deflated.

2. The vehicle stability control system defined in claim 1 wherein said first manner of force control is for the controller to transmit a driving force signal and a braking force signal to control driving force and braking force applied to the tire in dependence upon an input signal to the control system.

3. The vehicle stability control system defined in claim 2 wherein said second manner of force control comprises:

the controller taking the input driving force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased driving force signal; and

the controller taking the input braking force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased braking force signal.

4. The vehicle stability control system defined in claim 1 wherein said first manner of force control comprises:

the controller taking the input driving force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased driving force signal to, respectively, increase and decrease the driving force at least one of the inflated tires;

the controller taking the input braking force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased braking force signal to, respectively, increase and decrease the driving force at least one of the inflated tires; and

wherein said second manner of force control comprises;

the controller taking the input driving force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased driving force signal to, respectively, increase and decrease the driving force the deflated tire; and

the controller taking the input braking force signal and transmitting one of an increased and decreased braking force signal to, respectively, increase and decrease the driving force the deflated tire.

5. The vehicle stability control system defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle response sensor, wherein said vehicle response sensor detects at least one of tire rotational speed, front tire steering angle, rear tire steering angle, lateral acceleration, and vehicle yaw rate.

6. The vehicle stability control system defined in claim 5 wherein the response detected by the vehicle response sensor is input into the vehicle stability controller and wherein the controller outputs an active correction signal in response to the input.

7. A method of controlling vehicle stability comprising:

a) determining an inflation state of at least one vehicle tire;

b) processing the inflation state data in a controller; and

c) actuating the controller to output a control signal based on the inflation state of the tire to regulate at least one of drive forces and brake forces applied to the tire on the vehicle.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the inflation state of the tire is at least one of inflated and deflated.

9. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the controller is adapted to regulate at least one of a front tire steering angle, a rear tire steering angle, lateral acceleration, and vehicle yaw rate.

10. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising, following step c), the steps of:

d) determining a driver input drive force signal, brake force, and steering angle;

e) adding the driver input signals to the controller signal; and

f) regulating the tire steering angle.

11. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising, following step c), the steps of:

d) determining a driver input signal for at least one of drive force, brake force and steering angle;

e) comparing the driver input signal to an actual vehicle response in the controller; and

f) outputting at least one output signal from the controller to compensate for a difference between the driver input signal and the actual vehicle response, wherein said at least one output signal modifies at least one of drive force, brake force, and tire steering angle.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the driver input signals are measured by a sensor, said sensor being adapted to determine at least one of tire air pressure, tire temperature, and indirect force applied to the tire.

13. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising a step e1) between steps e) and f):

e1) measuring tire rotational speed, lateral acceleration and vehicle yaw rate to determine the actual vehicle response.

14. A chassis control system for a vehicle having tires comprising:

a mechanism for determining tire condition characteristics;

an estimator using the tire condition characteristics to estimate tire force generating characteristics; and

an electronic control unit for controlling the operation of the chassis control system based on the estimated tire force generating characteristics;

wherein the chassis control system of the vehicle is controlled in one manner if the tires are determined to be inflated, and controlled in another, different manner if at least one of the tires is determined to be deflated.

15. The chassis control system defined in claim 14 further comprising a plurality of sensors adapted to detect a driver input signal, wherein the driver input signal is at least one of drive force, brake force and steering angle.

16. The chassis control system defined in claim 15 wherein the driver input signal is processed by the electronic control unit and the operation of the chassis control system is based at least in part on said driver input signal.

17. The chassis control system defined in claim 14 wherein said tires are run-flat tires.

18. The chassis control system defined in claim 17 wherein the chassis control system operates to limit a brake force and driving force applied to one of the run-flat tires when said one of the run-flat tires is in a deflated state;

and

the chassis control system operates to compensate for limited forces applied to the deflated tire by at least one of reducing and increasing brake forces and driving forces applied to the inflated run-flat tires.

19. A vehicle stability control system comprising:

a driver input signal detector that determines the drive force, brake force and steering angle commanded by the driver;

a tire state detector that determines whether a tire is in an inflated or deflated state;

a plurality of sensors adapted to measure a vehicle response to at least one of operating conditions and the driver input signal; and

a vehicle stability controller, the controller utilizing input signals from the sensors, the driver input signal, and tire state detector to output a control signal to operate the vehicle according to the driver command.