Method for automatically adjusting reference models in vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) systems

• US 20050096799A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boswell, Karen A., Bedner, Edward J., Martens, John D., Chen, Hsien H., McDonald, Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US10/994,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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 2600/02 Retarders, delaying means, dead zones, threshold values, cut-off frequency, timer interruption
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/20 Manual control or setting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/016 Yawing condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/212 Transversal; Side-slip during cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/70 Estimating or calculating vehicle parameters or state variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/022 Rear-wheel steering; Four-wheel steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/86 Optimizing braking by using ESP vehicle or tire model
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17552 responsive to the tire sideslip angle or the vehicle body slip angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• 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 automatically adjusting a vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) system is disclosed. The VSE system is used in conjunction with a steering system having a plurality of driver-selectable steering modes associated therewith. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes configuring a reference model within the VSE system to generate desired vehicle handling aspects, the desired vehicle handling aspects being a function of one or more driver inputs to the steering system. Then, a determination is made as to which of the plurality of driver-selectable steering modes is activated, wherein each of the desired vehicle handling aspects generated is made further dependent upon a specific steering mode selected.

Claims

1. A method for automatically adjusting a vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) system, the method comprising:

configuring a reference model within the VSE system to generate desired vehicle handling aspects, said desired vehicle handling aspects being a function of one or more driver inputs to a steering system and including at least one of a desired steady state yaw rate, a desired steady state sideslip, a desired damping ratio, and a desired natural frequency;

configuring a set of lookup tables for generating each of said desired vehicle handling aspects, wherein each lookup table within said set of lookup tables is individually tuned so as to correspond to said specific steering mode selected; and

determining which of a plurality of driver selectable steering modes associated with the steering system is activated;

wherein each of said desired vehicle handling aspects generated is further dependent upon a specific steering mode selected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more driver inputs further comprise:

a handwheel angle (HWA); and

a vehicle speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired steady state yaw rate have said HWA as a first input thereto, and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired steady state sideslip have said HWA as a first input thereto, and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired damping ratio have said vehicle speed as a first input thereto; and

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired natural frequency have said vehicle speed as a first input thereto.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

configuring a switching mechanism, said switching mechanism having a plurality of outputs therefrom corresponding to said desired vehicle handling aspects; and

said switching mechanism further having said set of lookup tables as inputs thereto;

wherein, responsive to said specific steering mode selected, said switching mechanism selectively couples said inputs thereto to said outputs therefrom.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said desired steady state yaw rate for a given selected steering mode is generated by:

configuring a base lookup table to accept said HWA as a first input thereto and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

configuring a rear angle lookup table to accept a commanded, open-loop rear wheel angle (RWA) as a first input thereto and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto; and

summing a resulting output from said base lookup table with a resulting output from said rear angle lookup table.

2. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

8. A vehicle stability enhancement (VSE) system, comprising:

a reference model configured to generate desired vehicle handling aspects, said desired vehicle handling aspects being a function of one or more driver inputs to a steering system and including at least one of a desired steady state yaw rate, a desired steady state sideslip, a desired damping ratio, and a desired natural frequency, said steering system having a plurality of driver selectable steering modes associated therewith;

a vehicle state estimator, said vehicle state estimator accepting vehicle inputs thereto and generating vehicle parameter estimations therefrom;

a set of lookup tables configured for generating each of said desired vehicle handling aspects, wherein each lookup table within said set of lookup tables is individually tuned so as to correspond to said specific steering mode selected; and

a vehicle control block, said vehicle control block receiving said desired vehicle handling aspects and said vehicle parameter estimations as inputs thereto, and said vehicle control block further generating vehicle control outputs to be applied to said steering system;

wherein each of said desired vehicle handling aspects generated is further dependent upon a specific driver selectable steering mode selected.

10. The VSE system of claim 8, wherein said one or more driver inputs further comprise:

a handwheel angle (HWA); and

a vehicle speed.

12. The VSE system of claim 8, wherein:

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired steady state yaw rate have said HWA as a first input thereto, and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired steady state sideslip have said HWA as a first input thereto, and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired damping ratio have said vehicle speed as a first input thereto; and

said set of lookup tables corresponding to said desired natural frequency have said vehicle speed as a first input thereto.

13. The VSE system of claim 12, further comprising:

a switching mechanism configured to have a plurality of outputs therefrom corresponding to said desired vehicle handling aspects; and

said switching mechanism further having said set of lookup tables as inputs thereto;

wherein, responsive to said specific steering mode selected, said switching mechanism selectively couples said inputs thereto to said outputs therefrom.

14. The VSE system of claim 10, wherein said desired steady state yaw rate for a given selected steering mode is generated by:

a base lookup table configured to accept said HWA as a first input thereto and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto;

a rear angle lookup table configured to accept a commanded, open-loop rear wheel angle (RWA) as a first input thereto and said vehicle speed as a second input thereto; and

a resulting output from said base lookup table being summed with a resulting output from said rear angle lookup table.

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)