Attitude sensing system for an automotive vehicle relative to the road

• US 20050149240A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Meyers, Joseph Carr, Xu, Li, Brown, Todd Allen, Tseng, Hongtei Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/38
• 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 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/912 Attitude Control; levelling control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal
• 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: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/041 about the pitch axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/043 about the roll axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 : Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 : Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 : Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 : Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels

Abstract

A system (18) for controlling a safety system (44) of an automotive vehicle (10) includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36), a vehicle speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a yaw rate sensor, and a controller (26). The controller (26) determines a reference pitch in response to the longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal and a reference roll angle in response to the yaw rate signal, the wheel speed signal and the lateral acceleration signal. The controller (26) determines a roll stability index and a pitch stability index. The controller (26) determines an adjusted pitch angle in response to the reference pitch angle and the pitch stability index and an adjusted roll angle in response to the reference roll angle and the roll stability index. The controller (26) controls the safety system (44) in response to the adjusted roll angle and the adjusted pitch angle.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a safety system of an automotive vehicle comprising:

a longitudinal acceleration sensor generating a longitudinal acceleration signal;

a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

a lateral acceleration sensor generating a lateral acceleration signal;

a yaw rate signal generating a yaw rate signal; and

a controller coupled to the longitudinal acceleration sensor, the vehicle speed sensor, the lateral acceleration sensor and the yaw rate sensor, said controller determining a reference pitch in response to the longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal and a reference roll angle in response to said yaw rate signal, the wheel speed signal and said lateral acceleration signal, said controller determining a roll stability index and a pitch stability index, said controller determining an adjusted pitch angle in response to the reference pitch angle and the pitch stability index and an adjusted roll angle in response to the reference roll angle and the roll stability index, said controller controlling the safety system in response to the adjusted roll angle and the adjusted pitch angle.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wheel speed sensor comprises a plurality of wheel speed sensors.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal, wherein the roll stability index is a function of the steering angle signal.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal, wherein the pitch stability index is a function of the steering angle signal.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the safety system comprises an antilock-brake system, roll stability control system, a traction control system, a yaw control system.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller determines the pitch angle in response to a pitch observer.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a pitch rate sensor generating a pitch rate signal, wherein the pitch observer is a function of pitch rate signal and the yaw rate signal.

8. A system for controlling a safety system of an automotive vehicle comprising:

a longitudinal acceleration sensor generating a longitudinal acceleration signal;

a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal; and

a controller coupled to the longitudinal acceleration sensor and the vehicle speed sensor, said controller determining a reference pitch in response to the longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal, said controller determining a pitch stability index, said controller determining an adjusted pitch angle in response to the reference pitch angle and the pitch stability index, said controller controlling the safety system in response to the adjusted pitch angle.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the wheel speed sensor comprises a plurality of wheel speed sensors.

10. A system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal, wherein the pitch stability index is a function of the steering angle signal.

11. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the controller determines the pitch angle in response to a pitch observer.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a pitch rate sensor generating a pitch rate signal and a yaw rate sensor generating a yaw rate signal, wherein the pitch observer is a function of pitch rate signal and the yaw rate signal.

13. A system for controlling a safety system of an automotive vehicle comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

a lateral acceleration sensor generating a lateral acceleration signal;

a yaw rate signal generating a yaw rate signal; and

a controller coupled to the vehicle speed sensor, the lateral acceleration sensor and the yaw rate sensor, said controller determining a reference roll angle in response to said yaw rate signal, said lateral acceleration signal and the wheel speed signal, said controller determining a roll stability index, said controller determining an adjusted roll angle in response to the reference roll angle and the roll stability index, said controller controlling the safety system in response to the adjusted roll angle.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the controller determines the roll angle in response to a roll observer.

15. A system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a roll rate sensor generating a roll rate signal and a pitch rate sensor generating a pitch rate signal, wherein the roll observer is a function of pitch rate signal, roll rate signal and the yaw rate signal.

16. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the wheel speed sensor comprises a plurality of wheel speed sensors.

17. A system as recited in claim 13 further comprising a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal, wherein the roll stability index is a function of the steering angle signal

18. A method of controlling a safety system comprising:

determining a reference roll angle or a reference pitch angle,

determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index;

providing a roll observer having a roll observer gain, or a pitch observer having a pitch observer gain, said roll observer gain being a function of the reference roll angle and roll stability index and said pitch observer gain being a function of the reference pitch angle and the pitch stability index;

integrating the roll observer to obtain a roll angle or the pitch observer to obtain a pitch angle; and

controlling a safety system in response to the roll angle or the pitch angle.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a reference roll angle or a reference pitch angle comprises determining a reference pitch angle in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a reference roll angle or a reference pitch angle comprises determining a reference roll angle in response to a yaw rate and a lateral acceleration.

21. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining a steering angle; and

determining a roll stability index in response to the steering angle.

22. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining a steering angle; and

determining a pitch stability index in response to the steering angle.

23. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining at least one of a side slip angle, a linear side sip angle, a steering wheel rate, a desired yaw rate, a measure yaw rate, a desired lateral acceleration, a measure lateral acceleration, a wheel slip a driver brake request, an abs-in-cycle flag and TCS-in cycle flag; and

determining a roll stability index in response to at least one of a side slip angle, a linear side sip angle, a steering wheel rate, a desired yaw rate, a measure yaw rate, a desired lateral acceleration, a measure lateral acceleration, a wheel slip a driver brake request, an abs-in-cycle flag and TCS-in cycle flag.

24. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining at least one of a side slip angle, a linear side sip angle, a steering wheel rate, a desired yaw rate, a measure yaw rate, a desired lateral acceleration, a measure lateral acceleration, a wheel slip a driver brake request, an ABS-in-cycle flag and TCS-in cycle flag; and

determining a pitch stability index in response to at least one of a side slip angle, a linear side sip angle, a steering wheel rate, a desired yaw rate, a measure yaw rate, a desired lateral acceleration, a measure lateral acceleration, a wheel slip a driver brake request, an abs-in-cycle flag and TCS-in cycle flag.

25. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein providing a roll observer having a roll observer gain or a pitch observer having a pitch observer gain comprises:

determining a roll rate;

determining a pitch rate;

determining a yaw rate; and

providing a roll observer in response to the roll rate, pitch rate, and yaw rate.

26. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein providing a roll observer having a roll observer gain or a pitch observer having a pitch observer gain comprises:

determining a roll rate;

determining a pitch rate;

determining a yaw rate; and

providing a pitch observer in response to the roll rate, pitch rate, and yaw rate.

27. A method of controlling a safety system comprising:

determining a reference roll angle or a reference pitch angle,

determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index;

providing a roll observer having a roll observer adjustment or a pitch observer adjustment, said roll observer adjustment determined in response to a roll observer gain and the reference roll angle, said pitch observer determined in response to the reference pitch angle and a pitch observer gain;

integrating the roll observer to obtain a roll angle or the pitch observer to obtain a pitch angle; and

controlling a safety system in response to the roll angle or the pitch angle.

28. A method s recited in claim 27 wherein providing a roll observer having a roll observer adjustment or a pitch observer adjustment comprises providing a roll observer having a roll observer adjustment or a pitch observer adjustment, said roll observer adjustment determined in response to a roll observer gain, the reference roll angle and a calculated roll angle, said pitch observer adjustment determined in response to the reference pitch angle, a pitch observer gain and a calculated pitch angle.

29. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a reference roll or a reference pitch comprises determining a reference pitch in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal.

30. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a reference roll or a reference pitch comprises determining a reference roll in response to a yaw rate and a lateral acceleration.

31. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining a steering angle; and

determining a roll stability index in response to the steering angle.

32. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a roll stability index or a pitch stability index comprises:

determining a steering angle; and

determining a pitch stability index in response to the steering angle.

33. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein providing a roll observer having a roll observer adjustment or a pitch observer having a pitch observer adjustment comprises:

determining a roll rate;

determining a pitch rate;

determining a yaw rate; and

providing the roll observer or the pitch observer in response to the roll rate, pitch rate, and yaw rate.