METHOD OF CONTROLLING AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HAVING A TRAILER

• US 20050206224A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/21 with two pedals operating on respective circuits, pressures therein being equalised when both pedals are operated together, e.g. for steering steering non-deflectable wheels or endless tracks by differentially driving ground-engaging elements on opposite vehicle sides using brakes as main steering effecting means B62D11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• 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 8/246 Change of direction

Abstract

A system and method of controlling an automotive vehicle and trailer includes determining the presence of a trailer and applying brake-steer to the vehicle in response to the trailer to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle and the trailer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle and a trailer comprising:

determining a presence of a trailer; and

applying brake-steer to the vehicle in response to the trailer to enhance control of the trailer relative to the vehicle.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a reverse direction signal of the vehicle and applying brake-steer in response to the reverse direction signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction signal from a shift lever.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a push button.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a transmission controller.

6. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a wheel speed sensor relative to a first wheel.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying at least one brake at a first wheel to reduce a vehicle turning radius.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying an increased drive torque to a second wheel relative to a first wheel.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying a trailer brake and a vehicle brake.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a hitch sensor.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a reverse aid sensor.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with an ultrasonic sensor.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a camera.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a harness current.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a manually activated mechanism.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer to the vehicle in response to the trailer to enhance control of the trailer relative to the vehicle comprises applying brake-steer to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

17. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle and a trailer comprising:

determining a presence of a trailer; and

applying at least one trailer brake and at least one vehicle brake to brake-steer the vehicle and trailer in response to the presence of the trailer to enhance control of the trailer relative to the vehicle.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising generating a reverse direction signal of the vehicle and applying brake-steer in response to the reverse direction signal.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction signal from a shift lever.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a push button.

21. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a transmission controller.

22. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein generating a reverse direction signal comprises generating a reverse direction from a wheel speed sensor relative to a first wheel.

23. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a hitch sensor.

24. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a reverse aid sensor.

25. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with an ultrasonic sensor.

26. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a camera.

27. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a harness current.

28. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein determining a presence of a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer with a manually activated mechanism.

29. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising determining a position of the trailer and applying at least one trailer brake and at least one vehicle brake in response to the position.

30. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein applying brake-steer to the vehicle in response to the trailer to enhance control of the trailer relative to the vehicle comprises applying brake-steer to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

31. A control system for an automotive vehicle and a trailer having a brake comprising:

means to determining the presence of a trailer;

a controller coupled to the means, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer to the vehicle and the trailer brakes to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle and trailer.

32. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said means to determine the presence of a trailer comprises a hitch sensor.

33. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said means to determine the presence of a trailer comprises a reverse aid sensor.

34. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said means to determine the presence of a trailer comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

35. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said means to determine the presence of a trailer comprises a camera.

36. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said controller is programmed to apply brake-steer by applying a first brake and a second brake to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

37. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said controller is programmed to apply brake-steer by applying at least one brake at a first wheel to reduce a vehicle turning radius.

38. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein said controller is programmed to brake-steer by applying an increased drive torque to a second wheel relative to the first wheel.

39. A system as recited in claim 31 further comprising a steering wheel angle sensor generating a steering wheel angle signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in response to the reverse directional signal and the steering wheel angle signal.

40. A system as recited in claim 31 further comprising a yaw rate sensor generating a yaw rate signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in response to the reverse direction signal and yaw rate signal.

41. A system as recited in claim 31 further comprising a steering wheel torque sensor generating a steering torque signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in response to the reverse direction signal and steering torque signal.

42. A system as recited in claim 31 further comprising a steering wheel angle sensor generating a steering wheel angle signal and a vehicle velocity sensor generating a vehicle velocity signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in response to the reverse direction signal and steering wheel angle and vehicle velocity signal.

43. A system as recited in claim 31 further comprising means to determine a trailer position, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in response to the trailer position.