METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE USING BRAKE-STEER AND NORMAL LOAD ADJUSTMENT

• US 20050206231A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hrovat, Davor D., Tseng, Hongtei E., Lu, Jianbo
• Application Number:
  US10/708,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 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 2300/042 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/97 Relation between towing and towed vehicle, e.g. tractor-trailer combination
• 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 2800/244 Oversteer
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/93 Skid or slide control [ASR]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• 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 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 2300/145 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 Suspension systems
• 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 30/045 : Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 : Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 : Parking aids, e.g. instruction means

Abstract

A method of controlling an automotive vehicle includes detecting a parking mode and applying brake-steer to a first wheel to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle. Simultaneously, the normal force on a wheel can be increased by adjusting a chassis control mechanism such as a controlled suspension.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle having wheels comprising:

detecting a parking mode;

in the parking mode, applying brake-steer at a first wheel to reduce a vehicle turning radius; and

simultaneously with the step of applying brake-steer, increasing a normal load on at least one of the wheels.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one of the wheels comprises a rear wheel.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one of the wheels comprises a rear inside wheel relative to a turn.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a vehicle speed.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a steering wheel angle.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a driver-actuated switch.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of applying brake-steer comprises applying a first brake.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of applying brake-steer comprises applying a first brake and a second brake to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein increasing the normal load comprises controlling an active suspension.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein increasing the normal load comprises controlling an air suspension.

14. A system of controlling an automotive vehicle having a plurality of brakes comprising:

means to detect a parking mode; and

a controller programmed to apply brake-steer to at least a first wheel In the parking mode, and to increase a normal load on at least the first wheel to reduce a vehicle turning radius.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the wheel comprises a rear wheel.

16. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one of the wheels comprises a rear inside wheel relative to a turn.

17. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising an active suspension, said controller increasing the normal load by changing the active suspension.

18. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a vehicle speed sensor.

19. A system as recited In claim 14 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a steering wheel angle sensor.

20. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a vehicle speed sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor.

21. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a driver-actuated switch.

22. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said controller is programmed to brake-steer by applying a first brake and a second brake to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

23. A system as recited in claim 14 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.

24. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein said controller is programmed to apply brake-steer by applying an increased drive torque to a second wheel relative to the first wheel.

25. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle having vehicle wheels comprising:

detecting a parking mode;

detecting a vehicle loading condition; and

applying brake-steer to the vehicle wheels in response to the parking mode and the vehicle loading condition.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying at least one brake at a first wheel to reduce a vehicle turning radius.

27. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying an Increased drive torque to a second wheel relative to the first wheel.

28. A method as recited in claim 25 applying brake-steer comprises increasing the normal load on the rear wheels.

29. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting a normal load condition comprises determining a loading response to a wheel speed and throttle signal.

30. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a vehicle speed.

31. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a steering wheel angle.

32. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode In response to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

33. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a driver-actuated switch.

34. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle having a plurality of wheels comprising:

detecting a parking mode;

in the parking mode, applying at least one brake at a first wheel of the plurality of wheels to reduce a vehicle turning radius;

simultaneously with the step of applying at least one brake, applying drive torque to a second wheel of the plurality of wheels; and

increasing a normal load on at least one rear wheel of the plurality of wheels.

35. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein increasing the normal load comprises controlling an active suspension.

36. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein increasing the normal load comprises controlling an air suspension.

37. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a vehicle speed.

38. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a steering wheel angle.

39. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

40. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein detecting a parking mode comprises detecting a parking mode in response to a driver-actuated switch.

41. A system for controlling an automotive vehicle having a brake system and vehicle wheels comprising:

means to detect a parking mode;

means to determine a vehicle loading condition; and

a controller coupled to the means to detect a parking mode and the means to determine a vehicle loading condition, said controller applying brake-steer to the vehicle wheels in response to the parking mode and the vehicle loading condition.

42. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a vehicle speed sensor.

43. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a steering wheel angle sensor.

44. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a vehicle speed sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor.

45. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to detect a parking mode comprises a driver-actuated switch.

46. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to determine a loading condition comprises a yaw stability control system.

47. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to determine a loading condition comprises a load sensor.

48. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to determine a loading condition comprises a plurality of wheel speed sensors and a throttle sensor.

49. A system as recited in claim 41 wherein said means to determine a loading condition comprises a suspension height sensor.