Vehicular turning control apparatus and method

• US 20060129300A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishimoto, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/064 Degree of grip
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/11 Pitch movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/112 Roll movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 Yaw movement

Abstract

In turning control apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, the vehicle through at least one of a deceleration action section and a brake mechanism is decelerated when a turning state of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition, an accelerator manipulated variable by a vehicle driver is detected, and the deceleration through the brake mechanism is limited and the deceleration through the deceleration action section is carried out, when the detected accelerator manipulated variable exceeds a predetermined value (α).

Claims

1. A turning control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a drive source configured to develop a driving force in accordance with a driver'"'"'s accelerator manipulation;

a deceleration action section configured to apply a deceleration action to the vehicle, with the drive source driven by a driven side;

a brake mechanism configured to apply a braking force to the vehicle;

a traveling control section that decelerates the vehicle through at least one of the deceleration action section and the brake mechanism when the turning state of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition;

a turning state detecting section configured to detect a turning state of the vehicle; and

an accelerator manipulated variable detecting section configured to detect an accelerator manipulated variable by a vehicle driver, the traveling control section limiting the deceleration through the brake mechanism and carrying out the deceleration through the deceleration action section when the accelerator manipulated variable detected by the accelerator manipulated variable detecting section exceeds a predetermined value.

2. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section decelerates the vehicle, with a limitation of the deceleration by means of the brake mechanism released, when the accelerator manipulated variable exceeds the predetermined value and when a variation speed of the accelerator manipulated variable in a decrease direction exceeds another predetermined value.

3. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section makes the deceleration action by means of the deceleration action section smaller as the accelerator manipulated variable detected by the accelerator manipulated variable detecting section becomes larger.

4. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section makes the deceleration action through the deceleration action section smaller as a variation speed of the accelerator manipulated variable in an increase direction becomes larger.

5. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section calculates a target turning state of the vehicle and makes the deceleration action through the deceleration action section larger as a variation speed of a deviation between the calculated target turning state and the turning state detected by the turning state detecting section in an increase direction becomes larger.

6. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section makes the deceleration action through the deceleration action section larger, as the turning state of the vehicle becomes nearer to a limit of a turning performance of the vehicle.

7. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section makes the deceleration action through the deceleration action section smaller as a road surface-and-tire frictional coefficient becomes lower.

8. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling control section calculates a target turning state and makes the deceleration action by means of the deceleration action section smaller as the accelerator manipulated variable becomes larger and as a decrease speed of a deviation between the calculated target turning state and the turning state detected by the turning state detecting section becomes larger.

9. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turning state detecting section comprises a turning velocity calculating section that calculates a turning velocity of the vehicle on the basis of each road wheel speed and the traveling control section comprises a yaw rate calculating section that calculates a yaw rate;

a target turning velocity calculating section that calculates a target turning velocity on the basis of the calculated yaw rate, a road surface-and-tire frictional coefficient, and a limit lateral acceleration;

a target deceleration calculating section that calculates a target deceleration on the basis of a deviation between the calculated turning velocity and the target turning velocity;

an automatic brake determining section that determines whether the target deceleration is larger than zero to determine an automatic brake; and

a first deceleration executing section that executes the automatic brake only through an engine brake when the target deceleration is larger than zero and the detected accelerator manipulated variable is in excess of the predetermined value.

10. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the traveling control section further comprises a second deceleration executing section that executes the automatic brake through both of the engine and through the brake mechanism when the target deceleration is larger than zero and the accelerator manipulated variable is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value.

11. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the traveling control section further comprises an acceleration manipulated variable variation speed determining section that determines whether an accelerator manipulated variable variation speed in a decrease direction is equal to or smaller than another predetermined value and wherein the first deceleration executing section executes the automatic brake through the engine brake when the target deceleration is larger than zero, the accelerator manipulated variable is in excess of the predetermined value, and the accelerator manipulated variable variation speed in the decrease direction is equal to or smaller than the other predetermined value.

12. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as the accelerator manipulated variable detected by the accelerator manipulated variable detecting section becomes larger, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output smaller to make the deceleration action through the engine smaller.

13. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as a variation speed of the accelerator manipulated variable in an increase direction becomes larger, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output smaller to make the deceleration action through the engine smaller.

14. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as a variation speed of a deviation between the turning velocity and the target turning velocity in an increase direction becomes larger, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output larger to make the deceleration action through the engine brake larger.

15. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as a vehicle turning state becomes nearer to a limit of a turning performance of the vehicle, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output larger to make the deceleration action through an engine brake larger.

16. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as a road-surface-and-tire frictional coefficient becomes lower, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output smaller to make the deceleration action through an engine brake smaller.

17. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein, as the accelerator manipulated variable becomes larger and a variation speed of a deviation between the turning velocity and the target turning velocity in a decrease direction becomes larger, the first deceleration executing section makes a suppression quantity of an engine output smaller to make a deceleration action through an engine brake smaller.

18. The turning control apparatus for the automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the target deceleration calculating section calculates the target deceleration on the basis of the deviation and a variation speed of the deviation in an increase direction.

19. A turning control method for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

providing a drive source configured to develop a driving force in accordance with a driver'"'"'s accelerator manipulation;

providing a deceleration action section configured to apply a deceleration action to the vehicle, with the drive source driven by a driven side;

providing a brake mechanism configured to apply a braking force to the vehicle;

decelerating the vehicle through at least one of the deceleration action section and the brake mechanism when the turning state of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition;

detecting a turning state of the vehicle; and

detecting an accelerator manipulated variable by a vehicle driver; and

limiting the deceleration through the brake mechanism and carrying out the deceleration through the deceleration action section when the detected accelerator manipulated variable exceeds a predetermined value.

20. A turning control apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

drive source means configured to develop a driving force in accordance with a driver'"'"'s accelerator manipulation;

deceleration action means for applying a deceleration action of the vehicle, with the drive source driven by a driven side;

a brake mechanism for applying a braking force to the vehicle;

traveling control means for decelerating the vehicle through at least one of the deceleration action means and the brake mechanism when the turning state of the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition;

turning state detecting means for detecting a turning state of the vehicle; and

accelerator manipulated variable detecting means for detecting an accelerator manipulated variable by a vehicle driver, the traveling control means limiting the deceleration through the brake mechanism and carrying out the deceleration through the deceleration action means when the accelerator manipulated variable detected by the accelerator manipulated variable detecting means exceeds a predetermined value.