SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL BASED ON DRIVER STATUS

• US 20090198413A1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wojcik, Karl William, Cooprider, Anthony Dwayne, Brombach, Ronald Patrick, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Miller, Thomas Lee, Hille, Kevin Thomas, Cwik, Terry Thomas, Dalebout, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers is provided. A primary key is adapted to be associated to the primary driver. A secondary key is adapted to be associated to the secondary driver. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and is configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is a primary or secondary driver. The controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to stabilize the movement of the vehicle. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the driver status signals.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers, the system comprising:

at least one primary key adapted to be associated to the primary driver;

at least one secondary key adapted to be associated to the secondary driver;

a key ignition device positioned to on each of the primary key and the secondary key and configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver;

a controller operably coupled to the key ignition device and adapted to;

determine whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the driver status signals;

stabilize the movement of the vehicle; and

selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle based on whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is capable of allowing the driver to enable/disable the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the controller determining that the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is capable of preventing the driver from disabling the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the controller determining that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the controller is further adapted to display a message to the secondary driver that indicates that the secondary driver is prevented from disabling the wheel control unit in response to the controller determining that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the controller is capable of allowing the secondary driver to enable/disable the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in the event the primary driver configures the controller to allow the secondary driver to enable/disable the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes at least one of a passive anti-theft (PAT) controller and a passive entry passive start (PEPS) controller to receive the driver status signals from at least one of the primary key and the secondary key.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the controller further includes an electronic stability control (ESC) controller operably coupled to at least one of the PAT controller and the PEPS controller, wherein the ESC is adapted to stabilize the movement of the vehicle in moments where the vehicle is in an unstable state.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the ESC controller includes a yaw rate controller adapted to control the vehicle'"'"'s motion of rotation about a vertical axis.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the ESC controller includes a rollover stability controller (RSC) adapted to control the motion of the vehicle by selectively applying brakes of the vehicle and controlling the speed of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the ESC controller includes a traction control controller adapted to reduce power to wheels of the vehicle to minimize wheel-spin and increase traction.

11. A method for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers, the method comprising:

tagging at least one primary key to the primary driver;

tagging at least one secondary key to the secondary driver;

positioning a key ignition device on each of the primary key and the secondary key;

generating driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver with a key ignition device;

determining whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the driver status signals;

stabilizing the movement of the vehicle during moments in which the vehicle loses control; and

selectively controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle based on whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling/disabling the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to determining that the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising preventing the driver from disabling the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the determining that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in moments where the vehicle is in an unstable state with an electronic stabilizing controller (ESC).

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising controlling the vehicle'"'"'s motion of rotation about a vertical axis with a yaw rate controller.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising controlling the motion of the vehicle by selectively applying brakes of the vehicle and controlling the speed of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising reducing power to wheels of the vehicle to minimize wheel-spin and increase traction with a traction control controller.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the second controller is capable of allowing the driver to enable/disable the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the second controller determining that the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the second controller is capable of preventing the driver from disabling the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the second controller determining that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.

18. A system for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers, the system comprising:

a first controller adapted to associate at least one primary key having a first key ignition device to the primary driver and to associate at least one secondary key having a second key ignition device to the secondary driver, wherein first controller, the first key ignition device and the second key ignition device are each configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver;

a second controller operably coupled to the first controller, the first key ignition device and second key ignition device and adapted to;

determine whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the driver status signals;

stabilize the movement of the vehicle; and

selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle based on whether the driver of the vehicle is at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver.