SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY DETERMINING VEHICLE REAR/TRUNK LOADING FOR USE IN A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100106358A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Mattson, Keith, Meyers, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight

Abstract

A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a pitch rate sensor (37) generating a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36) generating a longitudinal acceleration signal, and a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal. A safety system (44) and the sensors are coupled to a controller. From the sensors, the controller (26) determines an added mass and a position of the added mass, a pitch gradient and/or a pitch acceleration coefficient that takes into account the added mass and position. The controller controls a vehicle system in response to the added mass and the position of the added mass, the pitch gradient and/or pitch acceleration coefficient variables.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

determining an adaptive pitch gradient; and

controlling the vehicle system in response to the adaptive pitch gradient.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive pitch gradient comprises determining the adaptive pitch gradient from a pitch rate sensor signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive pitch gradient comprises determining the adaptive pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive pitch gradient comprises determining the adaptive pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive pitch gradient comprises determining the adaptive pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive pitch gradient comprises determining the adaptive pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a relative roll angle.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises adaptively adjusting a pitch angle determination in response to the adaptive pitch gradient.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises adjusting control gains in response to the adaptive pitch gradient.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining a pitch acceleration coefficient and wherein controlling comprises controlling the vehicle system in response to the adaptive pitch gradient and the pitch acceleration coefficient.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the pitch acceleration coefficient is adaptively determined.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient from a pitch rate sensor signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

14. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

15. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a relative roll angle.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a safety system.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a yaw stability control system.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a headlight leveling system.

20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a vehicle body leveling system.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises compensating at least one sensor output.

22. A method of controlling a vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient; and

controlling the vehicle system in response to the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient from a pitch rate sensor signal.

24. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal.

25. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

26. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient in response to in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate and a pitch acceleration signal.

27. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein determining an adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a relative roll angle.

28. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a safety system.

29. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

30. A method as recited in claim 28 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a yaw stability control system.

31. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a headlight leveling system.

32. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a vehicle body leveling system.

33. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises compensating at least one sensor output.

34. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adaptively adjusting a pitch angle determination in response to the adaptive pitch acceleration coefficient.

35. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adjusting control gains in response to the adaptive pitch gradient.

36. A method of controlling a vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

determining a pitch gradient;

determining a pitch acceleration coefficient;

determining an added mass and a position of the added mass from the pitch gradient and the pitch acceleration coefficient; and

controlling the vehicle system in response to the added mass and position of the added mass.

37. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining a pitch gradient from a pitch rate sensor signal.

38. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining a pitch acceleration coefficient from a pitch rate sensor signal.

39. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein the position corresponds to a change in a center of gravity position.

40. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a safety system.

41. A method as recited in claim 40 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

42. A method as recited in claim 40 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a yaw stability control system.

43. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a headlight leveling system.

44. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling vehicle body leveling system.

45. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises compensating at least one sensor output.

46. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining the pitch gradient in response to a pitch rate signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal.

47. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining the pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal and a pitch acceleration signal.

48. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining the pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a pitch rate signal.

49. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining the pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal and a yaw rate signal.

50. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch gradient comprises determining the pitch gradient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a relative roll angle.

51. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a pitch rate signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal.

52. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate and a pitch acceleration signal.

53. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a pitch rate signal.

54. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal and a yaw rate signal.

55. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein determining a pitch acceleration coefficient comprises determining the pitch acceleration coefficient in response to a longitudinal acceleration signal, a pitch rate signal, a pitch acceleration signal, a yaw rate signal and a relative roll angle.

56. A method for controlling a vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

sensing a pitch rate;

sensing a longitudinal acceleration;

sensing a yaw rate;

determining an input representative of added mass and a position of the added mass from the sensed pitch rate, the sensed longitudinal acceleration and the sensed yaw rate; and

controlling the vehicle system in response to the input representative of added mass and the position of the added mass.

57. A method as recited in claim 56 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a safety system.

58. A method as recited in claim 57 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

59. A method as recited in claim 57 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a yaw stability control system.

60. A method as recited in claim 56 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling a headlight leveling system.

61. A method as recited in claim 56 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises controlling vehicle body leveling system.

62. A method as recited in claim 56 wherein controlling the vehicle system comprises compensating at least one sensor output.