METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR CHANGING A VEHICLE'S TRAJECTORY

• US 20120109465A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Svensson, Jan-Inge, Pohl, Jochen, Ragnhult, Sten
• Application Number:
  US13/380,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17557 specially adapted for lane departure prevention road vehicle drive control systems for lane keeping otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0472 for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/008 Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications

Abstract

A method for changing a vehicle'"'"'s trajectory, wherein the vehicle includes a steering arrangement including a manual steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection therebetween, includes the steps of applying a braking force to at least one of the ground engaging members so that the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is changed, and simultaneously suppressing steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection.

Claims

1. A method for changing a vehicle'"'"'s trajectory, wherein the vehicle comprises a steering arrangement comprising a manual steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection between the manual steering device and the ground engaging members, wherein the method includes the step of applying a braking force to at least one of the ground engaging members so that the vehicles trajectory is changed, comprising

using a reference generator for steering system control,

simultaneously suppressing steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection,

wherein the reference generator is arranged to continuously receive an input signal indicative of a steering intent of a driver and based on that signal output a signal indicative of a desired steering torque, which desired steering torque is compared to the actual steering torque of the vehicle, and wherein the output signal is continuously adapted so that the desired steering torque is transmitted to the driver.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising receiving a signal indicative of a current driving scenario, determining if it is desired to change the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory by braking the at least one ground engaging member based on the driving scenario signal in order to avoid an undesired situation and if so automatically applying the braking force to the at least one ground engaging member.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the undesired situation represents a predicted departure from a predicted desired future trajectory of the vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized by suppressing the steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection by decoupling a driver steering feel from the influence of the mechanical connection.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized by suppressing the steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection by receiving a signal indicative of a steering angle and/or steering torque in the steering arrangement, determining if the steering angle will result in steering device disturbances, determining if it is desired to apply a force counteracting the steering device disturbances resulting from the steering angle and/or steering torque and if so generating a corresponding signal to an actuator arranged to apply such a counteracting force to the steering arrangement.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising providing the driver of the vehicle with a desired steering feel based on a determined desired guiding force, which is applied to the steering device.

7. A method according to claim 5, comprising providing the driver of the vehicle with a desired steering feel based on a determined desired guiding force, which is applied to the steering device, and applying the determined guiding force to the steering device via the actuator.

8. A method according to claim 6, comprising receiving at least one signal indicative of a vehicle state and determining the guiding force based on the at least one vehicle state signal,

9. A method according to claim 8, comprising determining a value and direction of the guiding force for changing the vehicle'"'"'s future trajectory.

10. A method according to claim 8, comprising comparing the determined guiding force with a limit value, and if the determined guiding force exceeds the limit value applying the braking force to the at least one ground engaging members so that the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is changed.

11. A method according to claim 10, comprising limiting the guiding force applied to the steering device to the limit value or below.

12. A method according to claim 6, comprising determining the guiding force based on at least one steering device guiding force operation model.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprises at least lateral acceleration and/or yaw rate and that the method comprises the step of modifying and/or canceling the effect of the lateral acceleration and/or yaw rate during the application of the braking force to the at least one ground engaging member.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steering device comprises a steering wheel and that the guiding force forms a guiding torque applied to the steering wheel.

16. A method according to claim 1, comprising applying a brake pressure to at least one brake configured to brake the at least one of the ground engaging wheels.

17. A system for changing a vehicle'"'"'s trajectory, wherein the vehicle comprises a steering arrangement comprising a manual steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection between the manual steering device and the ground engaging members wherein the system comprises an arrangement for applying a braking force to at least one of the ground engaging members so that the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is changed, and an arrangement for suppressing steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection, wherein a reference generator is operatively connected to the arrangement and arranged to continuously receive an input signal indicative of a steering intent of a driver and based on that signal output a signal indicative of a desired steering torque, which desired steering torque is compared to the actual steering torque of the vehicle, and wherein the output signal is continuously adapted so that the desired steering torque is transmitted to the driver.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the arrangement for suppressing steering device disturbances comprises means for detecting a steering angle and/or steering torque in the steering arrangement, means for determining if the steering angle and/or steering torque will result in steering device disturbances and generating a corresponding signal and an actuator arranged to receive the signal and responsively apply a force counteracting the disturbances to the steering arrangement.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the system comprises means for receiving a signal indicative of a current driving scenario, determining if it is desired to change the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory by braking based on the driving scenario signal and generating a corresponding braking force signal to the means for applying a braking force.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the means for determining if it is desired to change the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is configured to generate a signal to a means for controlling the steering arrangement.

21. A system according to claim 17, wherein the system comprises means for providing the driver of the vehicle with a desired steering feel based on a determined desired guiding force.

22. A system for changing a vehicle'"'"'s trajectory, wherein the vehicle comprises a steering arrangement comprising a manual steering device, at least one pair of ground engaging members and a mechanical interconnection between the manual steering device and the ground engaging members, wherein the system comprises an arrangement for applying a braking force to at least one of the ground engaging members so that the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is changed, and an arrangement for suppressing steering device disturbances resulting from the mechanical interconnection, wherein a reference generator is operatively connected to the arrangement and arranged to continuously receive an input signal indicative of a steering intent of a driver and based on that signal output a signal indicative of a desired steering torque, which desired steering torque is compared to the actual steering torque of the vehicle, and wherein the output signal is continuously adapted so that the desired steering torque is transmitted to the driver.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the arrangement for suppressing steering device disturbances comprises a control function for detecting a steering angle and/or steering torque in the steering arrangement, a control function for determining if the steering angle and/or steering torque will result in steering device disturbances and generating a corresponding signal and an actuator arranged to receive the signal and responsively apply a force counteracting the disturbances to the steering arrangement.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the system comprises a control function for receiving a signal indicative of a current driving scenario, determining if it is desired to change the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory by braking based on the driving scenario signal and generating a corresponding braking force signal to the arrangement for applying a braking force.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the control function for determining if it is desired to change the vehicle'"'"'s trajectory is configured to generate a signal to a controller for controlling the steering arrangement.

26. A system according to claim 22, wherein the system comprises an actuator for providing the driver of the vehicle with a desired steering feel based on a determined desired guiding force.