STABILIZATION OF A VEHICLE COMBINATION

• US 20130191000A1
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: HAHNE, Uwe
• Application Number:
  US13/742,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20130191000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/13 Aquaplaning, hydroplaning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17558 specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/243 for roll-over protection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and device for stabilizing a vehicle combination consisting of a tractor vehicle and a trailer are provided. The method includes determining a current traffic state in the environment of the tractor vehicle, determining a current driving state of the vehicle combination, and determining, based on the current traffic state and the current driving state, a value indicating a current probability for the vehicle combination having to carry out a braking maneuver and/or evasive maneuver that results in a critical driving state of the vehicle combination on a road section lying directly ahead. A braking intervention is automatically triggered, by which wheel brakes of the trailer are activated to stabilize the vehicle combination if the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined probability limit value.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing a vehicle combination consisting of a tractor vehicle and a trailer, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a current traffic state in an environment of the tractor vehicle;

determining a current driving state of the vehicle combination;

determining, based on the current traffic state and the current driving state, a value indicating a current probability for the vehicle combination having to carry out a braking maneuver and/or evasive maneuver that results in a critical driving state of the vehicle combination on a road section lying directly ahead; and

automatically triggering a braking intervention, by which wheel brakes of the trailer are activated to stabilize the vehicle combination, if the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined probability limit value.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising outputting an optical and/or acoustical warning for a driver when the braking intervention is automatically triggered.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, depending on the current driving state:

controlling an intensity of the braking intervention; and

/or

carrying out the braking intervention symmetrically or asymmetrically.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after a steering intervention that initiates driving through a curve, decelerating one or more wheels of the trailer on an inner side of the curve more intensely than wheels of the trailer on an outer side of the curve due to the braking intervention on the tractor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coordinating the braking intervention with other safety, assistance and/or comfort systems of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising terminating an automatically triggered braking intervention with a manual input of a driver on an input means of the tractor vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising terminating an automatically triggered braking intervention in an automated fashion if the value indicating the current probability is once again smaller than the predetermined probability limit value and the current driving state is not the critical driving state.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the current driving state of the vehicle combination comprises determining one or more of the following:

speed of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer;

longitudinal acceleration of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer;

lateral acceleration of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer;

steering angle of the tractor vehicle;

articulation angle between the tractor vehicle and the trailer;

angular articulation velocity;

axle load distribution of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer;

rotational speeds of individual wheels of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer;

wheels slip of individual wheels of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer; and

/or

yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the current traffic state includes determining positions, speeds and accelerations of vehicles or obstacles present in an environment lying ahead of the tractor vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising triggering a redundant braking intervention, by which the wheel brakes of the trailer are activated, in instances in which the current traffic state or the current driving state cannot be determined or not determined with sufficient reliability if:

a lateral acceleration of the tractor vehicle greater than or equal to a predetermined lateral acceleration limit value is determined; and

/or

a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle greater than or equal to a predetermined yaw rate limit value is determined; and

/or

a longitudinal deceleration of the tractor vehicle greater than or equal to a predetermined deceleration limit value is determined.

11. A device for stabilizing a vehicle combination consisting of a tractor vehicle and a trailer, comprising:

an environment acquisition system configured to determine a current traffic state in an environment of the tractor vehicle;

a sensor system configured to determine a current driving state of the vehicle combination;

an evaluation means configured to determine, based on the current traffic state and the current driving state, a value indicating a current probability for the vehicle combination having to carry out a braking maneuver and/or an evasive maneuver that results in a critical driving state of the vehicle combination on a road section lying ahead; and

a control means configured to activate wheel brakes of the trailer due to an automated braking intervention to stabilize the vehicle combination if the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined probability limit value.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the wheel brakes of the trailer can be individually activated on each wheel.

13. A vehicle with a device for stabilizing a vehicle combination consisting of a tractor vehicle and a trailer, comprising:

an environment acquisition system configured to determine a current traffic state in an environment of the tractor vehicle;

a sensor system configured to determine a current driving state of the vehicle combination;

an evaluation means configured to determine, based on the current traffic state and the current driving state, a value indicating a current probability for the vehicle combination having to carry out a braking maneuver and/or an evasive maneuver that results in a critical driving state of the vehicle combination on a road section lying ahead; and

a control means configured to activate wheel brakes of the trailer due to an automated braking intervention to stabilize the vehicle combination if the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined probability limit value.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the wheel brakes of the trailer can be individually activated on each wheel.