SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING DETECTED LOAD FOR VEHICLE HANDLING

• US 20160272198A1
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Blust, Richard N., Ruediger, Justin A., Harrison, Chris A., Matoy, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,573,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/52 in tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/63 Location of the center of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/244 Oversteer
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/246 Understeer
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/16 by increasing air resistance, e.g. flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1307 Load distribution on each wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/1315 Location of the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/40 on a damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/70 on the wheel or the tire
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 : Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 : Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 : Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 : Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 : Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 : Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 : Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B61H 11/10 : Aerodynamic brakes with control flaps, e.g. spoilers, attached to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 : Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A method of controlling drivability of a vehicle detects an overall load acting on the vehicle. A mass of the vehicle or an estimate thereof is obtained. A controller determines whether the vehicle is negotiating a curve during a driving situation. If the vehicle is negotiating a curve during the driving situation, the controller determines whether the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer or to understeer. The load acting on the vehicle is dynamically changed or a suspension stiffness of the vehicle is dynamically adjusted to reduce the tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or to understeer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling drivability of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

detecting an overall load acting on the vehicle,

obtaining a mass of the vehicle or an estimate thereof,

determining, in a controller, whether the vehicle is negotiating a curve during a driving situation,

if the vehicle is negotiating a curve during the driving situation, determining, in the controller, whether the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer or to understeer, and

dynamically changing the load acting on the vehicle or dynamically adjusting a suspension stiffness of the vehicle to reduce the tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or to understeer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the overall load includes using a suspension system of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the overall load includes using a sensor embedded in each tire of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the vehicle is determined to have a tendency to oversteer, the step of dynamically changing the load includes adjusting aerodynamic components of the vehicle to increase an aerodynamic load on a rear of the vehicle or to decrease the aerodynamic load on a front of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of adjusting aerodynamic components controls actuators associated with the aerodynamic components.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the vehicle is determined to have a tendency to oversteer, the step of dynamically adjusting a suspension stiffness of the vehicle includes increasing roll stiffness at a front of the vehicle or decreasing the roll stiffness at a rear of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the vehicle is determined to have a tendency to understeer, the step of dynamically changing the load includes adjusting aerodynamic components of the vehicle to increase an aerodynamic load on a front of the vehicle or to decrease the aerodynamic load on a rear of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of adjusting aerodynamic components includes controlling actuators associated with the aerodynamic components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein if the vehicle is determined to have a tendency to understeer, the step of dynamically adjusting a suspension stiffness of the vehicle includes increasing roll stiffness at a rear of the vehicle or decreasing the roll stiffness at a front of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step includes using yaw, steering and speed information of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein if the vehicle is determined to not be negotiating a curve but is instead in a straight line driving situation, the method further comprising:

dynamically controlling aerodynamic components of the vehicle for efficiency or drag.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically adjusting aerodynamic components of the vehicle during braking of the vehicle to increase an aerodynamic load on the vehicle.

13. A driving stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle load sensor structure constructed and arranged to obtain an overall load acting on a vehicle,

vehicle information sensor structure constructed and arranged to obtain vehicle information including at least yaw, steering and speed information of the vehicle,

first actuators constructed and arranged to control aerodynamic components of the vehicle,

second actuators constructed and arranged to control a suspension of the vehicle, and

a vehicle behavior controller constructed and arranged to receive the vehicle information and the overall load acting on the vehicle and based thereon, to send a signal to the first actuators to dynamically adjust the aerodynamic components to change a load on the vehicle, or to send a signal to the second actuators to dynamically adjust the suspension of vehicle, to reduce a tendency of the vehicle to oversteer or understeer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle load sensor structure is constructed and arranged to utilize components of a suspension system of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle load sensor structure comprises a sensor embedded in each tire of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein if the vehicle behavior controller determines that the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer, the first actuators are constructed and arranged to adjust the aerodynamic components to increase an aerodynamic load on a rear of the vehicle or to decrease the aerodynamic load on a front of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein if the vehicle behavior controller determines that the vehicle has a tendency to oversteer, the second actuators are constructed and arranged to increase roll stiffness at a front of the vehicle or decrease the roll stiffness at a rear of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein if the vehicle behavior controller determines that the vehicle has a tendency to understeer, the first actuators are constructed and arranged to adjust the aerodynamic components to increase an aerodynamic load on a front of the vehicle or to decrease the aerodynamic load on a rear of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein if the vehicle behavior controller determines that the vehicle has a tendency to understeer, the second actuators are constructed and arranged to increase roll stiffness at a rear of the vehicle or decrease the roll stiffness at a front of the vehicle.