Integrated control system of vehicle

• US 6,272,418 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Yoichi, Matsuda, Shohei, Kodaka, Kenji, Shinmura, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US09/199,335
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/41, 701/42, 701/48, 701/70-72, 701/91, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301, 303/140, 303/146, 303/147, 303/186, 303/189, 340/901, 340/903, 340/436, 340/435, 340/438, 342/454
• US Class Current: 701/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/02 Side slip angle, attitude angle, floating angle, drift angle
• 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 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17552 responsive to the tire sideslip angle or the vehicle body slip angle
• 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 8/241 Lateral vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction

Abstract

An integrated vehicle control system including: contact possibility determining means for determining whether a possibility of contact with an obstacle is great, first brake control means for controlling operation of the vehicle brake in response to the possibility of contact, vehicle behavior detecting means for detecting parameters such as the vehicle yaw rate, vehicle behavior control means for calculating a value such as the error between the detected yaw rate and a reference yaw rate and calculating a manipulated variable (braking force difference) to make vehicle behavior stable, and second brake control means for controlling operation of the vehicle brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable. In the system, the vehicle behavior control means advances the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable or increases the manipulated variable, when the possibility of contact is great, whereby effecting the vehicle behavior sufficient for avoiding an obstacle, while ensuring stable vehicle behavior.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the behavior of a vehicle having a brake which is controllable in a braking force applied at a left wheel and a right wheel of the vehicle independently, comprising:

obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle present ahead on a course of travel of the vehicle;

contact possibility determining means for determining whether a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with the obstacle is present based on an output of the obstacle detecting means;

first brake control means for controlling operation of the brake in response to a result of the determination of the contact possibility determining means;

vehicle behavior detecting means for detecting at least a parameter of the vehicle indicative of behavior of the vehicle;

vehicle behavior control means for calculating at least an error, for controlling a vehicle behavior, between the detected parameter and a reference value and for calculating a manipulated variable to make the vehicle behavior stable; and

second brake control means for controlling operation of the brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable;

wherein;

the vehicle behavior control means conducts at least one from among procedures to advance the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable and to increase the manipulated variable, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

error calculating means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

comparing means for comparing the error with a first threshold value;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value; and

threshold changing means for changing the first threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

error calculating means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

first comparing means for comparing the error with a first threshold value;

second comparing means for comparing a parameter relating to steering and which is based on the vehicle behavior stability with a second threshold value;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable based on the error and the parameter relating to steering when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value or when the parameter relating to steering is not less than the second threshold value; and

threshold changing means for changing at least one of the first threshold value and the second threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

error calculating means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

first comparing means for comparing the error with a first threshold value;

second comparing means for comparing a parameter relating to steering and which is based on the vehicle behavior stability with a second threshold value;

third comparing means for comparing a parameter relating to vehicle slip angle and based on the vehicle behavior stability with a third threshold value;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable based on;

the error;

the parameter relating to steering; and

the parameter relating to vehicle slip angle, when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value, or when the parameter relating to steering is not less than the second threshold value, or when the parameter relating to vehicle slip angle is not less than the third threshold value; and

threshold changing means for changing at least one of the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

map retrieving means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved value; and

characteristics changing means for changing the characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

first map retrieving means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from first characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

second map retrieving means for retrieving a value from second characteristics using a parameter relating to steering as an address datum;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved values; and

characteristics changing means for changing at least one of the first and second characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

first map retrieving means for calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from first characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

second map retrieving means for retrieving a value from second characteristics using a parameter relating to steering as an address datum;

third map retrieving means for retrieving a value from third characteristics using a parameter relating to vehicle slip angle as an address datum;

manipulated variable calculating means for calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved values; and

characteristics changing means for changing at least one of the first, second and third characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means includes:

reference value changing means for changing the reference value such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced or the manipulated variable is increased, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the reference value changing means changes the reference value by changing a transfer function describing the behavior of the vehicle.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the reference value changing means changes the reference value by changing at least one of a gain and a time constant of the transfer function describing the behavior of the vehicle.

11. A method of controlling the behavior of a vehicle having a brake which is controllable in a braking force applied at a left wheel and a right wheel of the vehicle independently, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an obstacle present ahead on a course of travel of the vehicle;

(b) determining whether a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with the detected obstacle is present;

(c) controlling operation of the brake in response to a result of the determination of the contact possibility;

(d) detecting at least a parameter of the vehicle indicative of behavior of the vehicle;

(e) calculating at least an error, for controlling a vehicle behavior, between the detected parameter and a reference value and for calculating a manipulated variable to make the vehicle behavior stable; and

(f) controlling operation of the brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable;

wherein;

(g) conducting at least one from among a set of procedures, including to advance the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable and to increase the manipulated variable, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

comparing the error with a first threshold value;

calculating the manipulated variable when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value; and

changing the first threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

comparing the error with a first threshold value;

comparing a parameter relating to steering and which is based on the vehicle behavior stability with a second threshold value;

calculating the manipulated variable based on the error and the parameter relating to steering when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value or when the parameter relating to steering is not less than the second threshold value; and

changing at least one of the first threshold value and the second threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value;

comparing the error with a first threshold value;

comparing a parameter relating to steering and which is based on the vehicle behavior stability with a second threshold value;

comparing a parameter, relating to vehicle slip angle and based on the vehicle behavior stability, with a third threshold value;

calculating the manipulated variable based on;

the error;

the parameter relating to steering; and

the parameter relating to slip angle, when the calculated error is not less than the first threshold value, or when the parameter relating to steering is not less than the second threshold value, or when the parameter relating to vehicle slip angle is not less than the third threshold value; and

changing at least one of the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value in a decreasing direction such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved value; and

changing the characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from first characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

retrieving a value from second characteristics using a parameter relating to steering as an address datum;

calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved values; and

changing at least one of the first and second characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step (e) includes:

calculating the error between the detected parameter and the reference value and for retrieving a value from first characteristics using at least the calculated error as an address datum;

retrieving a value from second characteristics using a parameter relating to steering as an address datum;

retrieving a value from third characteristics using a parameter relating to vehicle slip angle as an address datum;

calculating the manipulated variable based on the retrieved values; and

changing at least one of the first, second and third characteristics to increase the manipulated variable such that the manipulated variable is increased in a direction in which a vehicle stability is enhanced, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the step (e) includes:

changing the reference value such that the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable is advanced or the manipulated variable is increased, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein changing the reference value by changing a transfer function describing the behavior of the vehicle.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein changing the reference value by changing at least one of a gain and a time constant of the transfer function describing the behavior of the vehicle.