Device for controlling vehicle turn behavior with discrimination of drive direction

• US 6,324,458 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohtake, Hirotada, Takagi, Masashi, Nagae, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/635,247
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/42, 701/36, 701/70, 701/71, 701/72, 701/82, 180/197, 180/445, 303/147, 303/188, 303/187, 303/113.5
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• 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 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements

Abstract

A device for controlling a turn running behavior of a vehicle detects at least one parameter (V, γ, Gy, Gyh, γt, γt−γ) with respect to the turn running behavior in addition to a drive direction of the vehicle, the one parameter being indicative of a higher desirability of the turn running behavior control according to changes of a magnitude thereof, calculates an amount (ΔTer, Froq, Friq, ΔTes, Fsop, Fsiq, Fsoq) for the turn running behavior control based upon the detected turn running behavior parameters, determines a start of the turn running behavior control according to the one turn running behavior parameter traversing a threshold value (Vrp, Vrq, γrp, γrq, Gyp, Gyq, Gyhp, Gyhq, Vsp, Vsq, γsp, γsq, γtsp, γtsq, Δγp, Δγq) determined therefor, and executes the turn running behavior control by operating at least one of the engine and the brake system according to the turn running behavior control amount, wherein threshold value is changed in a rearward drive of the vehicle as compared in a forward drive thereof such that the turn running behavior control is started at a lower degree of the desirability thereof in the rearward drive than in the forward drive.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a turn running behavior of a vehicle having a vehicle body, front left, front right, rear left and rear right wheels, an engine for driving at least a rear pair or a front pair of the wheels, a steering system for steering at least the front pair or the rear pair of the wheels, and a brake system for braking each of the wheels, comprising:

means for detecting at least one parameter with respect to the turn running behavior of the vehicle in addition to a drive direction thereof, the one parameter being indicative of changes of degree of desirability of the turn running behavior control according to changes of a magnitude thereof,

means for calculating an amount for the turn running behavior control based upon the turn running behavior parameters detected by the turn running behavior parameter detection means,

means for determining a start of the turn running behavior control according to the one turn running behavior parameter traversing a threshold value determined therefor, and

means for executing the turn running behavior control by operating at least one of the engine and the brake system according to the turn running behavior control amount,

wherein the turn running behavior control start determination means change the threshold value in a rearward drive of the vehicle as compared in a forward drive thereof such that the turn running behavior control is started at a lower degree of the desirability thereof in the rearward drive than in the forward drive.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the turn running behavior control start determination means determine the one turn running behavior parameter to traverse the threshold value according to a control start determination formula common to the forward and rearward drive, the common control start determination formula discriminating the forward drive and the rearward drive from one another by a drive direction index incorporated therein, the drive direction index being varied according to a change of the drive direction.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the drive direction index is varied between “

0” and

“

1”

according to a change of the drive direction.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the turn running behavior control amount calculation means calculate the turn running behavior control amount according to a turn running behavior control amount calculation formula common to the forward and rearward drive, the common turn running behavior control amount calculation formula discriminating the forward drive and the rearward drive from one another by the drive direction index being varied according to a change of the drive direction.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the drive direction index is varied between “

0” and

“

1”

according to a change of the drive direction.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein the common turn running behavior control amount calculation formula calculate the turn running behavior control amount for at least one of a virtually front wheel serving at the inside of a turn, a virtually front wheel serving at the outside of the turn, a virtually rear wheel serving at the inside of the turn, and a virtually rear wheel serving at the outside of the turn in either a forward drive left turn, a forward drive right turn, a rearward drive left turn or a rearward drive right turn of the vehicle, and the turn running behavior control amount calculation means convert the turn running behavior control amount calculated for the at least one of the virtually front inside, front outside, rear inside and rear outside wheels to a corresponding turn running behavior control amount for the front left, front right, rear left or rear right wheel according to the drive direction index and a steering direction of the steering system.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the turn running behavior control is a roll control, and the one turn running behavior parameter is selected from vehicle speed, yaw rate the vehicle, lateral acceleration of the vehicle and theoretically calculated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the turn running behavior control start determination means start the turn running behavior control when more than one of the turn running behavior parameters traverse the threshold values determined respectively therefor.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the turn running behavior control is a steering performance control, and the one turn running behavior parameter is selected from vehicle speed, yaw rate of the vehicle, target yaw rate of the vehicle and a deviation of the yaw rate from the target yaw rate.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the turn running behavior control start determination means start the turn running behavior control when more than one of the turn running behavior parameters traverse the threshold values determined respectively therefor.

11. A method for controlling a turn running behavior of a vehicle having a vehicle body, front left, front right, rear left and rear right wheels, an engine for driving at least a rear pair or a front pair of the wheels, a steering system for steering at least the front pair or the rear pair of the wheels, and a brake system for braking each of the wheels, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one parameter with respect to the turn running behavior of the vehicle in addition to a drive direction thereof, the one parameter being indicative of changes of degree of desirability of the turn running behavior control according to changes of a magnitude thereof,

calculating an amount for the turn running behavior control based upon the turn running parameters detected by the turn running behavior parameter detection means,

determining a start of the turn running behavior control according to the one turn running behavior parameter traversing a threshold value determined therefor, and

executing the turn running behavior control by operating at least one of the engine and the brake system according to the turn running behavior control amount,

wherein the threshold value is changed in a rearward drive of the vehicle as compared in a forward drive thereof such that the turn running behavior control is started at a lower degree of the desirability thereof in the rearward drive than in the forward drive.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the one turn running behavior parameter to traverse the threshold value is determined according to a control start determination formula common to the forward and rearward drive, the common control start determination formula discriminating the forward drive and the rearward drive from one another by a drive direction index incorporated therein, the drive direction index being varied according to a change of the drive direction.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the turn running behavior control is started when more than one of the turn running behavior parameters traverse the threshold values determined respectively therefor.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the drive direction index is varied between “

0” and

“

1”

according to a change of the drive direction.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the turn running behavior control amount is calculated according to a turn running behavior control amount calculation formula common to the forward and rearward drive, the common turn running behavior control amount calculation formula discriminating the forward drive and the rearward drive from one another by the drive direction index being varied according to a change of the drive direction.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the drive direction index is varied between “

0” and

“

1”

according to a change of the drive direction.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the turn running behavior control amount is calculated for at least one of a virtually front wheel serving at the inside of a turn, a virtually front wheel serving at the outside of the turn, a virtually rear wheel serving at the inside of the turn, and a virtually rear wheel serving at the outside of the turn in either a forward drive left turn, a forward drive right turn, a rearward drive left turn or a rearward drive right turn, and the turn running behavior control amount calculated for the at least one of the virtually front inside, front outside, rear inside and rear outside wheels is converted to a corresponding turn running control amount for the front left, front right, rear left or rear right wheel according to the drive direction index and a steering direction of the steering system.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the turn running behavior control is a roll control, and the one turn running behavior parameter is selected from vehicle speed, yaw rate of the vehicle, lateral acceleration of the vehicle and theoretically calculated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the turn running behavior control is a steering performance control, and the one turn running behavior parameter is selected from vehicle speed, yaw rate of the vehicle, target yaw rate of the vehicle and a deviation of the yaw rate from the target yaw rate.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the turn running behavior control is started when more than one of the turn running behavior parameters traverse the threshold values determined respectively therefor.