Method and device for measuring the angle of inclination on laterally inclined bends

• US 6,332,353 B1
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Maier, Holger, Gesele, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US09/310,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 731/181, 731/46, 333/35, 333/36, 333/37, 701/1, 701/29
• US Class Current: 73/117.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0511 Roll angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/052 Angular 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 2800/0194 transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/22 Banked curves
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• 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: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels

Abstract

The angle of inclination of a bend encountered by a vehicle is calculated from the rotation rate, lateral acceleration and speed of the vehicle, thereby avoiding the necessity of sensors not already existing in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for measuring an angle of inclination (α

) on laterally inclined bends encountered by a moving vehicle comprising the steps of;

substantially simultaneously measuring lateral acceleration (a_M), in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of vehicle travel and parallel to a vehicle plane, a rate of rotation of the vehicle (Ψ

_D), as measured by a rotation rate sensor in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel and perpendicular to the vehicle plane, and vehicle speed (v), and

comparing said rate of rotation measured by said rotation rate sensor to a second rotation rate, calculated based upon a steering angle of the vehicle and said vehicle speed, and to a third rotation rate, calculated based upon said lateral acceleration and said vehicle speed, in order to determine if an inclined roadway is present, and if so calculating the angle of inclination (α

) in real time as a function of lateral acceleration, the rate of rotation of the vehicle and vehicle speed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the logic operation comprises $\alpha$

=arcsin

 



v*

Ψ

.D

-aMg

where g is the acceleration of gravity.

2. A device for measuring an angle of inclination (α

) on laterally inclined bends encountered by a moving vehicle, wherein the device includes;

a lateral acceleration sensor for measuring lateral acceleration (a_M) of the vehicle,

a rotation rate sensor for measuring a rate of rotation (Ψ

_D) of the vehicle,

a speed sensor for measuring vehicle speed (v), and

an evaluation unit operative to determine the angle of inclination (α

) by means of a predetermined function of substantially simultaneously determined signals received from the lateral acceleration, rotation rate and speed sensors.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein the predetermined function comprises $\alpha$

=arcsin

 



v*

Ψ

.D

-aMg

where g is the acceleration of gravity.

3. A method for measuring an angle of inclination (α

) on laterally inclined bends encountered by a moving vehicle comprising the steps of;

substantially simultaneously measuring lateral acceleration (a_M), in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of vehicle travel and parallel to a vehicle plane, a rate of rotation of the vehicle (Ψ

_D), in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel and perpendicular to the vehicle plane, and vehicle speed (v), and

calculating the angle of inclination (α

) in real time as a function of lateral acceleration, the rate of rotation of the vehicle and vehicle speed, wherein presence of roadway inclination is checked in a fixed cycle and a counter increases in value on each occasion when an inclination of the roadway is detected.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein an indication of roadway inclination is relayed to a vehicle dynamics stability controller, a vehicle safety device or to the driver only when a value of the counter is outside a defined range of values.

4. A method for measuring an angle of inclination (α

) on laterally inclined bends encountered by a moving vehicle comprising the steps of;

substantially simultaneously measuring lateral acceleration (a_M), in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of vehicle travel and parallel to a vehicle plane, a rate of rotation of the vehicle (Ψ

_D), in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel and perpendicular to the vehicle plane, and vehicle speed (v), and

calculating the angle of inclination (α

) in real time as a function of lateral acceleration, the rate of rotation of the vehicle and vehicle speed, wherein presence of roadway inclination is checked in a fixed cycle and a counter is lowered in value on each occasion when an absence of roadway inclination is detected.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein an indication of roadway inclination is relayed to a vehicle dynamics stability controller, a vehicle safety device or to the driver only when a value of the counter is outside a defined range of values.