Vehicle stability operator feedback system

• US 6,725,135 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Team Eagle Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Stability Dynamics Ltd.
• Inventors: McKeown, Steve, Gilkes, Bruce, Sheaff, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donnelly, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US09/963,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/38, 701/48, 701/72, 701/73, 701/75, 701/78, 701/124, 73/650.1, 180/282, 280/755, 340/429
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0233 Vehicle tilting, overturning or roll over

Abstract

System for monitoring vehicle operating conditions and parameters and issuing warnings to the operator when a predetermined vehicle status is present. The predetermined vehicle status includes a variety of unsafe driving conditions and is responsive to a changing center of gravity. The warnings include visual, audible and tactile feedback. By way of the tactile feedback, the system can affect the operator'"'"'s operation of the vehicle to prevent vehicle instability, rollover, loss of vehicle control or other unsafe driving conditions from occurring.

Claims

1. A vehicle condition operator feedback comprising:

a vehicle operating condition determining apparatus mounted to a vehicle, the determining apparatus determining a plurality of operating conditions, at least one of the plurality of operating conditions being affected by a present center of gravity of the vehicle;

a controller which receives an input from the determining apparatus and deduces the presence of a predetermined vehicle status; and

an operator feedback apparatus, activated by the controller to indicate the presence of the predetermined vehicle status to the operator of the vehicle based upon the input, the feedback apparatus providing at least one form of feedback comprising at least one of an audible warning, a visual warning, a tactile warning, and vehicle control override;

wherein each of the plurality of operating conditions is selected from acceleration, deceleration, steering actuator position, steering rate, wheel angle position, load, brake actuator position, brake fluid pressure, throttle actuator position, engine revolution speed, engine power, engine torque, ground speed, driving wheels differential speed, incline, location, road transponder information, ambient pavement temperature, pavement friction, vehicle roll rate, center of gravity and heading.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates the feedback apparatus based upon a comparison of the input to predefined data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates the feedback apparatus based upon an algorithm.

4. A vehicle stability driver feedback system comprising:

a vehicle operating condition sensing apparatus mounted to a vehicle, the sensing apparatus sensing a plurality of operating conditions;

a controller which receives an input from the sensing apparatus; and

a driver feedback apparatus, activated by the controller to indicate an impending rollover or condition of instability to the driver of a vehicle based upon the input, the feedback apparatus providing at least one form of feedback selected from an audible warning, a visual warning, and a tactile warning;

wherein at least one of the plurality of operating conditions is determined on the basis of information acquired from a global positioning system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller activates the feedback apparatus based upon a comparison of the input to predefined data.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller activates the feedback apparatus based upon an algorithm.

7. A vehicle condition operator feedback system comprising:

a vehicle operating condition determining means for determining a plurality of operating conditions, at least one of the plurality of operating conditions being affected by a present center of gravity of the vehicle;

a control means for deducing the presence of a predetermined vehicle status based upon an operating condition signal received from the determining means; and

an operator feedback means for indicating the presence of the predetermined vehicle status to the operator of the vehicle based upon a control signal received from the control means;

wherein the control means send the control signal based upon an algorithm.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the feedback means provides at least one form of feed back provided by at least one of an audible warning means for providing an audible warning, a visual warning means for providing a visual warning, a tactile warning means for providing a tactile warning, and a vehicle control override means for overriding an operation of a vehicle control mechanism.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the control signal is based upon a comparison of the operating condition signal to predefined data.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the control means send the control signal based upon an algorithm.

11. A vehicle condition operator feedback system comprising:

a vehicle operating condition determining means for determining a plurality of operating conditions, at least one of the plurality of operating conditions being affected by a present center of gravity of the vehicle;

a control means for deducing the presence of a predetermined vehicle status based upon an operating condition signal received from the determining means; and

an operator feedback means for indicating the presence of the predetermined vehicle status to the operator of the vehicle based upon a control signal received from the control means;

wherein at least one of the plurality of operating conditions is determined on the basis of information acquired from a global positioning system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the feedback means provides at least one form of feed back provided by at least one of an audible warning means for providing an audible warning, a visual warning means for providing a visual warning, a tactile warning means for providing a tactile warning, and a vehicle control override means for overriding an operation of a vehicle control mechanism.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signal is based upon a comparison of the operating condition signal to predefined data.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control means send the control signal based upon an algorithm.

15. A method for alerting an operator to the presence of a predetermined vehicle status in a vehicle, comprising steps of:

determining a plurality of operating conditions of a vehicle, at least one of the plurality of operating conditions being affected by a present center of gravity of the vehicle;

deducing the presence of predetermined vehicle status based upon the determined plurality of conditions; and

indicating to an operator the presence of the predetermined vehicle status;

wherein the plurality of operating conditions are selected from acceleration, deceleration, steering acceleration, deceleration, steering actuator position, steering wheel angle position, load, brake actuator position, brake fluid pressure, throttle actuator position, engine revolution speed, engine power, engine torque, ground speed, driving wheels differential speed, incline, location, road transponder information, ambient pavement temperature, pavement friction, vehicle roll rate, center of gravity and heading.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of deducing includes a comparison of the input to predefined data.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the step of deducing includes the use of an algorithm.

18. A method for alerting an operator to the presence of a predetermined vehicle status in a vehicle, comprising steps of:

determining a plurality of operating conditions of a vehicle, at least one of the plurality of operating conditions being affected by a present center of gravity of the vehicle;

deducing the presence of predetermined vehicle status based upon the determined plurality of conditions; and

indicating to an operator the presence of the predetermined vehicle status;

wherein at least one of the plurality of operating conditions is determined on the basis of information acquired from a global positioning system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of deducing includes a comparison of the input to predefined data.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the step of deducing includes the use of an algorithm.