Apparatus and method for judging road surface gradients, and program for judging gradients
First Claim
1. An apparatus for judging road surface gradients comprising:
- a speed detecting means for periodically detecting wheel speeds of four wheels of a vehicle;
a vehicle body speed calculating means for obtaining a vehicle body speed of the vehicle;
a slip rate calculating means for obtaining a slip rate;
a means for calculating acceleration of the vehicle body for obtaining an acceleration of the vehicle body of the vehicle;
a determining means for determining whether the acceleration of the vehicle body is within a specified range; and
a gradient judging means for judging a gradient of a road surface depending on the determination of the determining means.
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Abstract
An apparatus for judging road surface gradients including a speed detector for periodically detecting wheel speeds of four wheels of a vehicle, a vehicle body speed calculator for obtaining a vehicle body speed of the vehicle, a slip rate calculator for obtaining a slip rate, a vehicle body acceleration calculator for obtaining an acceleration of the vehicle body of the vehicle, a determining device for determining whether the acceleration of the vehicle body is within a specified range proximate to zero, and a gradient judging device for judging a gradient of a road surface depending on the determination of the determining device. The gradients of road surfaces might be judged without using various sensors but only on the basis of information which can be obtained from a speed detector for detecting wheel speeds.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for judging road surface gradients comprising:
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a speed detecting means for periodically detecting wheel speeds of four wheels of a vehicle;
a vehicle body speed calculating means for obtaining a vehicle body speed of the vehicle;
a slip rate calculating means for obtaining a slip rate;
a means for calculating acceleration of the vehicle body for obtaining an acceleration of the vehicle body of the vehicle;
a determining means for determining whether the acceleration of the vehicle body is within a specified range; and
a gradient judging means for judging a gradient of a road surface depending on the determination of the determining means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for judging road surface gradients comprising the steps of:
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periodically detecting wheel speeds of four wheels of a vehicle;
obtaining a vehicle body speed of the vehicle;
obtaining a slip rate;
obtaining an acceleration of the vehicle body of the vehicle;
determining whether the acceleration of the vehicle body is within a specified range proximate to zero; and
judging a gradient of a road surface depending on the determination. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A computer-readable medium embodied with a program for judging gradients which makes a computer function as a vehicle body speed calculating means for obtaining a vehicle body speed of the vehicle, a slip rate calculating means for obtaining a slip rate, a means for calculating acceleration of the vehicle body for obtaining an acceleration of the vehicle body of the vehicle, a determining means for determining whether the acceleration of the vehicle body is within a specified range proximate to zero, and a gradient judging means for judging a gradient of a road surface depending on the determination of the determining means.
Specification