Method and apparatus for estimating mass of vehicle, and method and apparatus for estimating gradient employing the method

• US 6,839,615 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yanase, Minao
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/609,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 180/233, 180/248, 180/250, 701/1, 701/54, 701/56, 701/84, 701/103, 701/104, 701/70, 701/90, 477/102, 303/112, 702/173, 702/175
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/02 Vehicle mass
• 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: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/663 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/086 wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated

Abstract

A method for estimating a mass of a vehicle including the steps of: correcting a wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and estimating a mass of the vehicle on the basis of a slope of the regression line. It is possible to estimate the mass of the vehicle at high accuracy.

Claims

1. A method for estimating a mass of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

obtaining a value of a corrected wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and estimating a mass of the vehicle on the basis of a slope of the regression line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of obtaining a value of a corrected wheel torque of the vehicle during running on the basis of a relationship between the wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface road at constant speed and a vehicle body speed of the vehicle.

3. An apparatus for estimating a mass of a vehicle comprising:

wheel speed detecting means for detecting wheel speed revolution information of tires of the vehicle, a first correction means for correcting a wheel torque to obtain a corrected wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, a regression calculation means for obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and a mass estimation means for estimating a mass of the vehicle on the basis of a slope of the regression line.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second correction means for performing correction of a wheel torque to obtain a corrected wheel torque of the vehicle during running on the basis of a relationship between the wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface road at constant speed and a vehicle body speed of the vehicle.

5. A method for estimating a gradient comprising the steps of:

obtaining a value of a corrected wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and estimating a gradient of a road surface from an intercept of the regression line on the basis of a mass of the vehicle which is obtained on the basis of a slope of the regression line.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the step of obtaining a value of a corrected wheel torque of the vehicle during running on the basis of a relationship between the wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface road at constant speed and a vehicle body speed of the vehicle.

7. An apparatus for estimating a gradient comprising:

wheel speed detecting means for detecting wheel speed revolution information of tires of the vehicle, a first correction means for correcting a wheel torque to obtain a corrected wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, a regression calculation means for obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and a gradient estimation means for estimating a gradient of a road surface from an intercept of the regression line on the basis of a mass of the vehicle which is obtained on the basis of a slope of the regression line.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second correction means for performing correction of a wheel torque to obtain a corrected wheel torque of the vehicle during running on the basis of a relationship between the wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface road at constant speed and a vehicle body speed of the vehicle.