Integration of active assist and vehicle dynamics control and method

• US 6,856,877 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ekmark, Jonas, Coelingh, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/063,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 701/48, 701/45, 701/38, 701/36, 701/37, 701/1, 280/5.5
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/85 System Prioritisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/08 Coordination of integrated systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0031 Mathematical model of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0297 Control Giving priority to different actuators or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A vehicle control system (10) including a vehicle motion control subsystem (12) that has an input receiving an intended driving demand (14) and a plurality of coordinator subsystems (16) for coordinating actuators of the vehicle. The vehicle motion control subsystem (12) communicates with the coordinator subsystems (16) to determine whether a single coordinator subsystem (16) can carry out the intended driving demand (14). The vehicle motion control subsystem (12) will distribute demand signals among one or more of the coordinator subsystems (16) to allow the vehicle to implement the intended driving demand (14).

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

providing a driver subsystem and an active assist subsystem;

receiving at least one driver input into the driver subsystem from a driver of the vehicle;

outputting a driver output from the driver subsystem to the active assist subsystem, the driver output being derived from the at least one driver input;

providing at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input;

providing a vehicle control and implementation subsystem; and

inputting an intended driving demand from the active assist program into the vehicle control and implementation subsystem;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation subsystem come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program.

6. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a longitudinal acceleration demand.

7. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a longitudinal velocity demand.

8. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a yaw rate demand.

9. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a slip angle demand.

10. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a wheel angle demand.

2. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

providing a driver subsystem and an active assist subsystem;

receiving at least one driver input into the driver subsystem from a driver of the vehicle;

outputting a driver output from the driver subsystem to the active assist subsystem, the driver output being derived from the at least one driver input;

providing at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input;

providing a vehicle control and implementation subsystem;

inputting an intended driving demand from the active assist program into the vehicle control and implementation subsystem;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation subsystem come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

inputting environmental data into the active assist subsystem.

3. The method of controlling a vehicle of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one active input is derived from the environmental data.

4. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

providing a driver subsystem and an active assist subsystem;

receiving at least one driver input into the driver subsystem from a driver of the vehicle;

outputting a driver output from the driver subsystem to the active assist subsystem, the driver output being derived from the at least one driver input;

providing at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input;

providing a vehicle control and implementation subsystem; and

inputting an intended driving demand from the active assist program into the vehicle control and implementation subsystem;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation subsystem come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

wherein the at least one active assist program includes an adaptive cruise control program.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

providing a driver subsystem and an active assist subsystem;

receiving at least one driver input into the driver subsystem from a driver of the vehicle;

outputting a driver output from the driver subsystem to the active assist subsystem, the driver output being derived from the at least one driver input;

providing at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input;

providing a vehicle control and implementation subsystem; and

inputting an intended driving demand from the active assist program into the vehicle control and implementation subsystem;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation subsystem come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

wherein the at least one active assist program includes a collision mitigation program.

11. A vehicle control system comprising:

a driver subsystem receiving at least one driver input from a driver of the vehicle, the driver subsystem including a driver output outputting a driver output signal, the driver output signal being derived from the at least one driver input;

an active assist subsystem including an assist input receiving the driver output signal from the driver output of the driver subsystem, the active assist subsystem including at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input, the at least one active assist subsystem including an assist output;

a vehicle control and implementation subsystem having a control input receiving an intended driving demand from the assist output of the active assist program;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation subsystem come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program.

16. The vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a longitudinal acceleration demand.

17. The vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a longitudinal velocity demand.

18. The vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a yaw rate demand.

19. The vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a slip angle demand.

20. The vehicle control system of claim 11, wherein:

the intended driving demand includes a wheel angle demand.

12. A vehicle control system comprising:

a driver subsystem receiving at least one driver input from a driver of the vehicle, the driver subsystem including a driver output outputting a driver output signal, the driver output signal being derived from the at least one driver input;

an active assist subsystem including an assist input receiving the driver output signal from the driver output of the driver subsystem, the active assist subsystem including at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input, the at least one active assist subsystem including an assist output;

a vehicle control and implementation subsystem having a control input receiving an intended driving demand from the assist output of the active assist program;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

wherein the active assist subsystem receives environmental data.

13. The vehicle control system of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one active input is derived from the environmental data.

14. A vehicle control system comprising:

a driver subsystem receiving at least one driver input from a driver of the vehicle, the driver subsystem including a driver output outputting a driver output signal, the driver output signal being derived from the at least one driver input;

an active assist subsystem including an assist input receiving the driver output signal from the driver output of the driver subsystem, the active assist subsystem including at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input, the at least one active assist subsystem including an assist output;

a vehicle control and implementation subsystem having a control input receiving an intended driving demand from the assist output of the active assist program;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

wherein the at least one active assist program includes an adaptive cruise control program.

15. A vehicle control system comprising:

a driver subsystem receiving at least one driver input from a driver of the vehicle, the driver subsystem including a driver output outputting a driver output signal, the driver output signal being derived from the at least one driver input;

an active assist subsystem including an assist input receiving the driver output signal from the driver output of the driver subsystem, the active assist subsystem including at least one active assist program having at least one active input, the at least one active assist program having an on setting wherein the at least one active assist program outputs at least one active input and an off setting wherein the at least one active assist program does not output at least one active input, the at least one active assist subsystem including an assist output;

a vehicle control and implementation subsystem having a control input receiving an intended driving demand from the assist output of the active assist program;

wherein the intended driving demand is derived from a combination of the at least one driver input and the at least one active input if the at least one active assist program is in the on setting and if the driver of the vehicle does not overrule the at least one active assist program, otherwise the intended driving demand is derived from the at least one driver input, such that the vehicle control and implementation subsystem cannot determine if instructions for the vehicle control and implementation come from the at least one driver input or the at least one active assist program; and

wherein the at least one active assist program includes a collision mitigation program.