Active rollover protection
First Claim
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1. A method for protecting against rollover in a motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
- providing an array of linear acceleration sensors at predetermined locations relative to the center of gravity of the vehicle;
providing a control module having a model of the vehicle dynamics and a model of the array of sensors;
detecting an acceleration for each sensor in the array of sensors;
estimating a roll angle of the vehicle based on the detected accelerations, the model of the vehicle dynamics and the model of the sensors;
generating a control signal based on the roll angle; and
reducing the roll moment of the vehicle based on the control signal.
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Abstract
A system and method protects against rollover in a vehicle by employing an array of linear acceleration sensors. A control module includes, among other things, a model of the vehicle dynamics and a model of the array of sensors. A state vector is estimated based on the detected accelerations, the model of the vehicle dynamics and the model of the sensors. A control signal is generated based on the state vector, and the roll moment of the vehicle is reduced based on the control signal.
75 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for protecting against rollover in a motor vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing an array of linear acceleration sensors at predetermined locations relative to the center of gravity of the vehicle; providing a control module having a model of the vehicle dynamics and a model of the array of sensors; detecting an acceleration for each sensor in the array of sensors; estimating a roll angle of the vehicle based on the detected accelerations, the model of the vehicle dynamics and the model of the sensors; generating a control signal based on the roll angle; and reducing the roll moment of the vehicle based on the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for protecting against rollover in a motor vehicle, the vehicle defining a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis, each axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an acceleration sensor positioned along the lateral axis of the vehicle, the sensor spaced a distance from the center of gravity; detecting an acceleration on the vehicle with the sensor; determining a roll acceleration of the vehicle from the detected acceleration and the known position of the sensor; integrating the roll acceleration to determine a roll rate and a roll angle of the vehicle; generating a control signal based on the roll angle, the roll rate and the roll acceleration; and reducing the roll moment of the vehicle based on the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for protecting against rollover in a vehicle comprising:
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an array of linear acceleration sensors positioned at predetermined locations relative to the center of gravity of the vehicle, each sensor detecting a linear acceleration along its sensor axis; a control module having a signal adjuster, an estimator, a signal generator, a model of the vehicle dynamics and a model of the array of sensors; the signal adjuster receiving the detected accelerations and transforming the accelerations from a sensor coordinate system to a body coordinate system; the estimator receiving the transformed accelerations and estimating a roll angle based on the transformed accelerations, the model of the vehicle dynamics and the model of the array of sensors; the signal generator generating a control signal when the roll angle indicates a tendency of the vehicle to rollover; and an actuator receiving the control signal and reducing the roll moment of the vehicle based thereon. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification