Method of detecting the docking of vehicles

• US 7,117,072 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Haemmerling, Carsten, Spiegelberg, Gernot, Heilmann, Harro, Schwarzhaupt, Andreas, Sulzmann, Armin, Gehring, Ottmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/953,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/50, 701/401, 56/166, 172/28, 172/225, 172/226, 141/231, 461/1, 461/8
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

In a module for detecting the docking of a vehicle, changes of vehicle engine torque and rotational wheel speed of the vehicle are determined as a function of time. It is checked whether the change of the engine torque is >>0 and the change of the rotational wheel speed is <<0. If both of these conditions are met, docking is detected and the vehicle can be braked. The module may be implemented in the form of software.

Claims

1. A method of detecting docking of a vehicle to a docking system, said method comprising:

a) monitoring changes of a first quantity that is indicative of longitudinal velocity of the vehicle;

b) monitoring changes a second quantity that is indicative of engine torque;

c) determining whether a change of the first quantity is less than a defined first value;

d) determining whether a change of the second quantity is greater than a defined second value; and

e) determining that a docking has taken place when both c) and d) have been met at the same time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically braking the vehicle when a docking has been detected.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first quantity comprises rotational wheel speed of at least one vehicle wheel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said vehicle wheel is a rear wheel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first quantity comprises longitudinal velocity of the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein it is monitored whether the longitudinal velocity is below a defined velocity value.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

additional vehicle parameters are detected and analyzed for detecting docking; and

said additional vehicle parameters include at least a status of the drive train.

8. A module comprising:

first input means for receiving a first input quantity indicative of the engine torque;

second input means for receiving a second input quantity indicative of longitudinal velocity of the vehicle;

first determining means for determining a change of the first input quantity;

second determining means for determining a change of the second input quantity; and

third determining means connected to receive outputs from said first and second determining means for determining, based on said outputs, whether a docking of the vehicle to a docking system is occurring.

9. The module according to claim 8, wherein the module comprises a software module.

10. The module according to claim 9, further comprising third input means for receiving additional input quantities which are indicative of additional vehicle parameters.

11. The module according to claim 10, further comprising a data line for connecting an output of the module with at least one of a braking system and a drive train control of the vehicle.

12. The module according to claim 11, wherein the data line comprises a CAN bus.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said third determining means determines that said vehicle has docked whenever a rapid increase of said first input torque occurs at the same time as a rapid decrease of said second input quantity.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

said rapid increase of said first input quantity comprises said increase >

>

0; and

said rapid decrease of said second input quantity comprises said increase <

<

0.

15. A method for detecting docking of a vehicle to a docking system, said method comprising:

a monitoring longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle;

monitoring engine torque of the vehicle; and

determining that the vehicle has docked when a rapid longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle occurs at the same time that said engine torque undergoes a rapid increase.