Roll stability control system for an automotive vehicle using an external environmental sensing system

• US 7,197,388 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company), Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Mills, Aaron L., Mattson, Keith Glenn, Beydoun, Samir M., Engelman, Gerald H., Xu, Liwen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/605,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/71, 701/72, 701/38, 701/82, 701/90, 701/36, 701/96, 280/735, 280/5.502, 382/104, 382/106, 382/107, 382/108, 348/142, 348/42, 340/440, 340/461, 180/282
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention

Abstract

A roll stability control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) includes an external environment sensing system, such as a camera-based vision system, or a radar, lidar or sonar-based sensing system (43) that generates image, radar, lidar, and/or sonar-based signals. A controller (26) is coupled to the sensing system and generates dynamic vehicle characteristic signals in response to the image, radar, lidar, or sonar-based signals. The controller controls the rollover control system (18) in response to the dynamic vehicle control signal. The dynamic vehicle characteristics may include roll related angles, angular rates, and various vehicle velocities.

Claims

1. A control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a camera-based vision system generating image signals;

a rollover control system; and

a controller coupled to the camera system and the rollover control system, said controller generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal in response to the image signals, said controller controlling the rollover control system in response to the dynamic vehicle control signal.

2. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a vehicle roll direction angle signal.

3. A control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a yaw control system, wherein said controller chooses between the yaw stability control system or the rollover control system in response to the dynamic vehicle characteristic.

4. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a vehicle pitch angle signal.

5. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a lateral velocity signal.

6. A control system as recited in claim 5 wherein said controller determines an aggressive driving status or loss of control status in response to the lateral velocity signal, said controller activating a yaw stability control system or a rollover control system in response to determining the aggressive driving status or loss of control status.

7. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a longitudinal velocity signal.

8. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a road departure signal.

9. A control system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a yaw stability control signal, said controller controlling the yaw stability control system in response to the road departure signal.

10. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises an in-path object signal.

11. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a wheel lifted signal.

12. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a body-to-road angle signal.

13. A control system as recited in claim 12 wherein the controller enters a wheel lift determination when the body-to-road angle is above a predetermined threshold.

14. A control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a plurality of wheel speeds from a wheel speed sensors, wherein said controller identifying a wheel slip condition or wheel lock condition, said controller generating a longitudinal speed signal from the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal during the wheel slip or wheel lock condition.

15. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a body side slip signal.

16. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises a rotational moment of inertia signal.

17. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the camera system comprises a stereo pair of cameras.

18. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the camera system comprises a front camera and side camera.

19. A control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the camera system comprises a rear camera and side camera.

20. A control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a radar, lidar, or sonar-based system generating environmental sensing signals;

and said controller generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal in response to the image signals and the environmental sensing signals.

21. A method of controlling a rollover control system of automotive vehicle comprising:

generating an image signal;

generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal in response to the image signal; and

controlling the rollover control system in response to the dynamic vehicle control signal.

22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a vehicle roll direction angle signal.

23. A method as recited in claim 21 further comprising a yaw control system, choosing between the yaw stability control system or the rollover control system in response to the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal.

24. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a vehicle pitch angle signal.

25. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a lateral velocity signal.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising determining an aggressive driving status or loss of control status in response to the lateral velocity signal, said controller activating a yaw stability control system or a rollover control system in response to determining the aggressive driving status or loss of control status.

27. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a longitudinal velocity signal.

28. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a road departure signal.

29. A method as recited in claim 28 further comprising a yaw stability control signal, said further comprising controlling the yaw stability control system in response to the road departure signal.

30. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating an in-path object signal.

31. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a wheel lifted signal.

32. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a body-to-road angle signal.

33. A method as recited in claim 21 further comprising entering a wheel lift determination when the body-to-road angle is above a predetermined threshold.

34. A method as recited in claim 21 further comprising generating a plurality of wheel speeds from a wheel speed sensors, identifying a wheel slip condition or wheel rock condition, generating a longitudinal speed signal in response to the dynamic vehicle characteristic signal during the wheel slip or wheel lock condition.

35. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein generating a dynamic vehicle characteristic signal comprises generating a body side slip signal.