Steering control apparatus for vehicle and method for steering control

• US 7,302,328 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Hiroaki, Yasui, Yoshiyuki, Niino, Hiroaki, Momiyama, Minekazu, Aizawa, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/960,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/42, 701/70, 701/78, 701/83, 701/89, 701/48, 701/72, 701/90, 180/443, 180/412, 180/413, 180/415, 303/191
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/03 Driver counter-steering; Avoidance of conflicts with ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/024 Yawing moment compensation during mu-split braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1764 Regulation during travel on surface with different coefficients of friction, e.g. between left and right sides, mu-split or between front and rear
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/003 in order to control vehicle yaw movement, i.e. around a vertical axis B62D6/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A steering control apparatus obtains a steered amount by which a steered wheel is steered based on a left-and-right braking force difference control amount, a vehicle state control amount, and a steering control amount. The apparatus changes the magnitude of the braking force difference control amount and the magnitude of the vehicle state control amount according to a vehicle speed or to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels. Accordingly, the vehicle driving on a μ-split road is prevented from being deflected toward a side of higher friction coefficient due to the left-and-right braking force difference when the braking is applied.

Claims

1. A steering control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, the apparatus comprising:

a steering control amount calculating section that calculates a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

a braking force difference control amount calculating section that estimates the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel, and calculates a braking force difference control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

a vehicle state control amount calculating section that calculates a target yaw rate and a target yaw angle based on a vehicle state quantity, calculates a yaw rate feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw rate and an actual yaw rate, calculates a yaw angle feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw angle and an actual yaw angle, adds the yaw rate feedback amount to the yaw angle feedback amount, and calculates a vehicle state control amount based on the result of the addition;

an adding section that adds the braking force difference control amount and the vehicle state control amount to the steering control amount;

a steered amount controlling section that determines a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the addition result of the adding section; and

an adjusting section that, according to a change in a vehicle speed or to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels, adjusts a ratio related to the braking force difference control amount to be added to the steering control amount, and a ratio related to the vehicle state control amount to be added to the steering control amount.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle speed is reduced or when the elapsed time is increased, the adjusting section decreases the braking force difference control amount and increases the vehicle state control amount.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a steering state detecting section that determines whether the steering section has been steered to cancel the yaw moment based on at least one of a steering amount and a steering speed of the steering section, wherein, when the steering state detecting section determines that the steering section has been steered to cancel the yaw moment, the braking force difference control amount calculating section decreases the braking force difference control amount.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the braking force difference control amount calculating section decreases the braking force difference control amount as the steering amount or the steering speed is increased.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a steering state detecting section that determines whether the steering section has been steered not to cancel the yaw moment based on at least one of a steering amount and a steering speed of the steering section, wherein, when the steering state detecting section determines that the steering section has been steered not to cancel the yaw moment, the braking force difference control amount calculating section decreases the braking force difference control amount.

6. A steering control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, the apparatus comprising:

a steering control amount calculating section that calculates a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

a steered torque control amount calculating section that calculates a steered torque control amount based on steering torque of the steering section;

a braking force difference control amount calculating section that estimates the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel, and calculates a braking force difference control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

a correction amount calculating section that calculates a correction amount related to the steered torque control amount according to the braking force difference, thereby canceling the yaw moment;

a first adding section that adds the braking force difference control amount to the steering control amount;

a second adding section that adds the correction amount to the steered torque control amount;

a steered amount controlling section that determines a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the addition result of the first adding section; and

a steered torque controlling section that determines steered torque to be applied to the steered wheel based on the addition result of the second adding section.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a vehicle state control amount calculating section that calculates a target yaw rate and a target yaw angle based on a vehicle state quantity, calculates a yaw rate feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw rate and an actual yaw rate, calculates a yaw angle feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw angle and an actual yaw angle, adds the yaw rate feedback amount to the yaw angle feedback amount, and calculates a vehicle state control amount based on the result of the addition,

wherein the first adding section adds the vehicle state control amount to the steering control amount.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an adjusting section that, according to a change in a vehicle speed or to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels, adjusts a ratio related to the braking force difference control amount to be added to the steering control amount, and a ratio related to the vehicle state control amount to be added to the steering control amount.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the correction amount calculating section changes the correction amount according to a change in the vehicle speed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the correction amount calculating section changes the correction amount according to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a steering state detecting section that determines whether the steering section has been steered to cancel the yaw moment based on at least one of a steering amount and a steering speed of the steering section, wherein, when the steering state detecting section determines that the steering section has been steered to cancel the yaw moment, the braking force difference control amount calculating section decreases the braking force difference control amount or sets the braking force difference control amount to zero, and the correction amount calculating section decreases the correction amount or sets the correction amount to zero.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a steering state detecting section that determines whether the steering section has been steered not to cancel the yaw moment based on at least one of a steering amount and a steering speed of the steering section, wherein, when the steering state detecting section determines that the steering section has been steered not to cancel the yaw moment, the braking force difference control amount calculating section decreases the braking force difference control amount or sets the braking force difference control amount to zero, and the correction amount calculating section decreases the correction amount or sets the correction amount to zero.

13. A steering control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, wherein the apparatus:

calculates a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

estimates the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel, and calculates a braking force difference control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

calculates a target yaw rate and a target yaw angle based on a vehicle state quantity, calculates a yaw rate feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw rate and an actual yaw rate, calculates a yaw angle feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw angle and an actual yaw angle, calculates a vehicle state control amount based on the yaw rate feedback amount and the yaw angle feedback amount;

obtains a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the braking force difference control amount, the vehicle state control amount, and the steering control amount; and

changes the magnitude of the braking force difference control amount and the magnitude of the vehicle state control amount according to a vehicle speed or to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels.

14. A steering control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, wherein the apparatus:

calculates a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

calculates a steered torque control amount based on steering torque of the steering section;

estimates the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel, and calculates a braking force difference control amount and a correction value related to the steered torque control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

obtains a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the braking force difference control amount and the steering control amount; and

obtains a steered torque to be applied to the steered wheel based on the correction amount and the steered torque control amount.

15. A steering control method for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, the method comprising:

calculating a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

estimating the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel;

calculating a braking force difference control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

calculating a target yaw rate and a target yaw angle based on a vehicle state quantity;

calculating a yaw rate feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw rate and an actual yaw rate;

calculating a yaw angle feedback amount based on the deviation between the target yaw angle and an actual yaw angle;

calculating a vehicle state control amount based on the yaw rate feedback amount and the yaw angle feedback amount;

obtaining a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the braking force difference control amount, the vehicle state control amount, and the steering control amount; and

changing the magnitude of the braking force difference control amount and the magnitude of the vehicle state control amount according to a vehicle speed or to time elapsed from when braking started to be applied to the left and right wheels.

16. A steering control method for a vehicle, the vehicle having left and right wheels to which braking force is applied, a steering section, and a steered wheel that is steered by steering of the steering section, the method comprising:

calculating a steering control amount based on the steering amount of the steering section;

calculating a steered torque control amount based on steering torque of the steering section;

estimating the difference between braking force applied to the left wheel and braking force applied to the right wheel;

calculating a braking force difference control amount and a correction value related to the steered torque control amount according to the braking force difference to cancel yaw moment that acts on the vehicle due to the braking force difference;

obtaining a steered amount by which the steered wheel is steered based on the braking force difference control amount and the steering control amount; and

obtaining a steered torque to be applied to the steered wheel based on the correction amount and the steered torque control amount.