Steer by brake control system

• US 7,318,629 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Sun, Qiong, Lubischer, Frank, Schieb, Eric, Weber, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): King; Bradley
• Application Number:
  US11/127,393
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 303/146, 119/1, 701/41, 701/48, 701/53, 701/93, 180/244
• US Class Current: 303/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/04 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1769 specially adapted for vehicles having more than one driven axle, e.g. four-wheel drive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/003 Electric or electronic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/24 Endless track steering specially adapted for vehicles having both steerable wheels and endless track

Abstract

A turn control system is provided having four wheels and a steering wheel that controls the vehicle steering. A steering wheel angle sensor senses an angle of rotation of the steering wheel. An acceleration sensing device senses an acceleration demand. A wheel speed sensing device senses a wheel speed for each of the four wheels. A turn control activation switch enables the turn control system and shifts a vehicle transmission to one of a low or reverse operating gear. A brake control module calculates a target vehicle speed, a vehicle turning geometry, and target wheel speeds. A braking torque command signal is generated for modulating the brake torque. An engine torque command signal is generated for modulating an engine torque for producing the target vehicle speed. A respective additional braking torque is applied to at least one of the wheels for reducing the vehicle turning radius while maintaining the vehicle target speed.

Claims

1. A turn control system for a vehicle having four wheels and a steering wheel that controls the steering of two of the wheels, the system comprising:

a brake system having four brakes with each of said brakes capable of applying an individual brake torque to a respective one of said four wheels;

a steering wheel angle sensor for sensing an angle of rotation of said steering wheel;

an acceleration sensing device for sensing an acceleration demand;

a wheel speed sensing device for sensing a wheel speed for each of the four wheels;

a turn control activation switch for enabling said turn control system and for shifting a vehicle transmission to one of a low or reverse operating gear; and

a brake control module for calculating a target vehicle speed in response to said acceleration demand;

a vehicle turning geometry in response to an angle of the steering wheel; and

target wheel speeds for each of said wheels in response to said target vehicle speed and said vehicle turning geometry; and

for generating a braking torque command signal for modulating said brake torque on said four brakes and generating an engine torque command signal for modulating an engine torque for producing said target vehicle speed, and applying a respective additional braking torque to at least one of the brakes for reducing said vehicle turning radius while maintaining said vehicle target speed.

2. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said turn control system is activated in response to an actuation of the said turn control activation switch and said steering wheel angle exceeding a predetermined threshold.

3. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said target wheel speeds for each of said four wheels includes a front outside target wheel speed v_T1, a front inside target wheel speed v_T2, a rear outside target wheel speed v_T3, and a rear inside target wheel speed v_T4, and wherein each of the said target wheel speeds as calculated by the brake control module are determined by the formulas;

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said braking torque applied to at least one vehicle wheel includes a front outside wheel brake torque request T₁, a front inside wheel brake torque request T₂, a rear outside wheel brake torque request T₃, and a rear inside wheel brake torque request T₄, and wherein each of the said brake torque requests as calculated by the brake control module are determined by the formulas:

5. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said brake control module includes a PID controller for calculating a net torque in response to said wheel speeds and said target wheel speeds for maintaining the constant target vehicle speed.

6. The turn control system of claim 1 further comprising a powertrain control module for controlling said engine torque in response to said engine torque command signal from said brake control module.

7. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said acceleration sensing device includes an accelerator pedal position sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal.

8. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said acceleration sensing device includes a throttle position sensor for sensing a position of a throttle valve.

9. The turn control system of claim 1 wherein said acceleration sensing device includes a powertrain control module for providing a position of an electronic throttle control valve.

10. A method for controlling a turn radius of a vehicle having four wheels and four brakes, with each brake capable of applying a braking torque to a respective one of the four wheels, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a vehicle turning geometry in response to a steering wheel angle and a measured vehicle speed;

calculating a target vehicle speed in response to an acceleration pedal demand;

calculating a target wheel speed of each of said four wheels as a function of said target vehicle speed;

determining an engine output torque and a total vehicle braking torque for cooperatively maintaining said vehicle at said target vehicle speed;

modulating said engine output torque and said total vehicle braking torque for cooperatively maintaining said target vehicle speed; and

modifying said braking torque applied to at least one of the wheels for reducing said turn radius of said vehicle while maintaining said target vehicle speed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of calculating a target wheel speed for each of said wheels includes a front outside target wheel speed v_T1, a front inside target wheel speed v_T2, a rear outside target wheel speed v_T3, and a rear inside target wheel speed v_T4, and wherein each of the said target wheel speeds are determined by the formulas:

12. The method of claim 10 wherein braking torque applied to at least one vehicle wheel includes a front outside wheel brake torque request T₁, a front inside wheel brake torque request T₂, a rear outside wheel brake torque request T₃, and a rear inside wheel brake torque request T₄, and wherein each of the said brake torque requests are determined by the formulas:

13. The method of claim 10 further including the step of actuating a turn control activation switch for enabling a turn control system.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said engine output torque and said total vehicle braking torque for maintaining said constant target vehicle speed are determined by a brake control module.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said engine output torque is modulated by a powertrain control module in response to an engine torque command signal received from said brake control module.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said braking torque applied to at least one of the wheels is controlled by said braking control module.

17. A method for controlling a turn radius of a vehicle having four wheels and four brakes, with each brake capable of applying a braking torque to a respective one of the four wheels, the method comprising the steps of:

shifting a transmission of a vehicle into a low gear;

sensing a steering wheel angle of a vehicle;

sensing an acceleration pedal demand;

sensing a wheel speed of each of said wheels;

determining a target vehicle speed in response to said acceleration pedal demand;

determining a turning geometry in response to said steering wheel angle;

calculating target wheel speeds for each of said wheels in response to said target vehicle speed and said turning geometry;

determining an engine torque and a total vehicle braking torque for cooperatively maintaining a constant vehicle speed in response to said vehicle wheel speeds and said actual vehicle wheel speeds; and

modifying said braking torque to at least one vehicle wheel for reducing a vehicle turning radius while maintaining said vehicle target speed.