Integrated sensing system

• US 7,373,227 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Meyers, Joseph Carr, Xu, Li, Brown, Todd Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/771,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/37, 701/38, 701/91, 701/70, 701/82, 701/220, 280/5.502
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0185 for failure detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0521 Roll rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0522 Pitch rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/106 longitudinal with regard to vehicle, e.g. braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/08 Failure or malfunction detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/70 Estimating or calculating vehicle parameters or state variables

Abstract

A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.

Claims

1. A control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a housing;

a sensor cluster within said housing comprising three angular rate sensors generating angular rate signals and three linear acceleration sensors generating linear acceleration signals, wherein said three angular rate sensors and said three linear acceleration sensors comprise an IMU;

a wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal corresponding to a wheel speed of the vehicle;

a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal;

an integrated controller receiving said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal, said integrated controller generating an vehicle frame signal as a function of said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal;

a vehicle dynamic controller receiving said vehicle frame signal and generating a side slip angle signal as a function thereof; and

a yaw stability control system receiving said side slip angle signal, and a driver'"'"'s intention signal, said yaw stability control system operating a braking device in response thereto.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said vehicle dynamic controller controls vehicle control objectives, such as, but not limited, to yaw stability control, roll stability control, ABS control, traction control, slip control, power-train control, transmission control, drive-train control, suspension control, anti-roll-bar control, vehicle leveling control, fuel economy control, active safety, passive safety, and emission control.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said vehicle dynamic controller controls vehicle abnormal state monitoring, including, but not limited to, tire under-inflation detection and monitoring, tire imbalance monitoring and detection, tire wear, steering misalignment, excessive suspension wearing.