Method of controlling an automotive vehicle having a trailer using rear axle slip angle

• US 7,401,871 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Offerle, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siconolfi; Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SY, MARIANO ONG
• Application Number:
  US10/708,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 303/7, 303/146, 303/147, 303/148, 303/191, 303/188, 303/193, 188/112.R, 188/112.A, 180/197, 180/6.24, 180/6.28, 180/235, 701/70, 701/71, 701/72
• US Class Current: 303/147
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17552 responsive to the tire sideslip angle or the vehicle body slip angle

Abstract

A system and method of controlling a vehicle with a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer, determining a vehicle velocity, determining a steering wheel angle, and determining a rear axle side slip angle. When the rear axle side slip angle is above a predetermined value, the vehicle velocity is above a velocity threshold, and the steering wheel is about zero, brake-steer is applied to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A control system for an automotive vehicle and a trailer comprising:

means to determine the presence of the trailer;

a vehicle velocity sensor generating a vehicle velocity signal;

a steering wheel angle sensor generating a steering wheel angle signal; and

a controller coupled to the means, the velocity sensor and the steering angle sensor, said controller determining a rear axle side slip angle of the vehicle, and when the rear axle side slip angle is above a predetermined rear axle slip angle, the vehicle velocity signal is above a velocity threshold and the steering wheel angle is about zero, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer to the vehicle to stabilize the vehicle and trailer further in response to a reverse direction signal.

2. A control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a yaw rate sensor generating a yaw rate signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in further response to a yaw rate signal.

3. A control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a steering wheel torque sensor generating a steering torque signal, said controller programmed to apply brake-steer in further response to a steering torque signal.