Occupant control system integrated with vehicle dynamics controls

• US 7,561,951 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Meyers, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/908,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/34, 701/36, 701/45, 701/48, 701/301, 340/435, 340/438, 340/439, 180/268, 180/271, 180/272, 180/273
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/035 Bringing the control units into a predefined state, e.g. giving priority to particular actuators

Abstract

A control system for an automotive vehicle that includes a plurality of dynamics sensors (14) for generating a plurality of dynamic condition signals and also a plurality of environment sensors (16) for generating a plurality of environment signals is provided herein. Vehicle systems such as a driver warning system, a powertrain control module, a restraint control module, and a chassis control module are also provided. A controller (12) is coupled to the plurality of sensors and classifies the operation of the vehicle as controllable stable, controllable unstable, or uncontrollable in response to the plurality of dynamic condition signals and the plurality of environment signals. The controller (12) selects a level of control for the vehicle systems in response to classifying. The level of control is different in response to the respective classification.

Claims

1. A control system for an automotive vehicle, said control system comprising:

a plurality of dynamics sensors for generating a plurality of dynamic condition signals that are indicative of dynamic conditions onboard said automotive vehicle;

a plurality of environment sensors for generating a plurality of environmental condition signals that are indicative of environmental conditions about said automotive vehicle;

a vehicle system; and

a controller coupled to said plurality of dynamics sensors, said plurality of environment sensors, and said vehicle system;

wherein said controller is operable to process both said dynamic condition signals and said environmental condition signals so as to determine an operational state of said automotive vehicle and also detect an external hazard about said automotive vehicle;

wherein said controller is operable to classify the operational dynamics of said automotive vehicle as being stable and controllable, unstable but controllable, or unstable and uncontrollable according to said operational state as determined and any said external hazard as detected; and

wherein said controller is operable to select a level of control based on said operational dynamics of said automotive vehicle as classified and accordingly provide control signals to said vehicle system for thereby operating said vehicle system at said level of control.

2. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a vehicle dynamics control module.

3. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to determine said operational dynamics and classify said operational dynamics in response to and in accordance with said operational state.

4. A control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said controller is operable to determine said operational state in response to and in accordance with a vehicle state.

5. A control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said vehicle state is determined in response to and in accordance with a vehicle attitude and a directional velocity.

6. A control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said vehicle state is determined in response to and in accordance with a normal loading and a directional velocity.

7. A control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said vehicle state is determined in response to and in accordance with a force and torque estimation.

8. A control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said controller is operable to determine said operational state in response to and in accordance with a road state.

9. A control system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said road state is determined in response to and in accordance with a road bank determination or a road inclination determination.

10. A control system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said road state is determined in response to and in accordance with (i) a road bank determination or a road inclination determination, (ii) a surface friction determination, and (iii) a road curvature determination.

11. A control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said controller is operable to determine said operational state in response to and in accordance with a driver intention determination.

12. A control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said controller is operable to determine said operational state in response to and in accordance with a dominated dynamics determination of a dynamic control direction of said vehicle.

13. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to generate a vehicle state, a road state, and a driver intention determination and also classify said operational dynamics in response to and in accordance with said vehicle state, said road state, and said driver intention determination.

14. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to generate an external hazard determination and also classify said operational dynamics in response to and in accordance with said external hazard determination.

15. A control system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said external hazard determination is generated in response to and in accordance with a moving object classification, an accident avoidance determination, or a pre-crash determination.

16. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to generate a plurality of stability indices and also classify said operational dynamics in response to and in accordance with said plurality of stability indices.

17. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle system comprises a chassis control module.

18. A control system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to at least one of a traction control system, a suspension height control system, a seat feel control system, a body attitude and motion control system, and a steering control system.

19. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle system comprises a powertrain control module.

20. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle system comprises a restraint control module.

21. A control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle system comprises a driver warning system.

22. A method of controlling a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing dynamic conditions aboard said vehicle;

sensing environmental conditions about said vehicle;

determining an operational state of said vehicle based on said dynamic conditions and said environmental conditions as sensed;

determining an intent of a driver aboard said vehicle;

detecting an external hazard about said vehicle based on said dynamic conditions and said environmental conditions as sensed;

in accordance with said operational state of said vehicle as determined, said intent of said driver as determined, and any said external hazard as detected, classifying the operational dynamics of said vehicle as stable and controllable, unstable but controllable, or unstable and uncontrollable;

selecting a level of control based on said operational dynamics of said vehicle as classified; and

accordingly providing control signals to a vehicle system so as to thereby operate said vehicle system at said level of control.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said control signals include a warning signal.

24. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said vehicle system comprises a chassis control module.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to a traction control system (TCS).

26. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to a suspension height control system.

27. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to a seat feel control system.

28. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said vehicle system comprises a powertrain control module.

29. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said vehicle system comprises a restraint control module.

30. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said vehicle system comprises a seatbelt pretensioner.

31. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to a steering control system.

32. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said chassis control module is adapted for being coupled to a body attitude and motion control system.

33. A method as set forth in claim 30, said method further comprising the step of:

determining a dynamic comfort index (DCI) for an occupant aboard said vehicle;

wherein said control signals provided to said seatbelt pretensioner are at least partially generated in response to and in accordance with said dynamic comfort index.

34. A method of controlling a pretensioner for a seatbelt aboard a vehicle having a seat for an occupant, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a static state of said occupant aboard said vehicle;

determining a dynamic state of said occupant aboard said vehicle;

determining an angled state of a backrest portion of said seat aboard said vehicle;

determining a locational state of a bottom portion of said seat aboard said vehicle;

determining a tensional state of said seatbelt aboard said vehicle;

during an active vehicle-control event aboard said vehicle, accordingly determining at least one separation angle between said seat and a body of said occupant;

accordingly determining a dynamic comfort index (DCI) for said occupant as a function of said at least one separation angle; and

activating said pretensioner for said seatbelt according to said dynamic comfort index as determined.