Method for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle with a fishtailing trailer

• US 7,826,953 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Traechtler, Ansgar
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/632,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/74, 701/78, 701/79, 701/83, 701/110, 701/36, 701/45, 303/122.1, 303/123, 303/124, 303/160, 180/170, 188/24.21, 188/72.1, 280/735
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• 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 8/248 Trailer sway, e.g. for preventing jackknifing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle with a fishtailing trailer. A vehicle with a fishtailing trailer can be stabilized in an especially rapid manner in that, in a first state, the fishtailing of the trailer is analyzed by evaluating at least one vehicle state variable, and when critical fishtailing is detected, a warning is output to the driver in a second state so as to induce the driver to brake, and the driver—provided he initiates braking—is assisted in the braking operation by automatic actuation of the vehicle brakes, a brake pressure being set at which the most optimal vehicle deceleration possible is achieved.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle with a trailer that is fishtailing, comprising:

detecting a fishtailing of the trailer by analyzing at least one driving state variable;

outputting a warning to the driver upon detection of a critical fishtailing so as to induce the driver to brake;

monitoring a brake actuation implemented by the driver; and

assisting the driver in a braking operation by automatically actuating a vehicle brake, a brake pressure being exerted by which a vehicle deceleration is achieved for the purpose of stabilizing the trailer, wherein the assisting is conditioned upon the driver braking in response to the warning.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining the brake pressure automatically set to assist the driver as a function of at least one of a driver initial pressure and a gradient of the driver initial pressure.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining the brake pressure automatically set to assist the driver as a function of a driving situation corresponding to one of a vehicle velocity and an intensity of the trailer fishtailing.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein no action is taken with respect to actuating the vehicle brake, after determining that one of the following conditions exists:

the fishtailing of the trailer is not critical; and

the driver does not brake in response to the warning.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing at least one of a yaw rate of the vehicle and a transverse acceleration of the vehicle to detect the trailer fishtailing.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is implemented only above a predefined velocity threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining that the critical fishtailing exceeds a predetermined intensity that is above a threshold intensity associated with outputting the warning, immediately initiating automatic braking, regardless of whether the driver brakes.

8. A device for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle with a trailer that is fishtailing, comprising:

a first sensor system for detecting the trailer fishtailing;

a control device for analyzing at least one item of sensor information for the purpose of situation detection;

a device for outputting a warning to the driver upon detection of a critical fishtailing so as to induce the driver to brake;

a second sensor system for monitoring a brake actuation implemented by the driver; and

an electrically triggerable brake system that is automatically actuated by the control device in such a way that a vehicle deceleration is achieved for the purpose of stabilizing the trailer, wherein the actuating by the control device is conditioned upon the driver braking in response to the warning.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the control device ascertains a brake pressure as a function of at least one of a driver initial pressure and a gradient of the driver initial pressure.

10. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein, within a range of medium driver initial pressure, a wheel-brake pressure is set to a predefined setpoint value, and corresponds to the driver initial pressure in very high driver initial pressures.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein no action is taken by the control device with respect to actuating the vehicle brake, after determining that one of the following conditions exists:

the fishtailing of the trailer is not critical; and

the driver does not brake in response to the warning.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein after determining that the critical fishtailing exceeds a predetermined intensity that is above a threshold intensity associated with outputting the warning, the control device immediately initiates automatic braking, regardless of whether the driver brakes.