Method of identifying predictive lateral load transfer ratio for vehicle rollover prevention and warning systems

• US 7,873,454 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Lew, Jae Y., Piyabongkarn, Damrongrit, Yuan, Qinghui
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/796,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/41, 701/48, 701/124, 303140-148, 303/166, 180/197, 180/248
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/045 Levelling or stabilising systems for tippers suspensions with levelling or stabilising means for vehicles in general B60G17/00, B60G21/00, using ground-engaging vehicle fittings B60S9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles

Abstract

A method for controlling stability of a vehicle includes the steps of determining a predictive lateral load transfer ratio of the vehicle by evaluating vehicle performance factors over a period of time, and controlling operation of the vehicle based on the predictive lateral load transfer ratio.

Claims

1. A method for controlling stability of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

determining a predictive lateral load transfer ratio (PLTR) of the vehicle by evaluating vehicle performance factors over a period of time, wherein the PLTR reflects the PLTR calculated at a selected point in time t₀ for a future time horizon Δ

t; and

controlling operation of the vehicle based on the PLTR.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a torque biasing device for controlling the distribution of torque between a pair of vehicle wheels or between a pair of vehicle axles, and the step of controlling operation of the vehicle includes engaging the torque biasing device to control torque distribution between the pair of vehicle wheels or the pair of vehicle axles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein vehicle includes a roll warning device, and the step of controlling operation of the vehicle includes operating the roll warning device to warn a vehicle operator of an impending vehicle rollover.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the PLTR includes estimating vehicle lateral acceleration from a relationship with a vehicle steering angle using a linear model:

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step includes determining the predictive lateral load transfer ratio as follows:

6. The method of claim 5, further including the step of using a filter,

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the vehicle includes a control system and the determining step includes selecting the future time horizon Δ

t to be at least as long as the vehicle rollover prevention system response time.