System and method for active traction control of a vehicle

• US 8,200,408 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Turski, Michael P., Tomlinson, Charles M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US12/340,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 701/87, 701/72, 701/80, 701/82, 701/84, 701/67, 701/90, 701/91, 180/197, 303/159
• US Class Current: 701/87
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling

Abstract

A method for active traction control of a vehicle can be performed to optimize corner exiting performance of a vehicle that is operating in a high performance or racing environment. The method estimates a real-time tire traction value during operation of the vehicle, computes a remaining tire traction value based upon a comparison of the estimated real-time tire traction value to a total available tire traction value, and calculates a traction system torque limit from the remaining tire traction value. The calculated torque limit can then be used to limit the actual traction system torque of the vehicle as needed in a real-time manner.

Claims

1. A method for active traction control of a vehicle, the method comprising:

estimating a real-time tire traction value during operation of the vehicle;

computing a remaining tire traction value based upon a comparison of the estimated real-time tire traction value to a total available tire traction value;

calculating a traction system torque limit from the remaining tire traction value; and

limiting actual traction system torque of the vehicle using the traction system torque limit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating step estimates the real-time tire traction value based upon vehicle status data obtained from sensors onboard the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle status data comprises data indicative of yaw rate, lateral acceleration, velocity, rotational velocity of the wheels, wheel slip, vertical acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, pitch, roll, or wheel position of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing step computes the remaining tire traction value by subtracting the estimated real-time tire traction value from the total available tire traction value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user-selected driving condition setting; and

generating the total available tire traction value in response to the user-selected driving condition setting.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user-selected driving condition setting is indicative of road coefficient of friction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user-selected vehicle handling setting; and

generating the total available tire traction value in response to the user-selected vehicle handling setting.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an amount of wheel spin that exceeds a threshold wheel spin value; and

in response to the detecting step, reducing the actual traction system torque of the vehicle.

9. A method for active control of corner exiting of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a user-selected driving condition setting that is indicative of road conditions;

estimating a real-time tire traction value during operation of the vehicle;

generating a total available tire traction value in response to the user-selected driving condition setting;

computing a remaining tire traction value based upon a comparison of the estimated real-time tire traction value to the total available tire traction value;

calculating a traction system torque limit that is influenced by the user-selected driving condition setting, wherein the calculating step calculates the traction system torque limit from the remaining tire traction value; and

limiting actual traction system torque of the vehicle using the traction system torque limit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the estimating step estimates the real-time tire traction value based upon vehicle status data obtained from sensors onboard the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing step computes the remaining tire traction value by subtracting the estimated real-time tire traction value from the total available tire traction value.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving step receives a user-selected driving condition setting that is selected from the group consisting of:

a wet road setting;

a dry road setting;

a race track setting;

a snowy road setting; and

an icy road setting.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving a user-selected vehicle handling setting, wherein the calculating step calculates the traction system torque limit based upon the user-selected driving condition setting and the user-selected vehicle handling setting.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user-selected vehicle handling setting is selected from the group consisting of:

a loose setting;

a neutral setting; and

a tight setting.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting an amount of wheel spin that exceeds a threshold wheel spin value; and

in response to the detecting step, reducing the actual traction system torque of the vehicle.

16. An onboard vehicle-based system for active traction control of a vehicle having drive wheels, the system comprising:

a user interface subsystem configured to receive a user-selected driving condition setting that is indicative of current road conditions;

a vehicle sensor subsystem configured to collect real-time vehicle status data during operation of the vehicle;

a traction system configured to generate torque for the drive wheels of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the user interface subsystem, to the vehicle sensor subsystem, and to the traction system, the controller being configured to;

receive the real-time vehicle status data from the vehicle sensor subsystem and, in response thereto, to estimate a real-time tire traction value for the vehicle;

receive the user-selected driving condition setting from the user interface subsystem and, in response thereto, to generate a total available tire traction value;

compute a remaining tire traction value based upon a difference between the total available tire traction value and the estimated real-time tire traction value;

calculate a traction system torque limit from the remaining tire traction value; and

limit torque output of the traction system using the fraction system torque limit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the vehicle sensor subsystem comprises sensors that collect data indicative of yaw rate, lateral acceleration, velocity, rotational velocity of the wheels, wheel slip, vertical acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, pitch, roll, or wheel position of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the user interface subsystem is configured to receive a user-selected vehicle handling setting, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the total available tire fraction value in response to the user-selected driving condition setting and the user-selected vehicle handling setting.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the user-selected vehicle handling setting comprises a loose setting, a neutral setting, and a tight setting.