Optimal corner control for vehicles

• US 8,315,764 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Chen, Shih-Ken, Ghoneim, Youssef A., Deng, Weiwen, Moshchuk, Nikolai K., Litkouhi, Bakhtiar Brian, Pylypchuk, Valery
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US12/876,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20120059547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 701/41, 701/48, 701/70, 701/71, 701/72, 701/73, 701/74, 701/75, 701 78- 82, 180/197, 180/282, 303/139, 303/140
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/30 Wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering

Abstract

A method to control a vehicle having a plurality of wheels includes monitoring desired vehicle dynamics, determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution, and controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution. The real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon a minimized center of gravity force error component, a minimized control energy component, and a maximized tire force reserve component.

Claims

1. Method to control a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, comprising:

monitoring desired vehicle dynamics;

determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution; and

controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution;

wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon;

a minimized center of gravity force error component;

a minimized control energy component; and

a maximized tire force reserve component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution comprises:

defining a cost function as the sum of the minimized center of gravity force error component, the minimized control energy component, and the maximized tire force reserve component;

minimizing the cost function, assuming a derivative of the cost function with respect to a corner force variation equal to zero, to solve for the corner force variation; and

utilizing the corner force variation to determine the desired corner force and moment distribution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is further based upon those wheels of the vehicle having active steering.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is further based upon those wheels of the vehicle having braking.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is further based upon those wheels of the vehicle having traction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring corner-based real-time constraints;

and

wherein determining the desired corner force and moment distribution is further based upon the corner-based real-time constraints.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the corner-based real-time constraints comprise corner states of health and corner capacities.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution comprises generating commands to each of a plurality of vehicle systems based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating commands to each of the plurality of vehicle systems comprises sending commands to a braking system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating commands to each of the plurality of vehicle systems comprises sending commands to a steering system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein generating commands to each of the plurality of vehicle systems comprises sending commands to a suspension system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein generating commands to each of the plurality of vehicle systems comprises sending commands to a powertrain comprising a torque generative device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein generating commands to each of the plurality of vehicle systems is further based upon real-time actuator-based constraints.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the real-time actuator based constraints comprise energy capacity constraints and actuator limit constraints.

15. Method to control a vehicle, comprising:

monitoring desired vehicle dynamics;

determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution; and

controlling a braking system, a suspension system, and a steering system based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution;

wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon;

minimizing a center of gravity force error component;

minimizing a control energy component; and

maximizing a tire force reserve component.

16. Apparatus to control a vehicle, comprising:

a corner force distribution module;

monitoring desired vehicle dynamics;

determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution; and

controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution;

wherein the real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon;

a minimized center of gravity force error component;

a minimized control energy component; and

a maximized tire force reserve component.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the corner force distribution module comprises:

a vehicle dynamics module

monitoring the desired vehicle dynamics; and

determining a desired vehicle force and moment; and

a corner dynamics control module;

monitoring the desired vehicle force and moment; and

determining the desired corner force and moment distribution.