Method and device for monitoring that a vehicle in standby mode is correctly immobilized for transport, and vehicle equipped with such a device

• US 8,688,310 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Brunou, Alfred, Nicolle, Stephane
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASS, JEAN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/382,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 702/00, 188/265, 303/89
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/413 Plausibility monitoring, cross check, redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5726 With padlock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5735 Externally mounted locking device

Abstract

A method for monitoring that a vehicle on standby has been correctly immobilized for transport, the vehicle including a course control device, wheel speed sensors, a yaw speed sensor, a processing unit processing information managing operation modes of the vehicle, and a device for immobilizing the vehicle. The method includes detecting the vehicle is in a standby mode at a standstill following installing of the vehicle on a transport support, detecting a non-zero vehicle speed through the speed sensors of at least two wheels over a defined period, detecting a non-zero yaw speed through the yaw speed sensor, over a predefined period, and under these conditions determining a mode whereby immobilization of the vehicle for transport is monitored, in which mode information from at least the wheel speed sensors is filtered after a determined number of attempts at immobilizing the vehicle and allowing the vehicle to be fired up.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring that a vehicle in standby mode is correctly immobilized for transport following installation of the vehicle on a transport carrier, the vehicle including a course control device, wheel speed sensors and a vehicle yaw speed sensor linked to the course control device of the vehicle, a detected information processing unit, of on-board computer type, managing modes of operation of the vehicle, and a vehicle immobilizing device, the method comprising:

detecting a standby mode of operation of the vehicle when stopped via the vehicle immobilizing device following installation of the vehicle fixed on a transport carrier;

detecting a speed of the vehicle, recorded by the wheel speed sensors of the vehicle following the installation of the vehicle on the transport carrier;

detecting a yaw speed of the vehicle, recorded by the yaw speed sensor of the vehicle, corresponding to relative movement of the vehicle fixed on the transport carrier;

retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at least once to immobilize the vehicle when the detecting the speed of the vehicle detects a non-zero speed over a predefined time period or the detecting the yaw speed of the vehicle detects a non-zero yaw speed over a predefined time period;

after the retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at least once to immobilize the vehicle, preventing further retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device when the detecting the speed of the vehicle detects subsequent non-zero speeds or the detecting the yaw speed of the vehicle detects subsequent non-zero yaw speeds to avoid producing additional tightening forces of the vehicle immobilizing device; and

exiting from the standby mode, corresponding to the vehicle being switched on again.

2. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standby mode of the vehicle remains for a determined time period after the vehicle is stopped on the transport carrier.

3. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined time period of the non-zero yaw speed of the vehicle is from one to several seconds.

4. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined time period of the non-zero speed of the vehicle on at least two wheels is from one to three seconds.

5. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exiting includes exiting from the standby mode when a door of the vehicle is opened.

6. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retightening includes retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at most four times to immobilize the vehicle.

7. A device for monitoring that a vehicle in standby mode is correctly immobilized for transport, comprising:

a vehicle immobilizing device configured to immobilize wheels of the vehicle;

vehicle wheel speed sensors configured to detect a speed of the wheels of the vehicle;

a vehicle yaw speed sensor configured to detect a yaw speed of the vehicle;

a vehicle course control device configured to control the vehicle immobilizing device; and

an information processing unit on board the vehicle configured to manage modes of operation of the vehicle including setting the vehicle in the standby mode when the vehicle is stopped via the vehicle immobilizing device following installation of the vehicle fixed on a transport carrier,

wherein the course control device is configured to order retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at least once to immobilize the vehicle when the vehicle wheel speed sensors detect the speed of the vehicle is a non-zero speed or the vehicle yaw speed sensor detects the yaw speed of the vehicle is a non-zero yaw speed, and after the retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at least once to immobilize the vehicle, the course control device is configured to prevent ordering further retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device when the vehicle wheel speed sensors detect subsequent non-zero speeds or the vehicle yaw speed sensor detects subsequent non-zero yaw speeds to avoid producing additional vehicle brake tightening forces.

8. A vehicle, comprising:

a device for monitoring that the vehicle in standby mode is correctly immobilized for transport as claimed in claim 7.

9. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the information processing unit is configured to enable the vehicle to be switched on again when a door of the vehicle is opened or when the vehicle is moved from the transport carrier.

10. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the course control device is configured to order retightening of the vehicle immobilizing device at most four times to immobilize the vehicle.