Method and apparatus for eliminating a motor vehicle tip-over risk

• US 8,712,659 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kieren, Martin, Nenninger, Gero, Nimmo, Matthew, Nardi, Flavio, Napolskich, Wadim, Samsons, Andris
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US11/659,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,221 Days
• Field of Search: 280/29, 280727-757, 701/1, 701 29- 49, 701 69- 92
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/03 Driver counter-steering; Avoidance of conflicts with ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/241 Lateral vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/243 for roll-over protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for preventing tip-over of a motor vehicle in the lateral direction,

• • in which a finite number of predefined driving states is specified;
  • in which a determination is made as to which of the predefined driving states the vehicle is in instantaneously,
  • the predefined driving state thus determined being dependent on sensor signals and on that predefined driving state in which the vehicle was most recently; and
  • as a function of the predefined driving state instantaneously present, at least one braking intervention is carried out in order to prevent the tip-over.

Claims

1. A method for preventing a tip-over of a motor vehicle in a lateral direction, comprising:

specifying a finite number of at least three predefined sequential driving states associated with steering maneuvers based on sensor signals characterizing a driver input and a vehicle reaction to the driver input;

determining which of the predefined driving states the vehicle is in instantaneously, the determined, predefined driving state being dependent on the sensor signals, wherein each change in predefined driving states responsive to a change in at least one sensor signal is restricted to an adjacent driving state in the sequence; and

performing, as a function of the predefined driving state instantaneously present, at least one braking intervention linked to the instantaneously present driving state to prevent the tip-over;

wherein the at least three predefined sequential driving states include at least three of the following states;

(1) a base state requiring no tip-over stabilization;

(2) a pre-filling state in which a preparation is made for a subsequent stabilization intervention based on an initial vehicle reaction to a large steering-input action by a driver;

(3) a holding state in which a high transverse acceleration occurring as a result of a vehicle reaction to a driver input is limited;

(4) a steering-back state in which a steering back by the driver results in a decreased transverse acceleration while an opposite-signed large transverse acceleration increase is expected; and

(5) a rebound state in which another high transverse acceleration occurring as a result of another vehicle reaction to another driver input is limited.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor signals include sensor signals describing vehicle-dynamics variables.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensor signals correspond to at least one of a yaw rate, a transverse acceleration, a steering angle, and a wheel rotation speed.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the sensor signals correspond to an accelerator pedal position stipulated by a driver, and a brake pre-pressure stipulated by the driver.

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

in at least one of the predefined driving states, braking, in a cornering situation, a front wheel on an outside of a curve.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, a pre-filling of at least one wheel brake cylinder takes place, without an appreciable braking effect having yet been applied.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predefined states are included as states of a state machine that is expandable to identify other driving situations.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein only sensors contained in a vehicle dynamics regulation system determine the predefined driving state, wherein the sensor signals include sensor signals describing vehicle-dynamics variables, and wherein the predefined states are included as states of a state machine that is expandable to identify other driving situations.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the sensor signals correspond to at least one of a yaw rate, a transverse acceleration, a steering angle, and a wheel rotation speed.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the sensor signals correspond to an accelerator pedal position stipulated by a driver, and a brake pre-pressure stipulated by the driver.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, in a cornering situation, a front wheel is braked on an outside of a curve, and wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, a pre-filling of at least one wheel brake cylinder takes place, without an appreciable braking effect having yet been applied.

8. An apparatus for preventing a tip-over of a motor vehicle in a lateral direction, comprising:

an arrangement for specifying a finite number of at least three predefined sequential driving states associated with steering maneuvers based on sensor signals characterizing a driver input and a vehicle reaction to the driver input;

a sensor arrangement for sensing vehicle-dynamics variables;

a driving state determining arrangement for determining which of the predefined driving states the vehicle is in instantaneously, the predefined driving state thus determined being dependent on the sensor signals, wherein each change in predefined driving states responsive to a change in at least one sensor signal is restricted to an adjacent driving state in the sequence; and

a braking arrangement with which, as a function of the predefined driving state instantaneously present, at least one braking intervention linked to the instantaneously present driving state is carried out to prevent the tip-over;

wherein the at least three predefined sequential driving states include at least three of the following states;

(1) a base state requiring no tip-over stabilization;

(2) a pre-filling state in which a preparation is made for a subsequent stabilization intervention based on an initial vehicle reaction to a large steering-input action by a driver;

(3) a holding state in which a high transverse acceleration occurring as a result of a vehicle reaction to a driver input is limited;

(4) a steering-back state in which a steering back by the driver results in a decreased transverse acceleration while an opposite-signed large transverse acceleration increase is expected; and

(5) a rebound state in which another high transverse acceleration occurring as a result of another vehicle reaction to another driver input is limited.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor signals are processed in a hybrid state machine using both driver inputs and the sensed vehicle-dynamics variables to transition between the predefined driving states.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor signals include sensor signals describing vehicle-dynamics variables.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the sensor signals correspond to at least one of a yaw rate, a transverse acceleration, a steering angle, and a wheel rotation speed.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the sensor signals correspond to an accelerator pedal position stipulated by a driver, and a brake pre-pressure stipulated by the driver.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, in a cornering situation, a front wheel is braked on an outside of a curve.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, a pre-filling of at least one wheel brake cylinder takes place, without an appreciable braking effect having yet been applied.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the predefined states are included as states of a state machine that is expandable to identify other driving situations.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein only sensors contained in a vehicle dynamics regulation system determine the predefined driving state, wherein the sensor signals include sensor signals describing vehicle-dynamics variables, and wherein the predefined states are included as states of a state machine that is expandable to identify other driving situations.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the sensor signals correspond to at least one of a yaw rate, a transverse acceleration, a steering angle, and a wheel rotation speed.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the sensor signals correspond to an accelerator pedal position stipulated by a driver, and a brake pre-pressure stipulated by the driver.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, in a cornering situation, a front wheel is braked on an outside of a curve, and wherein in at least one of the predefined driving states, a pre-filling of at least one wheel brake cylinder takes place, without an appreciable braking effect having yet been applied.