Pull-drift compensation enhancements

• US 8,798,865 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Raad, Joseph M., Tuttle, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US13/759,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20140222293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/41, 701/42, 180/443, 180/446, 180/447, 340/465, 340/439, 188/350
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel

Abstract

A pull-drift compensation controller device for a vehicle configured to perform operations including identifying a current pull-drift compensation torque and a current driver input torque while in an adapt-and-compensate state in which pull-drift compensation torque is learned and applied, wherein the vehicle is moving at a substantially straight heading; and performing a transition from a normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state to a fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state based on the current driver torque opposing the direction of the current pull-drift compensation torque without a change in the heading.

Claims

1. A pull-drift compensation controller device for a vehicle configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying a current pull-drift compensation torque and a current driver input torque while in an adapt-and-compensate state in which pull-drift compensation torque is learned and applied, wherein the vehicle is moving at a substantially straight heading; and

performing a transition from a normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state to a fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state based on the current driver torque opposing the direction of the current pull-drift compensation torque without a change in the heading.

2. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, further configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying an updated pull-drift compensation torque and an updated driver input torque; and

performing a transition from the fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state to the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state based on the updated driver torque no longer opposing the direction of the updated pull-drift compensation torque without a change in heading.

3. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, further configured to perform operations comprising at least one of:

transitioning, when the vehicle is stopped, from the adapt-and-compensate state to a no-compensation state in which neither learning nor applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed; and

transitioning, when the vehicle is moving but no longer driving substantially straight, from the adapt-and-compensate state to a compensate-only state in which applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed but not learning of pull-drift compensation torque.

4. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, further configured to perform operations comprising:

detecting the vehicle initiating movement in a substantially straight direction while in the no-compensation state or the compensate-only state; and

transitioning to the adapt-and-compensate state in the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment state based on the detection.

5. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, further configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying an updated pull-drift compensation torque and an updated driver input torque continuing to oppose for a predetermined reset threshold; and

performing, based on the updated driver torque continuing to oppose the direction of the updated pull-drift compensation torque for the predetermined reset threshold, a transition from the compensate-only state to a reset state in which the pull-drift compensation torque is reset to a default value and neither learning nor applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed.

6. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, further configured to perform operations comprising:

detecting the vehicle initiating movement in a substantially straight direction while in the no-compensation state or the compensate-only state; and

transitioning to the adapt-and-compensate state in the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment state based on the detection.

7. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 1, wherein the faster rate of pull-drift compensation learning includes at least one of a shorter predetermined distance to adjust the pull-drift compensation torque, a shorter amount of time to adjust the pull-drift compensation torque, and a larger adjustment to the pull-drift compensation torque being made within a time period than provided for in the normal-rate adaptation sub-state.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying a current pull-drift compensation torque and a current driver input torque while in an adapt-and-compensate state in a vehicle moving at a substantially straight heading; and

performing, by a pull-drift compensation controller, a transition from a normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state to a fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state based on the current driver torque opposing the direction of the current pull-drift compensation torque without a heading change.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying an updated pull-drift compensation torque and an updated driver input torque; and

performing a transition from the fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state to the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state based on the updated driver torque no longer opposing the direction of the updated pull-drift compensation torque without a change in heading.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising at least one of:

transitioning, when the vehicle is stopped, from the adapt-and-compensate state to a no-compensation state in which neither learning nor applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed; and

transitioning, when the vehicle is moving but no longer driving substantially straight, from the adapt-and-compensate state to a compensate-only state in which applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed but not learning of pull-drift compensation torque.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting the vehicle initiating movement in a substantially straight direction while in the no-compensation state or the compensate-only state; and

transitioning to the adapt-and-compensate state in the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment state based on the detection.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying an updated pull-drift compensation torque and an updated driver input torque continuing to oppose for a predetermined reset threshold; and

performing, based on the updated driver torque continuing to oppose the direction of the updated pull-drift compensation torque for the predetermined reset threshold, a transition from the compensate-only state to a reset state in which the pull-drift compensation torque is reset to a default value and neither learning nor applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting the vehicle initiating movement in a substantially straight direction while in the no-compensation state or the compensate-only state; and

transitioning to the adapt-and-compensate state in the normal pull-drift compensation adjustment state based on the detection.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the faster rate of pull-drift compensation learning includes at least one of a shorter predetermined distance to adjust the pull-drift compensation torque, a shorter amount of time to adjust the pull-drift compensation torque, and a larger adjustment to the pull-drift compensation torque being made within a time period than provided for in the normal-rate adaptation sub-state.

15. A pull-drift compensation controller device for a vehicle configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying a pull-drift compensation torque and a driver input torque opposing for a predetermined reset threshold; and

performing, based on the pull-drift compensation torque and a driver input torque opposing for the predetermined reset threshold, a transition from a compensate-only state in which pull-drift compensation torque is applied but not learned to a reset state in which the pull-drift compensation torque is reset to a default value and neither learning nor applying pull-drift compensation torque is performed.

16. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined reset threshold includes at least one of a predetermined amount of time and a predetermined distance of travel.

17. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 15, further configured to perform operations comprising at least one of:

transitioning from the reset state to an adapt-and-compensate state in which pull-drift compensation torque is learned and applied based on determining that the vehicle is moving in a substantially straight direction; and

transitioning from the reset state to the compensate-only state based on determining that the vehicle is moving in a non-straight direction.

18. The pull-drift compensation controller device of claim 17, further comprising:

identifying a current pull-drift compensation torque and a current driver input torque while in the adapt-and-compensate state, wherein the vehicle is moving at a substantially straight heading; and

performing a transition from a normal pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state to a fast pull-drift compensation adjustment sub-state of the adapt-and-compensate state based on the current driver torque opposing the direction of the current pull-drift compensation torque without a change in the heading.