Trailer sway mitigation using torque vectoring
First Claim
1. A system for stabilizing a sway of a trailer attached to a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a first controller;
a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the first controller, each of the sensors transmitting sensor data to the first controller;
a first non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first controller, cause the first controller to;
evaluate the sensor data received from the sensors to determine a current vehicle yaw rate, a target vehicle yaw rate, and a yaw rate error of the vehicle,determine if the vehicle is traveling in a straight line,determine a torque distribution signal, wherein the torque distribution signal indicates an increased torque to be applied to a first rear wheel of the vehicle when the current vehicle yaw rate exceeds the target vehicle yaw rate and indicates an increased torque to be applied to a second rear wheel when the target vehicle yaw rate exceeds the current vehicle yaw rate, andtransmit the torque distribution signal to a torque vectoring device; and
the torque vectoring device, wherein the torque vectoring device is configured to stabilize the sway of the trailer without braking the vehicle and includesa second controller in electronic communication with the first controller, anda second non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the second controller, cause the second controller to;
apply torque to the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel based on the torque distribution signal, andrequest additional compensatory torque from a vehicle engine based on the torque distribution signal and an amount of torque that is currently available in the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for stabilizing a sway of a trailer attached to a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes a controller, a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the controller and transmitting sensor data to the controller, a torque vectoring device in electronic communication with the controller, and a computer readable memory storing instructions executed by the controller. The instructions cause the controller to evaluate the sensor data received from the sensors to determine a current vehicle yaw rate, a target vehicle yaw rate, and a yaw rate error of the vehicle. The instructions further cause the controller to determine if the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, to determine a torque distribution signal, and to transmit this signal to the torque vectoring device to stabilize the sway of the trailer without braking the vehicle.
60 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for stabilizing a sway of a trailer attached to a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a first controller; a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with the first controller, each of the sensors transmitting sensor data to the first controller; a first non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first controller, cause the first controller to; evaluate the sensor data received from the sensors to determine a current vehicle yaw rate, a target vehicle yaw rate, and a yaw rate error of the vehicle, determine if the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, determine a torque distribution signal, wherein the torque distribution signal indicates an increased torque to be applied to a first rear wheel of the vehicle when the current vehicle yaw rate exceeds the target vehicle yaw rate and indicates an increased torque to be applied to a second rear wheel when the target vehicle yaw rate exceeds the current vehicle yaw rate, and transmit the torque distribution signal to a torque vectoring device; and the torque vectoring device, wherein the torque vectoring device is configured to stabilize the sway of the trailer without braking the vehicle and includes a second controller in electronic communication with the first controller, and a second non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the second controller, cause the second controller to; apply torque to the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel based on the torque distribution signal, and request additional compensatory torque from a vehicle engine based on the torque distribution signal and an amount of torque that is currently available in the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22)
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10. A method for stabilizing a sway of a trailer attached to a vehicle, the method comprising:
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receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors at a controller; evaluating the sensor data received from the sensors; determining a current vehicle yaw rate, a target vehicle yaw rate, and a yaw rate error of the vehicle; determining if the vehicle is traveling in a straight line; determining a torque distribution signal; transmitting the torque distribution signal to a torque vectoring device; and stabilizing the sway of the trailer without braking the vehicle, based on the torque distribution signal received by the torque vectoring device, by applying an increased torque to a first rear wheel of the vehicle when the current vehicle yaw rate exceeds the target vehicle yaw rate, applying an increased torque to a second rear wheel of the vehicle when the target vehicle yaw rate exceeds the current vehicle yaw rate, and requesting additional compensatory torque from a vehicle engine based in part on the torque distribution signal and an amount of torque that is currently available in the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for stabilizing sway of a trailer attached to a vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining an actual yaw rate and a target yaw rate; determining a torque distribution signal based on the actual yaw rate and the target yaw rate; transferring torque from a left rear wheel of the vehicle to a right rear wheel of the vehicle based on the torque distribution signal when the actual yaw rate exceeds the target yaw rate and the vehicle is turning left; transferring torque from the right rear wheel of the vehicle to the left rear wheel of the vehicle based on the torque distribution signal when the target yaw rate exceeds the actual yaw rate and the vehicle is turning left; transferring torque from the right rear wheel of the vehicle to the left rear wheel of the vehicle based on the torque distribution signal when the actual yaw rate exceeds the target yaw rate and the vehicle is turning right; transferring torque from the left rear wheel of the vehicle to the right rear wheel of the vehicle based on the torque distribution signal when the target yaw rate exceeds the actual yaw rate and the vehicle is turning right; and requesting additional compensatory torque from a vehicle engine based in part on the torque distribution signal and an amount of torque that is currently available in the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel of the vehicle.
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Specification