Method and device for performing closed-loop or open-loop control of the driving stability of a vehicle

• US 9,108,600 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hartmann, Bernd, Eckert, Alfred, Roll, Georg, Fritz, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/318,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 701 70- 72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/122 Pre-actuation in case of ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17558 specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for performing open-loop or closed-loop control of the driving stability of a vehicle and for avoiding collisions with an object located in the traffic lane. The invention also relates to a closed-loop driving stability controller. The method according to aspects of the invention comprises: determining based on environmental signals whether a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics, in particular an imminent collision, exists, calculating an avoidance path if a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists, determining based on a plurality of input variables pressures for individual brakes of the vehicle, and activating preparatory measures of the driving dynamics regulator, in particular dynamic switching over of closed-loop control parameters if the critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists. The device and the closed-loop driving stability controller are suitable for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A method for performing open-loop or closed-loop control of the driving stability of a vehicle and for avoiding collisions with an object which is located in the traffic lane, comprising:

determining, by a processor, based on environmental signals from the surroundings of the vehicle, whether a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists,

calculating, by the processor, an avoidance path if a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists, wherein the critical situation is an imminent collision,

determining, by the processor, based on a plurality of input variables pressures for individual brakes of the vehicle, and

activating, by the processor, preparatory measures of a driving dynamics regulator when the critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists, the preparatory measures comprise reducing an estimated coefficient of friction based on the avoidance path, and in response to reducing the estimated coefficient of friction, reducing a maximum yaw rate that is dependent on the coefficient of friction,

calculating, by the processor, a yaw rate of the vehicle associated with the avoidance path,

comparing, by the processor, the calculated yaw rate to the maximum yaw rate, and

activating, by the processor, the closed-loop control so that the calculated yaw rate is maintained at a rate less than the maximum yaw rate.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor sets pressures which, by means of the brakes of the vehicle, generate a yaw torque which controls the calculated yaw rate of the vehicle based on the avoidance path.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a setpoint steering angle of the vehicle which is made available to perform closed-loop control of the driving stability is calculated on the basis of the avoidance path.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setpoint steering angle is compared with a determined actual steering angle, wherein the detected difference value is fed to a calculation unit in which an adjustment variable is calculated, which adjustment variable serves to define a steering angle which is set at the wheels by means of an active steering system of the vehicle, and which controls the actual steering angle to approach the setpoint steering angle which represents the avoidance path.

5. A device for performing closed-loop control of the driving stability and for avoiding collisions comprising:

a closed-loop driving stability controller for acquiring input variables and for defining interventions into individual brakes of the vehicle, and

a sensor system which senses the surroundings of the vehicle and which emits and receives radar signals or lidar signals or receives video signals,

wherein the closed-loop stability controller receives the signals of the sensor system and subsequently evaluates whether a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists, the critical situation is an imminent collision,

wherein the closed-loop driving stability controller;

calculates an avoidance path and activates preparatory measures including reducing an estimated coefficient of friction based on the avoidance path when a critical situation in terms of driving dynamics exists, and in response to reducing the estimated coefficient of friction, reducing a maximum yaw rate that is dependent on the coefficient of friction,

calculates a yaw rate of the vehicle associated with the avoidance path,

compares the calculated yaw rate to the maximum yaw rate, and

activates the closed-loop control so that the calculated yaw rate is maintained at a rate less than the maximum yaw rate.