Mass, drag coefficient and inclination determination using accelerometer sensor
First Claim
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1. A method of equipping a vehicle to determine and use at least one vehicle driving characteristic, the method comprising:
- providing one or more accelerometers in the vehicle, at least one of the one or more accelerometers configured to output a plurality of accelerometer signals representing vehicle acceleration values at different times;
providing a speed sensor in the vehicle configured to output a plurality of vehicle speed signals representing vehicle speed values at different times;
determining, via a processor of the vehicle, a plurality of vehicle drive force values representing vehicle drive force at different times;
coupling the one or more accelerometers and speed sensor with the processor, the processor configured to process the plurality of accelerometer signals and vehicle drive force values to determine as an output signal a mass of the vehicle based on a difference between at least a portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals at different times and a difference between at least a portion of the vehicle drive force values that correspond in time with the portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals;
configuring the processor to determine the mass of the vehicle during vehicle operation by;
plotting the vehicle drive force values as a function of the vehicle speed values and the vehicle acceleration values, wherein each of the vehicle drive force, the vehicle speed, and the vehicle acceleration is assigned to a coordinate axes of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, anddetermining, using a least squares method, an interpolated surface that best fits the plotted values, the vehicle'"'"'s mass being a slope of the interpolated surface in a drive force and acceleration plane of the plot; and
coupling the processor with a vehicle control system, the vehicle control system configured to adjust, based on the vehicle mass output signal, at least one of an automatic trailer brake system, an electronic stability control system, and transmission shift control logic.
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Abstract
A method and system of determining a vehicle'"'"'s driving characteristics such as the vehicle mass, drag force coefficients and driving surface inclination. The vehicle'"'"'s mass, drag force coefficients and inclination are determined using signals input from the vehicle'"'"'s accelerometer.
29 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of equipping a vehicle to determine and use at least one vehicle driving characteristic, the method comprising:
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providing one or more accelerometers in the vehicle, at least one of the one or more accelerometers configured to output a plurality of accelerometer signals representing vehicle acceleration values at different times; providing a speed sensor in the vehicle configured to output a plurality of vehicle speed signals representing vehicle speed values at different times; determining, via a processor of the vehicle, a plurality of vehicle drive force values representing vehicle drive force at different times; coupling the one or more accelerometers and speed sensor with the processor, the processor configured to process the plurality of accelerometer signals and vehicle drive force values to determine as an output signal a mass of the vehicle based on a difference between at least a portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals at different times and a difference between at least a portion of the vehicle drive force values that correspond in time with the portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals; configuring the processor to determine the mass of the vehicle during vehicle operation by; plotting the vehicle drive force values as a function of the vehicle speed values and the vehicle acceleration values, wherein each of the vehicle drive force, the vehicle speed, and the vehicle acceleration is assigned to a coordinate axes of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, and determining, using a least squares method, an interpolated surface that best fits the plotted values, the vehicle'"'"'s mass being a slope of the interpolated surface in a drive force and acceleration plane of the plot; and coupling the processor with a vehicle control system, the vehicle control system configured to adjust, based on the vehicle mass output signal, at least one of an automatic trailer brake system, an electronic stability control system, and transmission shift control logic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle system, the system comprising:
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one or more accelerometers in the vehicle; at least one speed sensor in the vehicle; a drivetrain of the vehicle, the drive train having a determinable drive force; and a processor configured to; receive from the one or more accelerometers a plurality of signals representing vehicle acceleration values at different times; receive from the at least one speed sensor a plurality of signals representing vehicle speed values at different times; receive a plurality of vehicle drive force signals representing vehicle drive force values at different times; determine a mass of the vehicle during vehicle operation based on a difference between at least a portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals at different times and a difference between at least a portion of the vehicle drive force signals that correspond in time with the portion of the plurality of accelerometer signals by; plotting the vehicle drive force values as a function of the vehicle speed values and the vehicle acceleration values, wherein each of the vehicle drive force, the vehicle speed, and the vehicle acceleration is assigned to a coordinate axes of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, and determining, using a least squares method, an interpolated surface that best fits the plotted signal values, the vehicle'"'"'s mass being a slope of the interpolated surface in a drive force and acceleration plane of the plot; and a vehicle control system coupled to the processor, the vehicle control system configured to adjust, based on the determined vehicle mass, at least one of an automatic trailer brake system, an electronic stability control system, and transmission shift control logic. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification