System for detecting inclination angle of vehicle body

• US 20020173882A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tobaru, Shigeo, Maeda, Hiroyuki, Takahata, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 6,694,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0521 Roll rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/20 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01306 monitoring vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover

Abstract

A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle, comprises the steps of: establishing a threshold value line on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle and a rolling angular speed of the vehicle as parameters; plotting a hysteresis line for an actual rolling angle and an actual rolling angular speed on the two-dimensional map; and determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle is overturning laterally or sideways when the hysteresis line traverses the threshold value line from a side nearer to an origin of the map to a side farther from the origin. The threshold value line is changed depending on at least one of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a lateral speed of the vehicle, a direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and a rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

establishing a threshold value line on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle and a rolling angular speed of the vehicle as parameters;

plotting a hysteresis line for an actual rolling angle and an actual rolling angular speed on said two-dimensional map; and

determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle is overturning laterally or sideways when the hysteresis line traverses the threshold value line from a side nearer to an origin of the map to a side farther from the origin;

said threshold value line being changed depending on at least one of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a lateral speed of the vehicle, a direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and a rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle.

2. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value line is changed depending on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and when said lateral acceleration is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said lateral acceleration is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle of the vehicle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

3. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value line is changed depending on the lateral speed of the vehicle, and when said lateral speed is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said lateral speed is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, the threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

4. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value line is changed depending on the direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and when said direction of change in steering angle is a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said direction of change in steering angle is a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

5. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value line is changed depending on the rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle, and when said rolling angular acceleration is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said rolling angular acceleration is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

6. A process for determining lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional map includes four quadrants in which positive and negative signs of the rolling angle and positive and negative signs of the rolling angular speed are combined with one another, whereby when said hysteresis line extends astride at least three of said quadrants and a distance of said hysteresis line from the origin is increased, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin.

7. A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

establishing a threshold value line on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle and a rolling angular speed of the vehicle as parameters;

plotting a hysteresis line for an actual rolling angle and an actual rolling angular speed on said two-dimensional map; and

determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle is overturning laterally or sideways when the hysteresis line traverses the threshold value line from a side nearer to an origin of said map to a side farther from said origin;

said two-dimensional map including four quadrants in which positive and negative signs of the rolling angle and positive and negative signs of the rolling angular speed are combined with one another, whereby when said hysteresis line extends astride at least three of said quadrants and a distance of said hysteresis line from the origin is increased, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin.

8. A system for detecting an angle of inclination of a vehicle, comprising:

first detecting means for continuously detecting an angle of inclination of the vehicle with respect to a direction of the force of gravity;

second detecting means for continuously detecting an amount of change in angle of inclination of the vehicle by integrating angular speed of the vehicle; and

an adding means for adding a first output from said first detecting means and a second output from said second detecting means to calculate an angle of inclination of the vehicle.

9. A system for detecting an angle of inclination of a vehicle according to claim 8, further including a low-pass filter for removing a high-frequency component of said first output before said first ouput is added by said adding means, and a high-pass filter for removing a low-frequency component of said second output before said second output is added by said adding means.

10. A system for detecting an angle of inclination of a vehicle according to claim 8, further including a first weighting means for increasing the first output in accordance with a decrease in frequency before said first ouput is added by said adding means, and a second weighting means for increasing the second output in accordance with an increase in frequency before said second output is added by said adding means.

11. A system for detecting an angle of inclination of a vehicle according to claim 9, further including a first weighting means for increasing the first output in accordance with a decrease in frequency before said first ouput is added by said adding means, and a second weighting means for increasing the second output in accordance with an increase in frequency before said second output is added by said adding means.

13. A system for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the threshold value line is changed by said changing means depending on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and when said lateral acceleration is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said lateral acceleration is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle of the vehicle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

14. A system for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the threshold value line is changed by changing means depending on the lateral speed of the vehicle, and when said lateral acceleration is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said lateral speed is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, the threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

15. A system for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the threshold value line is changed by said changing means depending on the direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and when said direction of change in steering angle is a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said direction of change in steering angle is a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

16. A system for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the threshold value line is changed by said changing means depending on the rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle, and when said rolling angular acceleration is in a direction to increase the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved toward the origin, and when said rolling angular acceleration is in a direction to decrease the absolute value of the rolling angle, said threshold value line is moved away from the origin.

17. A system for determining lateral overturning of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said two-dimensional map includes four quadrants in which positive and negative signs of the rolling angle and positive and negative signs of the rolling angular speed are combined with one another, whereby when said hysteresis line extends astride at least three of said quadrants and a distance of said hysteresis line from the origin is increased, said threshold value line is moved by said changing means toward the origin.

12. A system for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle, comprising:

means for establishing a threshold value line on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle and a rolling angular speed of the vehicle as parameters;

means for plotting a hysteresis line for an actual rolling angle and an actual rolling angular speed on said two-dimensional map;

means for determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle is overturning laterally or sideways when the hysteresis line traverses the threshold value line from a side nearer to an origin of the map to a side farther from the origin; and

changing means for changing said threshold value line depending on at least one of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a lateral speed of the vehicle, a direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and a rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle.