System and method for qualitatively determining vehicle loading conditions

• US 20060089771A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Messih, David, Lu, Jianbo
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/06 Wheel load; Wheel lift
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/11 Pitch movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/112 Roll movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 Yaw movement

Abstract

A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a controller (26) that determines whether or not a potential load change has occurred in a load change detector (59). A load change detector (59) may be coupled to various sensors to determine whether or not a change in load has occurred. If a change in load has occurred an adaptively determined roll condition parameter such as a roll acceleration coefficient, a roll rate parameter or a roll gradient may be reset. If a potential load change has not occurred, then a newly determined value for an adaptive roll condition may be included in a revised adaptive roll condition average. A safety device (44) may be controlled in response to the revised adaptive roll condition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a safety system for a vehicle comprising:

determining a potential load change;

determining a revised adaptive roll condition parameter in response to the potential load change; and

controlling the safety system in response to the revised adaptive roll condition parameter.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to the step of determining a revised adaptive roll condition parameter, resetting an adaptive roll condition parameter in response to the potential load change.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein when a potential load change is not determined, determining a revised adaptive roll condition by averaging the adaptive roll condition parameter and a second adaptive roll condition parameter in response to vehicle load.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to a door ajar signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle relative to an estimated driveshaft torque.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to a suspension height change.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to transmission shift data.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to throttle trends.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a potential load change comprises determining the potential load change in response to braking trends.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adaptively adjusting a roll angle determination in response to the revised adaptive roll condition parameter.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adjusting control gains in response to the revised adaptive roll condition parameter.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises an adaptive roll gradient.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive roll gradient comprises determining the adaptive roll gradient from a roll rate sensor.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive roll gradient comprises determining the adaptive roll gradient in response to a lateral acceleration signal.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive roll gradient comprises determining the adaptive roll gradient in response to a lateral acceleration signal and a roll acceleration.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive roll gradient comprises determining the adaptive roll gradient in response to a lateral acceleration signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal and a roll acceleration.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an adaptive roll gradient comprises determining the adaptive roll gradient in response to a lateral acceleration signal, longitudinal acceleration, a roll acceleration, a yaw rate and a roll rate.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises a roll acceleration coefficient.

20. A method as, recited in claim 1 further comprising determining a roll acceleration coefficient and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the adaptive roll gradient and the roll acceleration coefficient.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein the roll acceleration coefficient is adaptively determined.

22. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein determining a roll acceleration coefficient comprises determining the roll acceleration coefficient from a roll rate sensor.

23. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein determining a roll acceleration coefficient comprises determining the roll acceleration coefficient in response to a lateral acceleration signal.

24. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein determining a roll acceleration coefficient comprises determining the roll acceleration coefficient in response to a lateral acceleration signal and a roll acceleration.

25. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein determining a roll acceleration coefficient comprises determining the roll acceleration coefficient in response to a lateral acceleration signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal and a roll acceleration.

26. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein determining a roll acceleration coefficient comprises determining the roll acceleration coefficient in response to a lateral acceleration signal, longitudinal acceleration, a roll acceleration, a yaw rate and a roll rate.

27. A method as recited in claim 20 further comprising determining a roll rate coefficient and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the adaptive roll gradient, a roll acceleration coefficient and the roll rate coefficient.

28. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises a roll rate coefficient.

29. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises adaptively determining a roll rate coefficient.

30. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises determining the roll rate coefficient as a function of vehicle roll stiffness and roll damping.

31. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises determining the roll rate coefficient as a function of a suspension damper.

32. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining a roll rate coefficient and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the adaptive roll gradient and the roll rate coefficient.

33. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises adaptively determining a roll rate coefficient.

34. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises determining the roll rate coefficient as a function of vehicle roll stiffness and roll damping.

35. A method as recited in claim 32 wherein determining a roll rate coefficient comprises determining the roll rate coefficient as a function of a suspension damper.

36. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises a roll gradient and a roll acceleration coefficient.

37. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises a roll gradient and a roll rate coefficient.

38. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the adaptive roll condition parameter comprises a roll acceleration coefficient and a roll rate coefficient.

39. A method of controlling a safety system for a vehicle comprising:

generating a roll rate signal indicative of a roll rate of the vehicle;

determining a potential load change;

determining a revised added mass in response to the roll rate signal and the potential load change; and

controlling the safety system in response to the revised added mass.

40. A method as recited in claim 39 further comprising determining a lateral acceleration and wherein determining a revised added mass comprises determining the revised added mass in response to the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration.

41. A method as recited in claim 39 further comprising determining a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration and a yaw rate and wherein determining a revised added mass comprises determining a revised added mass in response to the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration and a yaw rate.

42. A method as recited in claim 39 further comprising determining a revised added height of the revised added mass and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the revised added mass and the revised height of the revised added mass.

43. A method as recited in claim 42 further comprising determining a lateral acceleration and wherein determining a revised height of a revised added mass comprises determining the revised height of the revised added mass in response to the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration.

44. A method as recited in claim 42 further comprising determining a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration and a yaw rate and wherein determining a revised height of a revised added mass comprises determining a revised height of the revised added mass in response to the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration and a yaw rate.

45. A method as recited in claim 42 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adaptively adjusting a roll angle determination in response to the revised added mass and the revised height of the revised added mass.

46. A method as recited in claim 42 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adjusting control gains in response to the revised added mass and the height of the revised added mass.

47. A method as recited in claim 42 wherein the height of the revised added mass comprises the revised height of the center of gravity of the vehicle including the revised added mass.

48. A method as recited in claim 44 further comprising determining a roll inertia of the revised added mass and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the added roll inertia of the revised added mass.

49. A method as recited in claim 44 further comprising determining a roll inertia of the vehicle and the revised added mass and wherein controlling comprises controlling the safety system in response to the added roll inertia of the vehicle and the revised added mass.

50. A method as recited in claim 44 wherein controlling the safety system comprises controlling a roll stability control system.

51. A method as recited in claim 44 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adaptively adjusting a roll angle determination in response to the revised added mass.

52. A method as recited in claim 44 wherein controlling the safety system comprises adjusting control gains in response to the revised added mass.