Vehicle stability system with multiple sensitivities

• US 20070260384A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Hatipoglu, Cem, Romanchok, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• 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: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/24 responsive to vehicle inclination or change of direction, e.g. negotiating bends using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 Load or weight

Abstract

A system and method for providing stability control for a commercial vehicle. The system may include multiple selectable control tuning modes or sensitivities for defining when the system may intervene to provide corrective action to aid vehicle stability. The control tuning modes may be representative of different vehicle configurations/conditions and a source of input data indicative the present configuration/condition of the vehicle may be provided.

Claims

1. A controller for aiding the stability control of a commercial vehicle, the controller comprising:

one or more inputs for receiving configuration data indicative of a configuration of the vehicle;

one or more inputs for receiving operational data indicative of a stability risk;

a logic applying arrangement for selecting one of a plurality of control tuning modes based on the configuration data received, the logic applying arrangement adapted to determine one or more intervention thresholds based on the selected control tuning mode, wherein the logic applying arrangement compares the operational data to the one or more intervention thresholds and generates a control signal representative of a corrective action as a function of the comparison; and

an output for sending the control signal to an operational system of the vehicle for initiating the corrective action.

2. The controller of claim 1 wherein the corrective action includes braking the vehicle.

3. The controller of claim 1 wherein the corrective action includes reducing throttling of an engine of the vehicle.

4. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a memory portion for storing the plurality of control tuning modes.

5. The controller of claim 1 wherein the operational data includes one or more of:

lateral acceleration data, yaw rate data, wheel speed data, and steering angle data.

6. The controller of claim 1 wherein the commercial vehicle includes a towed vehicle, and wherein the input receives configuration data indicative of the type of the vehicle being towed.

7. The controller of claim 1 wherein the commercial vehicle includes a load being hauled, and wherein the input receives configuration data indicative of the location of the center of gravity of the load.

8. A controller for improving the stability of a commercial vehicle, the controller comprising:

a means for receiving input data indicative of a configuration of the vehicle;

a means for receiving operational data indicative of a stability risk of the vehicle;

a processing means for analyzing the input data and selecting one of a plurality of control tuning modes based on the input data, the processing means adapted to compare the operational data to one or more threshold values defined by the selected control tuning mode, wherein the processing means is adapted to generate a control signal representative of a corrective action based on the comparison between the operational data and the one or more threshold values; and

a means for sending the control signal to an operational system of the vehicle for initiating the corrective action.

9. The controller of claim 8 further comprising a means for storing the plurality of control tuning modes.

10. The controller of claim 8 wherein the commercial vehicle includes a towed vehicle, and wherein the configuration of the vehicle includes the type of vehicle being towed.

11. The controller of claim 8 wherein the corrective action includes braking the vehicle.

12. A stability control system for a commercial vehicle, the system comprising:

a source of input data indicative of a vehicle configuration;

a memory portion for storing two or more selectable sensitivities for the system;

a controller in communication with the source of input data and the memory portion, the controller adapted to receive the input data and select one of the two or more system sensitivities from the memory portion based on the input data; and

a device in communication with the controller for sending operational data to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to analyze the operational data to determine if a stability risk exists and to send a control signal to an operational system of the vehicle for initiating a corrective action based on the determination.

13. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the commercial vehicle includes one or more towed vehicles, and wherein the vehicle configuration includes the type of vehicle being towed.

14. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the commercial vehicle includes a load being hauled, and wherein the vehicle configuration includes the location of the center of gravity of the load.

15. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the source of input data is at least one of:

a manual switch, a databus message, a driving condition estimation algorithm, and one or more sensors capable of sensing the type of vehicle being towed.

16. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the memory portion is integral to the controller.

17. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the controller is a vehicle antilock brake system electronic control unit.

18. The stability control system of claim 12 wherein the corrective action includes applying a brake on one or more wheels of the vehicle.

19. A stability control system for a vehicle having a towed portion, the system comprising:

a device for sending a configuration signal indicative of the configuration of the towed portion;

one or more sensors for sensing a stability risk of the vehicle;

a memory portion for storing a plurality of selectable control tuning modes;

a processor in communication with the device for sending a configuration signal, the one or more sensors, and the memory portion, the processor adapted to receive the configuration signal and select one of the plurality of selectable control tuning modes based on the configuration signal, the processor further adapted to generate a control signal in response to input from the one or more sensors of a sensed stability risk of the vehicle; and

a vehicle brake system in communication with the processor, the vehicle brake system adapted to apply a brake on one or more wheels of the vehicle in response to the control signal.

20. The stability control system of claim 19 wherein the processor is an antilock brake system electronic control unit.

21. The stability control system of claim 19 wherein the device for sending a signal indicative of the configuration of the towed portion is a manual switching device.

22. A method for providing stability control for a commercial vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving input data indicative of a vehicle configuration;

selecting one of a plurality of stored control tuning modes based on the input data;

implementing the selected control tuning mode; and

sending a control signal representative of a corrective action.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

determining one or more intervention thresholds based on the selected control tuning mode;

receiving operational data indicative of a vehicle stability risk;

comparing the operational data to the one or more intervention thresholds;

wherein the step of sending a control signal is based on the step of comparing the operational data to the one or more intervention thresholds.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of applying a brake on one or more wheels of a vehicle in response to the control signal.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of actuating a throttle to reduce the speed of the vehicle in response to the control signal.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the vehicle configuration includes the type of vehicle being towed.