Device for producing electrical signals indicating yaw rate, lateral acceleration and roll rate of vehicle body

• US 6,121,873 A
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yoshihisa, Otake, Hirotada
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/288,223
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/440, 340/441, 701/70, 303/146, 303/147
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0521 Roll rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/1042 using at least two sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/70 Estimating or calculating vehicle parameters or state variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/44 for measuring angular speed G01P3/56 takes precedence

Abstract

A device is proposed to provide electrical signals indicating four parameters such as the so-called vehicle speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration and roll rate a vehicle body by using three parameter detection means such as a vehicle speed sensor, a turn rate sensor and a transverse acceleration sensor, or to provide electrical signals indicating three parameters such as the so-called yaw rate, roll rate and lateral acceleration of a vehicle by using two transverse acceleration sensors.

Claims

1. A device for producing first, second, third and fourth electrical signals indicating vehicle speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration and roll rate of a vehicle body of a vehicle, respectively, comprising:

means for detecting a vehicle speed, so as to produce the first electrical signal;

means mounted on the vehicle body as positioned substantially at a center of gravity of the vehicle body for detecting a turn rate of itself around a vertical axis thereof, so as to produce the second electrical signal;

means mounted on the vehicle body as vertically shifted from the turn rate detection means for detecting an acceleration applied thereto in a horizontal direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body;

means for calculating a product of the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means and the turn rate detected by the turn rate detection means, so as to produce the third electrical signal; and

means for calculating a quotient of a difference between the transverse acceleration detected by the transverse acceleration detection means and the above-mentioned product divided by a vertical shift distance of the transverse acceleration detection means relative to the turn rate detection means and integrating the quotient on a time basis, so as to produce the fourth electrical signal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body has a roof portion, and the transverse acceleration detection means are mounted at the roof portion.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the transverse acceleration detection means are substantially aligned vertically with the turn rate detection means.

4. A device for producing first, second and third electrical signals indicating yaw rate, roll rate and lateral acceleration of a vehicle body of a vehicle, respectively, comprising:

means mounted on the vehicle body at a first position thereof for detecting a first acceleration applied thereto in a horizontal direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body;

means mounted on the vehicle body at a second position thereof shifted in a longitudinal and a vertical direction of the vehicle body from the first position by a longitudinal and a vertical shift distance, respectively, for detecting a second acceleration applied thereto in a horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body;

means for calculating a first quotient of a difference between the first and the second acceleration divided by the longitudinal shift distance and integrating the first quotient on a time basis, so as to produce the first electrical signal;

means for calculating a second quotient of a difference between the first and the second acceleration divided by the vertical shift distance and integrating the second quotient on a time basis, so as to produce the second electrical signal; and

means for calculating an average of the first and the second acceleration weighted by a ratio of a longitudinal shift distance of the second position from a center of gravity of the vehicle body to a longitudinal shift distance between the first and second positions and a ratio of a longitudinal shift distance of the first position from the center of gravity of the vehicle body to the longitudinal shift distance between the first and second positions, respectively, and modifying the weighted average by a pertinent component of the second quotient, so as to produce the third electrical signal.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle body has a roof portion and a base portion, and the first transverse acceleration detection means are mounted at the roof portion in a front part thereof, while the second transverse acceleration detection means are mounted at the base portion in a rear part thereof.