Method for coordinating a vehicle dynamics control system with an active normal force adjustment system

• US 7,308,351 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schumann, Andreas, Knoop, Michael, Kieren, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/875,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/36, 701/41, 701/124, 701/301, 702/141, 702/140, 340/436, 340/440, 340/465, 703/7, 703/8, 703/1, 324/300
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/51 in suspension unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/016 Yawing condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/214 by varying the load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/215 by applying a braking action on each wheel individually
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/93 Skid or slide control [ASR]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/94 Electronic Stability Program (ESP, i.e. ABS+ASC+EMS)
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/95 Automatic Traction or Slip Control [ATC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/02 Side slip angle, attitude angle, floating angle, drift angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/06 Active Suspension System
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability

Abstract

A vehicle dynamics control system for a motor vehicle having an active normal force adjustment system with which the normal force acting on a wheel may be adjusted is described. For coordinating the vehicle dynamics control system with the active normal force adjustment system, information about a change in the normal force is to be supplied to a control unit of the vehicle dynamics control system and may be taken into account in the vehicle dynamic control.

Claims

1. A vehicle dynamics control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an active normal force adjustment system for changing a normal force acting on a wheel; and

a vehicle dynamics control system in communication with the active normal force adjustment system,

wherein the active normal force adjustment system is configured to supply information about a change in the normal force to the vehicle dynamic control system, the information about the change in normal force is taken into account in calculating a setpoint value, wherein the setpoint value is a setpoint yaw rate usable to regulate the transverse dynamic of the vehicle, the vehicle dynamics control system configured to take the supplied information into account in regulating the vehicle, and

wherein the setpoint yaw rate is calculated using a single-track model in which a self-steering parameter, characteristic velocity v_ch, is determined as a function of the information about the change in the normal force.

2. The vehicle dynamics control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the normal forces acting on the wheel are estimated by using a mathematical model, and the estimated normal forces are corrected based on the information supplied about the changes in normal force.

3. The vehicle dynamics control system as recited in claim 1, wherein an intervention threshold of the vehicle dynamics control is adjusted as a function of the information about the change in the normal force.

4. The vehicle dynamics control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle dynamics control system monitors the information about the change in normal force for plausibility.

5. The vehicle dynamics control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle dynamics control system is configured so that the active normal force adjustment system is triggerable.

6. The vehicle dynamics control system of claim 1, wherein the information about the change in normal force is taken into account in calculating a second setpoint value, which is a setpoint float angle usable to regulate the float angle of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle dynamics control system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle dynamics control system monitors the information about the change in normal force for plausibility by performing long-term monitoring of the change in normal force, the long-term monitoring determining if a sum of the change in normal forces over all wheels of the vehicle equals zero when averaged over time.

8. The vehicle dynamics control system of claim 4, wherein if the vehicle dynamics control system determines the change in normal force is not plausible, the vehicle dynamics control system outputs a passivation request to the active normal force adjustment system.

9. The vehicle dynamics control system of claim 7, wherein the passivation request triggers the active normal force adjustment system to provide zero change to the normal force acting on the wheel.

10. The vehicle dynamics control system of claim 3, wherein the intervention threshold of the vehicle dynamics control is adjusted if the active normal force adjustment system is being used to oversteer the vehicle.