Vehicle loading based vehicle dynamic and safety related characteristic adjusting system

• US 9,290,165 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/886,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0194 transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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 2210/22 Banked curves
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/02 Vehicle mass
• 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: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• 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: B60T 8/241 Lateral vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction
• 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 2030/043 about the roll axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/18 : Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 : related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 : Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 : Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 : related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/13 : Load or weight
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/086 : wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated

Abstract

A method of controlling a controllable chassis system or a safety system (44) for a vehicle (10) includes determining an added mass placed on the vehicle and relative to a known vehicle mass. A vehicle characteristic is adjusted in response to the added mass. A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a sensor (20, 28-42) that generates a signal. A controller (26) determines added mass on the vehicle (10) in response to the signal and adjusts a vehicle characteristic in response to the added mass.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle having an associated center of gravity, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, in a controller, an added mass, onboard the vehicle in response to sensor signal information and relative to a known vehicle mass;

determining, in a controller, a change in the associated center of gravity as caused by the added mass;

controlling the automotive vehicle by adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic in response to the added mass and the change in the associated center of gravity.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a vehicle braking characteristic.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a vehicle steering characteristic.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a vehicle throttle characteristic.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a safety restraint deployment characteristic.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a profile of the at least one vehicle characteristic.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle characteristic is adjusted in response to a comfort and ride handling disturbance.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle characteristic is adjusted in response to a roll condition.

9. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a loading condition in response to the added mass; and

adjusting sensitivity of a throttle response in response to the loading condition.

10. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a loading condition in response to the added mass; and

adjusting sensitivity of a steering response in response to the loading condition.

11. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a loading condition in response to the added mass; and

adjusting sensitivity of a braking response in response to the loading condition.

12. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining location of the added mass; and

adjusting the at least one vehicle characteristic in response to the location.

13. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting damping of a suspension.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting damping differently for each of a plurality of dampers.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting brake, distribution pressures differently for each of a plurality of brakes.

16. A method as in claim 1 wherein adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic comprises adjusting a plurality of vehicle characteristics in a coordinated overall adjustment.