Abstract: A system, for use in protecting an active-material actuator from overheating without using a temperature sensor. The system includes an active material being transformable between a first state and a second state in response to a pre-determined stimulus, and being pre-tensioned to at least a pre-determined threshold, yielding the pre-tensioned active material. The system also includes a processing unit configured to perform operations comprising obtaining a value for electrical resistance of the pre-tensioned active material, estimating, based on the electrical resistance obtained, an strain value for the active material, yielding an estimated strain value, and obtaining an actual strain value for the active material. The operations also include determining a difference between the estimated strain value estimated and the actual strain value and determining, based on the difference determined, whether an overheating condition exists for the active material.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for influencing transverse dynamics of a vehicle, for a chassis intervention is carried out when an intervention condition is met.

Abstract: A system for estimating a position associated with a pre-tensioned active material without using a position sensor. The system includes an active material being transformable between a first state and a second state in response to a pre-determined stimulus and pre-tensioned to at least a pre-determined threshold, yielding the pre-tensioned active material. The system also includes a processing unit configured to perform various operations. The operations include obtaining a value for electrical resistance of the pre-tensioned active material. The operations also include estimating, using the electrical resistance determined, the position associated with the pre-tensioned active material.

Abstract: A system, for use in protecting an active-material actuator from overheating without using a temperature sensor. The system includes an active material being transformable between a first state and a second state in response to a pre-determined stimulus, and being pre-tensioned to at least a pre-determined threshold, yielding the pre-tensioned active material. The system also includes a processing unit configured to perform operations comprising obtaining a value for electrical resistance of the pre-tensioned active material, estimating, based on the electrical resistance obtained, an strain value for the active material, yielding an estimated strain value, and obtaining an actual strain value for the active material. The operations also include determining a difference between the estimated strain value estimated and the actual strain value and determining, based on the difference determined, whether an overheating condition exists for the active material.

Abstract: A linear motion device includes a rod extending along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of actuator units. Each of the plurality of actuator units includes at least one Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) element that is attached to a coupling mechanism. The at least one SMA element of each if the plurality of actuator units moves the coupling mechanism along the longitudinal axis, and into grasping engagement with the rod. Each actuator unit moves the rod a unit movement distance along the longitudinal axis in response to a control signal. The plurality of actuator units are actuated repeatedly in a cyclic order to move the rod in a continuous linear motion a distance greater than the unit movement distance of each of the plurality of actuator units.

Abstract: In a method for influencing the transverse dynamics of a vehicle, a transverse dynamics disturbance variable acting on the vehicle is detected by a disturbance variable determination device and a counter-yaw moment counteracting the transverse dynamics disturbance variable is produced. For this purpose, the dynamic transverse dynamics disturbance variable is detected by the disturbance variable determination device, and a first counter-yaw moment is produced to compensate at least partially for the dynamic transverse dynamics disturbance variable with the help of a first vehicle system. The first counter-yaw moment is reduced following the at least partial compensation, and with the help of the disturbance variable determination device, a check is made whether a stationary transverse dynamics disturbance variable exists. If so, a second counter-yaw moment is produced with the help of a second vehicle system to at least partially compensate for the stationary transverse dynamics disturbance variable.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating an active chassis system, in which wheels of at least one axle are arranged with a toe-in angle, and actuating elements which interact with supporting assemblies which are arranged between the wheels and a vehicle body. Wheel contact forces of the wheels assume different values as a result of the actuating elements being actuated. A side force is generated at the wheels which have a toe-in angle, and a resulting yaw moment is produced. A desired yaw rate is determined based upon information from a device which is arranged in the vehicle in order to determine the profile of the roadway in a control unit, and the wheel contact forces are set as a function of the desired yaw rate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for influencing the transversal dynamics of a vehicle (1), wherein a transversal dynamics disturbance variable acting on the vehicle (1), and particularly on the vehicle body, is detected by means of a disturbance variable determination device (5) and a counter-yaw moment counteracting the transversal dynamics disturbance variable is produced, comprising the following method steps: detecting the dynamic transversal dynamics disturbance variable by means of the disturbance variable determination device (5), producing a first counter-yaw moment in order to at least partially compensate for the dynamic transversal dynamics disturbance variable with the help of a first vehicle system (4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for influencing transverse dynamics of a vehicle, for a chassis intervention is carried out when an intervention condition is met.

Abstract: The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the probable trajectory of a vehicle is determined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating an active chassis system, in which wheels of at least one axle are arranged with a toe-in angle, and actuating elements which interact with supporting assemblies which are arranged between the wheels and a vehicle body. Wheel contact forces of the wheels assume different values as a result of the actuating elements being actuated. A side force is generated at the wheels which have a toe-in angle, and a resulting yaw moment is produced. A desired yaw rate is determined based upon information from a device which is arranged in the vehicle in order to determine the profile of the roadway in a control unit, and the wheel contact forces are set as a function of the desired yaw rate.

Abstract: The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the portable trajectory of a vehicle is determnined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects.

Abstract: The device according to the invention relates to a device for making available parameters which are taken into account during the regulation and/or control of a parameter which describes and/or influences the movement of a vehicle. The parameters which are made available are vehicle movement parameters which describe the movement of the vehicle and/or underlying surface parameters which describe the quality and/or the course of the underlying surface. The device according to the invention contains sensing means with which first vehicle movement parameters are sensed, and computing means with which second vehicle movement parameters and/or underlying surface parameters are determined at least as a function of the first vehicle movement parameters. The sensing means and the computing means are spatially combined to form one physical unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting parameters characterizing the driving behavior of a vehicle, according to which at least one vehicle speed parameter, which represents at least one parameter (?y) describing the lateral velocity, and/or a roadway parameter describing the quality and/or the course of the roadway is/are detected at least according to one parameter (ax) describing the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, a parameter (ay) describing the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a parameter ({dot over (?)}) describing the yaw rate of the vehicle, a parameter (?, ?Rad,i) characterizing the steering lock of the steered wheels, and parameters (?Rad,i) describing the rotation speeds of the vehicle wheels by means of an estimation method. A parameter (vx) describing ongitudinal velocity of the vehicle is detected as an additional vehicle speed parameter.

Abstract: For the purpose of controlling the yaw dynamics and lateral dynamics in a road vehicle with electrically controlled four-wheel steering, in the case of which the setting of the front axle steer angle ?v and of the rear axle steer angle ?h is performed by means of mutually decoupled control loops, a desired value ?vsoll for the lateral force Sv to be built up at the front axle is determined in the control loop assigned to the front axle and, for this desired value Svsoll, the value of the slip angle, linked to the desired value Svsoll, is determined as desired value ?vsoll from an Sv(?v) characteristic representing the dependence of the lateral force Sv, to be built up at the front axle, on the slip angle ?v. In the control loop assigned to the rear axle, a desired value Shsoll for the lateral force Sh to be built up at the rear axle is determined in a control process in accordance with a controller law of the form S hsoll = l v · m · v x L · [ ? .

Abstract: For the purpose of controlling the yaw dynamics and lateral dynamics in a road vehicle with electrically controlled four-wheel steering, in the case of which the setting of the front axle steer angle &dgr;v and of the rear axle steer angle &dgr;h is performed by means of mutually decoupled control loops, a desired value Svsoll for the lateral force Sv to be built up at the front axle is determined in the control loop assigned to the front axle and, for this desired value Svsoll, the value of the slip angle, linked to the desired value Svsoll, is determined as desired value &agr;vsoll from an Sv(&agr;v) characteristic representing the dependence of the lateral force Sv, to be built up at the front axle, on the slip angle &agr;v.

Abstract: To control the yaw behavior of a vehicle, a setpoint for the yaw rate of the vehicle is determined from the steering angle specified by the driver and a vehicle speed that has been determined. An actual value of the yaw rate is also determined. A controlling deviation is then determined from the difference between the actual value and the setpoint of the yaw rate, and is then supplied to controllers operating independently of one another. In one controller, the steering controller, the setpoint is determined for the wheel steering angle of the steered wheels, while in the other controller, the braking controller, a setpoint is determined for the change in the braking pressure of the brake wheels. Taking this value into account, a specified braking pressure is then determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating an additive additional torque on the steering wheel of a vehicle as a function of a driving state, and to an apparatus for carrying out the method. It is the object of the invention to find an alternative method and an apparatus for carrying out the method which assists the driver in stabilizing the driving state of the vehicle when unwanted yawing motions occur. According to this, the additional torque is formed by means of a factor &kgr;1 and the side-slip angle &bgr;, the additional torque specifying that steering-wheel position which corresponds to a wheel position of the steered vehicle wheels that serves to stabilize the current driving state. The additional torque is transmitted to the steering wheel by means of an electric motor.

Abstract: For detecting and localizing sensor defects in motor vehicles, a sensor determines a measuring signal for the description of the dynamic behavior of the motor vehicle. A state value assigned to the measuring signal is computed from a mathematical equivalent model. An estimation error of the state value is determined and a residue is determined from the difference between the measuring signal and a reference quantity which corresponds to the measuring signal and is formed from the state value. For clearly detecting and localizing the sensor defects, a characteristic parameter is formed by multiplying the residue and the estimation error, and an error signal is generated if the characteristic parameter exceeds a limit value.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically controlling the lateral dynamics of a vehicle with front-axle steering by determining a first desired value for the vehicle yaw velocity, corresponding to the path movement of the vehicle set by the operation of a steering element or device, and a second desired value for the vehicle yaw velocity, corresponding to the sideslip angle in the area of the unsteered rear wheels of the vehicle, and supplying the smaller of the two yaw velocity values to an automatic control device as the desired input. Upon activation of the automatic control device, the vehicle no longer precisely follows the driver's wish as set by the steering element but rather, follows it only approximately by adjusting the sideslip angle in the area of the unsteered rear vehicle wheels to a value that is compatible with the dynamic of a non-swerving vehicle and thereby enlarging the slip angle at the steered front wheels of the vehicle.