Abstract: A vehicle body speed estimating device. An attitude angle estimating mechanism estimates a roll angle and a pitch angle. A longitudinal speed computing mechanism computes longitudinal vehicle body speed. A vehicle body speed estimator estimates lateral vehicle body speed by using, as state amounts of vehicle motion, the longitudinal vehicle body speed and the lateral vehicle body speed, and on the basis of respective detected values of longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration and yaw angular velocity of vehicle motion, and respective estimated values of the roll angle and the pitch angle, and a product of a computed value of the longitudinal vehicle body speed and a value obtained from an absolute value of the detected value of the yaw angular velocity.

Abstract: A vehicle physical quantity estimating device including: a longitudinal vehicle body velocity estimating unit, estimating a longitudinal vehicle body velocity based on vehicle wheel velocities of each wheel; a longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit, computing deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values based on output sensor signals corresponding to detected values of the vehicle motions of triaxial accelerations and triaxial angular velocities output from a sensor, and the estimated longitudinal vehicle body velocity; a low pass filter, letting only signals corresponding to motions that need attention pass through from the longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit 14; and an attitude angle estimating unit, estimating the attitude angle based on the sensor signal(s), and signal(s) representing the deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values after low pass filter processing.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a calculator that calculates an integrated controlled variable including a first controlled variable used for controlling the braking/driving force of each wheel so as to optimize the ? utilization ratio of the wheel and a second controlled variable used for controlling the steering angle of each wheel, based on constraints including a target resultant force to be applied to the vehicle body and a limit friction circle of each wheel, a calculator that calculates a steering controlled variable used for controlling only the steering angle of each wheel so as to achieve the target resultant force, and a controller that controls only the steering angle of each wheel, or the steering angle and braking/driving force of each wheel, based on a controlled variable obtained by linearly interpolating the integrated controlled variable and the steering controlled variable.

Abstract: A suspension control device includes a wheel grip state estimation device for estimating grip state of vehicle wheels based on variations of aligning torque of wheels to be steered, a vehicle rolling control device for controlling vehicle rolling, and a control parameter setting device for setting a control parameter of the vehicle rolling control device based on at least estimated grip state of the wheel grip state estimation device.

Abstract: A shape of a visible edge of a vehicle hood, a shape of a visible edge of a vehicle instrument panel, or a shape of a top edge of a ceramic line formed at a windshield glass is made to be a curve expressed by hyperbolic function y2=Ax2+2Bx+C, where x is a depression angle, y is an azimuth angle, A is a constant expressed by a sum of a ratio of a distance between a viewpoint height and a roll axis with respect to the viewpoint height and a reciprocal of a product of a roll rate and the viewpoint height, B is a constant expressed by a reciprocal of the roll rate, and C is a constant expressed by the constant A, the constant B and a depression angle of a sight-line direction of a driver.

Abstract: Various state amounts of a vehicle body detected by various types of sensors are captured (step 102). A maximum frictional force Fimax is calculated for each of wheels (steps 104 to 110). By use of the maximum frictional force Fimax and other physical quantities, a performance function not dependent on respective magnitudes of a vehicle body generating force and a yaw moment is defined, which performance function is prepared by means of a performance function in a case in which the vehicle body generating force is larger than the yaw moment, and a performance function in a case in which the vehicle body generating force is not larger than the yaw moment (step 112).

Abstract: An SAT estimator 16 estimates the SAT generated between the road surface and the tire. A slip angle arithmetic unit 18 estimates the front wheel slip angle. A lateral force detector 180 computes the lateral force generated in the wheels. An SAT model value arithmetic unit 22 computes the SAT model value from the slip angle estimate and the lateral force value. A front-rear direction quantity-of-state arithmetic unit 240 computes the front-rear direction quantity of state generated in the wheels. A grip level estimator 26 estimates the grip level from the SAT estimated by the SAT estimator 16, the SAT model value computed by the SAT model value arithmetic unit 22, and the front-rear direction quantity of state estimated by the front-rear direction quantity-of-state arithmetic unit 240.

Abstract: A vehicle motion control device and method computes a size of a using friction circle in each of wheels by multiplying a size of an each wheel friction circle indicating a maximum generating force in each of the wheel tires by a previously computed each wheel using percentage, computes the each wheel tire generating force and the each wheel using percentage indicating a rate with respect to an upper limit value of a ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels, on the basis of a target vehicle body force and moment indicating a target vehicle body longitudinal force, a target vehicle body transverse force and a target yaw moment, and the computed size of the using friction circle, and controls a vehicle motion in such a manner that the computed each wheel tire generating force is obtained on the basis of the computed each wheel tire generating force, thereby minimizing an upper limit of the ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels.

Abstract: The present invention provides an acceleration sensation evaluating device that evaluates a sensory acceleration of a driver with respect to an expectation value of acceleration, and a vehicle controller that controls a vehicle according to the evaluation results. The evaluation device detects an amount of operation of the vehicle by the driver of when the vehicle is accelerated, detects an amount of vehicle behavior, computes a physical quantity of an expectation value indicating the expectation value of an acceleration performance which the driver expects based on the detected values, computes a sensory physical quantity indicating a sensation of the acceleration which the driver senses, and computes an evaluation value of the acceleration sensation based on difference or ratio between the physical quantity of the expectation value and the sensory physical quantity.

Abstract: An angular velocity detection device is provided for detecting an angular velocity about a single axis tilted in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle to a normal axis thereof. An actual motion state variable of the vehicle is calculated on the basis of the detected angular velocity. At least one of the braking force and driving force applied to a vehicle is controlled to stabilize a yawing motion and a rolling motion of the vehicle, on the basis of a motion state variable deviation between a desired motion state variable and the actual motion state variable, e.g., a deviation between a yaw velocity and a roll velocity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle dynamics control system and a method of controlling vehicle dynamics that includes calculating a tire force to achieve target vehicle force and moment; calculating a longitudinal ? rate that a longitudinal force of each tire is normalized with the size of the tire friction circle of each wheel, representing the maximum tire force at each wheel; calculating a steering angle equalized for right and left wheels based on the longitudinal ? rate of each tire, a lateral force of each tire, and a vertical load of each tire; and controlling vehicle dynamics based on the calculated steering angle.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: An SAT estimating section estimates self-aligning torque (SAT) on the basis of a steering torque, which is detected by a steering torque detecting section, and an assist torque, which is detected by an assist torque detecting section. An SAT model value computing section computes an SAT model value by using an integrated slip angle ?I. An SAT ratio/drift amount computing section computes, by on-line identification, a ratio (SAT ratio) of the SAT to the SAT model value, and a drift amount of a lateral acceleration sensor.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle motion control device capable of realizing optimum avoidance control in the case of an emergency. The vehicle motion control device includes an external environment detection unit for detecting external environment, and a travel state detection unit for detecting a travel state of a driver's vehicle. An obstruction is detected based on the external environment detected by the external environment detection unit, and an environment map indicating obstructions is created. A control device estimates a plurality of possible avoidance actions for avoiding an obstruction based on the environment map and the travel state of the driver's vehicle detected by the travel state detection unit. The control device estimates collision damage according to each avoidance action estimated by the avoidance action estimation unit, and selects an appropriate avoidance action based on the estimated collision damage.

Abstract: A target resultant force to be applied to a vehicle body is calculated, the magnitude of a critical friction circle of each wheel is estimated, and a critical resultant force is estimated from the estimated magnitude of the critical friction circle. Subsequently, a ratio of the target resultant force to a critical resultant force is set as an effective road friction, and the magnitude of a tire force is set by using the magnitude of the critical friction circle and the effective road friction. The direction of the tire force of each wheel to be controlled is set based on the sum of products, which are calculated for all other wheels, of a distance from the position of the wheel to be controlled to the position of the other wheel in a direction of the resultant force, and the magnitude of the tire force of the other wheel. Cooperative control of steering and braking or steering and driving of each wheel to be controlled is performed based on the magnitude and direction of the tire force which have been set.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus, in accordance with a grip limit control process (30b?), it is determined whether or not a grip degree ? estimated by a grip degree estimation arithmetically operating process (30a) is less than a predetermined grip degree (??), and in the case that it is determined that an estimated grip degree (?) is less than the predetermined grip degree (??), the process applies such a feeling that a steering operation by a steering wheel suddenly becomes light to a driver, by suddenly increasing an assist quantity by a motor (M), thereby notifying the driver of the matter that the grip degree of a steered wheel is close to a limit. Therefore, it is possible to transmit to the driver a probability that a side slip is generated by further turning the steering wheel 21 in the same direction as the current direction, thereby calling the driver's attention for steering.

Abstract: A vehicle physical quantity estimating device including: a longitudinal vehicle body velocity estimating unit, estimating a longitudinal vehicle body velocity based on vehicle wheel velocities of each wheel; a longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit, computing deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values based on output sensor signals corresponding to detected values of the vehicle motions of triaxial accelerations and triaxial angular velocities output from a sensor, and the estimated longitudinal vehicle body velocity; a low pass filter, letting only signals corresponding to motions that need attention pass through from the longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit 14; and an attitude angle estimating unit, estimating the attitude angle based on the sensor signal(s), and signal(s) representing the deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values after low pass filter processing.