Attitude Change Suppressive Control (e.g., Antiroll Or Antipitch) Patents (Class 701/38)
  • Patent number: 8706351
    Abstract: Provided is an active noise cancellation apparatus capable of reliably reducing road noise by a technique other than mounting a vibration generator on a floor panel itself or another plate-like interior part itself, while reducing costs and size of the apparatus. A reference signal detector is mounted on a knuckle and the vibration generator is mounted on a wheel housing or a suspension member. An error signal detector detects vibration of the wheel housing or vibration of the suspension member as an error signal, or detects sound in a vehicle interior as an error signal. A controller controls the vibration generator based on the reference signal and the error signal so as to reduce the error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hasegawa, Akira Katagiri, Hideki Oshima
  • Patent number: 8694207
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a vehicle. One system includes a plurality of sensors, an occupant restraint system, and a controller. The plurality of sensors are configured to sense operating parameters of the vehicle, and the occupant restraint system is configured to sense data about cargo located in the vehicle. The controller is configured to obtain the data about the cargo located in the vehicle, determine a control adjustment to account for an impact of the cargo on the vehicle's center of gravity based on the data about the cargo, and control the vehicle based on the control adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank-Juergen Stuetzler, Jason Trombley
  • Patent number: 8688292
    Abstract: A pendular motion determination unit of a motion stabilizer for a tractor includes a parameter computation unit configured to compute a determination parameter PA indicative of a quantity of change in an actual yaw rate Y, a threshold value setting unit configured to compute a threshold value PAth for the determination parameter PA, and a determination unit configured to determine that a pendular motion caused by swaying motion of a trailer is imparted, if the determination parameter PA is greater than the threshold value PAth. At least one of PAth and PA is changed based upon a correlation of a value related to a lateral acceleration based yaw rate Yg with a value related to the standard yaw rate Ys and a correlation of a value related to the actual yaw rate Y with a value related to the standard yaw rate Ys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Miyata, Takeshi Kojima, Tomoyuki Futamura
  • Publication number: 20140058625
    Abstract: This invention public a multi-functional rollover judgment system and automatic anti-rollover device which are all belong to vehicle area. The mentioned system at least includes two displacement sensors and ECU which is connected with mentioned sensors correspondingly, and the output device (connected with ECU). The mentioned displacement sensor is distributed by a group of two, and at least one group mentioned displacement sensor is set between the frame and axle symmetrically. The mentioned device includes multi-functional judgment system and its connected actuator, and the mentioned actuator at least includes left actuator and right actuator which are symmetrically set on the frame. Both of the mentioned left actuator and right actuator include a telescopic shaft and the return wheel which is set on the outside of telescopic shaft. The invention can prevent the rollover accident from happening in any condition and have wide application range & high accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventor: Yuliang Sun
  • Publication number: 20140054867
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe methods, apparatuses, and systems for enhanced vehicle stabilization solutions. Embodiments of the invention may receive sensor information from at least one sensor coupled to a vehicle having two or more wheels, the at least one sensor coupled to at least one of a wheel, a suspension component, or a frame of the vehicle. A tilt angle of the vehicle is determined from the received sensor information, the tilt angle comprising an offset angle from a reference plane for the vehicle. A controller transmits a command to one or more control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) coupled to the frame of the vehicle to produce a total angular moment based, at least in part, on the tilt angle of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Kee Young Kim, Eric Miller
  • Patent number: 8660753
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control method of a wheel alignment apparatus using an MDPS, which determines whether or not to cancel center alignment control due to a trouble or error is preferentially determined prior to each control step and then performs control when wheels of a vehicle having an MDPS mounted therein are aligned, such that the trouble or error is preferentially considered in the control priority, thereby increasing driver's convenience and improving safety performance for protecting the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong Ku Kim
  • Patent number: 8655577
    Abstract: A device and a method for improved automatic ride level control of a utility vehicle on an inclined underlying surface use a lateral acceleration sensor to sense the inclination of the utility vehicle in the stationary state or with a reduced speed in conjunction with a chassis of adjustable height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventor: Axel Stender
  • Patent number: 8645024
    Abstract: A system that stiffens the rear suspension of the three-wheeled vehicle in coordination with the operator turning the front wheel to prevent leaning in turns and thus improve handling, performance and safety. The suspension system is controlled by the suspension control computer that receives input from a variety of sensors including a sensor in the steering neck that measures the angular rotation as the handlebars are turned by the operator. Based on these inputs, using proprietary programming, the suspension control computer calculates the timing, degree and appropriate side rear shock absorbing unit to stiffen. Active suspension offers significant advantages over non-active independent rear suspension in that it minimizes adverse handling characteristics caused by suspension leaning in turns while still allowing the comfort and handling of an independent rear suspension, as opposed to a non-independent rear suspension which provides a poor quality ride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Ben Daniels
  • Publication number: 20140012468
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a center-of-gravity height h of a motor vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. A controller is operatively coupled with a left wheel load sensor, a right wheel load sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, and a roll rate sensor. The controller determines a left wheel load FL based upon input from the left wheel load sensor, determines a right wheel load FR based upon input from the right wheel sensor, determines a lateral acceleration ay of a vehicle body based upon input from the lateral acceleration sensor, determines a body roll angle ? based upon input from the roll rate sensor, and estimate a center-of-gravity height h in real-time using the calculated values of FL, FR, ay, and ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jialiang Le, Todd N. Clark, Matt Niesluchowski
  • Publication number: 20140005890
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle can receive a plurality of control requests each expressing a requested position and requested attitude angle for the vehicle, the control requests originating from respective control request apparatuses such as driver assistance apparatuses. The control apparatus executes arbitration to select one of the control requests, which is then converted to a corresponding yaw rate control request. The converted yaw rate control request is supplied to a yaw rate control apparatus, which controls the vehicle motion accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Hideaki TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20140005889
    Abstract: A suspension control apparatus includes a single-wheel model calculating unit that calculates a sprung speed and a stroke speed using a single-wheel model on the basis of a wheel speed variation detected by a wheel speed sensor and a damper control unit that controls the damping force of a variable damping force damper by setting a skyhook control target current and an unsprung vibration damping control target current of the variable damping force damper on the basis of the calculated sprung speed and stroke speed. When a slip determining unit determines that the wheel is in a slipping state based on deviation of a value detected by the wheel speed sensor from a wheel speed estimated by the vehicle body speed estimating unit by a predetermined value or more, the damper control unit suppresses skyhook and unsprung vibration damping control by fixing or gradually decreasing the control target currents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Yukio Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 8620528
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing a risk of or avoiding a roll-over event of a vehicle, having means of an electronic controllable steering system and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit identifies the occurrence of the roll-over risk, such that control means generate a signal in order to steer the road wheels more into the direction in which the vehicle is tending to roll-over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Markus Lemmen, Dirk-Uwe Eidam, Edwin Vliem, Torsten Wey, Bengt Johan Henrik Jacobson, Johan Hultén
  • Patent number: 8612076
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and a system for enabling antilock braking in a vehicle which is propelled at least by an electric motor. The method includes detecting tendency of locking of the at least one wheel by comparing actual rate of change of speed of the at least one of the motor, wheels, transmission, shaft and ground speed with expected rate of change of speed of at least one wheel, wherein the vehicle is being decelerated. Based on the tendency of locking at least regenerative braking is modulated to prevent locking of at least one wheel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chetan Kumar Maini, Prakash Ramaraju, Suresh Veerabetappa Munirangiah, Basab Paul, Sajith Abdul Hameed
  • Patent number: 8599005
    Abstract: A method for making it possible to set the link between all the types of vehicles and roads with the rolling limits on the roadway is described. This setting can be established from the existing road data bases and from the characteristics of the known vehicles. This method is capable of determining the vehicle rolling limits. A device which can be fitted on any vehicle and capable of implementing the method according to the invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: NODBOX
    Inventors: Thierry Fargas, Dominique Clarac
  • Publication number: 20130304319
    Abstract: A system that stiffens the rear suspension of the three-wheeled vehicle in coordination with the operator turning the front wheel to prevent leaning in turns and thus improve handling, performance and safety. The suspension system is controlled by the suspension control computer that receives input from a variety of sensors including a sensor in the steering neck that measures the angular rotation as the handlebars are turned by the operator. Based on these inputs, using proprietary programming, the suspension control computer calculates the timing, degree and appropriate side rear shock absorbing unit to stiffen. Active suspension offers significant advantages over non-active independent rear suspension in that it minimizes adverse handling characteristics caused by suspension leaning in turns while still allowing the comfort and handling of an independent rear suspension, as opposed to a non-independent rear suspension which provides a poor quality ride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sabertooth Motorcycles, LLC
    Inventor: Ben Daniels
  • Patent number: 8583324
    Abstract: In a method for determining the angle of inclination of a two-wheeled vehicle of the type of a bicycle, a scooter or a motorcycle with respect to the roadway normal, the angle of inclination is able to be determined simply and accurately if the transverse acceleration of the vehicle is measured using a transverse acceleration sensor and the acceleration in the direction of the vertical axis of the vehicle is ascertained and the angle of inclination with respect to the roadway normal is calculated based on the two acceleration values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Niewels, Markus Lemejda
  • Patent number: 8583325
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises at least one steering wheel, at least two other wheels, control means suitable for being operated by a driver to steer the steering wheel, a frame supported by said wheels and tiltable with respect to the ground when the vehicle steers and first actuating means to control the tilting position of said frame. In particular, vehicle comprises a decoupling device to decouple the angular position of control means to the angular position of steering wheel and a control unit configured to activate first actuating means when control means are operated by the driver before said steering wheel substantially changes its angular position at least when said vehicle turns running above a given speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Actua S.R.L.
    Inventors: Stefano Carabelli, Pietro Macchi
  • Patent number: 8577534
    Abstract: A method and a device are described for scanning the surrounding environment of a vehicle. When the vehicle falls below a first boundary speed a timer is triggered whose state is incremented until the vehicle exceeds a boundary speed, a check of the unobstructed view of the scanning device being carried out upon expiration of the time period recorded by the state of the timer and in which the state of the counter is incremented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Dorenkamp, Volker Brichzin, Ulrich Schirm, Maria-Eugenia Garcia Bordes
  • Patent number: 8571748
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating a propulsion-related operating parameter of a vehicle for a road segment, and for determining routes based on the estimate. The method may be employed, for example, in a vehicle navigation system. In one example method, at least one operating parameter of the vehicle is estimated for the road segment based on information corresponding to the road segment. The propulsion-related operating parameter is estimated for the road segment using the at least one estimated operating parameter and at least one vehicle specific parameter. The at least one vehicle specific parameter is determined by acquiring driving data to determine a plurality of vehicle operating parameters while the vehicle is in operation. At least two of the determined vehicle operating parameters are used in a predetermined relationship that includes the at least one vehicle specific parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Kluge, Alexey Pryakhin, Peter Kunath
  • Publication number: 20130282237
    Abstract: An inverted pendulum type moving body has a pair of wheels suspended by a main body of the moving body and arranged in the same plane perpendicular to a direction in which the moving body moves on a floor surface as a traveling surface; a driving mechanism that rotates the wheels; and a driving controller that controls the driving mechanism and thereby maintains an inverted state of a moving robot body. The inverted pendulum type moving body includes a wheel rotational speed measurer that measures rotational speeds of the wheels; a main body front-back direction angular velocity measurer that measures an inclination angular velocity of the main body of the moving body in a front-back direction; suspension actuators that move the wheels in a vertical direction; and a suspension actuator driving unit that drives the suspension actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Nakamura, Azusa Amino
  • Patent number: 8560152
    Abstract: To provide an inverted type moving body capable of continuing the inversion control with stability even when abnormality occurs in the inversion control while the moving body is moving, and a method of controlling the inverted type moving body. In an inverted type moving body including a rotational body having a circular cross section, a driving portion that rotationally drives the rotational body, a main body that supports the rotational body, and a control portion that maintains the inverted state of the main body by controlling the driving portion such that the rotational driving of the rotational body touching a floor surface is controlled, the control portion multiplies a signal obtained based on the inclined state of the main body by a predefined gain to calculate the driving amount of the rotational body for maintaining the inverted state, and reduces the gain when the inverted state of the main body is determined to be abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Kajima, Yoshiyuki Semba
  • Patent number: 8560173
    Abstract: A control system in a straddle-type vehicle is provided. The control system includes front and rear wheels, comprises a load distribution changing section which changes a ground load distribution between the front and rear wheels during driving of the vehicle; a slip suppressing condition determiner section which determines whether or not a suppressing condition used to suppress a slip of one of the front and rear wheels is met, during driving of the vehicle; and a load distribution control section which controls the load distribution changing section to make the ground load of the one of the front and rear wheels greater when the slip suppressing condition determiner section determines that the suppressing condition is met, than when the slip suppressing condition determiner section determines that the suppressing condition is not met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8560171
    Abstract: The damping force of a damping force generation apparatus is controlled by operating an actuator on the basis of a control input u calculated by a state feedback controller K designed such that an L2 gain of a closed loop control system S which includes a generalized plant G designed by making use of a delay-approximated model M and the state feedback controller K therefor becomes less than a previously set positive constant ?. The delay-approximated model M is designed such that a delay element R representing operation delay of the actuator and a delay compensation element R* cancelling out the delay act on a mechanical motion model of the damping force generation apparatus. The delay-approximated model M is a bilinear system, and is designed to approximate a delay-considered model which is a control model designed on the basis of the mechanical motion model of the damping force generation apparatus and in consideration of the delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jin Hozumi
  • Patent number: 8554414
    Abstract: A rollover suppression control apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a rollover state value detection unit which detects a rollover state value indicating that a vehicle is under rollover tendency, a braking force applying unit which performs a rollover suppression control of applying braking force to a wheel of the vehicle to suppress the rollover thereof when the detected rollover state value is greater than the control threshold value, a understeer state detection unit which detects whether a traveling state of the vehicle is a understeer state or a non-understeer state, and a setting unit which sets a first control threshold value as the control threshold value when the traveling state is detected as the non-understeer state, and which sets a second control threshold value greater than the first control threshold value as the control threshold value when the traveling state is detected as the understeer state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Koto, Toshihisa Kato
  • Patent number: 8554409
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Kalkkuhl, Daniel Keppler, Magnus Rau, Avshalom Suissa
  • Publication number: 20130261893
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and computer-readable media for controlling a suspension for a vehicle in which a platform model and a suspension model are provided and a first neural oscillator model and a second neural oscillator model that feed back an output to each model to acquire displacements of the platform model and the suspension model from displacements inputted into a tire, acquire feedbacks of the first neural oscillator model and the second neural oscillator model from the displacements of the platform model and the suspension model, and acquire pressing force required in the suspension for the vehicle from the feedback of the second neural oscillator model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Woo Sung Yang
  • Patent number: 8548678
    Abstract: An apparatus has an active suspension including an electromagnetic actuator coupled to a plant in a vehicle. A force bias eliminator is coupled to the plant for causing the actuator to experience a zero-mean load, and a vibration isolation block generates a control signal based on the response of a nominal plant to measured disturbances of the actively suspended plant. A compensation system modifies the control signal in response to a difference between the response of the nominal plant to the control signal and a measured response of the actively-suspended plant to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Upendra V. Ummethala, Daniel Francis Opila, James A. Parison, Jr., Thomas C. Shroeder, Linda T. Scully, Roman N. Litovsky
  • Patent number: 8548712
    Abstract: An acceleration-based method and device for the safety monitoring of a drive is provided. In the method a setpoint torque is calculated in a safety function as a function of the position of the accelerator pedal. An expected vehicle acceleration is determined, as a function of the setpoint torque, in the safety function. An actual vehicle acceleration is determined, preferably by an acceleration sensor. A fault situation may be detected by comparing the actual vehicle acceleration and the expected vehicle acceleration. A device, preferably included in the vehicle electronics, is configured to implement the acceleration-based method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Florian Oesterreicher, Juergen Binder
  • Publication number: 20130253764
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle is provided with a plurality of actuators which perform sprung vibration suppression control, a vertical acceleration sensor configured to detect sprung vertical acceleration, and a plurality of actuator attitude control units which control the respective actuators such that the vertical acceleration detected by the vertical acceleration sensor becomes vertical acceleration corresponding to a target sprung state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8543276
    Abstract: An unmanned autonomous vehicle for substantially lateral displacement of feed lying on a ground, comprising two wheels separately drivable by separate drive units, a torque difference adjusting device for adjusting the torque difference between the wheels, a control unit for controlling the vehicle and moving it in a direction of travel by controlling at least one of the separate drive units, a feed displacing device for substantially lateral displacement of the feed, and an adjusting device which is arranged to adjust the height and/or the position of a lowest point of the feed displacing device. The adjusting device comprises a vehicle tilting device which is arranged in such a manner that the lowest point will be located at least substantially off the center line of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Lely Patent N.V.
    Inventor: Karel Van Den Berg
  • Publication number: 20130245889
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention is configured to control a friction brake by calculating a brake attitude control amount outputted from the friction brake such that the acceleration detected by the vertical acceleration sensor becomes an acceleration corresponding to a target sprung state, and to control a damping force variable shock absorber by calculating a damping force control amount of the damping force variable shock absorber such that the stroke speed detected by the stroke sensor becomes a stroke speed corresponding to the target sprung state and/or a target unsprung state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu KIKUCHI, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20130245888
    Abstract: A vehicle controlling apparatus includes: a vertical acceleration sensor configured to detect a vertical acceleration of a sprung mass; a power-source attitude controller configured to compute a power-source attitude control amount for a driving force outputted from a power source, the control amount making the acceleration detected by the vertical acceleration sensor an appropriate acceleration for attaining a target sprung-mass state, and to control the power source based on the power-source attitude control amount; a stroke sensor configured to detect a stroke speed of a shock absorber; and a friction-brake attitude controller configured to compute a brake attitude control amount for a braking force outputted from a friction brake, the control amount making the stroke speed detected by the stroke sensor an appropriate stroke speed for attaining a target sprung-mass state, and to control the friction brake based on the brake attitude control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu KIKUCHI, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20130226405
    Abstract: A vehicle control device acquires a roll changing amount generated in a vehicle, acquires a pitch changing amount generated in the vehicle, synthesizes the roll changing amount and the pitch changing amount to acquire a synthesized value, and controls a front/rear wheel damping force distribution based on the synthesized value. The vehicle control device includes a roll damping force varying unit that detects a vehicle speed, detects a road surface in-phase/reverse-phase ratio, and controls a roll damping force by a variable roll damping control amount, where the front/rear wheel damping force distribution is determined from a front/rear wheel damping force distribution map based on the vehicle speed, the road surface in-phase/reverse-phase ratio, and the roll damping control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shingo Koumura, Tsuyoshi Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 8521362
    Abstract: Stabilizer control devices, methods, and programs obtain information indicating lateral acceleration operating on the vehicle and obtain information indicating a curve section existing in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs control roll stiffness by a stabilizer mounted on the vehicle based on the obtained lateral acceleration information by setting a lateral acceleration threshold at a first value in the curve section and a second value in a section other than the curve section respectively, the first value being smaller than the second value. The devices, methods, and programs control the roll stiffness when the lateral acceleration is equal to or larger than the lateral acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Miyajima, Seiji Hidaka, Hirofumi Nitta
  • Patent number: 8521467
    Abstract: Acceleration and attitude angles are measured by sensors mounted on a moving object and the measurement results are collected. The measurement results of acceleration are separated into low-frequency acceleration components and high-frequency acceleration components, and a time-rate-of-changes of attitude angles are calculated based on the measurement results of the attitude angles. After finishing extraction of the high-frequency acceleration components and the low-frequency acceleration components, and finishing calculation of the time-rate-of-changes of attitude angles, the rotation contributing acceleration and translation contributing acceleration are estimated based on the high-frequency acceleration components, the low-frequency acceleration components, the attitude angles and the time-rate-of-change of attitude angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
    Inventors: Naomi Nishikata, Hirohisa Kusuda
  • Publication number: 20130218414
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the spatial position of the roll axis of a motor vehicle includes: a) defining a desired spatial position of the roll axis; b) determining a transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle; c) defining a desired transverse tilt of the motor vehicle and determining a desired transverse offset of the motor vehicle as a function of the transverse acceleration, so that the roll axis is moved into the desired position when the desired transverse tilt and the desired transverse offset are adjusted; d) adjusting a first actuator of an active chassis system of the motor vehicle, so that the motor vehicle assumes the desired transverse tilt determined in step c); and adjusting a second actuator to influence the transverse movement of the motor vehicle, so that the motor vehicle assumes the desired transverse offset determined in step c).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Michael Bär
  • Patent number: 8515619
    Abstract: In a motion control system for a vehicle including control means for controlling a yaw moment of the vehicle; first detection means for detecting a longitudinal velocity (V) of the vehicle; second detection means for detecting a lateral jerk (Gy_dot) of the vehicle; and third detection means for detecting a yaw angular acceleration (r_dot) of the vehicle, the yaw moment of the vehicle is controlled by the control means so that a difference between the yaw angular acceleration (r_dot) detected by the third detection means and a value (Gy_dot/V) obtained by the lateral jerk (Gy_dot) of the vehicle detected by the second detection means by the longitudinal velocity (V) detected by the first detection means becomes small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yamakado, Shinya Imura, Masato Abe
  • Patent number: 8502860
    Abstract: An electronic control system, electronic control unit and an associated methodology for adapting three dimensional panoramic views of vehicle surroundings by predicting driver intent are provided. A plurality of cameras mounted on a vehicle generate images of a surrounding area of the vehicle. A visual sensor detects a three dimensional profile of an occupant of the vehicle. An electronic control unit generates a three dimensional panoramic view based on the images generated by the plurality of cameras, determines three dimensional locations and orientations of a plurality of body parts of the occupant of the vehicle based on the three dimensional profile detected by the visual sensor, and adapts the three dimensional panoramic view based on the determined three dimensional locations and orientations. A display unit displays the adapted three dimensional panoramic view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA)
    Inventor: David Demirdjian
  • Patent number: 8504240
    Abstract: Provided is an alternator controller that sets a target current value based on a target voltage as a control reference of an alternator mounted on a vehicle, and controls the alternator based on the set target current value. The alternator controller includes a filter processing unit that performs filter processing of a target power generation torque as a conversion physical amount used until the target current value is set from the target voltage. The filter processing unit performs a filter processing that attenuates or removes a frequency component f of the pitch resonance frequency of the vehicle among the waveforms of the target power generation torque. Thus, it is possible to surely suppress fluctuations of a vehicle behavior attributed to torque fluctuations of an alternator load torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotada Otake
  • Publication number: 20130197755
    Abstract: A suspension device includes damper interposed between vehicle body and wheel in vehicle and exerted damping force for suppressing vertical movements of vehicle body and wheel, damping force adjustment mechanism adjusts damping force, control device controls damping force adjustment mechanism, lateral acceleration detection unit detects an lateral acceleration acting on vehicle body, roll angular velocity detection unit detects roll angular velocity of vehicle body, and steering angular velocity detection unit detects steering angular velocity of steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: KAYABA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Otake, Shinichi Hagidaira, Osamu Miyatani, Yasuhiro Ota
  • Publication number: 20130190980
    Abstract: A control method of the toe and camber angles of rear active suspensions of a vehicle; the control method includes the steps of: detecting when the vehicle follows a curved trajectory; conferring negative toe angles combined with zero camber angles to the rear active suspensions, when starting the curved trajectory and when the vehicle enters the curved trajectory; and conferring positive camber angles combined with negative toe angles to the rear active suspensions, while following the curved trajectory and when the vehicle is inscribed in the curved trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Ferrari S.p.A.
  • Patent number: 8489279
    Abstract: A damping force control apparatus includes a damping force control device controlling a damping force of a shock absorber provided between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass of each wheel of a vehicle, a detection device detecting at least an acceleration of the sprung mass in an up-down direction and a relative displacement between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, a damping coefficient calculation device calculating a damping coefficient to be applied to the damping force control by the damping force control device based on detected results of the detection device, a sensed acceleration increment calculation device calculating a sensed acceleration increment corresponding to an increment of sense according to the Weber Fechner law on the basis of the detected results of the detection device, and a modification device modifying the damping coefficient in accordance with a sensed acceleration increment calculated by the sensed acceleration increment calculation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Hidaka, Akihito Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8489300
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to execute an optimum control of vibrations due to a driver's operation of an accelerator pedal, steering wheel and brake pedal. The operation instructions are inputted into a vibration calculating means (kinetic model) comprising a vehicle body model, suspension model and tire model. Conventional kinetic model controlled the suspension in order to suppress the vehicle body vibration. However, in the kinetic model of the present invention, the tire vibration due to a change in the engine output is first absorbed by the suspension, whereby a residual vibration which was not be absorbed yet by the suspension is transferred to the vehicle body. The operation inputs are compensated by the three feed-back loops between the outputs of the above-mentioned three portions and input of the tire portion, giving the highest priority on the vehicle body model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoaki Kataoka, Toshiki Matsumoto, Tsutomu Tashiro, Mamoru Mabuchi, Mamoru Sawada
  • Patent number: 8478503
    Abstract: A vehicle controlling apparatus that performs vehicle body vibration-damping control to suppress vibration occurring in a vehicle body by changing wheel torque of driving wheels by controlling output torque of an engine, wherein an electronic control unit is provided with a vehicle body vibration-damping control inhibiting unit that inhibits the vehicle body vibration-damping control such that a drive system of a vehicle, which transmits power of the engine, does not resonate with execution of the vehicle body vibration-damping control, or/and a vehicle body vibration-damping control adjusting unit that adjusts a control amount of the vehicle body vibration-damping control in a direction to suppress a vibration-damping suppression effect of the vehicle body vibration-damping control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8473157
    Abstract: A method for controlling four semi-active suspensions of a vehicle comprising the steps of: determining, for each semi-active suspension, a first and a second signal representative of the acceleration and speed of the sprung mass; determining, for a pair of semi-active suspensions arranged on one side of the vehicle a third and a four signal representative of the acceleration and pitch speed; calculating for each semi-active suspension, a first damping coefficient as a function of the difference between the first and second signal squared; calculating for each semi-active suspension, a second damping coefficient as a function of the difference between the third and the four signal squared; for each semi-active suspension, comparing the first and the second damping coefficient for determining the higher coefficient; applying to each force generator device, an electronic control signal indicative of the respective high damping coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., Politecnico di Milano
    Inventors: Sergio M. Savaresi, Cristiano Spelta, Diego Delvecchio, Gabriele Bonaccorso, Fabio Ghirardo, Sebastiano Campo
  • Patent number: 8473156
    Abstract: A driving dynamics control system for vehicles. The control system including at least one driving dynamics controller that is fed setpoint specifications and driving state variables as input data. The control system also includes a plurality of actuators that can be controlled and/or regulated to modify the dynamics of the vehicle, such as steering, adjustable independently of the driver, on a front and/or rear axle of the vehicle, a chassis adjustable independently of the driver, a brake adjustable independently of the driver, and a drive train adjustable independently of the driver. The driving dynamics controller determines a central control specification from the setpoint specifications and the driving state variables and sends it to a distribution algorithm that distributes the control specification into manipulated variables for driving the actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Peter Lauer, Thomas Raste, Roger Bauer
  • Publication number: 20130151075
    Abstract: A rollover avoidance method may include determining tire loading for at least two tires of a vehicle. A stability of the vehicle with regard to rolling over may be predicted based at least on the determined tire loading. The vehicle may be controlled at least on the basis of the predicted stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Shih-Ken Chen, Flavio Nardj
  • Patent number: 8457841
    Abstract: An analytical methodology for the specification of progressive optimal compression damping of a suspension system to negotiate severe events, yet provides very acceptable ride quality and handling during routine events. In a broad aspect, the method provides a progressive optimal unconstrained damping response of the wheel assembly with respect to the body. In a preferred aspect, the method provides a progressive optimal constrained damping response of the wheel assembly with respect to the body, wherein below a predetermined velocity a conventional damper force is retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Knoll, William Golpe, Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Chandra S. Namuduri, Flavio Nardi, Jihan Ryu, Raviraj U. Nayak
  • Patent number: 8457832
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichi Ono, Yumiko Miura, Katsuyuki Yamaguchi, Taisuke Yasutomi
  • Publication number: 20130131923
    Abstract: The vehicle that includes a primary chassis supported by a road; a secondary chassis adapted for supporting the driver and movably linked to the primary chassis; the secondary chassis being out of a mechanical contact to the road; and at least one mechanism adapted for controlling movement of the vehicle. The mechanism non-resiliently reacts to changing positions of the secondary chassis and the driver's body such that the driver is able to maintain resultant vector of forces applied to the secondary chassis directed to a point of a linkage between the primary chassis and the secondary chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventor: Ofer TZIPMAN