Abstract: A method of operating a tire pressure monitoring system on a vehicle comprising tracking number of burst transmissions sent by a sensor, building a pareto of potential sensor identifications based on the greatest number of burst transmissions received from the sensor associating a potential sensor identification to a respective tire location on the vehicle and storing the associated sensor identification in memory.

Abstract: A status indicator and reminder system for use with a vehicle having a tire sealant-containing temporary mobility kit is provided. The system includes a signal provided for viewing by the operator which indicates that the temporary mobility kit requires servicing. The need for servicing can be based on certain variables, including the passage of a pre-determined period of time or on changes in temperature which may impact the effective life of the sealing compound. In addition, the need for servicing can be based on a sensed of the temporary mobility kit from the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle in which propulsion can be distributed between first and second axles includes: a first electric motor coupled to the first axle and a second electric motor coupled to the second axle. An electric control unit (ECU) coupled to the motors causes electrical energy to be generated by the first motor in response to the ECU determining that a wheel speed of at least one wheel associated with the first axle exceeds the vehicle speed and causing electrical energy to be supplied to the second motor in response to electrical energy being generated in the first motor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for electrically controlled assistance to a vehicle. In order to stabilize a vehicle in the event of oversteering, the invention provides that a nominal yaw damping torque is determined and is multiplied by an oversteer signal such that an additional torque is produced which is added, via an actuator in an electrically assisted power steering system, to its nominal torque, and is introduced into a vehicle steering system.

Abstract: A method and algorithm for determining a steering wheel angle of a vehicle steering mechanism upon power up of a vehicle using a single-turn steering wheel angle sensor by eliminating plausible steering wheel angles until one and only one steering wheel angle possibility remains.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a yaw stability control system for a vehicle using a steering system and a method of controlling by detecting the occurrence of understeer, determining the degree of understeer after the occurrence of understeer is detected determining if the determined degree of understeer exceeds a threshold value, saving the steering wheel torque value and steering wheel angle value when determined that a calculated drop in steering wheel torque exceeds the threshold value, calculating a guidance torque, a driver-intended steering wheel angle, and updating the steering wheel angle at the start of the guidance torque calculation, applying the guidance torque to the steering of the vehicle, and using the driver-intended steering wheel angle for yaw stability control.

Abstract: A system and method that, upon connection of a trailer to a tow vehicle, recognizes the trailer and applies a stored trailer configuration in a controller. In one embodiment, tire pressure sensors transmit RF signals that are received by the tire pressure monitoring system. Transmissions from the sensors are decoded in a controller and processed to identify, or create a particular trailer configuration as well as implement tire pressure monitoring automatically calibrated to the particular trailer configuration based on the sensor identifications for the tire pressure sensors. In another embodiment, the trailer configuration includes a pulse width modulated gain control for the trailer brakes.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle is disclosed having lower and upper steering column members that are slidingly interengaged. The upper column member is attached to a structural part of the motor vehicle by a ride down mechanism that allows the upper steering column to move in the event of a collision. A load transfer means is provided to bypass the ride down mechanism when an adjustment lever is moved to a position allowing the position of the upper steering column member to be adjusted thereby preventing accidental damage occurring to the ride down mechanism due to operator abuse.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle is disclosed having lower and upper steering column members that are slidingly interengaged. The upper column member is attached to a structural part of the motor vehicle by a ride down mechanism that allows the upper steering column to move in the event of a collision. A load transfer means is provided to bypass the ride down mechanism when an adjustment lever is moved to a position allowing the position of the upper steering column member to be adjusted thereby preventing accidental damage occurring to the ride down mechanism due to operator abuse.

Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a roll rate sensor (34) for generating a roll rate signal, a lateral acceleration sensor (32) for generating a lateral acceleration signal, a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36) for generating a longitudinal acceleration signal, and a yaw rate sensor (28) for generating a yaw rate signal. A safety device or system (44) and the sensors are coupled to a controller. The controller (26) determines an added mass and the height of the added mass on the vehicle, or a roll gradient, a roll acceleration coefficient, and/or a roll rate parameter that take into account the added mass and height from the roll rate, the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration, and the yaw rate of the vehicle, and controls the safety system in response thereto.

Abstract: A control system (11) for a vehicle (10) includes vehicle dynamics sensors (35-47) providing a vehicle dynamics signal. Tire monitoring system sensors (20) in each wheel generate tire signals including temperature, pressure and acceleration data. A controller (26) communicates with the tire monitoring system sensors (20) and at least one vehicle dynamics sensor, and generates a roadway surface condition estimation value as a function of the multi-axis acceleration data of the tire signals. The roadway surface condition estimation value is transmitted to a suspension control system (33) to adjust the vehicle suspension characteristics in response to the roadway surface condition estimation value.

Abstract: A system and method of controlling a vehicle with a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer, generating an oscillation signal indicative of trailer swaying relative to the vehicle, generating an initial weighted dynamic control signal for a vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal, operating at least one vehicle dynamic system according to the dynamic control signal, and thereafter, iteratively generating a penalty function for the weighted dynamic control signal as a function of the oscillation signal response. A neural network with an associated trainer modifies the dynamic control signal as a function of trailer sway response.

Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a pitch rate sensor (37) generating a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36) generating a longitudinal acceleration signal, and a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal. A safety system (44) and the sensors are coupled to a controller. From the sensors, the controller (26) determines an added mass and a position of the added mass, a pitch gradient and/or a pitch acceleration coefficient that takes into account the added mass and position. The controller controls a vehicle system in response to the added mass and the position of the added mass, the pitch gradient and/or pitch acceleration coefficient variables.

Abstract: An integrated stability control system using the signals from an integrated sensing system for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors include an IMU sensor cluster, a steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors, any other sensors required by subsystem controls. The signals used in the integrated stability controls include the sensor signals; the roll and pitch attitudes of the vehicle body with respect to the average road surface; the road surface mu estimation; the desired sideslip angle and desired yaw rate from a four-wheel reference vehicle model; the actual vehicle body sideslip angle projected on the moving road plane; and the global attitudes. The demand yaw moment used to counteract the undesired vehicle lateral motions (under-steer or over-steer or excessive side sliding motion) are computed from the above-mentioned variables.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for compensating for drive influences of a drive train of a motor vehicle on its steering system, said motor vehicle having an electric power steering system. A drive train simulation model which is integrated into the motor vehicle and permanently activated is used to determine disturbance variables from a driven behavior so that a compensation torque which counteracts the disturbance variables is generated for the power steering system.

Abstract: A seal system (9) for sealing an opening (4) which leads into an interior space of a motor vehicle that receives a steering housing (8). The seal system (9) has at least one guide channel (14) that opens into a receiving region (17) for receiving at least one lug (10) which is arranged on the steering housing (8), with the result that the seal system (9) can be connected in a frictionally locking manner to the steering housing (8) through a locking element (24) in the receiving region (17).

Abstract: A system and method that, upon connection of a trailer to a tow vehicle, a trailer brake controller informs a tire pressure monitoring system to begin monitoring information at the TPMS and at the same time, activates the initiators, i.e., the electromagnets. Sensors respond to the electromagnetic field that is generated by electric brake magnets. As a result, the sensors transmit RF signals that are received by the tire pressure monitoring system. Transmissions from the sensors are decoded in a controller and processed as necessary for tire pressure monitoring automatically calibrated to the tire pressure monitoring system and the system can request the pressure data from the sensors by way of the low frequency field generated by the electric brakes.

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating cross talk in a tire pressure monitoring system that ranks potential sensor identifications based on the number of times the sensors respond to an initiator. Upon determination of a sufficient separation between second and third ranked sensors, an assignment of the first and second ranked potential sensor identifications is made to the tire locations expected to respond to the initiator signal.

Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a controller (26) that determines whether or not a potential load change has occurred in a load change detector (59). A load change detector (59) may be coupled to various sensors to determine whether or not a change in load has occurred. If a change in load has occurred an adaptively determined roll condition parameter such as a roll acceleration coefficient, a roll rate parameter or a roll gradient may be reset. If a potential load change has not occurred, then a newly determined value for an adaptive roll condition may be included in a revised adaptive roll condition average. A safety device (44) may be controlled in response to the revised adaptive roll condition.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining a desired sideslip angle in the moving road plane, determining an actual sideslip angle in the moving road plane, a desired yaw rate in the moving road plane, and an actual yaw rate in the moving road plane. A controller controls the vehicle system in response to the desired slip angle, the actual sideslip angle, the desired yaw rate and the actual yaw rate in the moving road plane.