Patents by Inventor Mikael Thor

Mikael Thor has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10124809
    Abstract: A method, arrangement and system are described for estimating one or more vehicle cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) in a linear vehicle operating region. The method includes reading sensor data representative of at least vehicle (1) longitudinal velocity (vx), vehicle lateral acceleration (ay), vehicle yaw rate (?z) and vehicle steering angle (?), determining from the read sensor data if the cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) are observable, and if so providing an estimate of the cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) using a bicycle model that includes a model of tire relaxation dynamics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mikael Thor, Tony Gustafsson
  • Patent number: 10046743
    Abstract: A vehicle, a method, a secondary steering system unit and a secondary steering system are provided. The secondary steering system unit comprises: a fault determination arrangement arranged to determine the presence of a fault in the main steering system and a path controller arranged to generate an upcoming path for the host vehicle. The secondary steering system unit is arranged to steer the host vehicle along the path by differential braking upon determination that a fault is present in the main steering system. Furthermore, the secondary steering system is arranged to control the differential braking in dependence of both a yaw torque acting on the host vehicle as a result of the differential braking and a steering angle resulting from a generated alignment torque on a braked steerable wheel caused by the associated wheel suspension scrub radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Mikael Thor
  • Patent number: 9802624
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle adapted for autonomous driving, such as an autonomous vehicle, comprising an assisting object detecting system for detecting obstructing objects to the vehicle. The object detecting system is adapted to detect an object by comparing a reference value of a selected parameter with a measured value of the selected parameter. The present disclosure also relates to a method and a computer program product for use in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mikael Thor, Stefan Solyom, Mattias Erik Brannstrom
  • Publication number: 20160325721
    Abstract: A vehicle, a method, a secondary steering system unit and a secondary steering system are provided. The secondary steering system unit comprises: a fault determination arrangement arranged to determine the presence of a fault in the main steering system and a path controller arranged to generate an upcoming path for the host vehicle. The secondary steering system unit is arranged to steer the host vehicle along the path by differential braking upon determination that a fault is present in the main steering system. Furthermore, the secondary steering system is arranged to control the differential braking in dependence of both a yaw torque acting on the host vehicle as a result of the differential braking and a steering angle resulting from a generated alignment torque on a braked steerable wheel caused by the associated wheel suspension scrub radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Mikael THOR
  • Publication number: 20160244068
    Abstract: A method, arrangement and system are described for estimating one or more vehicle cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) in a linear vehicle operating region. The method includes reading sensor data representative of at least vehicle (1) longitudinal velocity (vx), vehicle lateral acceleration (ay), vehicle yaw rate (?z) and vehicle steering angle (?), determining from the read sensor data if the cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) are observable, and if so providing an estimate of the cornering stiffness parameters (cf, cr) using a bicycle model that includes a model of tire relaxation dynamics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Mikael THOR, Tony GUSTAFSSON
  • Publication number: 20150198951
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle adapted for autonomous driving, such as an autonomous vehicle, comprising an assisting object detecting system for detecting obstructing objects to the vehicle. The object detecting system is adapted to detect an object by comparing a reference value of a selected parameter with a measured value of the selected parameter. The present disclosure also relates to a method and a computer program product for use in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Mikael THOR, Stefan SOLYOM, Mattias Erik BRANNSTROM
  • Patent number: 8712641
    Abstract: A yaw stability control system for a vehicle detects and eliminates the vehicle yaw angle resulting from a body-force-disturbance and returns the vehicle to a pre disturbance heading. A yaw rate module generates a signal indicative of the vehicle yaw rate error. A yaw angle error module is triggered in response to a body-force-disturbance being detected by a body-force-disturbance detection unit, and performs integrations of the yaw rate signals to calculate a yaw angle error in order to obtain a correction of the vehicle yaw angle resulting from the body-force-disturbance. A yaw control module uses the yaw angle error in combination with the yaw rate error for a limited time period to generate yaw control signals that are sent to the vehicle brakes and/or active steering system for performing vehicle yaw stability control operations a signal to perform a body-force-disturbance yaw stability control operation for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Li Xu, Bengt Johan Henrik Jacobson, Mikael Thor
  • Publication number: 20090271073
    Abstract: A yaw stability control system for a vehicle detects and eliminates the vehicle yaw angle resulting from a body-force-disturbance and returns the vehicle to a pre disturbance heading. A yaw rate module generates a signal indicative of the vehicle yaw rate error. A yaw angle error module is triggered in response to a body-force-disturbance being detected by a body-force-disturbance detection unit, and performs integrations of the yaw rate signals to calculate a yaw angle error in order to obtain a correction of the vehicle yaw angle resulting from the body-force-disturbance. A yaw control module uses the yaw angle error in combination with the yaw rate error for a limited time period to generate yaw control signals that are sent to the vehicle brakes and/or active steering system for performing vehicle yaw stability control operations a signal to perform a body-force-disturbance yaw stability control operation for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Li Xu, Bengt Johan Henrik Jacobson, Mikael Thor