Abstract: A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle includes a rollover sensor that may include one or more sensor to a various dynamic conditions of the vehicle and a controller to control a steering force to reduce a tire moment so the net moment of the vehicle is counter to the roll direction. The sensors may include a speed sensor (30), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a roll rate sensor (34), a yaw rate sensor (20) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) is coupled to the speed sensor (30), the lateral acceleration sensor (32), the roll rate sensor (34), front steering angle sensor (35), pitch rate (38), rear steering position sensor (40), and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) determines a roll angle estimate in response at least one or more of the signals. The controller (26) changes a tire force vector using by changing the direction and or force of the rear steering actuator and brakes in response to the likelihood of rollover.

Abstract: A control system (24) for controlling a safety system (40) of an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of wheel speed sensors (30) generating a plurality of wheel velocity signals, a steering angle sensor (39) generating a steering actuator angle signal, a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration sensor (32) generating a longitudinal acceleration signal and a pitch angle generator generating a pitch angle signal and a controller (26). The controller (26) generates a longitudinal vehicle velocity in response to the plurality of wheel speed signals, the steering angle signal, the yaw rate signal, the lateral acceleration signal and the pitch rate signal. The controller (26) may determine a slip-related longitudinal velocity and a non-slip longitudinal velocity as intermediate steps.

Abstract: A method for preventing a valve orifice from switching to the small size when a high build gradient is required includes briefly bleeding off a small amount of fluid at the upstream side of the valve. This momentarily reduces the pressure difference when beginning the pressure build. After the valve is opened with the large orifice, the fluid flow through the valve prevents a high pressure difference. The resulting build with the large orifice has the maximum pressure gradient.

Abstract: A roll control system (16) for an automotive vehicle (10) is used to actively detect if one of the plurality of the driven wheels (12) is lifted. The system generates a pressure request to determine if the wheel has lifted. By comparing the change in wheel speed of a driven wheel to a change in wheel speed threshold the wheel lift status can be determined. The wheel speed change threshold may be dependent upon various vehicle operating conditions such as powertrain torque, braking torque and/or longitudinal force on the vehicle.

Abstract: A control system (24) for controlling a safety system (40) of an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of wheel speed sensors (30) generating a plurality of wheel velocity signals, a steering angle sensor (39) generating a steering actuator angle signal, a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal, a lateral acceleration sensor (32) generating a lateral acceleration signal and a controller (26). The controller (26) generates a final reference vehicle velocity in response to the plurality of wheel speed signals, the steering angle signal, the yaw rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal. The controller (26) controls the safety system in response to the final reference vehicle velocity.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a vehicle body includes a sensor system (16) having housing (52) oriented within the vehicle body. Positioned within the housing (52) are a roll angular rate sensor (31), a yaw angular rate sensor (30), a pitch angular rate sensor (32), a lateral acceleration sensor (27), a longitudinal acceleration sensor (28), and a vertical acceleration sensor (29). The vehicle (10) also has a safety system (38). The controller (26) determines a roll misalignment angle, a pitch misalignment angle and a yaw misalignment angle as a function of the sensor outputs of the roll rate, the pitch rate, the yaw rate, the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration and the vertical acceleration.

Abstract: A yaw stability control system (18) is enhanced to include roll stability control function for an automotive vehicle and includes a plurality of sensors (28-39) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors may include a speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) is coupled to the speed sensor (20), the lateral acceleration sensor (32), the yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) generates both a yaw stability feedback control signal and a roll stability feedback control signal. The priority of achieving yaw stability control or roll stability control is determined through priority determination logic. If a potential rollover event is detected, the roll stability control will take the priority.

Abstract: A roll control system (16) for an automotive vehicle (10) is used to detect if one of the plurality of wheels (12) is lifted. The system generates a pressure request to determine if the wheel has lifted. A roll control pressure request may also be generated. The wheel lift pressure is suppressed in response to the roll control pressure request. The system may also store a peak wheel speed after the initiation of a build cycle so that the peak wheel speed is used in the wheel lift determination. Also, the system may have an ABS monitor mode which uses the build and release cycles of the ABS system to determine whether a wheel has lifted.

Abstract: A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The controller (26) is coupled to the sensors. The controller (26) determines a lateral force in response to measured vehicle conditions, determines a slip angle in response to measured vehicle conditions, determines a first steering actuator angle change to decrease the slip angle until the lateral force increases, and thereafter determines a second steering actuator angle change to increase the slip angle until the lateral force decreases.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining lateral velocity of an automotive vehicle (10) includes a vehicle speed sensor (20), a roll rate sensor (34), a yaw rate sensor (28), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). A controller (26) is coupled to the sensors and determines a steady state pitch angle and a steady state roll angle as a function of the lateral acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal, the yaw rate signal, and the vehicle speed signal. The controller determines a sliding index as a function of the steady state pitch signal, the steady state roll angle, and the roll rate signal. The controller (26) determines lateral velocity as a function of the sliding index and controls the vehicle lateral motion based on the estimated lateral velocity.

Abstract: A control system (18) has a roll angular rate sensor (34), a yaw angular rate sensor (28), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36), and four wheel speed sensors (20). The controller (26) determines a relative pitch angle and relative roll angle using the lateral acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal and the roll rate signal; a first flatness index using the roll angular rate signal, the yaw angular rate signal, the relative roll angle and a relative pitch angle; a steady state pitch angle using the vehicle speed and the longitudinal acceleration, and a steady state roll angle using the lateral acceleration, speed, and yaw rate. The controller (26) determines a second flatness index using the steady state pitch angle, the relative pitch angle, the yaw rate, the steady state roll angle and a relative roll angle.

Abstract: A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors include a steering angle sensor (35) and a yaw rate sensor (28). The controller (26) is coupled to the steering angle sensor (35) and the yaw rate sensor (28). The controller (26) determines a desired yaw rate in response to the steering wheel angle input, determines a corrected steering wheel input as a function of the desired yaw rate of an ideal vehicle and the vehicle yaw rate, and controls the road wheel steer angle (front, rear, or both) steering actuator in response to the corrected steering wheel input, the yaw rate and the modified steering wheel input, vehicle speed, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, yaw rate, steering wheel angle, and road wheel angles.

Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) used for detecting lift of a wheel includes a passive wheel lift detector (58) that generates a passive wheel lift signal, an active wheel lift detector (60) that generates an active wheel lift signal, and an integrated wheel lift detector (62) coupled to the passive wheel lift detector (58) and the active wheel lift detector (60). The integrated wheel lift detector (62) generates a final wheel lift signal in response to the passive wheel lift signal and the active wheel lift signal. The final wheel lift signal may be used to control a safety device such as a rollover prevention system.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a safety system includes a controller (26) determining a first body to road angle; determining a second body to road angle; determining a final body to road angle from the first body to road angle and the second body to road angle; and controlling the safety system in response to the final body to road signal.

Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle includes roll rate sensor (34) generating a roll rate signal, a lateral acceleration sensor (32) generating a lateral acceleration signal, a pitch rate sensor (37) generating a pitch rate signal, a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal and a controller (26). The controller (26) is coupled to the roll rate sensor (34), the lateral acceleration sensor, the yaw rate sensor and the pitch rate sensor. The controller (26) determines a roll velocity total from the roll rate signal, the yaw rate signal and the pitch rate signal. The controller (26) also determines a relative roll angle from the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal. The controller (26) determines a wheel departure angle from the total roll velocity. The controller (26) determines a calculated roll signal from the wheel departure angle and the relative roll angle signal.

Abstract: A control system (13) for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a longitudinal accelerometer (24) that generates a longitudinal acceleration signal corresponding to a longitudinal acceleration of a center of gravity (COG) of the vehicle body. A lateral velocity sensor (22) generates a lateral velocity signal corresponding to the lateral velocity of the vehicle body. A controller (14) is coupled to the yaw rate sensor (18), the longitudinal accelerometer (24) and the lateral velocity sensor (22). The controller (14) determines a longitudinal speed from the longitudinal acceleration signal. The controller determines a vehicle pitch angle in response to the longitudinal speed, the yaw rate signal and the lateral velocity signal.

Abstract: A strategy is provided using feedback control algorithms to monitor and dynamically modify front and rear braking torque to maintain controllability in a vehicle that initially favors regenerative braking. Simple proportional-integral-derivative feedback controllers can be used. The controller can monitor wheel speed, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, and brake position to selectively activate non-regenerative braking independently for each individual wheel and regenerative braking in varying proportion based on at least one actual vehicle controllability value and at least one predetermined target value for controllability and optimization of energy recovery. Controllability factors can include predetermined longitudinal slip ratio, comparison of tire slip angle or yaw rate. For rear wheel drive configurations, the non-regenerative brakes can be applied to just one front axle wheel on the outside of a turn.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (19) having a vehicle body includes a cluster (16) of vehicle dynamic sensors (27, 28, 30, 31), the output signals from the sensors (Yaw Rate Sensor, Roll Rate Sensor, Longitudinal Acceleration Sensor, Lateral Acceleration Sensor) are corrected for errors by removing the zero output DC bias. Such bias constitutes an error that may occur as a result of temperature changes, manufacturing defects, or other factors. The system (18) also compensates for the drift in the sensor output signals that occur during vehicle operation.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a vehicle body has a roll angular rate sensor (34) generating a roll angular rate signal corresponding to an roll angular motion of the vehicle body. A controller (26) is coupled to roll rate sensor and a plurality of sensors. The controller (26) generates a linear road bank angle, first reference bank angle and a relative roll angle in response to the roll angle generator and the plurality of sensor signals. The controller (26) determines a first reference bank angle and generates a second reference bank angle in response to linear bank angle and a first reference bank angle, a bank angle adjustment factor. The bank angle adjustment is a function of a relative roll angle estimate. The controller (26) controls the safety system in response to the second reference bank angle estimate.

Abstract: A method for controlling an automotive vehicle (10) having a plurality of wheels (12a), (12b), (13a), (13b) includes determining a yaw rate, determining a lateral acceleration, determining a roll rate, determining longitudinal acceleration; and determining a calculated angle relative to the vehicle. The method further includes generating a wheel lift signal or a wheel grounded signal as a function of yaw rate, lateral acceleration, roll rate and longitudinal acceleration, adjusting the calculated angle in response to the wheel lift or wheel grounded signal, and controlling a safety system in response to the calculated vehicle angle.