Abstract: A device includes a body operatively connected to a plurality of wheels, with the plurality of wheels being positioned relative to a banked surface defining a bank angle (?). A suspension system includes at least one suspension sensor configured to provide suspension displacement data. A controller is in communication with the at least one suspension sensor and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions. The controller is configured to obtain the suspension displacement data and determine a roll angle (?) based at least partially on the suspension displacement data. The bank angle (?) is determined based at least partially on the roll angle (?), a yaw rate (r), a longitudinal velocity (Vx) and a plurality of predetermined parameters. Operation of the device is controlled based partly on at least one of the roll angle (?) and the bank angle (?).

Abstract: A system and method for computationally estimating a tire normal force for use in vehicle antilock braking, adaptive cruise control, and traction and stability control by correcting measured accelerations with respect to the estimated road angles. The system and method are operative to measure an acceleration at three points on a sprung mass of the vehicle and estimate a tire normal force of a tire in response to the three acceleration measurements as an input to the vehicle controller.

Abstract: A device includes a body operatively connected to a plurality of wheels, with the plurality of wheels being positioned relative to a banked surface defining a bank angle (?). A suspension system includes at least one suspension sensor configured to provide suspension displacement data. A controller is in communication with the at least one suspension sensor and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions. The controller is configured to obtain the suspension displacement data and determine a roll angle (?) based at least partially on the suspension displacement data. The bank angle (?) is determined based at least partially on the roll angle (?), a yaw rate (r), a longitudinal velocity (Vx) and a plurality of predetermined parameters. Operation of the device is controlled based partly on at least one of the roll angle (?) and the bank angle (?).

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of tires, a suspension system operatively connected to the plurality of tires, at least one suspension sensor operatively connected to the suspension system and configured to provide suspension data (S), and a controller operatively connected to the at least one suspension sensor and having a processor for executing a method for determining respective tire normal forces (Fzi(t), i=1 . . . n) for one or more of the plurality of tires, based at least partially on the suspension data (S), the respective tire normal forces being operative to adjust operation of the wheeled device. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to determine a transformation matrix (Ts) based on a plurality of predefined parameters. The controller is configured to obtain the respective tire normal forces (Fzi(t), i==1 . . . n) via the following equation: {tilde over (F)}z=[TS+?S(p)]{tilde over (S)}+Tu?.

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of tires, a suspension system operatively connected to the plurality of tires, at least one suspension sensor operatively connected to the suspension system and configured to provide suspension data (S), and a controller operatively connected to the at least one suspension sensor and having a processor for executing a method for determining respective tire normal forces (Fzi(t), i=1 . . . n) for one or more of the plurality of tires, based at least partially on the suspension data (S), the respective tire normal forces being operative to adjust operation of the wheeled device. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to determine a transformation matrix (Ts) based on a plurality of predefined parameters. The controller is configured to obtain the respective tire normal forces (Fzi(t), i==1 . . . n) via the following equation: {tilde over (F)}z=[TS+?S(p)]{tilde over (S)}+Tu?.

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of tires and a suspension system as subcomponents. The suspension system includes at least one suspension sensor configured to provide suspension data (S). A controller is operatively connected to the suspension sensor. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for determining respective tire normal forces (Fzi(t), i=1 . . . 4) for one or more of the plurality of tires, based at least partially on the suspension data (S). The tire normal force (Fz) is the net force acting on each tire (or wheel) in the vertical direction. The tire normal force acting on each tire may be determined without using the specific model of the tire, road information, wheel or tire sensors.

Abstract: A method to control a vehicle including control of regenerative brakes and friction brakes includes monitoring a desired corner force and moment distribution, monitoring real-time actuator constraints including a braking torque limit of each of the regenerative brake, determining a regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the real-time actuator constraints, determining a friction braking torque for each of the friction brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the determined regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes, and controlling the vehicle based upon the determined regenerative braking torques and the determined friction braking torques.

Abstract: A method for allocating forces among the corners of a vehicle having a redundant actuator suite includes determining a set of desired forces at the center of gravity of the vehicle, and allocating the set of desired forces among the corners of the vehicle as virtual control commands using a controller. The method also includes mapping the virtual control commands at the corners to actual or true control commands at the corners, and controlling a plurality of actuators at the corners using the actual or true control commands. The actuators may include friction brakes and wheel motors. Mapping the virtual control commands may include using a Least Squares formulation. Control of the actuators may be prioritized with respect to each other using weighting matrices. A vehicle includes a controller having actuators and a controller configured for executing the above method.

Abstract: A method to control a vehicle having a plurality of wheels includes monitoring desired vehicle dynamics, determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution, and controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution. The real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon a minimized center of gravity force error component, a minimized control energy component, and a maximized tire force reserve component.

Abstract: A method for allocating forces among the corners of a vehicle having a redundant actuator suite includes determining a set of desired forces at the center of gravity of the vehicle, and allocating the set of desired forces among the corners of the vehicle as virtual control commands using a controller. The method also includes mapping the virtual control commands at the corners to actual or true control commands at the corners, and controlling a plurality of actuators at the corners using the actual or true control commands. The actuators may include friction brakes and wheel motors. Mapping the virtual control commands may include using a Least Squares formulation. Control of the actuators may be prioritized with respect to each other using weighting matrices. A vehicle includes a controller having actuators and a controller configured for executing the above method.

Abstract: A method to control a vehicle including control of regenerative brakes and friction brakes includes monitoring a desired corner force and moment distribution, monitoring real-time actuator constraints including a braking torque limit of each of the regenerative brake, determining a regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the real-time actuator constraints, determining a friction braking torque for each of the friction brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the determined regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes, and controlling the vehicle based upon the determined regenerative braking torques and the determined friction braking torques.

Abstract: A method to control a vehicle having a plurality of wheels includes monitoring desired vehicle dynamics, determining a desired corner force and moment distribution based upon the desired vehicle dynamics and a real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution, and controlling the vehicle based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution. The real-time closed form dynamics optimization solution is based upon a minimized center of gravity force error component, a minimized control energy component, and a maximized tire force reserve component.