Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having a steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels. The apparatus includes an actuating signal detection unit for detecting an actuating signal for actuating the device of the steering control unit, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on the wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by the actuating signal detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer each wheel.

Abstract: A braking force control device, wherein wheel speed is detected and a slope of a braking force with respect to slip speed of the wheel is estimated on the basis of the detected wheel speed, a braking operation by which a brake pedal is depressed is detected and, on the basis of the detected braking operation conditions and estimated slope of the braking force, braking of the braking device to brake the wheels by a braking force generated in response to the braking operation by which the brake pedal is depressed is assisted.

Abstract: The vehicle operation control apparatus multiplies the variable gain G controlled based on the vehicle velocity V, the steering angle &thgr;h, the steering angle velocity &ohgr;h and the actual steering angle &thgr;T with the steering angle &thgr;h, and controls the actual steering angle &thgr;T of the driven wheels on a result of this multiplication. Consequently, the additional turning time gear ratio Ga1 or the turning-back gear ratio Ga2, set up individually, can be selected depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering feeling both at the time of additional turning and turning-back can be improved.

Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle operation control method and vehicle operation control apparatus which protects a vehicle driver from a feeling of disharmony in his steering operation.

Abstract: A tire parameter estimation device that is economical and can accurately estimate tire parameters while taking into consideration both states of a vehicle and states of a road environment. A &mgr; gradient detecting circuit detects a &mgr; gradient on the basis of a wheel speed detected by a wheel speed detecting circuit. A gradient value comparing circuit determines a &mgr; gradient section value &mgr;r, which is a mean value of the &mgr; gradients from the &mgr; gradient detecting circuit, and calculates a rate (=&mgr;r/&mgr;I) of the &mgr; gradient mean value &mgr;r with respect to a &mgr; gradient initial value &mgr;. A tire temperature estimating circuit stores a table representing the relation between the rate and a tire temperature, and estimates a tire temperature corresponding to the rate calculated by the gradient value comparing circuit as the present tire temperature.

Abstract: An antiskid braking control system includes a wheel factor estimating means for estimating at least a wheel factor such as a side force of a vehicle front wheel and a front wheel slip angle based upon a vehicle state variable, a grip factor estimating means for estimating a grip factor of at least the vehicle front wheel based upon a change of a aligning torque depending upon the front wheel factor, and a control parameter adjusting means for adjusting a control parameter based upon the grip factor estimated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a wheel grip factor estimation apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system extending from a steering wheel to a suspension of a vehicle, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor detected by the steering factor detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle motion control apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor, a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle, a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.

Abstract: A motor-driven steering controller for controlling a steering wheel of a vehicle. The controller includes a steering torque controlling unit, a braking force estimating unit, a right and left braking force difference estimating unit and an assist steering torque providing unit. The steering torque controlling unit controls a steering torque on the steering wheel depending on a steering operation. The braking force estimating unit estimates braking forces to be imposed on wheels of the vehicle. The right and left braking force difference estimating unit estimates difference between the braking forces to be imposed on the right and left wheels each estimated by the braking forces estimating unit. The assist steering torque providing unit provides an assist steering torque for the steering torque controlling unit on the basis of the difference in braking force between right and left wheels estimated by the right and left braking force difference estimating unit.

Abstract: A vehicle control device incorporating an electric power steering is provided, wherein an extraordinary yaw motion acting on a vehicle is detected and is suppressed or moderated, so that the stability of the vehicle in a straight-ahead steering is improved. The causes of the extraordinary yaw motion are one of lateral wind, asymmetrical surface state of the road, lateral slant of the road and the like. A countermeasure against the extraordinary yaw motion is taken by applying a counter (opposite direction) yaw motion on the vehicle or switching over the control mode from a proportional control to a proportional integral control.

Abstract: In order to estimate a braking force gradient in a low slip region including a steady travelling region, there is provided a device comprising a wheel speed sensor for detecting a wheel speed in a predetermined sampling period and outputting time series data of the wheel speed as a wheel speed signal, a break point frequency estimating section for estimating a break point frequency in a gain diagram that represents a frequency response of a first order lag model that approximates a transmission characteristics from road surface disturbances to wheel speed, and a braking force gradient estimating section for estimating a braking force gradient with respect to the estimated break point frequency on the basis of the map showing a relationship between braking force gradient and break point frequency stored in advance.

Abstract: An operating characteristics control device for a vehicle includes a physical constitution detecting device for detecting a physical constitution of a passenger, an operation device operated by the passenger, a condition changing device operated by the operation device and changing the condition of the vehicle and an operating characteristic setting device for setting a characteristic showing a relationship between an operating force applied to the operation device and the condition of the vehicle changed by the operation of the condition changing device in response to the physical constitution of the passenger detected by the physical constitution detecting device.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting abnormality of a vehicle sensor and a method are provided. The apparatus is capable of preventing erroneous detection of abnormalities of sensors. The apparatus has a grip degree detecting device for detecting grip degree of a wheel of the vehicle with respect to a road surface. In a case in which the grip degree is lower than a predetermined degree, detection for presence of an abnormality of a yaw rate sensor, a cross acceleration sensor and a steering angle sensor are prohibited.

Abstract: In order to estimate a braking force gradient in a low slip region including a steady travelling region, there is provided a device comprising a wheel speed sensor for detecting a wheel speed in a predetermined sampling period and outputting time series data of the wheel speed as a wheel speed signal, a break point frequency estimating section for estimating a break point frequency in a gain diagram that represents a frequency response of a first order lag model that approximates a transmission characteristics from road surface disturbances to wheel speed, and a braking force gradient estimating section for estimating a braking force gradient with respect to the estimated break point frequency on the basis of the map showing a relationship between braking force gradient and break point frequency stored in advance.

Abstract: A braking force control device is provided in which wheel speeds of respective wheels of a vehicle are detected. On the basis of detected wheel speeds, a road surface &mgr; slope, which is a slope of a coefficient of friction &mgr; between a wheel and a road surface, is estimated for each wheel. On the basis of the road surface &mgr; slope estimated for each wheel, a braking force of each wheel is controlled such that the braking force of each wheel is adjusted.

Abstract: A braking force control device is provided in which wheel speeds of respective wheels of a vehicle are detected. On the basis of detected wheel speeds, a road surface &mgr; slope, which is a slope of a coefficient of friction &mgr; between a wheel and a road surface, is estimated for each wheel. On the basis of the road surface &mgr; slope estimated for each wheel, a braking force of each wheel is controlled such that the braking force of each wheel is adjusted.

Abstract: A tire parameter estimation device that is economical and can accurately estimate tire parameters while taking into consideration both states of a vehicle and states of a road environment. A &mgr; gradient detecting circuit detects a &mgr; gradient on the basis of a wheel speed detected by a wheel speed detecting circuit. A gradient value comparing circuit determines a &mgr; gradient section value &mgr;r, which is a mean value of the &mgr; gradients from the &mgr; gradient detecting circuit, and calculates a rate (=&mgr;r/&mgr;I) of the &mgr; gradient mean value &mgr;r with respect to a &mgr; gradient initial value &mgr;. A tire temperature estimating circuit stores a table representing the relation between the rate and a tire temperature, and estimates a tire temperature corresponding to the rate calculated by the gradient value comparing circuit as the present tire temperature.

Abstract: A braking force distribution control device is provided in which wheel speeds of respective wheels of a vehicle are detected. On the basis of the detected wheel speeds, slopes of coefficients of friction &mgr; between the wheels and a road surface are estimated as road surface &mgr; slope values of the respective wheels. On the basis of the estimated road surface &mgr; slope values of the respective wheels, braking forces of the respective wheels are controlled such that the braking forces among the respective wheels are adjusted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling vehicle motion. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for improving vehicle stability by controlling the brake torque of a vehicle during, for example, cornering manuevers. In accordance with the present invention, vehicle stability is improved by independently controlling brake torque in response to sensed yaw rate.