Attitude Change Suppressive Control (e.g., Antiroll Or Antipitch) Patents (Class 701/38)
  • Publication number: 20090012676
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a tilting sensor configured to detect that a vehicle body of the vehicle has been tilted a predetermined angle or larger, a driving state sensor configured to detect a driving state of the vehicle using a component other than the tilting sensor, and a determiner configured to determine whether or not to stop the engine, based on a signal received from the tilting sensor, and a signal received from the driving state sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Kawamura, Junji Tamura, Takahiro Ogino, Seiichi Kai, Shinta Kawasetsu
  • Patent number: 7472002
    Abstract: A method of estimating at least a portion of the weight of a vehicle and its load by use of an on-board accelerometer is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Gerard O. McCann
  • Patent number: 7472003
    Abstract: An operating method for a single-axle roll stabilization system between the chassis and the body of a two-axle, double-track vehicle is provided, whereby energy for supporting a roll torque of the body may be introduced into the chassis via a controllable actuator, and the introduced stabilizing torque is represented as the product of a rigidity parameter and the roll angle or an alternative roll angle which corresponds to the roll angle with sufficient accuracy and is derived from a measurable variable, the rigidity parameter being freely selectable or adaptable in driving mode, depending on the travel speed of the vehicle. When the actuator is provided on the rear axle of the vehicle, the rigidity parameter, starting from a higher value, drops to lower values in a substantially monotonic manner with increasing travel speed, whereas the opposite applies for a front axle actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Klaus Webers
  • Publication number: 20080319609
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlling the suspension of the body shell of a motor vehicle. The inventive device comprises a calculator (CSS) which can calculate a control value (ER) for an actuator (M) of a shock absorber (AM) of the suspension (S) as a function of at least one modal body shell speed calculated from a modal body shell acceleration. The invention is characterised by a sensor (CAP-DEB) for sensing wheel (A, B, C, D) travel in relation to the body shell, which is connected to a first means (CAL) for calculating the modal body shell acceleration from the travel measurement (DEB) provided by the sensor (CAP-DEB).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA
    Inventor: Francois Poilbout
  • Publication number: 20080319608
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling an anti-rolling system for a vehicle having at least three wheels, whereby based on the turn angle of the front wheel or on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, on displacement data of the vehicle, and on a prior deflection rule of the anti-rolling system, a current roll correction rule is provided and said current roll correction rule is sent to an anti-rolling actuator or a controllable suspension acting on the stiffness of the vehicle suspension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s
    Inventor: Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 7469175
    Abstract: Method and device for calculating chassis height of a vehicle that has at least three air-suspended wheel axles (2, 3, 4). The device includes a control unit and two level sensors (9, 10). The control unit detects the chassis height at the front axle (2) via a first level sensor (9) and at the forward rear axle (3) via a second level sensor (10), and the control unit calculates the chassis height at the rearmost wheel axle (4). An object of the disclosure is to protect the rear axle installation with as few level sensors as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Per-Olov Brandt, Bengt Terborn
  • Publication number: 20080312790
    Abstract: Control unit for motor vehicle brakes composed of conventional function groups with an electronic brake controller and a hydraulic unit that is in particular rigidly connected to the controller, with the electronic controller comprising a redundant or partly redundant microprocessor system with several central processing units (CPU), and with the conventional function groups including a control philosophy at least for anti-lock control. Furthermore, the control unit comprises non-conventional hardware and software function groups of an otherwise external motor vehicle passenger protection safety system, which in particular does not intervene directly into driving dynamics, hence, is passive. These groups are integrated into the ambience of the control unit for motor vehicle brakes, and ambience implies that the non-conventional hardware and software function groups to be integrated are arranged at least in the immediate vicinity of the conventional electronic brake controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fey, Michael Zydek, Stefan Sommer
  • Publication number: 20080306653
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus that effectively suppresses a rise in rotation number of an engine in a jump of a vehicle. An engine control apparatus includes an acceleration detecting device for detecting an acceleration component of gravity acceleration in a perpendicular direction of the vehicle body based on a signal inputted from an acceleration sensor, and a control circuit for judging whether the vehicle has jumped or not based on the acceleration component to be detected. The control circuit suppresses a rise in rotation number of the engine when the vehicle is judged to have jumped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiko HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20080288139
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting an electronic stability program (ESP) for a motor vehicle. This method comprises various steps, including in particular: establishing the curve of the consumption values (Cesp) as a function of time, said curve being representative of the differences (dCM) of the measured yaw angles and the setpoint yaw angles (dCM=LM?LC) versus the measured triggering threshold values (St), modifying the nominal threshold values (Sv) by a percentage that is proportional to the consumption values (Cesp).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christophe Bouchard, Richard Sautereau
  • Patent number: 7454276
    Abstract: A vehicle behavior judgment system comprising a rolling angular velocity detector adapted for detecting a rolling angular velocity of a vehicle, a rollover judgment device adapted for judging, based on at least a rolling angular velocity of a vehicle, whether the vehicle rolls over or not, and a noise-cutting filter adapted for removing a noise component from the rolling angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikatsu Sawahata
  • Publication number: 20080281488
    Abstract: A system for providing vehicle roll control that controls the friction-force of dampers provided at the wheels of the vehicle. The system includes a lateral acceleration sensor for determining the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor for determining the steering angle of the vehicle and a speed sensor for determining the speed of the vehicle. The system calculates a current control signal for one or more of the dampers based on the lateral acceleration and/or the steering angle, and uses one or both of the current control signals to control the friction-force of the inside, outside or both of the dampers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jihan Ryu, Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Publication number: 20080281487
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a rollover event of a vehicle. A lateral kinetic energy of the vehicle is determined in response to vehicle longitudinal velocity and vehicle side slip angle. A lateral acceleration of the vehicle is measured. A tire normal force is measured. A rollover potentiality index is determined in response to the lateral kinetic energy and the lateral acceleration. A rollover index is determined by weighting the rollover potentiality index by a factor of the lateral acceleration and by a factor of the tire normal force. A comparison is made to determine if the rollover index is above a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: KELSEY-HAYES COMPANY
    Inventor: Danny R. Milot
  • Patent number: 7451032
    Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) includes a lateral acceleration sensor (32) for generating a lateral acceleration signal, a yaw rate sensor (28) for generating a yaw rate signal, and a safety system. The safety system (44) and the sensors are coupled to a controller (26). The controller (26) determines a front lateral tire force and a rear lateral tire force from the vehicle yaw rate signal and the vehicle lateral acceleration signal; determines a calculated lateral velocity from the front lateral tire force, the rear lateral tire force, and a bank angle; determines a calculated yaw rate from the front lateral tire force and the rear lateral tire force; and controls the safety system in response to the calculated lateral velocity and the calculated yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Todd A. Brown, Daniel D. Eisele, Michael P. Lopez
  • Patent number: 7451033
    Abstract: A system (18) for controlling a safety system (44) of a vehicle (10) is disclosed herein. The system includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36), a vehicle or wheel speed sensor(s) (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a yaw rate sensor (28), and a controller (26). The controller determines a stability index and provides a first observer that determines a reference longitudinal velocity in response to the sensors. The controller determines a reference lateral velocity in response to the sensors. The controller provides a second observer that determines a second longitudinal velocity in response to the sensors and a first adjustment based on the reference longitudinal velocity. The controller determines a second lateral velocity in response to the sensors and a second adjustment based on the reference lateral velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Li Xu, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Joseph C. Meyers
  • Publication number: 20080275607
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating an active chassis system, in which wheels of at least one axle are arranged with a toe-in angle, and actuating elements which interact with supporting assemblies which are arranged between the wheels and a vehicle body. Wheel contact forces of the wheels assume different values as a result of the actuating elements being actuated. A side force is generated at the wheels which have a toe-in angle, and a resulting yaw moment is produced. A desired yaw rate is determined based upon information from a device which is arranged in the vehicle in order to determine the profile of the roadway in a control unit, and the wheel contact forces are set as a function of the desired yaw rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Dieter Ammon, Carsten Knoeppel, Magnus Rau, Avshalom Suissa
  • Publication number: 20080269987
    Abstract: A roll control actuator, a roll control system, and a roll control strategy for controlling the roll of a motor vehicle are disclosed. The actuator comprises a selective lock connected between an unsprung portion of the vehicle and a sprung portion of the vehicle. The system comprises such an actuator. The strategy comprises utilizing locking and unlocking thresholds to control the locked state of such an actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Richard J. Barron, James R. Hollowell
  • Patent number: 7444224
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention apparatus is configured to conduct a course correction in a lane departure avoidance direction when the controller determines that there is a potential for a vehicle to depart from a driving lane. The lane departure prevention apparatus has a driving road detecting section and a lane departure avoidance control section. The driving road detecting section is configured to determine at least one of a road slope direction and a road curvature direction of a driving road upon which a host vehicle is traveling. The lane departure avoidance control section is configured to start lane departure avoidance control based on a driving direction of the host vehicle and at least one of a road slope direction and a road curvature direction detected by the driving road detecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: On Sadano, Masahiro Ozaki, Yoshitaka Uemura
  • Publication number: 20080262675
    Abstract: A method and device for roll stabilization of a motor vehicle are provided. On the basis of a measured transverse acceleration or a calculated transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle, actuating signals are generated for actuators which are associated with a front axle and a rear axle of the motor vehicle and which provide support torques on the front axle and/or on the rear axle for roll stabilization. To ensure a satisfactory self-steering effect of the motor vehicle, a torque distribution between the support torque provided on the front axle and the support torque provided on the rear axle is modified on the basis of a first signal which allows conclusions to be drawn concerning the actuation of a gas pedal, and/or on the basis of a second signal which allows conclusions to be drawn concerning the actuation of a brake pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Fischlein, Robert Ferger-Andrews
  • Publication number: 20080255726
    Abstract: A process for stabilizing the sway of a motor vehicle, in which adjusting signals are generated for actuators associated with a front axis and with a rear axis of the motor vehicle on the basis of a measured or a calculated transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle, which actuators make support moments available on the front axis and/or on the rear axis for stabilizing the sway. Accordingly the measured transverse acceleration and the calculated transverse acceleration are used in at least one speed range of the motor vehicle in such a manner to generate the adjusting signals for the actuators that either the calculated transverse acceleration or the measured transverse acceleration is used to generate the adjusting signals in dependence on an absolute value of the difference between the calculated transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle and the measured transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Hartmut Fischlein, Robert Ferger-Andrews
  • Publication number: 20080243335
    Abstract: A control system (10) for a vehicle (16) includes a sensor (35-47) that generates a sensor signal and a stability control system (26). Tire monitoring sensors (20) in each wheel generate tire signals including temperature, pressure and acceleration. The controller (26) is coupled to the sensors (20, 25-47), and generates a first roll condition signal as a function of the sensor signal, and generates a second roll condition signal as a function of the tire signals. The first or second roll condition signals control the rollover control system to mitigate a vehicle rollover event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Manoharprasad K. Rao, Mark A. Cuddihy, Christopher R. Bujak
  • Publication number: 20080243336
    Abstract: A system and method for vehicle mobility traction/ride control. The system includes a mode controller configured to output control signals to a variety of vehicle control subsystems in response to operator mode selection input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Patrick J. Fitzgibbons
  • Publication number: 20080215210
    Abstract: An anti-rolling method and system for a vehicle and a corresponding vehicle. The device controlling the roll of a vehicle includes at least one actuator capable of acting on the roll, a module for estimating a state of roll based on a turn angle of front wheels of the vehicle, the anti-rolling torque applied to the vehicle, and speed of the vehicle, and a module for providing a rule of asymptotic rejection of disturbances acting on the roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Benoit Bulteau, Richard Pothin
  • Patent number: 7418325
    Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle includes a roll control device, which includes an actuator, for controlling roll, and a control device including a target control value determining portion determining target control value of the actuator and an operation control portion controlling the actuator on the basis of the target control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamada, Shin Matsumoto, Shingo Urababa, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7418333
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting an electronic stability program (ESP) for a motor vehicle. This method comprises various steps, including in particular: establishing the curve of the consumption values (Cesp) as a function of time, said curve being representative of the differences (dCM) of the measured yaw angles and the setpoint yaw angles (dCM=LM?LC) versus the measured triggering threshold values (St), modifying the nominal threshold values (Sv) by a percentage that is proportional to the consumption values (Cesp).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christophe Bouchard, Richard Sautereau
  • Patent number: 7415341
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vehicle braking system, for delivering pressurized air to a brake chamber to achieve a desired braking response, includes an air-pressure controlled relay valve for delivering the pressurized air to the brake chamber. A solenoid receives a variable control input pressure and delivers the control input pressure to the relay valve as a function of a state of the solenoid. An ECU controls the solenoid according to a control model for delivering the pressurized air to the brake chamber and achieving the desired braking response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Hermann J. Goebels, Christopher M. Knaack
  • Patent number: 7412314
    Abstract: Impending rollover events are detected by recognizing a plow phase increase in lateral acceleration, coupled with a significant trip phase roll rate. The plow phase increase is recognized by modeling a typical soil trip lateral acceleration characteristic and computing a cross-correlation between the measured lateral acceleration and the modeled acceleration. The correlation is compared to a threshold that varies with the measured roll rate to reliably discriminate rollover events from near-rollover events while enabling timely deployment of suitable occupant restraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Schubert
  • Patent number: 7409278
    Abstract: A road surface friction coefficient ? is calculated based on a detected lateral acceleration and a front-rear acceleration, and a roll angle is calculated using a roll rate. Further, a maximum engine torque value that can be applied to a drive wheel without causing slipping thereof is calculated based on the road surface friction coefficient ? and a gear ratio. A torque transmission rate that indicates a reduction rate for engine output is set so as to reduce in accordance with a roll angle, and a target engine torque value is calculated by correcting the maximum engine torque value using the torque transmission rate. Accordingly, adjustment is executed such that the engine output is made smaller as the roll angle increases. Thus, abrupt changes in vehicle behavior are not caused by sudden starting of control, and it is possible to inhibit drive feeling from deteriorating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Banno, Hiroshi Matsuoka, Shinichi Tagawa
  • Patent number: 7408452
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention, a wireless sensing system is disclosed, where the system has particular application to sensing the speed of a vehicle wheel, for example. To sense wheel speed, a sensing unit senses changes in magnetic flux and wirelessly relays a signal indicative thereof back to a base station or control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Peter Knittl
  • Patent number: 7406371
    Abstract: In a suspension control system, accelerations detected by acceleration sensors are differentiated by a differentiator to calculate acceleration derivative values. Based on these values, a target electrical current calculating section calculates a target electrical current that is supplied to an actuator which controls a damping force of a damper. Before a rolling or pitch angle occurs in the vehicle, the change of the rolling or pitch angle is predicted to control the damping force of the damper, thereby improving the response of rolling angle and pitch angle control to achieve, simultaneously, an accurate posture control and a satisfactory riding comfort. Because the target electrical current calculating section corrects the target electrical current of the actuator based on a damper speed obtained by differentiating a damper displacement, even when a large input is applied to the damper due to an unevenness of the road surface, a proper posture control is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Izawa, Takafumi Kato, Shigenobu Sekiya, Yoshio Onoe, Tsukasa Fukuzato
  • Patent number: 7406372
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a variable damper in a vehicle wherein a rear-wheel variable damper can be controlled by estimating a vertical acceleration value of a rear wheel based on the fact that there is a certain time delay in a wheel motion between front and rear wheels due to the wheelbase and vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventors: Jong Heon Kim, Wan Il Kim
  • Publication number: 20080177442
    Abstract: When a vehicle is turning, it is determined whether an inside turning wheel has sufficient grip force. If the inside wheel has sufficient grip force, left and right forces orthogonally input to the vehicle body are calculated based on longitudinal and lateral tire forces, and are checked if there is a difference in the left and right forces. If there is such a left-right force difference and the vehicle is not undergoing a braking operation, the turning angle of the inside wheel is corrected using a left-right independent steering device that independently controls the turning angles of left and right wheels, so that the difference becomes zero. Thus, the difference in left and right forces laterally input to the vehicle body is reduced to minimize a jack-up force. This improves the driving stability and achieves a good roll feel by means of a jack-down force, thereby achieving improved driving feel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Yuichiro Tsukasaki, Masaru Kogure
  • Publication number: 20080174056
    Abstract: A directional stabilizer ring includes a first or mounting surface and a second or biasing surface that faces away from the first surface and extends at an included angle relative thereto. The second surface is configured to abuttingly engage the flexible wall of a fluid spring assembly and to bias at least a portion thereof in a preferred direction. A fluid spring assembly and a suspension system that utilize such a directional stabilizer ring as well as a method of biasing a flexible wall using such a directional stabilizer ring are also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventor: Stephen R. Egolf
  • Patent number: 7400974
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating position of a GPS device is described. In one example, a method for provisioning a mobile device with a model for determining a position of the mobile device in at least one geographic area is provided. The method includes obtaining an estimate of the position of the mobile device, forming one or more satellite orbit models from the estimate and a wide area model, and sending the at least one satellite orbit model to the mobile device. The wide area model is formed from measurements from a plurality of satellites of a Global Positioning System, and the measurements are obtained by a plurality of reference stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Global Locate, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Fuchs, Charles Abraham, Frank van Diggelen
  • Publication number: 20080147272
    Abstract: A motion control device for a vehicle is configured so that a hydraulic unit mounting therein a pump for generating a controlled hydraulic pressure applied to respective wheel cylinders of the vehicle is integrated with a control unit provided with a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate of the vehicle and capable of controlling the hydraulic unit. The pump is composed of a pump drive section, drivingly rotated by a motor, and pumping sections which perform a pump function with the rotation of the pump drive section. The yaw rate sensor, the motor and the pump are arranged to satisfy a positional relation that the extending direction of a detection axis of the yaw rate sensor does not coincide with both of the extending directions of a rotational axis of the motor and a rotational axis of the pump drive section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Masahiko Kamiya, Tadayoshi Usami
  • Publication number: 20080140284
    Abstract: A vehicle roll control system, comprising a front torsion bar, a front hydraulic actuator (34) attached to the front torsion bar; a rear torsion bar, a rear hydraulic actuator (34) attached to the rear torsion bar; and control means (70-99) connected to the front and rear hydraulic actuators and controlling the operation thereof on detection of a predetermined vehicle condition; wherein each front and rear hydraulic actuator comprises a housing, a piston (62,62) making a sealing sliding fit inside the housing to define a first fluid chamber (58,58) and a second fluid chamber (60,60), and a piston rod (64,64) connected to the piston and extending through the second fluid chamber and out of the housing; wherein the control means acts on detection of the predetermined vehicle condition to apply a fluid pressure to the first fluid chamber of the front hydraulic actuator which is different from the fluid pressure applied to the first fluid chamber of the rear hydraulic actuator and/or apply a fluid pressure to the
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Philippe Germain, Christophe Cardon, Bruno Perree, Frederic Sauvage
  • Publication number: 20080140285
    Abstract: In a control device for controlling a variable damper of a vehicle suspension system, when a stroke speed of the damper is within a range including a zero stroke speed, the target damping force is determined as a force opposing a current movement of the damper without regards to the direction of the target damping force determined by a target damping force determining unit. Thereby, even when the wheels move vertically at short intervals, the control value is prevented from changing rapidly, and this allows a damping force of an appropriate level to be achieved in a stable manner at all times. Also, the target damping force when a stroke speed of the damper is within a range including a zero stroke speed may be selected to be a relatively high value or low value so that a desired vehicle behavior may be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: Shigenobu Sekiya
  • Patent number: 7386378
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system that includes a cylinder, a rod inserted within the cylinder, a piston coupled to the rod and a piston valve which has an input piston current. The suspension system further includes a base coupled to the cylinder, a base valve which has an input base current, and a controller coupled to the piston valve and the base valve. The controller is adapted to generate the input piston current and the input base current based on a generated virtual current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christophe Lauwerys, Jan Swevers, Paul Sas
  • Patent number: 7380800
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a vehicle suspension system switchable between two modes of operation, including a first mode for when the vehicle is experiencing an on-road driving condition and a second mode for when the vehicle is experiencing an off-road driving condition, includes a vehicle speed sensor for sensing a speed of the vehicle and generating a vehicle speed signal, which may be an inherent part of the vehicle required for other vehicle functions, such as ABS, speed, or other control. The system also includes a controller for detecting an off-road driving condition and comparing the vehicle speed signal to a predetermined speed threshold. The controller then controls the suspension system to switch to the second mode of operation upon detecting the off-road driving condition and the vehicle speed signal being less than the predetermined speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Chrysler LLC
    Inventor: Gerard Klees
  • Publication number: 20080119984
    Abstract: A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include an object information device. An active suspension or an active steering system may be coupled to a wheel of the vehicle. The rollover system may include a lateral support system. A controller determines that an obstacle is an imminent tripping obstacle and raises or steers the wheel, to prevent the wheel from colliding with the obstacle, or deploys the lateral support system in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include a chassis and a driving surface wheel. A wheel assembly is coupled to the chassis inward from the driving surface wheel relative to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The wheel assembly contacts the driving surface when a roll angle of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: DAVOR HROVAT, ERIC TSENG, MICHAEL FODOR
  • Publication number: 20080114509
    Abstract: A rollover judgment apparatus includes a threshold change functional unit 5 for changing a determination threshold on the basis of a roll angular velocity ?, a tilt angle ?v of a vehicle which is acquired by integrating the roll angular velocity ?, a lateral direction acceleration Gy, and a steering wheel angle ?s, an ?×? map judging unit 6 for judging whether or not the vehicle will roll over on the basis of the determination threshold changed by the threshold change functional unit 5, and the tilt angle of the vehicle, a safing functional unit 7 for detecting a tip-up of the vehicle in relation to a motion of the vehicle, and a curtain air bag deploying unit 9 for controlling expansion of a curtain air bag on the basis of an output of the ?×? map judging unit 6 and an output of the safing functional unit 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Satoru Inoue, Katsuaki Yasui, Takashi Tokunaga, Ryoutaru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7373227
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown, Li Xu, Joseph Carr Meyers
  • Patent number: 7369927
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting against rollover in a vehicle. The method and apparatus determine a rollover tendency of the vehicle based on the lateral acceleration, the vehicle speed and the change rate of the steering angle. A database of empiric data is preferably provided that includes values for a critical change rate of the steering angle corresponding to specific lateral accelerations in specific vehicle speeds. A critical change rate of the steering angle is determined based on the sensed lateral acceleration and vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Teves, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian A. Hille, Jeremy J. McClain
  • Patent number: 7366602
    Abstract: A roll stability control system for an automotive vehicle includes an external environment sensing system, such as a camera-based vision system, or a radar, lidar or sonar-based sensing system that generates image, radar, lidar, and/or sonar-based signals. A controller is coupled to the sensing system and generates dynamic vehicle characteristic signals in response to the image, radar, lidar, or sonar-based signals. The controller controls the rollover control system in response to the dynamic vehicle control signal. The dynamic vehicle characteristics may include roll related angles, angular rates, and various vehicle velocities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Liwen Xu, Samir M. Beydoun, Gerald H. Engelman, Aaron L. Mills, Jianbo Lu, Keith Glenn Mattson
  • Publication number: 20080086251
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining a front lateral tire force, a rear lateral tire force, and determining a lineal sideslip angle from the front lateral tire force and the rear lateral tire force. The method also includes determining a load transfer correction. The method also includes determining a final linear lateral velocity in response to the linear sideslip angle and the load transfer correction and controlling the vehicle in response to the final linear lateral velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Joe Meyers
  • Patent number: 7353098
    Abstract: The invention provides a roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle which can suppress overturning of the vehicle while securing the traveling performance of the vehicle through appropriate slowing down control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
    Inventor: Kunio Sakata
  • Patent number: 7337047
    Abstract: The inventive vehicle behavior control device employs a novel control strategy, suppressing deterioration of a vehicle behavior which would be induced during control processes, and being useful especially for correcting or inhibiting excessive deterioration of a vehicle behavior such as when a risk of rolling-over is detected. The device firstly judges if a possibility of rolling-over of the vehicle is high and calculates a target braking control amount for reducing the possibility of rolling-over in accordance with the result of the judgment of a possibility of rolling-over of the vehicle, where the target control amount when the possibility of rolling-over is high is set higher than when the possibility is low. Then, under control of the inventive control device, wheel braking force is controlled based upon the target braking control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueno, Yasushi Kobayashi, Noritaka Yamada, Yukihisa Miwa
  • Patent number: 7333862
    Abstract: A position control device of a moving body, by which position control device a moving body can be driven in a translational manner with high precision where the moving body is not rotated in a yawing direction even if disturbance is input, a stage device using the position control device, and a position control method of a moving body, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kennichi Makino
  • Publication number: 20080040000
    Abstract: A rollover avoidance system for changing the damping characteristics of suspension dampers at each wheel of a vehicle so as to mitigate the potential for vehicle rollover. The system includes a plurality of vehicle parameter sensors for measuring vehicle parameters and providing vehicle parameter signals. The system also includes a controller for generating a damper suspension command signal for each damper using the vehicle parameter signals. The controller considers a roll control factor representing a rollover condition of the vehicle and a yaw stability control factor representing a yaw condition of the vehicle to set the damping of the dampers to mitigate the potential for vehicle rollover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Shih-Ken Chen, Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Cheng-Foo Chen
  • Patent number: 7323976
    Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A-C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
  • Patent number: RE40496
    Abstract: A stability control system (18) for an automotive vehicle 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 roll rate sensor (34), a yaw rate sensor (20) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) is coupled to the speed sensor (20), the lateral acceleration sensor (32), the roll rate sensor (34), the yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) determines a global roll attitude and a global pitch attitude from the roll rate, lateral acceleration signal and the longitudinal acceleration signal. The controller determines a roll gradient based upon a past raw roll rate and current raw roll rate, the roll angular rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal, a pitch gradient based upon a past raw pitch rate and current raw pitch rate the calculated pitch angular rate signal and the longitudinal acceleration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown