Antiskid, Antilock, Or Brake Slip Control Patents (Class 701/71)
  • Patent number: 8326505
    Abstract: A control system for an electromechanical-braking system provided with actuator elements configured to actuate braking elements for exerting a braking action has a control stage for controlling the braking action on the basis of a braking reference signal. The control stage comprises a model-based predictive control block, in particular of a generalized predictive self-adaptive control type, operating on the basis of a control quantity representing the braking action. The control system further has: a model-identification stage, which determines parameters identifying a transfer function of the electromechanical-braking system; and a regulation stage, which determines an optimal value of endogenous parameters of the control system on the basis of the value of the identifying parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicola Cesario, Ferdinando Taglialatela Scafati, Olga Scognamiglio
  • Patent number: 8326504
    Abstract: A trailer sway intervention system. The trailer sway intervention system includes a trailer having a plurality of wheels, each wheel having a brake, and a vehicle towing the trailer. The vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to sense operating characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives the sensed operating characteristics from the sensors, determines an error based on a difference between an expected yaw rate and a sensed yaw rate, asymmetrically applies braking forces to one or more trailer wheels based on the difference, and symmetrically applies braking forces to the trailer wheels when the absolute value of the difference between the expected yaw rate and the sensed yaw rate is declining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hsien-cheng Wu, Jin-jae Chen, Nathan Drummond
  • Patent number: 8326495
    Abstract: In a regulating system and method of regulating the chassis of a motor vehicle, sensor data which are present for regulating the suspension and the damping of a vehicle body vehicle and describe the suspension state are forwarded to the regulating module of an antilock brake system. A state of the motor vehicle with regard to a brow situation can be determined from the sensor data. The sensor data or the state with regard to the brow situation are/is taken into consideration in the regulating module of the antilock brake system when determining control signals for regulating the brake pressure in brake apparatuses which are assigned to the wheels, in particular in the brake cylinders. This increases the driving safety considerably when driving over a brow and immediately after driving over a brow and increases the efficiency and reliability of the antilock brake system substantially in corresponding driving situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christian Steinle
  • Publication number: 20120303234
    Abstract: A brake control system in a vehicle which executes anti-lock brake control for controlling a braking force applied to a wheel to prevent the wheel from being locked during braking of the vehicle is provided. The brake control system includes an initiation determiner section for determining whether or not an initiation condition used to initiate the anti-lock brake control is met the initiation condition including a condition in which a decrease rate of a wheel speed which is a rotational speed of the wheel is not less than a predetermined threshold; and a brake control section for initiating control of the braking force applied to the wheel in the anti-lock brake control, if the initiation determiner section determines that the initiation condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8315771
    Abstract: A method for controlling a self-energizing disc brake having an electric actuator in which an activation force applied to the actuator is amplified using a self-energizing device arranged between the actuator and brake lining is described. The method has a brake application unit for applying at least one brake lining to one side of a brake disc by carrying out an application movement of the brake lining relative to the brake disc, the application movement having at least a first movement component in a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the brake disc and a second movement component in a direction tangential to the rotational axis of the brake disc. The method includes also controlling at least one electromotive drive for activating the brake application unit. Rotation of the shaft of the electromotive drive is converted to a non-linear displacement of the brake pad in the tangential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Baumgartner, Matthias Seidenschwang, Ernst Dieter Bieker, Luise Ulrike Bieker nee Rothe, legal representative, Dirk Ganzhorn
  • Patent number: 8311685
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of managing the braking of an aircraft having a plurality of brakes comprising friction elements, the method comprising the following steps for at least one group of brakes: estimating an energy level (?E) to be dissipated by the brakes of the group; and estimating individual braking setpoints (Fi) for each of the brakes of the group so that the individual braking setpoints make it possible, at least under normal operating conditions of the brakes, to implement braking that dissipates said energy level, the individual braking setpoints also being determined so as to satisfy at least one other given operating objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
    Inventors: Stephane Dellac, Arnaud Jacquet, Gerard Leon Gissinger, Michel Basset, Yann Chamaillard, Jean-Pierre Garcia
  • Patent number: 8311693
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stabilizing a hybrid electric vehicle (“HEV”) towing a trailer. One system includes a regenerative braking system, a non-regenerative braking system, and a stabilization system. The stabilization system determines a direction of rotation and a speed of the HEV and compares the HEV's speed to a predetermined low speed threshold value and a predetermined high speed threshold value. The stabilization system instructs the regenerative braking system to brake at least one wheel when the speed is less than or equal to the predetermined low speed threshold value and instructs the regenerative braking system to brake at least one wheel opposite the direction of rotation and at least one of the regenerative braking system and the non-regenerative braking system to provide an extra stabilizing braking torque to at least one wheel opposite the direction of rotation when the speed is greater than the predetermined high speed threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hsien-Cheng (Kevin) Wu, Bo Xu
  • Patent number: 8311718
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises a derivative module and a slip remediation module. The derivative module determines a mathematical derivative of a driven wheel speed of a vehicle. The slip remediation module, when the mathematical derivative is more negative than a predetermined deceleration, at least one of disables regenerative braking being performed by one or more electric motors, increases an axle torque request, and unlocks a torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Inventors: Richard B. Jess, Paul A. Bauerle, Christopher E. Whitney, James L. Worthing, Michael L. Kociba
  • Patent number: 8311692
    Abstract: The invention relates to a braking method for a hybrid vehicle (1) comprising a drivetrain (3) controlled by a drivetrain computer (12), and a hydraulic braking system (15) controlled by a braking computer (21). In this method, as soon as the drivetrain computer (12) detects that the electrical braking torque is decreasing, this drivetrain computer (12) informs the hydraulic braking computer (21) of the value of the reduction in electric braking torque. The braking computer (21) then operates the hydraulic braking system (15) in such a way that the hydraulic braking torque applied to the wheels (2) by the brakes (17) compensates for this reduction in electric braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Vincent Mulot, Remy Delplace, Olivier Mechin, Yvan Le Neindre, Nicolas Thauvin
  • Publication number: 20120283918
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a seat defining a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion, an electronic stability system, adapted to receive inputs from a load sensor, a wheel rotation sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor, the electronic stability system adapted to provide outputs to at least one of the brake system for braking the vehicle, and the engine control unit to change the power output transmitted to the wheels by the engine, the electronic stability system using a first calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a non-loaded state and a second calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a loaded state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Mario DAGENAIS
  • Patent number: 8306687
    Abstract: Provided is a method of diagnosing a vehicle having diagnostic data. The method includes providing an automotive diagnostic tool sold to a user by a selling retailer. The automotive diagnostic tool is configured to download diagnostic data from the vehicle and upload the diagnostic data to a computer. The computer is configured to communicate the diagnostic data to a diagnostic database associated with the selling retailer (such as a private label website) upon establishing a communication link between the automotive diagnostic tool and the computer. A communication link is then established between the automotive diagnostic tool and the computer. In response thereto, a communication link is then established between the computer and the diagnostic database. The diagnostic data is thereafter communicated from the automotive diagnostic tool to the diagnostic database via the computer. The diagnostic database is arranged to map vehicle diagnostic data to a most likely vehicle fix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Innova Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Ieon Chen
  • Patent number: 8301331
    Abstract: A method for the calibration or diagnosis of a motor vehicle brake system having a cyclically operated pump. At least one parameter (URPOff), representing the electromotor force of the reference pump, is repeatedly ascertained during operation of a reference pump under defined guidelines. A statistical characteristic variable (URPOff) is derived from the values of parameter (URPOff) ascertained for the reference pump. Parameter (UBPOff) is ascertained under a corresponding guideline during operation of an operating pump. Corresponding statistical characteristic variable (UBPOff) is derived from the values of parameter (UBPOff) ascertained for the operating pump. At least one ratio number is calculated as a measure of the deviation of the operating behavior of the operating pump from the operating behavior of the reference pump from the characteristic variable (URPOff) calculated for the reference pump and the characteristic variable (UBPOff) calculated for the operating pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Faouzi Attallah, Tobias Scheller, Tom Robert
  • Patent number: 8296031
    Abstract: Disclosed are an electronic hydraulic pressure control system and a control method thereof, capable of detecting an error in differential pressure between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The control method includes the steps of acquiring pressure of a master cylinder and pedal pressure according to a stroke distance of a pedal, detecting a time point at which the pressure of the master cylinder and the pedal pressure reach predetermined reference pressure, and determining that an error occurs if the time point exceeds a predetermined reference time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Man Bok Park
  • Publication number: 20120265419
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle braking system and control method. The vehicle braking control method includes detecting velocities of respective wheels provided at a vehicle, calculating a vehicle velocity based on the velocities of the respective wheels, calculating slip amounts of the respective wheels by comparing the vehicle velocity and the velocities of the respective wheels, calculating change rates of the slip amounts of the respective wheels, obtaining regenerative braking force corresponding to one of the slip amounts and the slip change rates of the respective wheels, and controlling regenerative braking using the obtained regenerative braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Sang Mook KIM
  • Patent number: 8280606
    Abstract: A slip angle differential value calculation unit 34 calculates a slip angle differential value of a body of a vehicle, a braking force application prohibiting unit 35 prohibits the application of braking force by a braking force application unit 33 when a yaw rate detection value takes a positive value and the sip angle differential value is a positive judgment threshold or more or when the yaw rate detection value takes a negative value and the slip angle differential value is a negative judgment threshold or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Ito, Osamu Yamamoto, Naoto Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8280605
    Abstract: A braking force control apparatus for a vehicle is provided with a brake device that brakes a rotation of a drive wheel of a vehicle equipped with a continuously variable transmission and adjusts a magnitude of a braking force acting upon the drive wheel on the basis of a brake depression amount. The braking force control apparatus includes a controller that is configured to set an upper limit value of the braking force of the brake device when a restriction condition that is a condition, at which an excessively large torque input state occurs, has been estimated to be established, the excessively large torque input state being a state in which a reduced speed of the drive wheel based on the braking force is larger than an allowable limit speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8280580
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers is provided. A primary key is adapted to be associated to the primary driver. A secondary key is adapted to be associated to the secondary driver. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and is configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is a primary or secondary driver. The controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to stabilize the movement of the vehicle. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the driver status signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Matthew J. Dalebout, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, Terry Thomas Cwik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Publication number: 20120239267
    Abstract: A motorcycle sets a target slip value based on an accelerator operation by a driver, and prevents a significant decrease in the output torque of the drive power source during execution of traction control to provide a comfortable ride. The motorcycle includes a target slip value calculating section that calculates a target slip value, based on an accelerator operation by a driver; and an actual slip value calculating section that calculates an actual slip value, based on the difference between the rotation speed of the front wheel and the rotation speed of the rear wheel. The motorcycle further includes a drive power source controller arranged and programmed to reduce the output torque of the drive power source, based on the difference between a criterion value different from the target slip value and the actual slip value when the actual slip value is lower than the target slip value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kinoshita, Hirokazu Fujita
  • Patent number: 8271175
    Abstract: A control means for controlling actuators of a vehicle creates a time series of a future behavior of the vehicle using a vehicle model. A state amount of the vehicle model is initialized on the basis of a state amount of the vehicle, and the future behavior is created starting from the initial state amount. The future behavior is created such that operation commands of the actuators in the vehicle model at the current time coincide with or approximate basic values based on operation of a manipulating device, such as a steering wheel of the vehicle. It is evaluated whether vehicle motion, road surface reaction force, and wheel sliding, in the created future behavior satisfy predetermined restrictive conditions. Based on the evaluation result, the operation commands of the actuators are successively decided. This permits ideal travel of the vehicle to be achieved by properly predicting future behaviors of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Yasuji Shibahata
  • Patent number: 8260518
    Abstract: Reverse proximity sensors are used to determine an angle between a towed trailer and the towing vehicle. The trailer sway control determines a trailer angle of sway based upon proximity sensor readings from the reverse proximity sensors and from a sensor reading of an angle of turn of a steering wheel of the towing vehicle. Provided the determined trailer angle of sway exceeds a range that can be tolerated, a controller sends instructions to apply necessary braking to the vehicle or trailer to mitigate the trailer sway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kirk Matthew Englert
  • Patent number: 8260497
    Abstract: In the conventional vehicle control device, since a detection timing of turn is late, at the time of making the change of gear ratio based the detection timing, a sense of discomfort is brought to a driver. Moreover, steering wheel angle sensor, yaw rate sensor or lateral acceleration sensor is very expensive, resulting in the cost increase of the vehicle control devices. From information regarding a steering force that can be obtained from an electric power steering device, a turn intention of a driver is detected, and based the turning intention, the change of gear ratio is conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihide Satake, Hiroshi Fujioka, Kohei Mori
  • Patent number: 8260535
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a seat defining a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion, an electronic stability system, adapted to receive inputs from a load sensor, a wheel rotation sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor, the electronic stability system adapted to provide outputs to at least one of the brake system for braking the vehicle, and the engine control unit to change the power output transmitted to the wheels by the engine, the electronic stability system using a first calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a non-loaded state and a second calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a loaded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.
    Inventor: Mario Dagenais
  • Patent number: 8251461
    Abstract: To improve brake force in front and rear combined brake control, a brake control device includes a front wheel brake caliper having at least two front wheel cylinders, and a rear wheel brake caliper having a rear wheel cylinder. A front wheel brake conduit is disposed between a front wheel master cylinder and one of the front wheel cylinders, and a rear wheel brake conduit is disposed between a rear wheel master cylinder and the rear wheel cylinder. A pressure amplification conduit branches from a first position in the rear wheel brake conduit and merges with the rear wheel brake conduit at a second position downstream of the first position. A combined brake conduit branches from a third position in the rear wheel brake conduit positioned downstream of the first position and is coupled to the other of the front wheel cylinders. A first switch control valve is disposed between the first position and the third position in the rear wheel brake conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Atsushi, Tohru Masuno
  • Publication number: 20120212353
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a driver's slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The systems that may be modified include: visual devices, audio devices, tactile devices, antilock brake systems, automatic brake prefill systems, brake assist systems, auto cruise control systems, electronic stability control systems, collision warning systems, lane keep assist systems, blind spot indicator systems, electronic pretensioning systems and climate control systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 8249790
    Abstract: It is predicted whether a spin amount is tending to diverge and a vehicle is tending to become unstable, or the spin amount is tending to converge and the vehicle is tending to become stable. When the convergent tendency is predicted, a correction to reduce the spin amount is performed. As a result, the performance of a braking force control can be made difficult when the spin amount is tending to converge. Thus, it is possible to prevent an anti-spin control from being performed when there is actually no need to perform the anti-spin control, such as when the vehicle posture is correcting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20120209490
    Abstract: A vehicle stability control system comprises a 5-sensor cluster and a stability controller configured to communicate with the 5-sensor cluster and receive signals corresponding to a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a yaw rate, a roll rate, and a pitch rate from the 5-sensor cluster. The stability controller can also be configured to determine a braking amount or a throttle amount to maintain vehicle stability. The system also comprises a brake controller configured to communicate with the stability controller and receive a braking request from the stability controller, and a throttle controller configured to communicate with the stability controller and receive a throttle request from the stability controller. The system may also comprise a braking or throttling command computed based on various scenarios detected by measured and calculated signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
    Inventors: Jianbo LU, Leonard K. JOHNSON, Joseph Carr MEYERS
  • Patent number: 8244420
    Abstract: If an accelerator pedal is released, when a flag indicates 1, a vehicle travels in a traveling environment reflected operation mode where an engine and two motors are controlled in a manner that a required torque is output to a drive shaft while the engine is operated by the motor. If a vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a threshold at the time or after the flag is changed from 1 to 0, the vehicle travels in a normal operation mode where the engine and two motors are controlled in a manner that the required torque is output to the drive shaft with engine rotation stopped. If the vehicle speed is higher than the threshold when the flag is changed from 1 to 0, the vehicle travels in the traveling environment reflected operation mode until the vehicle speed becomes equal to or lower than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Shimohira, Ryo Shimizu, Hideki Furuta
  • Patent number: 8244443
    Abstract: A slip suppression control system for a vehicle includes a monitored value detecting device for detecting a monitored value corresponding to a difference between a rotational speed of a front wheel and a rotational speed of a rear wheel of the vehicle, a threshold determiner unit configured to determine a relationship between the monitored value detected by the monitored value detecting device and a threshold; and a controller configured to initiate traction control for reducing a driving power of a drive wheel when the threshold determiner unit determines that the monitored value exceeds a predetermined start threshold, wherein the threshold determiner unit is configured to count a return time which lapses from when the monitored value exceeds the start threshold until the monitored value becomes smaller than second threshold; and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or not to terminate the traction control based on the return time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeru Oshima, Tatsuya Hirokami
  • Patent number: 8244428
    Abstract: An automatic fore/aft detection procedure as described herein may be implemented in connection with an aircraft brake control system that utilizes wheel-mounted accelerometers that detect landing gear acceleration for purposes of antiskid control. The fore/aft detection procedure automatically determines that the aircraft is moving in a forward direction based upon the current wheel speed and rotational direction of the wheels. Once detected, forward direction is assigned to the rotational direction of each wheel (clockwise or counterclockwise) and a fore/aft orientation can be assigned to the accelerometer for each wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: T. Todd Griffith
  • Publication number: 20120203439
    Abstract: A method is described for controlling a vehicle having a pressure-medium-activated brake device which includes wheel brakes and brake circuits on each side, on only at least one rear axle, and having a drive engine which drives the rear wheels of the at least one rear axle, in which the rear wheels can be optionally or automatically coupled to or decoupled from front wheels of a front axle in order to transmit driving and/or braking power. Also described is a vehicle having a brake device which includes wheel brakes and brake circuits on each side on only at least one rear axle, and having a drive engine which drives the rear wheels of the at least one rear axle, in which the rear wheels can be optionally or automatically coupled to or decoupled from the front wheels of a front axle in order to transmit driving and/or braking power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Martin Mederer, Andreas Wimmer
  • Patent number: 8239112
    Abstract: A method for estimating a brake pressure, a longitudinal tire force and a tire-road ? during periods of antilock control that measures deceleration of a wheel during a period of constant brake pressure, reduces a brake pressure to cause slip on the wheel to begin reducing, measures reacceleration of the wheel after a point in time in which the change in brake pressure is completed, calculates a change in acceleration based on the measured reacceleration and the measured deceleration, estimates a change in brake pressure from a proportional relationship between the change in acceleration and a brake pressure value, estimates a brake pressure from the relationship between a time for valve activation during a change in acceleration and the change in brake pressure. The method also estimates a longitudinal tire force from a mathematical relationship between the change in acceleration, a tire radius, and the estimated brake pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventor: John Patrick Joyce
  • Patent number: 8234045
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating failure mode effects in a steer-by-wire system. The system includes a controller configured to alter a direction of the vehicle when the controller is in a failure mode. A steering device is coupled to a detector. The detector is configured to detect a steering input from a driver and output a signal representative of the steering input. A first actuator is coupled to a first control device. The first control device is configured to generate a first control signal representative of the steering input when the controller is in the failure mode. The first actuator alters the direction of the vehicle by removing energy from the vehicle. A second actuator is coupled to a second control device. The second control device is configured to generate a second control signal representative of the steering input when the controller is in the failure mode. The second actuator alters the direction of the vehicle by adding energy to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: William Spadafora, David Llewellyn, Perry Paielli, Jason Kramer
  • Patent number: 8234051
    Abstract: Several low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination devices determine whether a road surface has a low friction coefficient based on the highest and lowest wheel speeds; the wheel speeds of front and rear wheels; wheel speeds of a left-hand and right-hand driving wheels; and by comparing a reference vehicle-body acceleration calculated from a driving force of an engine with an actual vehicle-body acceleration calculated from a calculated number of revolutions of differential gears. A low-friction-coefficient road-surface total-determination device makes a total determination as to whether the road surface has a low friction coefficient based on the determination results of the low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination devices. Accordingly, each low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination device is capable of compensating for disadvantages of the other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahito Fujita, Yutaka Ishikawa, Makoto Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120191299
    Abstract: A method of detecting a minispare tire in a vehicle having a vehicle control system. The method includes detecting a rotational velocity of each of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle; determining whether a minispare tire is mounted on the vehicle based on the rotational velocities detected at each of the plurality of wheels; adjusting the vehicle control system if a minispare tire is mounted on the vehicle; sensing a hydraulic pressure of a braking system of the vehicle; and suspending determination of whether a minispare tire is mounted on the vehicle if the hydraulic pressure exceeds a predetermined critical pressure level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Nachiket D. Patil
  • Patent number: 8229642
    Abstract: Improved methods of controlling the stability of a vehicle are provided via the cooperative operation of vehicle stability control systems such as an Active Yaw Control system, Antilock Braking System, and Traction Control System. These methods use recognition of road surface information including the road friction coefficient (mu), wheel slippage, and yaw deviations. The methods then modify the settings of the active damping system and/or the distribution of drive torque, as necessary, to increase/reduce damping in the suspension and shift torque application at the wheels, thus preventing a significant shift of load in the vehicle and/or improving vehicle drivability and comfort. The adjustments of the active damping system or torque distribution temporarily override any characteristics that were pre-selected by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James W. Post, II, Xiaodi Kang, William Monsma
  • Patent number: 8224546
    Abstract: A second threshold value which is smaller than a first threshold value is set as a threshold value for starting pressure decrease control of a wheel on a high ? road surface side when a select low control is employed. Then, if a slip ratio of the wheel on the high ? road surface side exceeds the second threshold value, a pressure decrease control in ABS control is started even if the slip ratio of a wheel on a low ? road surface side does not exceed the first threshold value. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the vehicle running state from becoming unstable due to the wheel speed of the wheel on the high ? road surface side from decreasing with respect to the vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masato Terasaka
  • Patent number: 8219308
    Abstract: An engine-propelled monowheel vehicle comprises two wheels, close together, that circumscribe the remainder of the vehicle. When the vehicle is moving forward, the closely spaced wheels act as a single wheel, and the vehicle turns by leaning the wheels. A single propulsion system provides a drive torque that is shared by the two wheels. A separate steering torque, provided by a steering motor, is added to one wheel while being subtracted from the other wheel, enabling the wheels to rotate in opposite directions for turning the vehicle at zero forward velocity. The vehicle employs attitude sensors, for sensing roll, pitch, and yaw, and an automatic balancing system. A flywheel in the vehicle spins at a high rate around a spin axis, wherein the spin axis is rotatable with respect to the vehicle's frame. The axis angle and flywheel spin speed are continually adjustable to generate torques for automatic balancing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Karl F. Leeser
  • Patent number: 8204652
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for compensating steering of a motor drive power steering (MDPS) system. In this method, the MDPS system determines a slip of a vehicle, calculates a steering compensation value and controls a gain based on moment input from an electronic stability program (ESP) system under coordinate control between the MDPS system and the ESP system, so that stability of the vehicle can be enhanced by reducing heterogeneous steering and preventing over steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung Hoon Yang
  • Publication number: 20120150362
    Abstract: The application of braking force to drive components that move a vehicle is controlled. As consistent with one or more example embodiments, an integrated circuit chip is located at each of two or more drive components (e.g., wheels) of a vehicle for controlling the application of a braking force to the drive component independently of the application of braking force to other drive components. Each of the integrated circuit chips communicate with one another over a vehicle network, with brake control (e.g., using an algorithm to limit wheel slip) being carried out separately at each drive component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Nils Kolbe, Marcus Prochaska
  • Publication number: 20120150409
    Abstract: A vehicle braking force control device which, at a normal time, performs antilock brake control when the slip ratio of a wheel has become equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The control device acquires from the engine control unit an accelerator pedal position signal corresponding to an accelerator pedal position, a clutch connection signal corresponding to a state of connection of a clutch, and a power transmission signal corresponding to a state of power transmission of a transmission. When engine braking is large on the basis of the accelerator pedal position signal, the clutch connection signal, and the power transmission signal, the vehicle braking force control device changes the predetermined threshold value to an offset threshold value that makes it harder to perform the antilock brake control than at the normal time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: BOSCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogawa, Kazuhiro Yamada
  • Publication number: 20120139328
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle braking system includes a hydraulic brake system in communication with a regenerative brake system. The regenerative brake system has both a fixed system logic portion and a user-adjustable system logic portion. The fixed system logic of the regenerative brake system is driven by a brake member displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: APTERA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Edward Todd Brown, Paul Thomas Geantil, Richard Lewis Fabini, Oliver Chin-Liong Kho
  • Publication number: 20120139329
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle braking system includes a regenerative brake system operable upon a deceleration request from at least one of an acceleration member and a braking member. At least a portion of the deceleration request is adjustable by a user when the deceleration request is provided by the acceleration member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: APTERA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Lewis Fabini, Brian Lee Gallagher, Oliver Chin-Liong Kho, Edward Todd Brown, Paul Thomas Geantil
  • Publication number: 20120133202
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and program products for adjusting regenerative braking torque in a vehicle having wheels and a regenerative braking system providing the regenerative braking torque are provided. A deceleration of the vehicle is determined. A wheel slip of the wheels is determined. The regenerative braking torque is adjusted for the regenerative braking system using the deceleration and the wheel slip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: DANNY Y. MUI, ERIC E. KRUEGER, KEVIN S. KIDSTON
  • Patent number: 8185288
    Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle having a sensor device for providing a first and second sensor signal, a first and a second brake control device, which are directly connected to the sensor device and to provide a corresponding control signal for the first and/or second sensor signal, and a first and a second signal line for transmitting the control signal, the first signal line directly connecting the first brake control device to a first and second wheel actuator device and the second signal line directly connecting the second brake control device to a third and fourth wheel actuator device, the four wheel actuator devices exerting a braking torque corresponding to the control signal on the associated wheel, and the first wheel actuator device being directly connected to the second brake control device and/or the sensor device. A method for operating a brake system for a vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Strengert, Peter Blessing, Dirk Hofmann, Werner Harter
  • Patent number: 8180548
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method of controlling a brake system of a vehicle having a brake input device, such as a brake pedal, a plurality of rotating wheels and a plurality of brakes, each brake of the plurality of brakes corresponding to one wheel of the plurality of wheels, is provided. In controlling the brakes, data indicative of a deflection of the brake pedal is received, and the received data is used to derive a target deceleration rate. A braking command is provided to each of the plurality of brakes, wherein the braking command is varied for each brake to regulate a deceleration rate the vehicle in accordance with the target deceleration rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Eric D. Cahill
  • Patent number: 8180547
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for detecting a slip condition between a vehicle tire and a road surface, processing contemporaneous vehicle data, such as torque or brake pressure applied, to determine a force of friction, and calculating a coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction and location of the slip are broadcast to other vehicles driving in the proximity of the slip. The broadcasts may be utilized to notify drivers of slippery driving conditions at or ahead of the vehicle, and/or to limit torque and braking pressure applied to vehicle wheels to enhance traction and avoid slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Krishnaswamy Venkatesh Prasad, Christoph Arndt, Thomas Joseph Hermann, David P Boll
  • Patent number: 8180543
    Abstract: A movement stabilizing control ECU 25 includes a differential unit 25a, a cycle calculation unit 25b, a time constant/gain setting portion 25c, a first-order lag processing unit 25d, a pendulum movement detection unit 25e, a control amount calculation portion 25f and a control amount output unit 25g. The time constant/gain setting portion 25c sets a time constant ? and a gain K used at the time of subjecting a yaw acceleration ?? which is a time-differential value of a yaw rate ? to the first-order lag processing at the first-order lag processing unit 25d, with reference to a function or data of a look-up table, for example, depending on the cycle or the frequency of the yaw acceleration ?? due to the pendulum movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Futamura, Takeshi Kojima, Kazuaki Miyata
  • Patent number: 8172341
    Abstract: A vehicular anti-lock control system includes: a ground load calculation section for detecting or estimating a ground load of a wheel; a road surface friction coefficient calculation section for detecting or estimating a road surface friction coefficient; and a reference fluid pressure calculation section for calculating an upper side reference fluid pressure and a lower side reference fluid pressure in anti-lock control based on the ground load and the friction coefficient. The upper and lower side reference fluid pressures are respectively determined to be an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a fluid pressure in anti-lock control. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the amount of change in the fluid pressure during anti-lock control, thus improving the braking effect and the braking feel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Ito, Osamu Yamamoto, Naoto Ohkubo, Hiromi Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8175785
    Abstract: A system and related operating method for performance launch control of a vehicle begins by receiving a user-selected driving condition setting that is indicative of road conditions. The method also collects real-time vehicle status data during operation of the vehicle, and derives a target wheel slip profile from the user-selected driving condition setting and the real-time vehicle status data. The actual propulsion system torque of the vehicle is limited using the target wheel slip profile, resulting in improved performance for standstill launches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michael P. Turski, Kevin A. O'Dea, Eric E. Krueger
  • Publication number: 20120109483
    Abstract: An exemplary method for controlling torque at one or more wheels of a vehicle, including controlling both positive torque (acceleration) and negative torque (braking) with a single torque command. According to one embodiment, the method interprets the acceleration and braking intent of the driver, takes into consideration certain special conditions (e.g., vehicle dynamic conditions like wheel slip, over- and under-steer, etc.), and generates one or more individual torque commands that are sent to individual wheels or corners of the vehicle. The individual torque commands may address certain chassis and powertrain functions like acceleration and braking, and may provide full-feature torque control (i.e., acceleration, braking, vehicle dynamics, etc.) on an individual wheel basis. It is also possible for the method to be used in a system where a number of the common chassis, powertrain and/or vehicle dynamic modules have been integrated into a single torque control module or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin A. O'Dea, John F. Larsen, Edmund F. Gaffney, III, James Heath Holbrook, Benjamin A. C. Beacock, Sisira D. Adikari