Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-19
2001-04-17
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S041000, C701S083000, C701S088000, C303S140000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219609
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle dynamic control system, wherein a vehicle movement control device of said system alters the vehicle's control characteristic according to the curvature of a road to be traveled.
Recently developed and put into practical use are several kinds of vehicle movement control devices, e.g., a brake control device which improves a vehicle's running stability by applying braking force to an appropriate wheel considering reaction forces while cornering or the like, a left/right-wheel-differential limiter control device which controls limitation of the differential of the left and right wheels depending on running conditions and a power distribution control device which distributes driving torque to front and rear wheels in predetermined ratios by controlling the differential limitation of a center differential based on running conditions.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 70561/1990 disclosed a brake control device which compares an aimed yaw rate with a real yaw rate of a vehicle, judges the vehicle dynamic characteristic as under steering or over steering against the aimed yaw rate, and then applies corrective braking force to an outer wheel when judged as over steering is judged or to an inner wheel when judged as under steering is judged so that the real yaw rate and the aimed yaw rate become equal, thus upgrading the vehicle running stability.
Because the functions of the vehicle movement control devices aforementioned are corrective controls after detection of running conditions which occur presently, i.e., controls to stabilize the vehicle movement that are carried out upon detection of occurrence of unstable runs, they have difficulties in themselves to prevent occurrence of the unstable runs.
Thinking about a case where a driver finds a curved road in front while driving a vehicle equipped with one of the current vehicle movement control devices, all the measures to be taken for engaging the curved road are entrusted to the driver. If the vehicle enters onto the curved road with inappropriate measures taken by the driver, unstable runs occur and the vehicle movement control devices work thereafter, i.e., delaying the control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system which can estimate an emerging curved road beforehand, activates respective vehicle movement control devices and makes them work properly so that engagement of the curved road, including entering into and coming out the curve, can be carried out appropriately.
The present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system comprising: a position detection means for determining the location of a vehicle; a curve geometry calculating means for acquiring curve data while detecting a curve in front of the vehicle: at least one vehicle movement controlling means for controlling movement of the vehicle: and a vehicle movement control altering means for changing a characteristic of the vehicle movement control means into a characteristic favorable to turning when the vehicle is not yet in a curve and the distance ahead of the vehicle to a curve is within a predetermined value.
Further, the present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system aforementioned, wherein the vehicle movement control altering means changes the characteristic of the vehicle movement control means into that favorable to stabilizing the vehicle's posture when the vehicle runs in a curve and the distance ahead of the vehicle to the curve end is within a predetermined value, while changing the characteristic of the vehicle movement control means into that favorable to turning when the vehicle runs in a curve and the distance ahead of the vehicle to the curve end exceeds the predetermined value.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system aforementioned, wherein the vehicle movement controlling means is at least one among a brake controller applying braking force to a selected wheel based on vehicle running conditions, a left/right-wheel-differential limiter controller controlling limitation of the differential of left and right wheels based on vehicle running conditions and a power distribution controller distributing driving torque to front and rear wheels in predetermined ratios by controlling the differential limitation of a center differential based on vehicle running conditions.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system aforementioned, wherein the vehicle movement controlling means is the brake controller, and changing of the characteristic of the vehicle movement controlling means to that favorable to turning is done by altering a control parameter specifying sensitivity.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system aforementioned, wherein the vehicle movement controlling means is the left/right-wheel-differential limiter controller, and changing of the characteristic of the vehicle movement controlling means to that favorable to turning is done by weakening the limitation of the differential of the left and right wheels and vice versa, i.e., changing the characteristic of the vehicle movement controlling means to that favorable to stabilizing the vehicle's posture is done by strengthening the limitation of the differential of the left and right wheels.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a vehicle dynamic control system aforementioned, wherein the vehicle movement controlling means is the power distribution controller for controlling the differential limitation of a center differential, and changing of the characteristic of the vehicle movement controlling means to that favorable to turning is performed by controlling the limitation of the differential to an uneven torque distribution to the front and rear wheels, either the front bigger or the front smaller, while changing the characteristic of the vehicle movement controlling means to that favorable to stabilizing vehicle posture is done by controlling the limitation of the differential to even torque distribution.
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Konno Toshihiro
Matsuno Koji
Matsuura Munenori
Mine Atsushi
Takahashi Akira
Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Smith Gambrell & Russell
Zanelli Michael J.
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