Method for estimation of a trailer wheelbase length
AssigneeVolvo Truck Corporation
InventorKristoffer Tagesson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for estimating the effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer. The method includes driving the vehicle combination forwards, determining the speed of the vehicle combination, determining the steering angle of the towing vehicle, determining the steering angle of each towed trailer, determining the yaw rate of the towing vehicle and the yaw rate of the towed trailer or determining the articulation angle for each towed trailer, and using the determined values to calculate a value for the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer. An arrangement for estimating the effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination is also disclosed.
Claims14
A method for estimating an effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer, comprising:
- driving the vehicle combination forwards,
- recording the speed of the vehicle combination,
- recording the steering angle of the towing vehicle,
- recording the yaw rate of the towing vehicle and of the towed trailers,
- determining the yaw rate of the towed trailers using the recorded yaw rate of the towing vehicle and adding a time derivative of an articulation angle between the towing vehicle and the towed trailers,
- recording the steering angle of each towed trailer,
- using the recorded values and the determined yaw rate to calculate a value for the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer, and
- using the calculated value of the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer to perform one or more autonomous or semi-automatic driving functions.
A vehicle combination, comprising
- a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer,
- an autonomous or semi-automatic driving system for the towing vehicle;
- and
- an arrangement for estimating an effective wheelbase length of the trailer, where the arrangement comprises
- means for obtaining the speed of the vehicle combination,
- means for obtaining the steering angle of the towing vehicle,
- means for obtaining the steering angle of each towed trailer,
- wherein the arrangement further comprises
- means for obtaining the yaw rate of the towing vehicle and each towed trailer, the yaw rate of the towed trailers being obtained using the obtained yaw rate of the towing vehicle and adding a time derivative of an articulation angle between the towing vehicle and the towed trailers, and
- means for calculating a value for the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer using the obtained values,
- wherein the autonomous or semi-automatic driving system is arranged to use the calculated value of the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer to perform one or more autonomous or semi-automatic driving functions.
A method for estimating an effective wheelbase length of a trailer in a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and at least one towed trailer, comprising:
- driving the vehicle combination forwards,
- recording the speed of the vehicle combination,
- recording the steering angle of the towing vehicle,
- recording the yaw rate of the towing vehicle,
- recording an articulation angle for each towed trailer, wherein the articulation angle for each towed trailer is an angle between a longitudinal center-line of the trailer and a longitudinal center-line of the towing vehicle,
- determining the yaw rate of the towed trailers using the recorded yaw rate of the towing vehicle and adding a time derivative of the articulation angle between the towing vehicle and the towed trailers,
- recording the steering angle of each towed trailer,
- using the recorded values and the determined yaw rate to calculate a value for the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer, and
- using the calculated value of the effective wheelbase for each towed trailer to perform one or more autonomous or semi-automatic driving functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.