# US 11,897,473 B2 · Device for towing vehicle and method of controlling device for towing vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,473 B2 - Document ID: US11897473B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/195,520 - Filed: 2023-05-10 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-27 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Daisuke Itagaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897473B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/188: Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power - B62D 11/04: by means of separate power sources - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 30/02: Control of vehicle driving stability - B62D 5/04: electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear - B62D 11/003: {Electric or electronic control systems} - B62D 53/02: comprising a uniaxle tractor unit and a uniaxle trailer unit {(see B60B11/00 - B60B11/08)} - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2520/105: Longitudinal acceleration - B60W 2520/14: Yaw - B60W 2520/28: Wheel speed - B60W 2520/30: Wheel torque - B60W 2530/10: Weight - B60W 2530/203: Presence of trailer - B60W 2554/404: Characteristics - B60W 2720/406: between left and right wheel - B62D 12/00: Steering specially adapted for vehicles operating in tandem or having pivotally connected frames (steering endless tracks or the like B62D11/00; steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00) - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A device for a towing vehicle that includes: a drive unit that independently drives each of left and right wheels of a towing vehicle that tows a towed vehicle; an acceleration detection unit that detects an acceleration of the towing vehicle; a drive force detection unit that detects a drive force of the towing vehicle; a mass estimation unit that estimates a mass of the towed vehicle using respective detection results generated by the acceleration detection unit and the drive force detection unit at a time of acceleration of the towing vehicle in a towing state; and a control unit that controls a drive force of the left and right wheels of the towing vehicle in consideration of an influence of the mass of the towed vehicle estimated by the mass estimation unit at a time of turning of the towing vehicle in the towing state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for a towing vehicle, comprising: a drive unit configured to independently drive each of left and right wheels of a towing vehicle that tows a towed vehicle; an acceleration detection unit configured to detect an acceleration of the towing vehicle; a drive force detection unit configured to detect a drive force of the towing vehicle; a mass estimation unit configured to estimate a mass of the towed vehicle using respective detection results generated by the acceleration detection unit and the drive force detection unit at a time of acceleration of the towing vehicle in a towing state; and a control unit configured to control a drive force of the left and right wheels of the towing vehicle in consideration of an influence of the mass of the towed vehicle estimated by the mass estimation unit at a time of turning of the towing vehicle in the towing state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device for a towing vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a wheel speed sensor configured to detect respective wheel speeds of the towing vehicle; and a torque sensor configured to detect torque of the respective wheels of the towing vehicle, wherein: the drive unit is configured as a motor, the acceleration detection unit detects the acceleration of the towing vehicle using a detection result of the wheel speed sensor, and the drive force detection unit detects the drive force of the towing vehicle using a detection result of the torque sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device for a towing vehicle of claim 2, further comprising: a yaw moment of inertia estimation unit configured to estimate a yaw moment of inertia of the towing vehicle in the towing state using respective detection results generated by the wheel speed sensor and the torque sensor when the towing vehicle in the towing state begins to turn, wherein the control unit further controls the drive force of the left and right wheels of the towing vehicle in consideration of an influence of the yaw moment of inertia estimated by the yaw moment of inertia estimation unit at a time of turning of the towing vehicle in the towing state. ### Claim 4 A method of controlling a device for a towing vehicle, the method comprising: providing a device for a towing vehicle, the device comprising: a drive unit configured to independently drive each of left and right wheels of a towing vehicle that tows a towed vehicle, an acceleration detection unit configured to detect an acceleration of the towing vehicle, and a drive force detection unit configured to detect a drive force of the towing vehicle; estimating a mass of the towed vehicle using respective detection results generated by the acceleration detection unit and the drive force detection unit at a time of acceleration of the towing vehicle in a towing state; and controlling a drive force of the left and right wheels of the towing vehicle in consideration of an influence of the estimated mass of the towed vehicle at a time of turning of the towing vehicle in the towing state.