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US 12,365,207 B2Granted
Methods and systems for estimating trailer tongue load
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMohammadali Shahriari, Ashraf Abualfellat, Michelle Zirngibl Taylor, Lance G Lamson, Reza Zarringhalam, Brian Porto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: initiating, by a processor, steering excitation according to a pattern while the vehicle is stationary; learning, by the processor, a load associated with a front axle of the vehicle based on the steering excitation; translating, by the processor, the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, and generating, by the processor, a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer.
Claims16
A method of a vehicle, comprising:
- initiating, by a processor of the vehicle, automatic steering of wheels of the vehicle back and forth a plurality of times according to a defined pattern;
- obtaining, in response to the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern, steering sensor data including handwheel torque data and wheel speed data in a sinusoidal form;
- determining, by the processor based on the steering sensor data, a handwheel angle and a steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- determining, by the processor, a load associated with a front axle of the vehicle based on a relationship between the handwheel angle and the steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- translating, by the processor, the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, based on a mapping model that maps axle load to determined tongue loads;
- and
- generating, by the processor, a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer;
- wherein the steering motor torque is calculated by the processor in accordance with the following equation:
- τ
- motor
- =
- J
- ω
-
- δ
- ¨
- +
- b
- ω
-
- δ
- .
- +
- L
-
- (
- δ
- -
- β
- -
- ω
- z
-
- l
- f
- v
- x
- )
- .
- (
- 1
- )
- in which Jω represents steering a moment of inertia for the vehicle, {umlaut over (δ)} represents steering acceleration of the vehicle, bω represents steering damping for the vehicle, L represents a wheel base of the vehicle, β represents a side slip angle for the vehicle, ωz represents a yaw rate for the vehicle, lf represents a distance between a center of gravity for the vehicle and a front axle of the vehicle, vx represents a longitudinal velocity for the vehicle, and τmotor represents the steering motor torque.
40 more elements
The method of claim, 1 the mapping model is determined by the processor based on crowd sourced data from one or more other vehicles.
A system of a vehicle, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store a learned mapping model that maps loads associated with a front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a trailer tongue;
- and
- a computer system onboard the vehicle and configured to, by a processor of the vehicle:
- initiate automatic steering of wheels of the vehicle back and forth a plurality of times according to a defined pattern;
- obtain, in response to the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern, steering sensor data including handwheel torque data and wheel speed data in a sinusoidal form;
- determine, based on the steering sensor data, a handwheel angle and a steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- determine a load associated with the front axle of the vehicle based on a relationship between the handwheel angle and the steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- translate the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, based on a mapping model that maps axle load to determined tongue loads;
- and
- generate a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer;
- wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the steering motor torque in accordance with the following equation:
- τ
- motor
- =
- J
- ω
-
- δ
- ¨
- +
- b
- ω
-
- δ
- .
- +
- L
-
- (
- δ
- -
- β
- -
- ω
- z
-
- l
- f
- v
- x
- )
- .
- (
- 1
- )
- in which Jω represents steering a moment of inertia for the vehicle, {umlaut over (δ)} represents steering acceleration of the vehicle, bω represents steering damping for the vehicle, L represents a wheel base of the vehicle, β represents a side slip angle for the vehicle, ωz represents a yaw rate for the vehicle, lf represents a distance between a center of gravity for the vehicle and a front axle of the vehicle, vx represents a longitudinal velocity for the vehicle, and τmotor represents the steering motor torque.
43 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- a hitch configured to couple to a trailer having a trailer tongue;
- and
- a computer system configured to, by a processor:
- initiate automatic steering of wheels of the vehicle back and forth a plurality of times according to a defined pattern;
- obtain, in response to the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern, steering sensor data including handwheel torque data and wheel speed data in a sinusoidal form;
- determine, based on the steering sensor data, a handwheel angle and a steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- a load associated with the front axle of the vehicle based on a relationship between the handwheel angle and the steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
- translate the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, based on a mapping model that maps axle load to determined tongue loads;
- and
- generate a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer;
- wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the steering motor torque in accordance with the following equation:
- τ
- motor
- =
- J
- ω
-
- δ
- ¨
- +
- b
- ω
-
- δ
- .
- +
- L
-
- (
- δ
- -
- β
- -
- ω
- z
-
- l
- f
- v
- x
- )
- .
- (
- 1
- )
- in which Jω represents steering a moment of inertia for the vehicle, {umlaut over (δ)} represents steering acceleration of the vehicle, bω represents steering damping for the vehicle, L represents a wheel base of the vehicle, β represents a side slip angle for the vehicle, ωz represents a yaw rate for the vehicle, lf represents a distance between a center of gravity for the vehicle and a front axle of the vehicle, vx represents a longitudinal velocity for the vehicle, and τmotor represents the steering motor torque.
43 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.