US 2006/0142920 A1 · Method for correcting the outputs of vehicle behavior sensor

Abstract

First and second acceleration sensor elements for detecting the acceleration of a vehicle in the direction in which the vehicle travels, and the acceleration of the vehicle in the direction transverse to the travel direction of the vehicle are mounted on a sensor substrate which is mounted on a control substrate of a vehicle control device. With the sensor substrate positioned such that the sensing directions of the respective sensor elements are perpendicular to or parallel to the vertical line, the outputs of the respective sensor elements are detected as zero errors or gain errors. The sensor substrate is then mounted on a vehicle and with the vehicle placed on a horizontal surface, a signal is sent to an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle control device so that the ECU can recognize that the vehicle is horizontal. Based on the outputs from the first and second sensor elements at this time, the deviation angles of the sensor elements about the X-axis and Y-axis directions are calculated. The acceleration in the X-axis direction is calculated from signals from wheel speed sensors. Based on the deviation angles and the acceleration in the X-axis direction, the deviation angle of the sensor elements about the Z-axis is calculated. Based on the thus calculated deviation angles and zero errors and/or gain errors, the outputs of the sensor elements are corrected to obtain true accelerations in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for correcting outputs of a vehicle behavior sensor assembly of a vehicle control device including an electronic control unit, said vehicle behavior sensor assembly comprising a first acceleration sensor element for detecting an acceleration of a vehicle on which said vehicle control device is mounted in an X-axis direction in which the vehicle travels, and a second acceleration sensor element for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a Y-axis direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction, said electronic control device being configured to control the behavior of the vehicle based on signals from said first and second acceleration sensor elements:

said method comprising:
mounting said sensor assembly on the vehicle;
keeping the vehicle in a stationary state with the X-axis and Y-axis directions horizontal;
feeding a signal indicating that the vehicle is horizontal to said electronic control unit;
calculating first and second deviation angles of sensing directions of said first and second sensor elements about said X-axis direction in a YZ plane that is perpendicular to said X-axis direction and about said Y-axis direction in an XZ plane that is perpendicular to said Y-axis direction based on outputs from said first and second sensor elements, respectively;
and
correcting outputs of said first and second sensor elements while the vehicle is traveling based on said first and second deviation angles.

4 more elements

A method for correcting outputs of a vehicle behavior sensor assembly of a vehicle control device including an electronic control unit, said vehicle behavior sensor assembly comprising a first acceleration sensor element for detecting an acceleration of a vehicle on which said vehicle control device is mounted in an X-axis direction in which the vehicle travels, a second acceleration sensor element for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a Y-axis direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction, and a third acceleration sensor element for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a Z-axis direction that is perpendicular to both said X-axis and Y-axis directions, said electronic control device being configured to control the behavior of the vehicle based on signals from said first, second and third acceleration sensor elements:

said method comprising:
mounting said sensor assembly on the vehicle;
keeping the vehicle in a stationary state with the X-axis and Y-axis directions horizontal and the Z-axis directions parallel to a vertical line;
feeding a signal indicating that the vehicle is horizontal to said electronic control unit;
calculating first, second and third deviation angles of sensing directions of said first, second and third sensor elements about said X-axis direction in a YZ plane that is perpendicular to said X-axis direction, about said Y-axis direction in an XZ plane that is perpendicular to said Y-axis direction, and about said Z-axis direction in an XY plane that is perpendicular to said Z-axis direction, respectively;
and
correcting outputs of said first, second and third sensor elements while the vehicle is traveling based on said first, second and third deviation angles.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for correcting the outputs of vehicle behavior sensor

Life of this patent

Method for correcting the outputs of vehicle behavior sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9