US 6,272,418 B1 · Integrated control system of vehicle

Abstract

An integrated vehicle control system including: contact possibility determining means for determining whether a possibility of contact with an obstacle is great, first brake control means for controlling operation of the vehicle brake in response to the possibility of contact, vehicle behavior detecting means for detecting parameters such as the vehicle yaw rate, vehicle behavior control means for calculating a value such as the error between the detected yaw rate and a reference yaw rate and calculating a manipulated variable (braking force difference) to make vehicle behavior stable, and second brake control means for controlling operation of the vehicle brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable. In the system, the vehicle behavior control means advances the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable or increases the manipulated variable, when the possibility of contact is great, whereby effecting the vehicle behavior sufficient for avoiding an obstacle, while ensuring stable vehicle behavior.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for controlling the behavior of a vehicle having a brake which is controllable in a braking force applied at a left wheel and a right wheel of the vehicle independently, comprising:

obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle present ahead on a course of travel of the vehicle;
contact possibility determining means for determining whether a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with the obstacle is present based on an output of the obstacle detecting means;
first brake control means for controlling operation of the brake in response to a result of the determination of the contact possibility determining means;
vehicle behavior detecting means for detecting at least a parameter of the vehicle indicative of behavior of the vehicle;
vehicle behavior control means for calculating at least an error, for controlling a vehicle behavior, between the detected parameter and a reference value and for calculating a manipulated variable to make the vehicle behavior stable;
and
second brake control means for controlling operation of the brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable;
wherein:
the vehicle behavior control means conducts at least one from among procedures to advance the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable and to increase the manipulated variable, when the contact possibility determining means determines that the possibility of contact is present.

6 more elements

A method of controlling the behavior of a vehicle having a brake which is controllable in a braking force applied at a left wheel and a right wheel of the vehicle independently, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an obstacle present ahead on a course of travel of the vehicle;
(b) determining whether a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with the detected obstacle is present;
(c) controlling operation of the brake in response to a result of the determination of the contact possibility;
(d) detecting at least a parameter of the vehicle indicative of behavior of the vehicle;
(e) calculating at least an error, for controlling a vehicle behavior, between the detected parameter and a reference value and for calculating a manipulated variable to make the vehicle behavior stable;
and
(f) controlling operation of the brake in response to the calculated manipulated variable;
wherein:
(g) conducting at least one from among a set of procedures, including to advance the timing of the calculation of the manipulated variable and to increase the manipulated variable, when the possibility of contact is determined to be present.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrated control system of vehicle

Life of this patent

Integrated control system of vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20