Device for determining a roadway gradient quantity
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsIan Faye, Klaus-Dieter Leimbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for determining a roadway gradient quantity, which describes the gradient of a roadway on which a vehicle is situated, is described. The device includes a liquid container, which is mounted to the vehicle and contains a liquid, at least one pressure sensor, which is mounted in the bottom of the liquid container and is used to ascertain a pressure quantity which describes the hydrostatic pressure in the liquid container, and an evaluation unit to which the pressure sensor is connected. In the evaluation unit, the roadway gradient quantity is determined as a function of the pressure quantity.
Claims17
A device for determining a roadway gradient quantity, the roadway gradient quantity describing at least one of the roadway gradient in the direction of travel of a vehicle and the roadway gradient transverse, the device comprising:
- a liquid container mounted to the vehicle and containing a liquid, the liquid container having a bottom;
- at least one pressure sensor mounted in an area of the bottom of the liquid container, the at least one pressure sensor ascertaining a pressure quantity describing a hydrostatic pressure in the liquid container;
- and
- an evaluation unit coupled to the at least one pressure sensor, the evaluation unit determining the roadway gradient quantity as a function of the pressure quantity.
A method for determining a roadway gradient quantity, the roadway gradient quantity describing at least one of the roadway gradient in the direction of travel of a vehicle and the roadway gradient transverse to the direction of travel of a vehicle, comprising:
- mounting a device on the vehicle, the device comprising:
- a liquid container containing a liquid, the liquid container having a bottom,
- at least one pressure sensor mounted in an area of the bottom of the liquid container, and
- an evaluation unit coupled to the at least one pressure sensor;
- ascertaining a pressure quantity describing a hydrostatic pressure in the liquid container, using the at least one pressure sensor;
- evaluating the pressure quantity, using the evaluation unit;
- and
- determining the roadway gradient quantity as a function of the pressure quantity.
A method for determining a roadway gradient quantity, the roadway gradient quantity describing at least one of the roadway gradient in the direction of travel of a vehicle and the roadway gradient transverse to the direction of travel of a vehicle, comprising:
- determining a pressure quantity describing a hydrostatic pressure in a liquid container, wherein the liquid container is mounted to the vehicle;
- determining a quantity associated with the driving situation by detecting at least one of the driving situation values selected from the group consisting of acceleration of the vehicle, steering angle of the vehicle, speed of at least one wheel, braking condition of at least one brake, and condition of the engine;
- and
- determining the roadway gradient quantity as a function of the pressure quantity and the quantity associated with the driving situation.
A device for determining a vehicle inclination quantity describing the inclination of a vehicle, the inclination of the vehicle occurring as a result of a sloped roadway, the device comprising:
- a liquid container mounted to the vehicle and containing a liquid;
- at least one pressure sensor, the at least one pressure sensor ascertaining a pressure quantity describing a hydrostatic pressure in the liquid container, wherein the at least one pressure sensor is mounted at the bottom of the liquid container at a position located on a first center line of the liquid container and at a distance from a second center line, wherein the first center line is a horizontal center line or a vertical center line, and wherein the second center line is the vertical center line or the horizontal center line that is orthogonal to the first center line;
- and
- an evaluation unit coupled to the at least one pressure sensor, the evaluation unit determining the vehicle inclination quantity as a function of the pressure quantity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.