Vehicle operator advisor system and method

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the mass of the vehicle;
• determining a rollover acceleration value which corresponds to the mass of the vehicle;
• comparing the rollover acceleration value with a lateral acceleration value which corresponds to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• indicating a rollover risk based upon the comparison;
• and
• in which the indicating act comprises indicating a rollover risk level to the vehicle operator while the vehicle is being driven and following the conclusion of vehicle driving conditions which created the increased risk of rollover to assist in training the driver to learn to avoid the increased rollover risk driving conditions.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the mass of the vehicle;
• determining a rollover acceleration value which corresponds to the mass of the vehicle;
• comparing the rollover acceleration value with a lateral acceleration value which corresponds to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• indicating a rollover risk based upon the comparison;
• in which the comparing act comprises determining a ratio of the lateral acceleration value to the rollover acceleration value and assigning the rollover risk to a rollover risk category based upon the ratio;
• wherein there are at least two such rollover risk categories;
• the method including the act of determining a proposed reduction in vehicle speed in the event the rollover risk falls into at least one of the at least two categories;
• and
• wherein the indicating act comprises indicating a recommended reduction in speed to the vehicle operator in addition to indicating the rollover risk at a time following the conclusion of driving conditions which led to the rollover risk falling into at least one of the at least two categories.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the mass of the vehicle;
• determining a rollover acceleration value which corresponds to the mass of the vehicle;
• comparing the rollover acceleration value with a lateral acceleration value which corresponds to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• indicating a rollover risk based upon the comparison;
• and
• wherein the comparing act comprises generating a rollover risk score from a ratio of the lateral acceleration value to the rollover acceleration value.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the mass of the vehicle;
• determining a rollover acceleration value which corresponds to the mass of the vehicle;
• comparing the rollover acceleration value with a lateral acceleration value which corresponds to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• indicating a rollover risk based upon the comparison;
• in which the vehicle has an automatically modulated braking system which controls the braking at least at selected wheels of the vehicle, the control of braking at a wheel being modulated under certain wheel slip conditions, the automatically modulated braking system producing first signals indicating the modulation of the wheels, the automatically modulated braking system also producing second signals which indicate the rate at which the acceleration of the vehicle is taking place, the method comprising:
• determining from the first signals whether one or more wheels is being modulated by the automatically modulated braking system, such condition being a wheel modulation hard-braking event;
• determining from the second signals whether braking is producing deceleration at a rate which exceeds a first deceleration rate for a time which exceeds a first time period, such condition being a rapid deceleration hard-braking event;
• indicating a first level of hard-braking event in the event a wheel modulation hard-braking event is detected without the detection of a rapid deceleration hard-braking event;
• indicating a second level of hard-braking event in the event a rapid deceleration hard-braking event is determined without the occurrence of a wheel modulation hard-braking event;
• and
• indicating a third level of hard-braking event in the event both the modulation wheel hard-braking event and rapid deceleration hard-braking events have occurred.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of the occurrence of hard-braking events, the vehicle having an automatically modulated braking system which controls the braking at least at selected wheels of the vehicle, the control of braking at a wheel being modulated under certain wheel slip conditions, the automatically modulated braking system producing first signals upon modulation of the wheels of the vehicle, the automatically modulated braking system also producing second signals which indicate the rate at which the acceleration of the vehicle is taking place, the method comprising:

• determining from the first signals whether one or more wheels is being modulated by the automatically modulated braking system, the modulation of at least one wheel being a wheel modulation hard-braking event;
• determining from the second signals whether braking is producing deceleration at a rate which exceeds a first deceleration rate for a time which exceeds a first time to thereby determine the occurrence of a rapid deceleration hard-braking event;
• indicating a first level of hard-braking event in the event a wheel modulation hard-braking event is detected without the detection of a rapid deceleration hard-braking event;
• indicating a second level of hard-braking event in the event a rapid deceleration hard-braking event is determined without the occurrence of a wheel modulation hard-braking event;
• and
• indicating a third level of hard-braking event in the event both the modulation wheel hard-braking event and rapid deceleration hard-braking events have occurred.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of a course of action upon the occurrence of conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• evaluating the risk of vehicle rollover as a vehicle is being driven;
• determining a reduction in vehicle speed recommendation which varies with the evaluated risk of vehicle rollover;
• indicating the recommended reduction in speed recommendation to the vehicle operator;
• in which the recommended reduction in speed recommendation is indicated to the vehicle operator following the conclusion of driving conditions which led to the risk of vehicle rollover being at least at a first threshold value;
• in which the act of evaluating the risk of a vehicle rollover includes the act of assigning at least two risk categories based on the evaluated risk of vehicle rollover;
• and wherein
• the act of determining a reduction in speed recommendation comprises varying the reduction in speed recommendation depending upon the category in which the evaluated risk falls.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the mass of the vehicle by repeatedly estimating the mass of the vehicle while the vehicle is being driven;
• determining a rollover acceleration threshold value based upon a rule set which assigns rollover acceleration threshold values based upon the determined mass of the vehicle, the rule set being embodied in at least one look-up table;
• wherein the vehicle is transporting a cargo area, the cargo area being located in a tailer or trailers being towed by the vehicle or being carried by the vehicle, and in which the act of determining the rollover acceleration threshold value comprises assigning a rollover threshold values to the lookup table based upon an assumed manner of loading the cargo area being transported by the vehicle;
• determining a lateral acceleration value which corresponds to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• comparing the rollover threshold value and the lateral acceleration value and assigning a rollover risk based upon the extent to which the lateral acceleration value approaches the rollover acceleration threshold value;
• wherein at least two rollover risk levels are assigned;
• selectively indicating the rollover risk level to the vehicle operator, selectively indicating to the vehicle operator a recommended speed reduction of a first amount for a rollover risk at a first level and a recommended speed reduction of a second amount for a rollover risk at a second level which differs from the first level, the selective indications being made to the vehicle operator as rollover advisories after the end of driving conditions which resulted in the assigning of the rollover risk levels;
• the act of selectively indicating comprising flashing a rollover risk message at a first rate of flashing if the rollover risk is of one level and at a second rate of flashing which is greater than the first rate of flashing in the event the rollover risk is at a second level which is greater than the first level;
• wherein the vehicle has an automatically modulating braking system which controls the braking at least at selected wheels of the vehicle, the control of braking at a wheel being modulated by the automatically modulating braking system under certain wheel slip conditions, the automated braking system producing modulation braking signals in response to modulation of braking of wheels by the automated braking system, the automated braking system also providing rapid deceleration signals which indicate the rate at which the deceleration of the vehicle is taking place, the method comprising the acts of determining from the modulation braking signals whether one or more wheels is being modulated by the automated braking system, which corresponds to a wheel modulation hard-braking event and determining from the rapid deceleration braking signals whether braking is producing deceleration at a rate which exceeds a first rate for at least a first time period to thereby indicate a rapid deceleration hard-braking event;
• determining a first level of hard-braking event in the event a wheel modulation braking event is detected without the detection of a rapid deceleration braking event;
• determining a second level of hard-braking event in the event a rapid deceleration hard-braking event is detected without the occurrence of a wheel modulation hard-braking event;
• determining a third level of hard-braking event in the event both the modulation wheel hard-braking event and rapid deceleration hard-braking event have occurred;
• determining the commencement of individual hard-braking events upon a determination that at least one of the first, second and third hard-braking event levels have been reached and determining the ending of the individual hard-braking events when all of the first, second and third levels are determined to no longer be taking place;
• selectively indicating to the vehicle operator the hard-braking event level that was determined to exist during individual hard-braking events, the third level being higher than the second level and the second level being higher than the first level, the hard-braking event level for each individual hard-braking event being indicated following the end of the individual hard-braking event;
• blocking the indicating of the hard-braking event level for an individual hard-braking event if the lateral acceleration value exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• and
• wherein the indicating act comprises the act of selectively indicating the number of hard-braking events and number of rollover advisory events that have been indicated during a vehicle trip and during a segment of the trip.

An apparatus for advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle mass determinator operable to determine the mass of a vehicle and to provide a mass indicating signal which corresponds to an estimate of the mass of the vehicle;
• an acceleration estimator coupled to the vehicle mass determinator and responsive to the mass indicating signal to produce a critical acceleration estimate which is related to a critical lateral acceleration of the vehicle at which the risk of vehicle rollover is increased;
• a vehicle lateral acceleration determinator operable to provide a lateral acceleration signal corresponding to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• a roll stability advisor coupled to the acceleration estimator and to the vehicle lateral acceleration determinator so as to receive the lateral acceleration signal and the critical acceleration estimate signal, the roll stability advisor being operable to compare the lateral acceleration signal and critical acceleration estimate signal to produce a rollover risk output signal corresponding to the result of the comparison with the rollover risk being greater as the lateral acceleration approaches the critical lateral acceleration;
• and
• an indicator operable to selectively indicate the rollover risk in response to the rollover risk output signal.

An apparatus for advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle mass determinator operable to determine the mass of a vehicle and to provide a mass indicating signal which corresponds to an estimate of the mass of the vehicle;
• an acceleration estimator coupled to the vehicle mass determinator and responsive to the mass indicating signal to produce a critical acceleration estimate which is related to a critical lateral acceleration of the vehicle at which the risk of vehicle rollover is increased;
• a vehicle lateral acceleration determinator operable to provide a lateral acceleration signal corresponding to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• a roll stability advisor coupled to the acceleration estimator and to the vehicle lateral acceleration determinator so as to receive the lateral acceleration signal and the critical acceleration estimate signal, the roll stability advisor being operable to compare the lateral acceleration signal and critical acceleration estimate signal to produce a rollover risk output signal corresponding to the result of the comparison with the rollover risk being greater as the lateral acceleration approaches the critical lateral acceleration;
• and
• an indicator operable to selectively indicate the rollover risk in response to the rollover risk output signal;
• wherein the roll stability advisor is operable to compare the vehicle lateral acceleration signal and the critical acceleration estimate signal and to produce a rollover risk output signal indicative of a high rollover risk in the event the lateral acceleration is near enough to the critical acceleration estimate for a predetermined time period, the roll stability advisor being operable to produce a rollover risk output signal indicative of at least one of a plurality of levels of rollover risk depending upon the closeness of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle to the critical acceleration estimate;
• and
• in which the roll stability advisor is operable to determine a ratio of the lateral acceleration signal to the critical acceleration estimate signal and to compare this ratio with plural risk threshold levels, the roll stability advisor being operable to require the ratio to be above at least one of the plural risk threshold levels for a time period if conditions are such that a rollover risk is to be indicated.

An apparatus for advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• a vehicle mass determinator operable to determine the mass of a vehicle and to provide a mass indicating signal which corresponds to an estimate of the mass of the vehicle;
• an acceleration estimator coupled to the vehicle mass determinator and responsive to the mass indicating signal to produce a critical acceleration estimate which is related to a critical lateral acceleration of the vehicle at which the risk of vehicle rollover is increased;
• a vehicle lateral acceleration determinator operable to provide a lateral acceleration signal corresponding to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
• a roll stability advisor coupled to the acceleration estimator and to the vehicle lateral acceleration determinator so as to receive the lateral acceleration signal and the critical acceleration estimate signal, the roll stability advisor being operable to compare the lateral acceleration signal and critical acceleration estimate signal to produce a rollover risk output signal corresponding to the result of the comparison with the rollover risk being greater as the lateral acceleration approaches the critical lateral acceleration;
• and
• an indicator operable to selectively indicate the rollover risk in response to the rollover risk output signal;
• in which the vehicle includes an automatically modulated braking system which produces second signals indicating the deceleration of the vehicle and first signals whenever any vehicle wheels beings controlled by the automatically modulated braking system are being modulated;
• a hard-braking event detector operable in response to the first signals to produce a first hard-braking event signal in the event the automatically modulated braking system is modulating at least one wheel of the vehicle, the first hard-braking event signal indicating a first hard-braking event level;
• the hard-braking event detector also being operable to produce a second hard-braking event signal in response to the second signals in the event the automatically modulated braking system indicates deceleration of the vehicle at least at a first rate and at least for a first time period without at least one wheel being modulated by the automatically modulated braking system, the second hard-braking event signal indicating a second hard-braking event level;
• the hard-braking event detector also being operable to produce a third hard-braking event signal corresponding to a third hard-braking event level in response to the first and second signals and in the event both the first and second hard-braking event levels are reached during a braking event, the braking event commencing upon the detection of any of the first and second hard-braking event signals and ending upon the end of both of the first and second hard-braking event signals;
• and
• wherein the indicator is operable to selectively indicate the hard-braking event level that has been detected.

An apparatus for advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a first signal corresponding to a critical acceleration estimate, the critical acceleration estimate being determined from an estimated mass of the vehicle and being based on a set of rules;
• means for producing a second signal corresponding to the vehicle lateral acceleration;
• roll stability advisor means for comparing the first and second signals and for producing an output signal indicative of the rollover risk;
• and
• indicator means for indicating the rollover risk in response to the roll stability advisor output signal.

An apparatus for advising a vehicle operator of vehicle driving conditions which create an increased risk of rollover of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a first signal corresponding to a critical acceleration estimate, the critical acceleration estimate being determined from an estimated mass of the vehicle and being based on a set of rules;
• means for producing a second signal corresponding to the vehicle lateral acceleration;
• roll stability advisor means for comparing the first and second signals and for producing an output signal indicative of the rollover risk;
• and
• indicator means for indicating the rollover risk in response to the roll stability advisor output signal;
• in which the roll stability advisor also comprises means for selectively providing an output signal indicating recommended speed reductions and wherein the indicator means selectively indicates the rollover risk and speed reduction recommendations to a vehicle operator;
• and
• also comprising hard-braking event detector means for determining whether hard-braking events have occurred and for producing an output signal indicative of the level of hard-braking event which has occurred, and wherein the indicator means selectively indicates the existence of a hard-braking event and the level of the hard-braking event.

In a vehicle which includes an automatically modulated braking system which produces second signals indicating the deceleration of the vehicle and first signals whenever any vehicle wheels beings controlled by the automatically modulated braking system are being modulated, an apparatus for detecting and indicating hard-braking events comprising:

• a hard-braking event detector operable in response to the first signals to produce a first hard-braking event signal in the event the automatically modulated braking system is modulating at least one wheel of the vehicle, the first hard-braking event signal indicating a first hard-braking event level;
• the hard-braking event detector also being operable to produce a second hard-braking event signal corresponding to a second hard-braking event level in response to the second signals in the event the automatically modulated braking system indicates deceleration of the vehicle at least at a first rate and at least for a first time period without at least one wheel being modulated by the automatically modulated braking system;
• the hard-braking event detector also being operable to produce a third hard-braking event signal corresponding to a third hard-braking event level in response to the first and second signals in the event both the first and second hard-braking event levels are reached during a braking event, the braking event commencing upon the detection of any of the first and second hard-braking event signals and ending upon the end of both of the first and second hard-braking event signals;
• and
• an indicator coupled to the hard-braking event detector and operable to selectively indicate the hard-braking event level that has been detected.

A method of advising a vehicle operator of vehicle of driving conditions which create an increased risk of loss of control of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining the existence of at least one rollover advisory event during which the risk of vehicle rollover is unacceptably high;
• advising the vehicle operator of the existence of an unacceptably high rollover risk following the end of the rollover advisory event;
• comprising the act of determining the existence of at least one hard-braking event during which the risk of loss of control of the vehicle due to braking is unacceptably high;
• and
• selectively advising the vehicle operator of the existence of the hard-braking event following the end of the hard-braking event.