Reference signal generator for an integrated sensing system

A control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

• a housing;
• a sensor cluster within said housing comprising a plurality of angular rate sensors generating angular rate signals and a plurality of linear acceleration sensors generating linear acceleration signals, wherein said angular rate sensors and said linear acceleration sensors comprise an IMU;
• a wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal corresponding to a wheel speed of the vehicle;
• a steering angle sensor generating a steering angle signal;
• an integrated controller receiving said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal, said integrated controller generating a lateral velocity signal, a roll attitude signal, a pitch attitude signal, and a side slip angle signal as functions of a reference computational method comprising a kinematics road constraint, said angular rate signals, said linear acceleration signals, said wheel speed signal, and said steering angle signal;
• a vehicle dynamic controller receiving said lateral velocity signal, said roll attitude signal, said pitch attitude signal, and said side slip angle signal and generating a dynamic control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a dynamic stability control system receiving said dynamic control signal and operating a safety device in response thereto.

A vehicle system having an IMU sensor cluster including at least three angular rate sensors and at least three linear acceleration sensors, said sensor cluster generating vehicle dynamic signals including a roll rate signal, a yaw rate signal, a pitch rate signal, a longitudinal acceleration signal, a lateral acceleration signal, and a vertical acceleration signal, the system comprising:

• an integrated controller comprising a reference signal generator, said reference signal generator generating a reference lateral velocity signal as a function of a kinematics road constraint condition, a dynamic road constraint condition, and singularity removal logic, said singularity removal logic computing said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of eliminating a singular point in a computation of said reference lateral velocity signal,
• said integrated controller generating a lateral velocity signal, a roll attitude signal, a pitch attitude signal, and a side slip angle signal as a function of a reference computational method including said kinematics road constraint,
• said integrated controller generating said lateral velocity signal and a reference side slip angle signal from said dynamic road constraint condition as functions of said kinematics road constraint condition,
• said singularity removal logic comprising a blending scheme computing said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of eliminating a singular point in a computation of said reference lateral velocity signal,
• said reference signal generator generating said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of said dynamic road constraint condition through logic projecting lateral vehicle accelerations along an average road surface in response to said lateral acceleration signal, a relative roll attitude signal, and a relative pitch attitude signal generated within said integrated controller,
• said reference signal generator projecting said yaw rate signal along a vertical axis perpendicular to an average road surface using said relative roll and pitch attitude signals generated within said integrated controller,
• said reference signal generator generating said reference side slip angle signal as a function of the lateral acceleration signal and the yaw rate signal,
• said reference signal generator generating said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of said side slip angle signal;
• a dynamic system controller receiving said reference lateral velocity signal and generating a dynamic control signal in response thereto;
• and
• a vehicle safety system controller receiving said dynamic control signal and further generating a vehicle safety device activation signal in response thereto.

A method for controlling a safety device for a vehicle comprising:

• generating a reference lateral velocity signal as a function of a kinematics road constraint condition, a dynamic road constraint condition, and singularity removal logic for
• eliminating a singular point in a computation of said reference lateral velocity signal;
• generating said reference lateral velocity signal, a reference roll attitude signal, a reference pitch attitude signal, and a reference side slip angle signal as a function of a reference computational method including limitations of said kinematics road constraint;
• generating said reference lateral velocity signal and said reference side slip angle signal from said dynamic road constraint condition as functions of said kinematics road constraint;
• generating a dynamic control signal in response to said reference lateral velocity signal;
• and
• receiving said dynamic control signal and further generating a vehicle safety device activation signal in response thereto.

A method for controlling a safety device for a vehicle comprising:

• generating a roll rate signal;
• generating a pitch rate signal;
• generating a yaw rate signal;
• generating a longitudinal acceleration signal;
• generating a lateral acceleration signal;
• generating a vertical acceleration signal;
• generating a reference lateral velocity signal as a function of said roll rate signal, said pitch rate signal, said yaw rate signal, said longitudinal acceleration signal, said lateral acceleration signal, and said vertical acceleration signal, a kinematics road constraint condition, a dynamic road constraint condition, and singularity removal logic, said singularity removal logic computing said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of eliminating a singular point in a computation of said reference lateral velocity signal;
• generating said reference lateral velocity signal, a reference roll attitude signal, a reference pitch attitude signal, and a reference side slip angle signal as a function of a reference computational method including said kinematics road constraint;
• generating a lateral velocity signal and said reference side slip angle signal from said dynamic road constraint condition as functions of said kinematics road constraint;
• generating said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of said dynamic road constraint condition through logic projecting lateral vehicle accelerations along an average road surface in response to said lateral acceleration signal, a relative roll attitude signal, and a relative pitch attitude signal generated within said integrated controller;
• projecting a yaw rate signal along a vertical axis perpendicular to an average road surface using said roll rate signal, said pitch rate signal, said yaw rate signal and said relative roll and pitch attitude signals generated, within said integrated controller;
• generating said reference side slip angle signal as a function of said lateral acceleration signal and said yaw rate signal;
• generating said reference lateral velocity signal as a function of said reference side slip angle signal;
• generating a dynamic control signal in response to said reference lateral velocity signal;
• and
• controlling a vehicle safety device in response to said safety device control signal.