Good checking for vehicle yaw rate sensor

A method, executed by a controller including an electronic processing unit and an electronic, non-volatile memory, for determining whether a previously-detected, vehicle-sensor malfunction still exists, the method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring operation of at least one yaw rate sensor with a malfunction monitoring module;
• generating, using the malfunction monitoring module, a fault signal containing fault information when the at least one yaw rate sensor malfunctions based on a criteria;
• causing at least one of a warning indicator to be activated or a vehicle control system to modify its operation from a first operating state to a second operating state;
• storing, using a failure handling module, the fault information in the electronic, non-volatile memory;
• retrieving the fault information from the electronic, non-volatile memory;
• executing, in a signal checking module, a signal check function using information from the at least one yaw rate sensor, and using a second criteria to determine the yaw rate sensor is functioning properly, the second criteria having smaller tolerances for deviations and fewer conditions on the driving situation to perform the evaluation than the first criteria;
• and
• generating a reset signal that causes at least one of the warning indictor to be deactivated or the vehicle control system to resume operation in the first operating state if the at least one yaw rate sensor passes the signal check function;
• and
• wherein the first and second criteria include one or more of an sensor offset, a sensor integral, a vehicle speed, a cornering threshold, a sensor signal rate, a straight driving yaw rate, sensor statistical information, sensor counter information, an implausible value, and a duration.

A vehicle including a plurality of vehicle sensors providing a plurality of sensor signals to a vehicle control system, the vehicle control system controlling the vehicle based at least in part on the plurality of sensor signals, and switching from a first operating state to a second operating state when a malfunction in one or more of the vehicle sensors is detected, the vehicle including:

• at least one controller connected to the vehicle control system, the controller including an electronic memory;
• and
• an electronic processing unit connected to the electronic memory, the electronic processing unit including,
• a malfunction monitoring module that activates at least one indicator when a yaw rate sensor malfunction is detected using a first criteria,
• a failure handling module that stores a first set of fault information in the electronic memory when the yaw rate sensor malfunction is detected, and
• a signal checking module that retrieves the first set of fault information from the electronic memory and executes a first malfunction checking function to determine if the yaw rate sensor malfunction is persistent, the first malfunction checking function using a second criteria to determine the yaw rate sensor is functioning properly, the second criteria having smaller tolerances for deviations and fewer conditions on the driving situation to perform the evaluation than the first criteria;
• wherein the vehicle control system modifies its operation from the second operating state to the first operating state when the yaw rate sensor malfunction is not persistent, the vehicle control system using signals from a yaw rate sensor to control the vehicle when operating in the first operating state, and the vehicle control system not using the plurality of sensor signals from the yaw rate sensor to control the vehicle when operating in the second operating state;
• and
• wherein the first and second criteria can include one or more of an sensor offset, a sensor integral, a vehicle speed, a cornering threshold, a sensor signal rate, a straight driving yaw rate, and a duration.