Apparatus and method for autonomous control and balance of a vehicle and for imparting roll and yaw moments on a vehicle for test purposes
AssigneeMTS Systems Corporation
InventorsCraig Robert Shankwitz, Arthur Richard Baker, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An autonomous vehicle control system for use on a vehicle, such as a motorcycle or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to autonomously control the vehicle without a driver during vehicle testing is provided. The vehicle control system comprises a moment generator coupleable to the vehicle and configured to selectively generate a moment in either of first and second directions. The vehicle control system also includes a control system operably coupled to the moment generator and configured to control the moment generator to selectively impart moments on the vehicle to stabilize the vehicle or to introduce disturbances on the vehicle.
Claims16
An autonomous vehicle control system for use on a roll-unstable wheeled vehicle to autonomously control the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle without a driver during vehicle testing, the control system comprising:
- a moment generator coupleable to the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle and configured to selectively generate a roll moment in either of first and second directions about a vehicle longitudinal axis corresponding to forward motion of the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle, wherein the moment generator comprises a reaction wheel and a motor configured to rotationally accelerate or decelerate the reaction wheel;
- and
- a control system operably coupleable to the moment generator and configured to control the moment generator to selectively impart roll moments on the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle to stabilize the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle or to selectively introduce destabilizing disturbances on the vehicle.
A method of providing autonomous control of a roll-unstable wheeled vehicle to control the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle without a driver, the method comprising:
- accelerating or decelerating a reaction wheel coupled to the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle in either of first and second directions about a vehicle longitudinal axis corresponding to forward motion of the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle;
- and
- controlling the reaction wheel acceleration or deceleration to selectively impart roll moments on the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis to stabilize the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle or to introduce destabilizing disturbances on the roll-unstable wheeled vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.