IP Library Granted Patent US 7,197,380
Granted Patent B2
US 7,197,380 · App. 11/039,108 · Granted Mar 27, 2007

System for controlling the stability of a vehicle using an algorithm comparing average slopes of variation of a parameter

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,197,380
App. No.
11/039,108
Granted
Mar 27, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

System for controlling the stability of a vehicle, the system comprising means for imparting a longitudinal force on the tire and means for calculating the slip parameter G Opt at each activation of the means for imparting a longitudinal force on the tire in the following manner: determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by an appropriate regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a first curve of variation μ i =f(G i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero, determining an indicator of the average slope α 1 of the first variation curve, determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by an appropriate regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a second variation curve, free not to pass through the origin, μ i =f(G i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero, determining an indicator of the average slope α 2 of the second variation curve, as long as the difference between α 1 and α 2 is below a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of the pair of values (G i , μ i ), as soon as the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold and determining a target slip G Cavg using at least the last pair of values (G i , μ i ).

Claims (152)

1. A vehicle stability control system in which a characteristic parameter Q of a functioning of a tire of the vehicle intended to roll on the ground varies as a function of a parameter P according to a certain law, an optimum value of the parameter P being imposed by a controller directly or indirectly, so as to act on at least one of elements chosen from a group comprising a rotation torque applied to the tire, a steering angle of the tire, a camber angle of the tire, and a vertical force applied to the tire, in which the controller comprises means for:

determining coefficients A [avg/p] , by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (P i , Q i ), so as to model a first variation curve Q i =f(P i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (Q i , P i ), in which Q i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] , by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (Q i , P i ), so as to model a second variation curve Q i =f(P i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (Q i , P i ), in which Q i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as the difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (P i , Q i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip p Cavg using at least the last pair of values (P i , Q i ).

2. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 1 , in which the parameter P is the drift angle δ of the tire and the characteristic parameter Q is the drift thrust F y of the tire, the system comprising means for controlling a parameter “ξ” according to instructions entered by a driver of the vehicle on a control means and according to instructions delivered by a path controller, means of modulating the parameter “ξ” and means for calculating the drift angle parameter δ Opt at each activation of the means for entering the parameter “ξ” in the following manner:

each time the system for controlling the variation in ξ is activated, for different levels “i” of drift angle, reading a plurality of values of F Yi , and the associated drift angle δ i obtained by estimation or direct measurement,

determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (F i , δ i ), so as to model a first variation curve F i =f(δ i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (F i , δ i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (F i , δ i ), so as to model a second variation curve F i =f(δ i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (F i , δ i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as a difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (δ i , F i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip G Cavg using at least the last pair of values (δ i , F i ).

3. A vehicle stability control system, in which a parameter G is a slip of a tire and a characteristic parameter μ is a coefficient of friction of the tire, the system comprising means for imparting a longitudinal force to the tire, means of modulating the longitudinal force, and means for calculating an optimal slip parameter G Opt at each activation of the means for imparting a longitudinal force to the tire in the following manner:

determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a first variation curve μ i =f(G i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a second variation curve μ i =f(G i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as a difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (G i , μ i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip G Cavg using at least the last pair of values (G i , μ i ).

4. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which, when the slip G i exceeds a predetermined threshold, the target slip G Cavg is determined using at least the last pair of values (G i , μ i ).

5. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which:

the first variation curve is a first straight line μ i =A avg ·G i , including the origin, and the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), obtained by a first linear regression calculating a first coefficient A avg , and

the second variation curve is a second straight line μ i =A lin ·G i +B lin including the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), obtained by a second linear regression calculating coefficients A lin and B lin .

6. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which the target slip G Cavg is determined as being equal to the last value G i .

7. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which the target slip is determined by

G

Cavg

=

β

·

μ

MAX

A

AVG

,

in which β is a fine-tuning parameter.

8. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 7 , in which β is equal to approximately 1.04.

9. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 7 , in which β is a fine-tuning parameter used in the fine-tuning of the system.

10. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which the predetermined slope threshold for the difference between α 1 and α 2 is around 30%.

11. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which the means for modulating the longitudinal force acts on a braking control and is initialized (with i=0) at a start of each braking control operation.

12. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which the means for modulating the longitudinal force acts on the driving torque at the wheels and is initialized (i=0) at each request for a variation in the driving torque above a predetermined torque threshold.

13. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which, before obtaining the target values for the slip using a curve comprising the determined values of μ i as a function of G i , a correction of a start of the curve is carried out by:

eliminating from the curve at least a first real pair (μ i , G i ), as long as the variation in μ i as a function of G i is not substantially constant,

seeking the slip G 0 associated with a zero coefficient of friction, such that the pair (0, G 0 ) and non-eliminated pairs (μ i , G i ) are substantially aligned, and

using a curve starting from (0, G 0 ) and joining the non-eliminated pairs (μ i , G i ), so that, for any value of G i greater than G 0 , G i is replaced by G i −G 0 .

14. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 3 , in which, when the variation in the slip with respect to time becomes greater than a predetermined variation threshold, before obtaining the target values for the slip using a curve comprising the determined values of μ i as a function of G i , a correction to the end of the curve is carried out, by replacing the values of μ i corresponding to the values of slip that result in the variation in the slip with respect to time being beyond the predetermined variation threshold, by corrected values as follows:

μ

i

Corr

=

μ

i

·

[

Max

(

G

t

;

1

)

]

-

A

Corr

where “Acorr” is a preset parameter.

15. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 14 , in which “Acorr” is equal to approximately 0.2.

16. The vehicle stability control system according to claim 14 , in which “Acorr” is used as a fine-tuning parameter.

17. A tire testing system in which a characteristic parameter Q of a functioning of a tire under test varies as a function of a parameter P according to a certain law, an optimum value of the parameter P being imposed by a controller directly or indirectly, so as to act on at least one of elements chosen from a group comprising a rotation torque applied to the tire, a steering angle of the tire, a camber angle of the tire, and a vertical force applied to the tire, in which the controller comprises means for:

determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (P i , Q i ), so as to model a first variation curve Q i =f(P i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (Q i , P i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (Q i , P i ), so as to model a second variation curve Q i =f(P i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (Q i , P i ), in which Q i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as a difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (P i , Q i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip P Cavg using at least the last pair of values (P i , Q i ).

18. The tire testing system according to claim 17 , using means for imparting a drift angle to a tire under test on the ground, the means being equipped with a system for controlling a parameter “ξ” according to instructions coming from a test control means and according to instructions delivered by a controller aimed at maintaining the functioning of the tire at a predetermined value of the drift thrust F det , the controller using at least one optimum value δ Opt of the drift angle corresponding to the maximum value of the drift thrust F det , the controller comprising means for performing the following operations:

each time the system for controlling the variation in ξ is activated, for different levels “i” of drift angle, reading a plurality of values of F Yi , measured or calculated, and an associated drift angle δ i , obtained by estimation or direct measurement,

determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (F i , δ i ), so as to model a first variation curve F i =f(δ i , A [avg/p] including the origin, and the pair or pairs (F i , δ i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (F i , δ i ), so as to model a second variation curve F i =f(δ i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (F i , δ i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as a difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (δ i , F i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip G Cavg using at least the last pair of values (δ i , F i ).

19. A tire testing system, in which a parameter G is a slip of the tire and a characteristic parameter μ is a coefficient of friction of the tire, the system comprising means for imparting a longitudinal force to the tire, means for modulating the longitudinal force and means for calculating a slip parameter G Opt at each activation of the means for imparting a longitudinal force to the tire in the following manner:

determining coefficients A [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a first variation curve μ i =f(G i , A [avg/p] ) including the origin, and the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 1 of the first variation curve,

determining coefficients B [avg/p] by direct calculation or by a regression, from a sufficient number of pairs (μ i , G i ), so as to model a second variation curve μ i =f(G i , B [avg/p] ) including the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), in which μ i is different from zero,

determining an indicator of an average slope α 2 of the second variation curve,

as long as a difference between α 1 and α 2 is less than a predetermined slope threshold, repeating the previous operations for each new acquisition of a pair of values (G i , μ i ),

if the difference between α 1 and α 2 exceeds the predetermined slope threshold, determining a target slip G Cavg using at least the last pair of values (G i , μ i ).

20. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which, when the slip G i exceeds a predetermined threshold, the target slip G Cavg is determined using at least the last pair of values (G i , μ i ).

21. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which:

the first variation curve is a first straight line μ i =A avg ·G i , including the origin, and the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), obtained by a first linear regression calculating a first coefficient A avg , and

the second variation curve is a second straight line μ i =A lin ·B lin including the pair or pairs (μ i , G i ), obtained by a second linear regression calculating coefficients A lin and B lin .

22. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which the target slip G Cavg is determined based on the last value G i .

23. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which the target slip is determined by

G

Cavg

=

β

·

μ

MAX

A

AVG

,

in which β is a fine-tuning parameter.

24. The tire testing system according to claim 23 , in which β is equal to approximately 1.04.

25. The tire testing system according to claim 23 , in which β is a fine-tuning parameter used in the fine tuning of the system.

26. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which a predetermined slope threshold for the difference between α 1 and α 2 is around 30%.

27. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which the means for modulating the longitudinal force acts on a braking control and is initialized (with i=0) at each start of an operation of the braking control.

28. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which the means for modulating the longitudinal force acts on a driving torque at the wheels and is initialized (i=0) at each request for a variation in the driving torque above a predetermined torque threshold.

29. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which, before obtaining the target values for the slip using a curve comprising the determined values of μ i as a function of G i , a correction of a start of the curve is carried out by:

eliminating from the curve at least a first real pair (μ i , G i ) as long as the variation in μ i as a function of G i is not substantially constant,

seeking the slip G 0 associated with a zero coefficient of friction, such that the pair (0, G 0 ) and non-eliminated pairs (μ i , G i ) are substantially aligned, and

using a curve starting from (0, G 0 ) and joining the non-eliminated pairs (μ i , G i ), so that, for any value of G i greater than G 0 , G i is replaced by G i −G 0 .

30. The tire testing system according to claim 19 , in which, when the variation in the slip with respect to time becomes greater than a predetermined variation threshold, before obtaining the target values for the slip using a curve comprising the determined values of μ i as a function of G i , a correction to the end of the curve is carried out, by replacing the values of μ i corresponding to the values of slip that result in the variation in the slip with respect to time being beyond the predetermined variation threshold, by corrected values as follows:

μ

i

Corr

=

μ

i

·

[

Max

(

G

t

;

1

)

]

-

A

Corr

where “Acorr” is a preset parameter.

31. The tire testing system according to claim 30 , in which “Acorr” is equal to approximately 0.2.

32. The tire testing system according to claim 30 , in which “Acorr” is used as a fine-tuning parameter.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
To: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
Reel/Frame 044031/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2005
From: FANGEAT, NICOLAS; LEVY, GEORGES
To: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
Reel/Frame 016540/0030 →