Method of controlling a roll control system for improved vehicle dynamic control

1. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) determining a rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism;

(c) comparing the rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(d) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(e) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(f) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(g) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear actuators based at least in part upon the comparisons of the rate of change to the first steering threshold value and the lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear actuators are controlled independently of each other based upon a state of understeer/oversteer of the vehicle stability index.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling during step (g) includes actuating a roll control device on a non driven axle independently of actuating a roll control device on a driven axle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling during step (g) includes actuating a roll control device on a driven axle under higher threshold values than a roll control device on a non-driven axle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the state of the vehicle stability index during step (g) is based at least in part upon one of a yaw rate of the vehicle, wheel slip of one or more wheels of the vehicle, and the oversteer/understeer situation of the vehicle.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b)determining a rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism;

(c) comparing the rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(d) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(e) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(f) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(g) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear actuators based at least in part upon the comparisons of the rate of change to the first steering threshold value and the lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear actuators are controlled independently of each other based upon a state of understeer/oversteer of the vehicle stability index;

wherein the controlling during step (g) includes actuating a roll control device associated with a front pair of wheels in an oversteer situation.

6. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) determining a rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism;

(c) comparing the rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(d) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(e) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(f) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(g) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear actuators based at least in part upon the comparisons of the rate of change to the first steering threshold value and the lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear actuators are controlled independently of each other based upon a state of understeer/oversteer of the vehicle stability index;

wherein the controlling during step (g) includes actuating a roll control device associated with a rear pair of wheels in an understeer situation.

7. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) determining a rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism;

(c) comparing the rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(d) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(e) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(f) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(g) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear actuators based at least in part upon the comparisons of the rate of change to the first steering threshold value and the lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear actuators are controlled independently of each other depending upon the state of the vehicle stability index;

wherein controlling during step (g) includes setting a traction flag and actuating a roll control device associated with a pair of wheels on a non driven axle in response to the set traction flag.

8. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) comparing the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(c) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(d) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(e) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(f) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear roll control devices based at least in part upon the comparisons of the steering mechanism position to the first steering threshold value and the vehicle lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear roll control devices are enabled independently of each other and based upon a state of understeer/oversteer of the vehicle stability index;

wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating the rear roll control device and unactuating the front roll control device upon detecting a state of understeer.

9. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehic 1 e;

(b) comparing the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(c) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(d) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(e) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(f) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear roll control devices based at least in part upon the comparisons of the steering mechanism position to the first steering threshold value and the vehicle lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear roll control devices are enabled independently of each other and based upon a state of understeer/oversteer of the vehicle stability index;

wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating the front roll control devices and unactuating the rear roll control device upon detecting a state of oversteer.

10. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) comparing the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(c) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(d) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(e) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(f) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear roll control devices based at least in part upon the comparisons of the steering mechanism position to the first steering threshold value and the vehicle lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear roll control devices are enabled independently of each other and depending upon the state of the vehicle stability index;

further comprising the steps, before step (f) of:

(g) comparing the position of the steering mechanism to a second steering threshold value; and

wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating only the rear roll control device upon determining that the position of the steering mechanism is between the first steering threshold value and the second steering threshold value.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps, before step (f) of:

(h) comparing the lateral acceleration to a second acceleration limit value; and wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating the front roll control device upon determining that the vehicle lateral acceleration is between the first acceleration limit value and the second acceleration limit value.

12. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle;

(b) comparing the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(c) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(d) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(e) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(f) controlling a vehicle roll control system having front and rear roll control devices based at least in part upon the comparisons of the steering mechanism position to the first steering threshold value and the vehicle lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the front and rear roll control devices are enabled independently of each other and depending upon the state of the vehicle stability index;

wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating only the roll control device on a non driven axle upon determining that the position of the steering mechanism is greater than the first steering threshold value and that the vehicle lateral acceleration is greater than the acceleration limit value.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps, before step (f) of:

(g) comparing the lateral acceleration to a second acceleration limit value; and wherein the controlling during step (f) includes actuating the control device on a driven axle upon determining that the position of the steering mechanism is between the first steering threshold value and a second steering threshold value and that the vehicle lateral acceleration is between the first acceleration limit value and the second acceleration limit value.

14. A method of controlling a vehicle roll control system comprising the steps of:

(a) monitoring one of the position of a steering mechanism of a vehicle and a rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism;

(b) comparing the one of the position and the rate of change of the position of the steering mechanism to a first steering threshold value;

(c) monitoring the lateral acceleration of a vehicle;

(d) comparing the lateral acceleration to a first acceleration limit value;

(e) monitoring a vehicle stability index; and

(f) controlling a vehicle roll control system having at least one of front and rear roll control devices based at least in part upon the comparisons of the steering mechanism position to the first steering threshold value and the vehicle lateral acceleration to the first acceleration limit value, wherein the one of the front and rear roll control devices is enabled based at least in part upon an oversteer/understeer state of the vehicle stability index.