Vehicle behavior control apparatus

1. A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:

a steering angle detection means for detecting a steering angle of a vehicle;

a lateral acceleration detection means for detecting a lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

a yaw rate detection means for detecting an actual yaw rate of the vehicle; and

a control section for controlling a behavior of the vehicle according to output values outputted from the steering angle detection means and the yaw rate detection means, wherein

the control section includes:

a first turning direction estimating means for estimating a first yaw rate according to the output value of the steering angle detection means and estimating a first turning direction from positive and negative of the first yaw rate when an absolute value of the first yaw rate concerned is not less than a first threshold value;

a second turning direction estimating means for estimating a second yaw rate according to an output value of the lateral acceleration detection means and estimating a second turning direction from positive and negative of a difference between the second yaw rate and a second threshold value when the second yaw rate is not less than or not more than the second threshold value;

a vehicle turning direction judging means for judging that the direction when the first turning direction and the second turning direction are the same is a turning direction of the vehicle; and

an abnormality judging means for judging that the yaw rate detection means is abnormal when the turning direction of the vehicle and the direction of the actual yaw rate are different from each other.

2. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second turning direction estimating means sets the second yaw rate, which is a yaw rate at the time when an absolute value of the first yaw rate exceeds the first threshold value, to be the second threshold value.

3. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the abnormality judging means judges an abnormality of the yaw rate detection means when a predetermined period of time has passed from a point of time when it is judged that the turning direction of the vehicle and the direction of the actual yaw rate are different from each other.

4. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of the actual yaw rate is a direction estimated from positive and negative of the output value of the yaw rate detection means.

5. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of the actual yaw rate is a direction estimated from positive and negative of a difference between the output value right before the output value of the yaw rate detection means shows a change by a value not less than the third threshold value and the output value after the output value of the yaw rate detection means has changed by a value not less than the third threshold value.

6. A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:

a steering angle detection unit which detects a steering angle of a vehicle;

a lateral acceleration detection unit which detects a lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

a yaw rate detection unit which detects an actual yaw rate of the vehicle; and

a control section which controls a behavior of the vehicle according to output values outputted from the steering angle detection unit and the yaw rate detection unit, wherein

the control section includes:

a first turning direction estimating unit which estimates a first yaw rate according to the output value of the steering angle detection unit and estimates a first turning direction from positive and negative of the first yaw rate when an absolute value of the first yaw rate concerned is not less than a first threshold value;

a second turning direction estimating unit which estimates a second yaw rate according to an output value of the lateral acceleration detection unit and estimates a second turning direction from positive and negative of a difference between the second yaw rate and a second threshold value when the second yaw rate is not less than or not more than the second threshold value;

a vehicle turning direction judging unit which judges that the direction when the first turning direction and the second turning direction are the same is judged to be a turning direction of the vehicle; and

an abnormality judging unit which judges that the yaw rate detection unit is abnormal when the turning direction of the vehicle and the direction of the actual yaw rate are different from each other.

7. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the second turning direction estimating unit sets the second yaw rate, which is a yaw rate at the time when an absolute value of the first yaw rate exceeds the first threshold value, to be the second threshold value.

8. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the abnormality judging unit judges an abnormality of the yaw rate detection unit when a predetermined period of time has passed from a point of time when it is judged that the turning direction of the vehicle and the direction of the actual yaw rate are different from each other.

9. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the direction of the actual yaw rate is a direction estimated from positive and negative of the output value of the yaw rate detection unit.

10. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the direction of the actual yaw rate is a direction estimated from positive and negative of a difference between the output value right before the output value of the yaw rate detection unit shows a change by a value not less than the third threshold value and the output value after the output value of the yaw rate detection unit has changed by a value not less than the third threshold value.