Determining a steering angle for an automobile application
A method to operate a motor vehicle having a number of wheels is described. The method determines a steering angle for an automotive application. A steering angle δ is estimated using a yaw rate ω, a revolution rate of at least one wheel, a wheelbase L and a characteristic speed of the vehicle v ch based on a single-track model. Preferably, the steering angle is calculated using the yaw rate ω, the selected gear i, the wheelbase L, the speed v and the characteristic speed of the vehicle v ch according to the formula δ=[ω*i*L*(1+v 2 /v ch 2 )]/v. An application, such as adaptive light control during turns, that requires knowledge of the steering angle of the motor vehicle is carried out based on an estimated steering angle.
1. A method to operate a motor vehicle comprising:
estimating a steering angle using a yaw rate, a revolution rate of at least one wheel, a wheelbase and a characteristic speed of the vehicle based on a single-track model, wherein estimating the steering angle calculates the steering angle using the yaw rate, a selected gear, the wheelbase, a speed and the characteristic speed of the vehicle; and
applying the steering angle in an adaptive light control system such that an orientation of a head light corresponds to the steering angle.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein estimating the steering angle uses a steering transmission ratio.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising determining a steering center, and calculating an absolute steering angle using a relative steering angle and a steering center offset calculated from the steering center.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising using a sensor to detect the yaw rate and a sensor that detects the revolution rate of the at least one wheel and a sensor that detects the relative steering angle.
5. An adaptive light control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
a sensor suite that determines a yaw rate and a revolution rate of a wheel; and
a processor configured to, in response to a calculation of a steering angle using the yaw rate, the revolution rate, a wheelbase and a characteristic speed of the vehicle based on a single-track model, change an orientation of a head light such that the orientation corresponds to the steering angle; and
wherein the processor is configured to calculate a relative steering angle and determine a steering center offset.
6. The adaptive light control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate a steering center.
7. A vehicle comprising:
a processor configured to, in response to a calculation of a steering angle using a yaw rate, a revolution rate, a wheelbase and a characteristic speed of the vehicle based on a single-track model via data from a sensor suite, change an orientation of a light such that the orientation corresponds to the steering angle;
wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a steering center, and an absolute steering angle using a relative steering angle and a steering center offset calculated from the steering center.
8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate the steering angle with a steering transmission ratio.
9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate the steering angle with the yaw rate, a selected gear, the wheelbase, a speed and the characteristic speed of the vehicle.
10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the light is a headlight of the vehicle.
11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the sensor suite comprises sensors to determine the yaw rate and the revolution rate.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the characteristic speed is determined as a function of a self-steering gradient.
13. The adaptive light control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the steering angle using a steering transmission ratio.
14. The adaptive light control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate an absolute steering angle using the relative steering angle and the steering center offset.