IP Library Granted Patent US 12,371,009
Granted Patent B2
US 12,371,009 · App. 18/254,042 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Method for automated steering of a motor vehicle

Inventor: Anh-Lam Do (Antony, FR)
Assignees: AMPERE S.A.S; NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
B60W30/09B60W10/184B60W10/20B60W2520/10B60W2520/14B60W2710/18B60W2710/207
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,371,009
App. No.
18/254,042
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for automated steering of a motor vehicle including wheels at least two of which are steered wheels. The method comprising: acquiring parameters relating to a path for avoidance of an obstacle by the motor vehicle, and calculating, by a computer, a first steering setpoint for a steering actuator for the steered wheels and a second steering setpoint for at least one actuator for differential braking of the wheels, depending on the parameters. The first and second steering setpoints are each determined by a controller respecting a model that limits setpoint variation and/or range.

Claims (25)

1. A process for automated piloting of a motor vehicle having wheels, at least two of the wheels being steered wheels, the process comprising:

acquiring parameters relating to a trajectory for the motor vehicle to avoid an obstacle;

calculating by a computer a first piloting setpoint of a steering-angle actuator of the steered wheels and a second piloting setpoint of at least one differential-braking actuator of the wheels, as a function of said parameters,

wherein the first piloting setpoint and the second piloting setpoint are each determined by a controller that satisfies a setpoint amplitude and/or variation limiting model, and

wherein the first piloting setpoint and the second piloting setpoint are determined as a function of a coefficient that fixes a contribution of each actuator, said coefficient being calculated as a function of a yaw velocity of the motor vehicle, a torque applied by a driver to a steering wheel of the motor vehicle and a parameter, a value of which varies according to whether or not the first piloting setpoint is limited by the controller; and

controlling the steering-angle actuator of the steered wheels based on the first piloting setpoint and controlling the differential-braking actuator of the wheels based on the second piloting setpoint.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coefficient is calculated so that:

the second piloting setpoint is zero when an absolute value of the torque applied by the driver to the steering wheel of the motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold,

only the steering-angle actuator of the steered wheels is used when the yaw velocity of the motor vehicle is greater than a control threshold and/or when the piloting setpoint on its own makes it possible to stabilize the motor vehicle, and

otherwise, the steering-angle actuator of the steered wheels and the differential-braking actuator of the wheels are used in combination.

3. The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the coefficient is calculated so as to vary continuously as a function of time.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising interrupting the determination of the first piloting setpoint when an absolute value of the torque applied by the driver to the steering wheel of the motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising interrupting the determination of the second piloting setpoint when an absolute value of the torque applied by the driver to the steering wheel of the motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller making it possible to determine the second piloting setpoint satisfies an amplitude limiting model, so that the second piloting setpoint remains less than or equal to a limit, and wherein said limit is determined as a function of a velocity and the yaw velocity of the motor vehicle.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in order to calculate the first piloting setpoint, provision is made to determine a first non-saturated setpoint and to deduce the first setpoint therefrom by a closed-loop pseudo-controller having a direct-chain transfer function that comprises a function of a hyperbolic tangent type of a deviation between the first non-saturated setpoint and the first setpoint.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in order to calculate the second setpoint, provision is made:

to determine a second non-saturated setpoint and to deduce a second semi-saturated setpoint therefrom by a closed-loop pseudo-controller having a direct-chain transfer function that comprises a function of a hyperbolic tangent type of a deviation between the second non-saturated setpoint and the second semi-saturated setpoint, then

to use another closed-loop pseudo-controller, which provides the second setpoint as output and the direct-chain transfer function of which comprises a function of a hyperbolic tangent type of a deviation between the second semi-saturated setpoint and said second setpoint.

9. A method for creating controllers for the process as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising:

acquiring a behavioral matrix model of the motor vehicle;

determining at least some coefficients of matrices of the behavioral matrix model;

deducing two controllers therefrom, each of which satisfies a piloting setpoint amplitude limiting model and/or a piloting setpoint variation limiting model.

10. A motor vehicle comprising:

a steering-angle actuator of the steered wheels, a differential-braking actuator of the steered wheels, and a computer configured to pilot said actuators,

wherein the computer is programmed in order to carry out the process as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2024
From: RENAULT S.A.S.
To: AMPERE S.A.S.
Reel/Frame 067526/0311 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2023
From: DO, ANH-LAM
To: RENAULT S.A.S; NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064094/0787 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 2012064 · Nov 24, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240001914A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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