IP Library Granted Patent US 8,046,147
Granted Patent B2
US 8,046,147 · App. 12/094,435 · Granted Oct 25, 2011

Method and driving dynamics control system for stabilizing a car-trailer combination

Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,046,147
App. No.
12/094,435
Granted
Oct 25, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

When swaying motions of a trailer or semi-trailer of a car-trailer combination are encountered, input signals which are taken into consideration to calculate a reference signal frequently include also oscillation components, due to which driving dynamics control for stabilization of the car-trailer combination can become very unreliable. To enhance the reliability of driving dynamics control of this type, a method is disclosed in which an input signal (Y) is sensed that includes signal oscillations which are due to a swaying motion of the trailer or semi-trailer and are superimposed on a base component (Y Basis ) of the input signal (Y). A reference signal is calculated from the input signal (Y), in which case the calculation is executed in such a way that the reference signal by approximation corresponds to a reference signal which is determined from the base component (Y Basis ) of the input signal (Y). A correcting variable for influencing the driving behavior of the towing vehicle of the car-trailer combination is then determined depending on a deviation between the reference signal and a detected actual signal. Furthermore, the invention discloses a driving dynamics control system which is appropriate to implement the method.

Claims (35)

1. A method for stabilizing a car-trailer combination consisting of a towing vehicle and a trailer or semi-trailer comprising the following steps:

detecting an input signal(Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ) with signal oscillations due to a swaying motion of the trailer or semi-trailer, the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ) having a base component (Y Basis ;{dot over (ψ)} Basis ) superimposed by the signal oscillations,

determining a reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) correlating with an intermediate signal determined from the base component (Y Basis ;{dot over (ψ)} Basis ) of the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ),

determining a correcting variable (Δδ;ΔM) depending on a deviation (Δ{dot over (ψ)} Trailer ) between the reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) and a detected signal ({dot over (ψ)} meas ), and

influencing a driving condition of the towing vehicle according to the determined correcting variable (Δδ;ΔM).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the reference signal is a reference yaw rate signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) and the detected signal is an actual yaw rate signal ({dot over (ψ)} meas ).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) is calculated based on a vehicle model and depends on the intermediate signal (δ H,corr ).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the input signal is a steering angle signal (δ H ).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the input signal and the actual signal ({dot over (ψ)} meas ) are identical and the intermediate signal corresponds to the reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising the intermediate step of calculating an intermediate signal (δ H,corr ;{dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) from the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ) in a correction step, the intermediate signal approximately corresponding to the base component (Y Basis ;{dot over (ψ)} Basis ) of the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 ,

wherein the correction step calculates average values of successive extreme values (Y i−1 ;Y i ;Y i+1 ) of the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ) and determines the intermediate signal (δ H,corr ;{dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) according to the average values.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the intermediate signal (δ H,corr ;{dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) is determined by way of an extrapolation process from previously calculated average values.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 ,

wherein the average values in the extrapolation process are furnished with a weighting factor which is lower for older average values than for more recently calculated average values.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the intermediate signal (δ H,corr ;{dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) is determined from the average values using a model-based filter.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 ,

wherein the input signal is an actuating variable and the intermediate signal is a state variable within the model on which the filter is based.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 ,

wherein the filter is a Kalman filter.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the correcting variable is a steering torque (ΔM) which is applied to a steering handle.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the correcting variable is an additional steering angle which allows controlling a steering system.

15. A driving dynamics control system for stabilizing a car-trailer combination consisting of a towing vehicle and a trailer or a semi-trailer, comprising:

a sensor detecting an input signal (Y;δ H ,{dot over (ψ)} meas ) with signal oscillations due to a swaying motion of the trailer or semi-trailer, the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ) having a base component (Y Basis ;{dot over (ψ)} Basis ) superimposed by the signal oscillations,

a calculating device ( 104 ; 501 ) determining a reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) correlating with an intermediate signal determined from the base component (Y Basis ;{dot over (ψ)} Basis ) of the input signal (Y;δ H ;{dot over (ψ)} meas ),

a controlling device ( 102 ) determining a correcting variable (Δδ;ΔM) depending on a deviation (Δ{dot over (ψ)} Trailer ) between the reference signal ({dot over (ψ)} ref,corr ) and a detected signal ({dot over (ψ)} meas ), and

an actuator influencing the driving condition of the towing vehicle according to the determined correcting variable (Δδ;ΔM).

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 27, 2024
From: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG; CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 068794/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2008
From: WALDBAUER, DIRK; BAUER, URS; ROGOWSKI, LOTHAR; PREUSSER, TOBIAS
To: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
Reel/Frame 021424/0037 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2005 055 904 · Nov 22, 2005 · national
DE 10 2006 050 716 · Oct 24, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090228182A1 · Sep 10, 2009