IP Library Granted Patent US 7,299,687
Granted Patent B2
US 7,299,687 · App. 11/234,008 · Granted Nov 27, 2007

Rough road detection system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,299,687
App. No.
11/234,008
Granted
Nov 27, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rough road detection system for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a frequency domain module, an engine misfire module, and a rough road module. The frequency domain module converts a vector signal into a frequency domain signal. The engine misfire module determines whether an engine misfires based on the frequency domain signal. The rough road detection module determines whether the vehicle is driving on a rough road based on the frequency domain signal.

Claims (30)

1. A rough road detection system for a vehicle, comprising:

a frequency domain module that converts a vector signal into a frequency domain signal;

an engine misfire module that determines whether an engine misfires based on at least one of a power and an energy of said frequency domain signal;

a rough road module that determines whether the vehicle is driving on a rough road based on at least one of said power and said energy of said frequency domain signal.

2. The rough road detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

an engine speed module that generates an engine speed signal based on a crank signal; and

a sampling module that that communicates with said engine speed module, that samples said engine speed signal at a fixed rate, and that generates a sampling signal.

3. The rough road detection system of claim 2 further comprising a filter module that communicates with said sampling module, that removes components from said sampling signal that are greater than a predetermined frequency, and that generates a filtered signal.

4. The rough road detection system of claim 3 further comprising a data reduction module that communicates with said filter module, that reduces said filtered signal to correspond with at least one engine cycle, and that generates a reduced data signal.

5. The rough road detection system of claim 4 further comprising a data buffer module that communicates with said data reduction module and that assembles samples of said reduced data signal to form said vector signal.

6. The rough road detection system of claim 5 further comprising a power spectrum module that communicates with said frequency domain module, that calculates the power spectrum of said frequency domain signal, and that generates a power spectrum signal.

7. The rough road detection system of claim 6 wherein said engine misfire module determines whether an engine misfires based on said power spectrum signal.

8. The rough road detection system of claim 6 further comprising an energy calculation module that communicates with said power spectrum module and that generates an energy signal based on said power spectrum signal.

9. The rough road detection system of claim 8 wherein said rough road module determines that the vehicle is driving on a rough road when said energy signal is greater than an energy threshold.

10. A method to detect a rough road condition for a vehicle, comprising:

converting a vector signal of engine speed samples into a frequency domain signal;

determining at least one of a power and an energy of said frequency domain signal;

determining whether an engine misfires based on at least one of said power and said energy of said frequency domain signal;

determining whether the vehicle is driving on a rough road based on at least one of said power and said energy of said frequency domain signal; and

generating a rough road condition signal based upon at least one of said determining whether said engine misfires and said determining whether said vehicle is driving on said rough road.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining an engine speed and generating an engine speed signal; and

sampling said engine speed signal at a fixed rate and generating a sampling signal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising removing components from said sampling signal that are greater than a predetermined frequency and generating a filtered signal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising reducing said filtered signal to correspond with at least one engine cycle and generating a reduced data signal.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising assembling samples of said reduced signal to form said vector signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising calculating a power spectrum of said frequency domain signal and generating a power spectrum signal.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining whether an engine misfires based on said power spectrum signal.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising calculating an energy signal based on said power spectrum signal.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining that the vehicle is driving on a rough road when said energy signal is greater than an energy threshold.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034184/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025780/0936 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0041 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025314/0901 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0587 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0093 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0142 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023127/0402 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0519 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022553/0493 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2005
From: HERNANDEZ, GLAUDIO A.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 016943/0782 →