793results about "Wheel adhesion" patented technology

A method for collision avoidance using automated braking and steering comprising: determining an actual distance to an obstacle in a path of a vehicle; determining a relative velocity between the obstacle and the vehicle; determining a first distance sufficient to avoid collision by braking only; determining a second distance sufficient to avoid collision by combined braking and steering around the obstacle. The method also includes: applying braking if at least one of, the first distance exceeds the actual distance and the first distance is within a selected threshold of the actual distance. If the actual distance exceeds the second distance and a lane change is permitted, steering control to affect a lane change is applied.

Improved methods of controlling the stability of a vehicle are provided via the cooperative operation of vehicle stability control systems such as an Active Yaw Control system, Antilock Braking System, and Traction Control System. These methods use recognition of road surface information including the road friction coefficient (mu), wheel slippage, and yaw deviations. The methods then modify the settings of the active damping system and / or the distribution of drive torque, as necessary, to increase / reduce damping in the suspension and shift torque application at the wheels, thus preventing a significant shift of load in the vehicle and / or improving vehicle drivability and comfort. The adjustments of the active damping system or torque distribution temporarily override any characteristics that were pre-selected by the driver.

A drive assist system includes an assist starting part starting assist, a detection part detecting relative distances and speeds between a vehicles, a calculation part calculating collision risks when changing a lane by the basis of the relative distances and speeds, a first judgment part judging whether the lane can be changed by the relative distances, speeds and the collision risks, a decision part deciding a target space for lane change by the relative distances and speeds when the lane cannot be changed, a second judgment part judging whether a lane changeable space is in the target space, a setting part setting a target speed for the vehicle go to a lane change waiting position when no space and to setting a target speed the vehicle enters a lane changeable position when there is the space, and a control part controlling a speed of the vehicle reaches the target speed.

A powered wheel assembly, and method and ground-engaging vehicle (e.g., a robotic vehicle) using the same, are provided. The vehicle incorporates at least one of the wheel assemblies on its chassis body. In addition to its ability to propel the vehicle across a surface, the wheel assembly is reconfigurable between a retracted configuration, wherein the wheel assembly has a first rolling diameter, and an expanded configuration, wherein the wheel assembly has a second rolling diameter greater than the first rolling diameter. A drive motor assembly may both rotate the wheel assembly, e.g., propel the vehicle across a surface, and selectively actuate the wheel assembly from the first rolling diameter to the second rolling diameter, or to any intermediate rolling diameter.

Reverse proximity sensors are used to determine an angle between a towed trailer and the towing vehicle. The trailer sway control determines a trailer angle of sway based upon proximity sensor readings from the reverse proximity sensors and from a sensor reading of an angle of turn of a steering wheel of the towing vehicle. Provided the determined trailer angle of sway exceeds a range that can be tolerated, a controller sends instructions to apply necessary braking to the vehicle or trailer to mitigate the trailer sway.

A method for collision avoidance using automated braking and steering comprising: determining an actual distance to an obstacle in a path of a vehicle; determining a relative velocity between the obstacle and the vehicle; determining a first distance sufficient to avoid collision by braking only; determining a second distance sufficient to avoid collision by combined braking and steering around the obstacle. The method also includes: applying braking if at least one of, the first distance exceeds the actual distance and the first distance is within a selected threshold of the actual distance. If the actual distance exceeds the second distance and a lane change is permitted, steering control to affect a lane change is applied.

Restrictions on use of a cellular telephone in a vehicle, such as an automobile, are imposed using a global position system (GPS) device to determine the location of a vehicle in relation to geographic regions in which legal or customer restrictions on cellular telephone use are to be imposed. Network or local short-range wireless transmitters supply information to a cellular telephone describing potentially applicable restriction information retrieved from network databases. In response, a cellular telephone determines applicability of such restrictions and applies them to further use of the cellular telephone while such restrictions continue to apply. Alternative arrangements allow vehicle-based or network based processing of region and restrictions information to yield command messages to cellular telephones to control their further use.

Reverse proximity sensors are used to determine an angle between a towed trailer and the towing vehicle. The trailer sway control determines a trailer angle of sway based upon proximity sensor readings from the reverse proximity sensors and from a sensor reading of an angle of turn of a steering wheel of the towing vehicle. Provided the determined trailer angle of sway exceeds a range that can be tolerated, a controller sends instructions to apply necessary braking to the vehicle or trailer to mitigate the trailer sway.

A mobile robot configured to be widely versatile in its use. For example, the mobile robot can be configured for being used on a wide assortment of surfaces, regardless of the orientation and / or shape of the surfaces. Alternatively or in combination, the mobile robot can be configured for effective and efficient movement on the surfaces it traverses. In some cases, the mobile robot is configured with two or more component units. In some cases, the component units are configured with magnets and a control system for orientating the magnets. In some cases, one or more component couplings join the component units. In some cases, the mobile unit is configured with Mecanum wheels.

A control system (11) for a vehicle (10) includes vehicle dynamics sensors (35-47) providing a vehicle dynamics signal. Tire monitoring system sensors (20) in each wheel generate tire signals including temperature, pressure and acceleration data. A controller (26) communicates with the tire monitoring system sensors (20) and at least one vehicle dynamics sensor, and generates a tire abnormality value as a function of the multi-axis acceleration data of the tire signals. Tire multi-axis acceleration data is also used to detect a roadway departure, and an oversteer or understeer event.

A moving behavior control device for a vehicle calculates first target braking forces to be applied to the respective wheels for stabilizing the vehicle against a turn instability, second target braking forces to be applied to the respective wheels for stabilizing the vehicle against a roll instability, and target overall braking forces to be applied to the respective wheels by integrating the first and second target braking forces, and applies braking forces to the respective wheels according to the target overall braking forces, wherein the applied braking forces are decreased according to a first rate schedule by which the applied braking forces are decreased at a first rate according to an excess of the applied braking forces relative to the target overall braking forces when the vehicle is running at no probability of rolling beyond a predetermined threshold roll, and according to a second rate schedule by which the braking forces are lowered at a second rate smaller than the first rate according to the excess when the vehicle is running at such a probability.

A device for controlling a turn running behavior of a vehicle detects at least one parameter (V, gamma, Gy, Gyh, gammat, gammat-gamma) with respect to the turn running behavior in addition to a drive direction of the vehicle, the one parameter being indicative of a higher desirability of the turn running behavior control according to changes of a magnitude thereof, calculates an amount (DELTATer, Froq, Friq, DELTATes, Fsop, Fsiq, Fsoq) for the turn running behavior control based upon the detected turn running behavior parameters, determines a start of the turn running behavior control according to the one turn running behavior parameter traversing a threshold value (Vrp, Vrq, gammarp, gammarq, Gyp, Gyq, Gyhp, Gyhq, Vsp, Vsq, gammasp, gammasq, gammatsp, gammatsq, DELTAgammap, DELTAgammaq) determined therefor, and executes the turn running behavior control by operating at least one of the engine and the brake system according to the turn running behavior control amount, wherein threshold value is changed in a rearward drive of the vehicle as compared in a forward drive thereof such that the turn running behavior control is started at a lower degree of the desirability thereof in the rearward drive than in the forward drive.

In lane keep control apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a deviation tendency detecting section detects whether the vehicle has a tendency of a deviation from a traveling traffic lane and a deviation avoidance controlling section performs a control for the vehicle to travel on a road surface which is parallel to the traveling traffic lane when the deviation tendency detecting section detects that the vehicle has the tendency of the deviation from the traveling traffic lane and, thereafter, performs a control to prevent a yaw angle of the vehicle with respect to the traveling traffic lane from increasing in a direction in which the tendency of the deviation becomes large.

An engine-propelled monowheel vehicle comprises two wheels, close together, that circumscribe the remainder of the vehicle. When the vehicle is moving forward, the closely spaced wheels act as a single wheel, and the vehicle turns by leaning the wheels. A single propulsion system provides a drive torque that is shared by the two wheels. A separate steering torque, provided by a steering motor, is added to one wheel while being subtracted from the other wheel, enabling the wheels to rotate in opposite directions for turning the vehicle at zero forward velocity. The vehicle employs attitude sensors, for sensing roll, pitch, and yaw, and an automatic balancing system. A flywheel in the vehicle spins at a high rate around a spin axis, wherein the spin axis is rotatable with respect to the vehicle's frame. The axis angle and flywheel spin speed are continually adjustable to generate torques for automatic balancing.

A powered wheel assembly, and method and ground-engaging vehicle (e.g., a robotic vehicle) using the same, are provided. The vehicle incorporates at least one of the wheel assemblies on its chassis body. In addition to its ability to propel the vehicle across a surface, the wheel assembly is reconfigurable between a retracted configuration, wherein the wheel assembly has a first rolling diameter, and an expanded configuration, wherein the wheel assembly has a second rolling diameter greater than the first rolling diameter. A drive motor assembly may both rotate the wheel assembly, e.g., propel the vehicle across a surface, and selectively actuate the wheel assembly from the first rolling diameter to the second rolling diameter, or to any intermediate rolling diameter.

A control system (10) for a vehicle (16) includes a sensor (35-47) that generates a sensor signal and a stability control system (26). Tire monitoring sensors (20) in each wheel generate tire signals including temperature, pressure and acceleration. The controller (26) is coupled to the sensors (20, 25-47), and generates a first roll condition signal as a function of the sensor signal, and generates a second roll condition signal as a function of the tire signals. The first or second roll condition signals control the rollover control system to mitigate a vehicle rollover event.

A method for exchanging data in a vehicle train having a tractor, at least one trailer coupled to the tractor, and vehicle electronics allocated to the tractor and trailer interconnected via a PLC data bus used to provide programmed input and output functions for the vehicle electronics of the trailer. Data representing the programmed functionality is provided automatically and cyclically via the PLC data bus to the vehicle electronics. The vehicle electronics can be configured as ABS control electronics, the programmed input and output functions providing functionality beyond that of the ABS function. Control of these additional functions in the trailer vehicle electronics equipped with the specific functionality is then exercised via an input / output unit provided in the tractor and connected to the PLC data bus either directly or indirectly via the tractor ABS control electronics.

An anti-lock braking system includes a friction torque gradient estimating unit for estimating, from a small number of parameters, the gradient of friction torque with respect to a slip speed, and controls a braking force acting on wheels on the basis of the friction torque gradient estimated by the friction torque gradient estimating unit. The friction torque gradient estimating unit may employ several types of estimating methods; e.g., a method of estimating the gradient of friction torque from only time-series data concerning a wheel speed; a method of estimating the friction torque gradient from time-series data concerning wheel deceleration as well as from braking torque or time-series data concerning physical quantities associated with the braking torque; or a method of estimating the friction torque gradient from micro-gains which are obtained when brake pressure is excited in a very small amount at the resonance frequency of a vibration system comprising a vehicle, wheels, and a road surface and which represent the characteristics of the vibration system. Further, there is also disclosed a method of determining, from the thus-estimated friction torque gradient, the limit of the characteristics of friction torque developed between the wheels and the road surface.

A traction unit capable of traversing and turning on surfaces that include compound curves like the surface of a sphere or are inverted like a ceiling. The traction unit includes a plurality of trucks operable to propel the unit across a surface and a plurality of adherence members operable to releasably secure the unit to the surface. In operation, the adherence members cyclically attach to and release from the surface as the trucks propel the unit across the surface. Within each cycle, after the unit has traveled a predetermined distance relative to an attached member, the member releases the surface and reattaches to the surface at a different point.

The invention concerns a surface traversing apparatus that includes a frame, a seal having a seal perimeter that is mounted to the frame, and a drive configured to move the apparatus relative to the surface. The seal perimeter is adapted substantially for rolling contact with the surface to be traversed. The device is capable of suction adhering and moving along horizontal, vertical, inverted surfaces and the like, and overcoming obstacles or surface irregularities while maintaining suction adhesion to the surface. The device can be propelled along the surface with a locomoting rolling seal assembly, which provides both a seal to affect the vacuum adhesion and the locomotion to drive the device across the surface.

A side frame assembly for an electric wheelchair suspension includes a supporting frame unit with a rider-supporting frame, a front caster frame, an upper link having a front end connected pivotally to the front caster frame, and a lower link disposed under the upper link and having a front end connected pivotally to the front caster frame. A drive wheel frame has a front lower end connected pivotally to a pivot portion of the supporting frame unit. A connecting frame has an upper pivot portion connected pivotally to a rear end of the upper link, a lower pivot portion connected pivotally to a rear end of the lower link, and a rear pivot portion connected pivotally to the rear upper end of the drive wheel frame.

A vehicle stability control system comprises a 5-sensor cluster and a stability controller configured to communicate with the 5-sensor cluster and receive signals corresponding to a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a yaw rate, a roll rate, and a pitch rate from the 5-sensor cluster. The stability controller can also be configured to determine a braking amount or a throttle amount to maintain vehicle stability. The system also comprises a brake controller configured to communicate with the stability controller and receive a braking request from the stability controller, and a throttle controller configured to communicate with the stability controller and receive a throttle request from the stability controller. The system may also comprise a braking or throttling command computed based on various scenarios detected by measured and calculated signals.

A movement stabilizing control ECU 25 includes a differential unit 25a, a cycle calculation unit 25b, a time constant / gain setting portion 25c, a first-order lag processing unit 25d, a pendulum movement detection unit 25e, a control amount calculation portion 25f and a control amount output unit 25g. The time constant / gain setting portion 25c sets a time constant τ and a gain K used at the time of subjecting a yaw acceleration ω′ which is a time-differential value of a yaw rate ω to the first-order lag processing at the first-order lag processing unit 25d, with reference to a function or data of a look-up table, for example, depending on the cycle or the frequency of the yaw acceleration ω′ due to the pendulum movement. The control amount calculation portion 25f multiplies the amplitude of a yaw acceleration ωd′ outputted from the first-order lag processing unit 25d by a predetermined constant to calculate a yaw control amount with a phase in opposite to that of the yaw acceleration ωd′ and outputs the yaw control amount to the control amount output unit 25g.

A rollover prevention device and method detects an impending rollover situation for a vehicle (10) having a high center of gravity (cg). The system alerts the operator to potentially dangerous driving conditions and / or automatically slows the velocity of the vehicle (10) to prevent rollover. An electronic control unit for receives output signals from wheel velocity, engine revolution, and engine load sensors and then calculates lateral acceleration, wheel slip difference, and drive torque from the signals. A lateral acceleration limit is defined by plotting lateral acceleration, wheel slip difference and drive torque as a three dimensional surface.

An apparatus for diagnosing a fault in a dynamic system includes a controller which controls the dynamic system through use of a control input signal and vibrates the dynamic system through use of an vibration signal irrelevant to the internal state quantity of the dynamic system; an observer for estimating, on the basis of a response output from the vibration dynamic system, total disturbance which is a sum of an internal disturbance vector stemming from a fault in the dynamic system and a vibration disturbance vector occurring in the dynamic system through vibration; a correlation calculation unit which calculates cross-correlation between the thus-estimated total disturbance and the internal state quantity of the dynamic system and separates a component related to the internal disturbance from the total disturbance; and a diagnostic unit for diagnosing a fault in the dynamic system on the basis of the thus-separated component related to the internal disturbance. Since the dynamic system is vibrated, the response output can be increased even when there exists small external disturbance. As a result, a fault or a variation in air pressure in a tire can be highly accurately diagnosed.

According to the present invention, an electromechanical braking system is provided. The braking system includes at least one brake system control unit (BSCU) for converting an input brake command signal into a brake clamp force command signal. In addition, the braking system includes a first electromechanical actuator controller (EMAC) and a second electromechanical actuator controller (EMAC) configured to receive the brake clamp force command signal from the at least one BSCU and to convert the brake clamp force command signal to at least one electromechanical actuator drive control signal. Further, the braking system includes at least one electromechanical actuator configured to receive the at least one drive control signal and to apply a brake clamp force to at least one wheel to be braked in response to the at least one drive control signal. Moreover, the first EMAC and the second EMAC are configured to perform antiskid control in relation to the at least one wheel to be braked.

Provided is a method of diagnosing a vehicle having diagnostic data. The method includes providing an automotive diagnostic tool sold to a user by a selling retailer. The automotive diagnostic tool is configured to download diagnostic data from the vehicle and upload the diagnostic data to a computer. The computer is configured to communicate the diagnostic data to a diagnostic database associated with the selling retailer (such as a private label website) upon establishing a communication link between the automotive diagnostic tool and the computer. A communication link is then established between the automotive diagnostic tool and the computer. In response thereto, a communication link is then established between the computer and the diagnostic database. The diagnostic data is thereafter communicated from the automotive diagnostic tool to the diagnostic database via the computer. The diagnostic database is arranged to map vehicle diagnostic data to a most likely vehicle fix.

A system and method for actively damping driveline oscillations in a motor vehicle having a traction motor to drive a vehicle's drive wheels and an antilock brake system (ABS). A traction motor controller controls a torque output signal of the motor to effectively to dampen driveline oscillations during an ABS operation. A proportional, a proportional derivative, or a derivative controller may be used to generate the torque output signal based on at least one of motor speed, an average of the drive wheel speeds, a difference in the two speeds, a motor angular acceleration, an average wheel angular acceleration, and a difference in the angular accelerations. Motor speed signals and average drive wheel speed signals may be filtered to eliminate high frequency components of each speed signal. Additionally, amplitude of the torque output signal may be limited within a positive upper and a negative lower active motor damping limit.

A vehicle comprising a seat defining a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion, an electronic stability system, adapted to receive inputs from a load sensor, a wheel rotation sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor, the electronic stability system adapted to provide outputs to at least one of the brake system for braking the vehicle, and the engine control unit to change the power output transmitted to the wheels by the engine, the electronic stability system using a first calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a non-loaded state and a second calibration to determine the outputs when the load sensor is in a loaded state.