Vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of vehicles. According to the method, when the vehicle needs to climb the steps, the height of the suspension of each wheel can be increased, so that the trafficability of the vehicle during climbing the steps is improved, and damage to a chassis of the vehicle is reduced to a certain extent. In the step climbing process, the method can reduce the suspension height of the target wheel along with the increase of the climbing height of the target wheel. After the suspension height of the target wheel is reduced, the difficulty of the target wheel climbing steps can be reduced, and it can be ensured that a vehicle body of the vehicle is stable. Therefore, the vehicle can pass through the steps safely and efficiently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a vehicle and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In daily life, vehicles often need to climb stairs. At present, when a vehicle needs to climb stairs, it usually directly rushes up the stairs at a high speed, and then brakes to slow down after climbing the stairs. However, the current way of climbing stairs may cause great damage to the vehicle (such as the chassis of the vehicle), thereby affecting the safety of the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present application provides a vehicle control method, which can solve the problem that the current way of climbing stairs by vehicles will cause significant damage to the vehicle. The technical solution is as follows:

[0004] In one aspect, a method for controlling a vehicle is provided, the method comprising:

[0005] If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the posture of the vehicle is adjusted, and the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle becomes higher after the posture adjustment;

[0006] In the process of the target wheel of the vehicle climbing the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced until the target wheel climbs onto the step.

[0007] In another aspect, a controller is provided, the controller comprising: a processor; the processor is configured to:

[0008] If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the posture of the vehicle is adjusted, and the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle becomes higher after the posture adjustment;

[0009] In the process of the target wheel of the vehicle climbing the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced until the target wheel climbs onto the step.

[0010] On the other hand, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a controller as described in the above aspect.

[0011] On the other hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the vehicle control method as described in the above aspects is implemented.

[0012] The beneficial effects brought about by the technical solution provided by this application include at least:

[0013] The present application provides a vehicle and a control method thereof. When the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the method can raise the height of the suspension of each wheel to improve the vehicle's passability when climbing the stairs, thereby reducing damage to the vehicle's chassis to a certain extent. In the process of climbing stairs, the method can reduce the suspension height of the target wheel as the climbing height of the target wheel increases. After the suspension height of the target wheel is reduced, on the one hand, the difficulty of the target wheel climbing the stairs can be reduced, so that the target wheel can climb the stairs more easily; on the other hand, the grip of other wheels can be increased, thereby ensuring that the vehicle body is relatively stable. It can be seen that the method provided by the present application can enable the vehicle to pass through the stairs more safely and efficiently.

[0014] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a vehicle control method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 2 is a flow chart of another vehicle control method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a pavement area on a step provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the height of the suspension of a climbing wheel and the damping of the shock absorber provided in an embodiment of the present application, which change with the state of the climbing wheel;

[0019] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the azimuth relationship between a wheel and a step after posture adjustment provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the change of the height of the suspension of a target wheel, the damping of the shock absorber, the torque, the climbing height and the vehicle speed over time provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 7 is a diagram of a minimum ground clearance of a vehicle and a maximum active height of a suspension provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an angle between a length direction of a vehicle and an extension direction of a step provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Fig. 9 It is another schematic diagram of calculating the angle range of the angle between the length direction of the vehicle and the extension direction of the step provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Fig.10 It is a structural schematic diagram of a controller provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0026] The present application provides a vehicle control method, which is applied to a vehicle controller, such as a vehicle control unit (VCU). The vehicle includes a plurality of wheels, such as four wheels. Figure 1 , the method comprising:

[0027] Step 101: If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, adjust the posture of the vehicle.

[0028] The height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture adjustment becomes higher. For example, the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture adjustment may be a maximum height. The maximum height of the suspension may be pre-stored in the vehicle.

[0029] It is understandable that the step can be located in the middle of the road or on both sides of the road. For example, the step can be the road shoulder (also referred to as the curb) on both sides of the road.

[0030] Step 102: When the target wheel of the vehicle climbs the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced until the target wheel climbs the step.

[0031] In the process of climbing steps, the climbing height of the target wheel can increase.Along with the increase of the climbing height of the target wheel, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced, and the height of the suspension of other wheels is kept constant, the height difference between the target wheel and other wheels can be avoided to be too large, so that the distribution of the load of the vehicle on multiple wheels is relatively uniform, and is distributed on other wheels less.Like this, on the one hand, the target wheel can be raised to a certain extent, so that the step becomes low relative to the target wheel, and the climbing resistance of the target wheel can be reduced, namely the difficulty of the target wheel climbing step can be reduced, thereby the target wheel can easily climb the step under less torque.On the other hand, the gripping power of other wheels can be increased, ensuring that the stability of vehicle body is higher.

[0032] The other wheels are wheels other than the target wheel among the multiple wheels of the vehicle.

[0033] Optionally, if the vehicle climbs the steps by climbing two wheels together, the number of the target wheels is two. If the vehicle climbs the steps by climbing one wheel in sequence, the number of the target wheels can be one.

[0034] In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling a vehicle, which can raise the height of the suspension of each wheel when the vehicle needs to climb steps to improve the passability of the vehicle when climbing the steps, thereby reducing the damage to the chassis of the vehicle to a certain extent. In the process of climbing the steps, the method can reduce the suspension height of the target wheel as the climbing height of the target wheel increases. After the suspension height of the target wheel is reduced, on the one hand, the difficulty of the target wheel climbing the steps can be reduced, so that the target wheel can climb the steps more easily; on the other hand, the grip of other wheels can be increased, so that the body of the vehicle can be ensured to be relatively stable. It can be seen that the method provided by the embodiment of the present application can enable the vehicle to pass through the steps more safely and efficiently.

[0035] The present application embodiment takes the method of climbing stairs in sequence with a single wheel as an example to exemplify the control method of the vehicle provided in the present application embodiment, and the method can be applied to the vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of wheels. Figure 2 As shown, the method may include:

[0036] Step 201: If it is determined that the vehicle needs to climb stairs, then check whether the vehicle can safely pass the stairs.

[0037] After determining that the vehicle needs to climb the steps, the controller of the vehicle can detect whether the vehicle can safely pass the steps. If the controller determines that the vehicle cannot safely pass the steps, step 202 can be executed. If the controller determines that the vehicle can safely pass the steps, step 203 can be executed.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present application, the determination condition that a vehicle can safely pass through a step may include: when the vehicle passes through the step, the chassis of the vehicle will not be damaged by the collision with the step. Based on this, the controller of the vehicle can obtain the height of the step and detect whether the height of the step is less than the target value. If the controller determines that the height of the step is less than the target value, it can be determined that the chassis of the vehicle will not be damaged by the collision with the step when passing through the step, so that it can be determined that the vehicle can safely pass through the step. If the controller determines that the height of the step is greater than or equal to the target value, it can be determined that the chassis of the vehicle may be damaged by the collision with the step when passing through the step, so that it can be determined that the vehicle cannot safely pass through the step. Among them, the target value can be pre-stored by the vehicle.

[0039] Optionally, the determination condition that the vehicle can safely pass the steps may also include: the vehicle can move after climbing the steps. At this time, the vehicle controller may also obtain surrounding environmental information, and based on the environmental information, detect whether the vehicle can move after climbing the steps. If the controller determines that the height of the steps is less than the target value, and the vehicle can move after climbing the steps, it can be determined that the vehicle can safely pass the steps.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present application, the environmental information may include: the area of ​​the road surface area on the steps, the number of obstacles in the road surface area, and the position of the obstacles in the road surface area. If the controller determines that the road surface area meets the target condition based on the environmental information, it can be determined that the vehicle can move after climbing the steps. If the controller determines that the area does not meet the target condition, it can be determined that the vehicle cannot move after climbing the steps.

[0041] The target condition may be one of the following conditions: Condition 1: the area of ​​the road surface area is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the minimum safety area of ​​the vehicle, and the number of obstacles is 0; Condition 2: the area of ​​the road surface area is greater than the area of ​​the minimum safety area, and the number of obstacles in the minimum safety area of ​​the road surface area is 0; Condition 3: the area of ​​the road surface area is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the minimum safety area, and there is an obstacle in the minimum safety area of ​​the road surface area, but the obstacle is removed after the vehicle is reminded. The minimum safety area of ​​the vehicle refers to: the sum of the area required for parking after the vehicle has completely climbed the steps and the additional reserved safe activity area.

[0042] It is understandable that if the vehicle's controller determines that the area of ​​the road surface area on the step is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the minimum safety area, and there is an obstacle within the minimum safety area for vehicle movement in the road surface area, a reminder message can be issued to remind the driver and passengers to remove the obstacle.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle may be equipped with a height perception sensor and an environment perception sensor, and both the height perception sensor and the environment perception sensor may be connected to a controller of the vehicle. The controller may determine the height of the step that the vehicle needs to pass through through the height perception sensor, and may obtain environmental information through the environment perception sensor.

[0044] Optionally, the height perception sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor, a radar or a camera. The environment perception sensor may be a radar or a camera.

[0045] For example, see Figure 3 , Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a pavement area on a step is shown. Figure 3As shown, the road surface area includes a minimum safe area for the vehicle to move. That is, the area of ​​the road surface area is larger than the area of ​​the minimum safe area of ​​the vehicle. Therefore, the controller of the vehicle can determine that the vehicle can move after climbing the steps.

[0046] According to the above description, the vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present application can automatically determine whether it can safely pass the steps. Compared with the judgment method of the driver and passengers, the accuracy of the judgment can be improved, and the safety hazards caused by improper evaluation of the driver and passengers can be avoided.

[0047] In an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle has a step assist function. If the driver (e.g., the driver) determines that the vehicle needs to pass through a step, the vehicle can be controlled to activate the step assist function. After determining that the step assist function is enabled, the vehicle controller can determine that the vehicle needs to pass through a step, and then perform an operation to detect whether the vehicle can safely pass through the step.

[0048] In an optional implementation, the vehicle has an activation button for the step assist function, and the step assist function is disabled by default. If the driver or passenger determines that the vehicle needs to pass through the steps, the driver or passenger may touch the activation button. The vehicle controller may then activate the step assist function in response to the driver or passenger's touch operation on the activation button. The activation button may be a physical button or a virtual button.

[0049] In another optional implementation, if the vehicle's controller recognizes that there are steps in front of the vehicle that need to be climbed, the vehicle's step assist function can be automatically enabled.

[0050] Step 202: Issue an alarm message.

[0051] If the vehicle's controller determines that the vehicle cannot safely pass the steps, a warning message may be issued to remind the driver and passengers that the vehicle cannot safely pass the steps.

[0052] Optionally, the warning information may include: at least one of text warning information and sound warning information. For example, the warning information may be sound warning information.

[0053] It is understandable that after the vehicle step assist function is enabled, an operation is performed to detect whether the vehicle can safely pass the step. If the vehicle determines that it cannot safely pass the step, the step assist function can be exited to save the vehicle's processing resources.

[0054] Step 203: Adjust the posture of the vehicle.

[0055] If the vehicle controller determines that the vehicle can safely pass the steps, it can enter the step climbing preparation stage to adjust the vehicle's posture. After the posture adjustment, the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle becomes higher. In this way, the vehicle's passability when climbing the steps can be improved.

[0056] Optionally, the damping of the shock absorber of the vehicle after the posture adjustment can be increased to ensure higher stability of the vehicle after the suspension height is increased.

[0057] For example, see Figure 4 After the vehicle controller determines that the vehicle can safely pass the step, it can raise the suspension of each wheel (all non-climbing wheels at this time) until the height of the suspension is the maximum height, and raise the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel until the damping is the maximum damping, so as to adjust the posture of the vehicle. That is, the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture adjustment can be the maximum height, and the damping of the shock absorber is the maximum damping. The maximum height and maximum damping can be pre-stored by the vehicle.

[0058] Adjusting the height of the suspension of each wheel to the maximum height can effectively improve the vehicle's passability when climbing stairs and avoid the vehicle's chassis from bottoming out, thereby reducing damage to the chassis to a certain extent and avoiding reducing the vehicle's service life. Adjusting the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel to the maximum damping can effectively ensure that the vehicle has a high stability when the height of the wheel suspension is at the maximum height. In this way, the vehicle can be ensured to have a high safety.

[0059] Optional, see Figure 5 , the axis A of each wheel of the vehicle after posture adjustment can be parallel to the extension direction B of the step, that is, the travel direction of each wheel can be perpendicular to the extension direction of the step. That is, after the vehicle controller determines that the vehicle can safely pass the step, it can control the wheel steering (for example, by controlling the wheel steering through the vehicle's four-wheel steering system) so that the travel direction of each wheel can be perpendicular to the extension direction of the step. In this way, the tires and wheel hubs of the wheels can be protected to a certain extent.

[0060] Optional, please continue to see Figure 5 , the length direction X of the vehicle after the posture adjustment can intersect with the extension direction B of the step, and the length direction X is not perpendicular to the extension direction B of the step. That is, after the vehicle can safely pass the step, the vehicle controller can also control the wheel rotation so that the body of the vehicle intersects with the extension direction of the step and is not perpendicular.

[0061] In this way, multiple wheels of the vehicle can climb the steps one by one, that is, the vehicle provided in the embodiment of the present application can climb the steps in a manner of climbing the steps one by one with a single wheel, thereby effectively reducing the climbing resistance of the vehicle in the process of climbing the steps, and then enabling the vehicle to climb the steps more efficiently.

[0062] In the embodiment of the present application, the vehicle can control the angle between the length direction of the vehicle and the extension direction of the step to be within an angle range, so that the length of the vehicle intersects with the extension direction of the step and is not perpendicular, and the axis of each wheel is parallel to the extension direction of the step. The angle range can be pre-stored by the vehicle.

[0063] Optionally, the controller of the vehicle can adjust the height of the suspension of each wheel and the damping of the shock absorber while controlling the rotation of the wheels so that the length direction of the vehicle intersects and is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the step. Alternatively, the controller can first control the rotation of the wheels so that the length direction of the vehicle intersects and is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the step, and then adjust the height of the suspension of each wheel and the damping of the shock absorber. Alternatively, the controller can first adjust the height of the suspension of each wheel and the damping of the shock absorber, and then control the rotation of the wheels so that the length direction of the vehicle intersects and is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the step. The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0064] For example, assuming that the vehicle controller determines at time t0 that the vehicle's posture needs to be adjusted, see Figure 6 Between time t0 and time t1, the controller gradually adjusts the height of the suspension of each wheel to the maximum height, and gradually adjusts the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel to the maximum damping.

[0065] Step 204: Control the vehicle to travel until the target wheel contacts the step.

[0066] After the controller adjusts the posture of the vehicle, it can control the vehicle to maintain the posture and drive at a set speed to approach the step until a target wheel among the multiple wheels abuts against the step. At this time, the target wheel is the current climbing wheel of the vehicle. The set speed can be pre-stored by the vehicle, for example, 5 kilometers per hour (km / h).

[0067] In an embodiment of the present application, the moment a wheel of the vehicle abuts against a step, the speed of the vehicle will drop sharply to 0. Based on this, for the vehicle, while the vehicle is approaching the step, the controller of the vehicle can obtain (such as obtaining in real time) the speed of the vehicle. Afterwards, if the controller determines that the current speed is 0, it can be determined that a wheel of the vehicle abuts against the step. Then, the controller can obtain the fluctuation value of the tire pressure of each wheel, and determine the wheel with the largest fluctuation value as the target wheel abutting against the step (i.e., the climbing wheel). In this way, it can be ensured that the accuracy of the determined target wheel is high.

[0068] It is understandable that a speed sensor for collecting vehicle speed is also installed in the vehicle, and the speed sensor is connected to the controller. The speed sensor can send the collected vehicle speed to the controller. Correspondingly, the controller can obtain the vehicle speed.

[0069] For example, the controller starts controlling the vehicle to travel at a set speed at time t1. Figure 6 As shown, at time t2, the vehicle speed is 0, that is, at this time, the controller can determine that one wheel of the vehicle is in contact with the step. Then, the controller can determine the target wheel in contact with the step from the multiple wheels.

[0070] Step 205: Increase the torque of the target wheel so that the target wheel can climb the step.

[0071] After one wheel of the vehicle contacts the step, the torque that originally drove the vehicle to travel at the set speed can no longer make it climb the step. Based on this, after one wheel of the vehicle contacts the step, see Figure 4 The controller of the vehicle can increase the torque of the target wheel while keeping the height of the suspension of the target wheel unchanged so that the target wheel can climb the step.

[0072] Optionally, the controller of the vehicle may gradually increase the torque of the target wheel until the wheel climbs to the target height of the step. The target height is less than the height of the step, for example, the target height may be 1 / 5 of the height of the step. The height direction of the step intersects with the extension direction of the step. For example, the height direction of the step is perpendicular to the extension direction of the step.

[0073] In the embodiment of the present application, during the process of increasing the torque of the target wheel, the controller of the vehicle can detect the climbing height of the wheel and determine whether the wheel has climbed to the target height of the step based on the climbing height. The climbing height of the target wheel is the distance between the lowest point of the wheel and the road surface below the step.

[0074] When the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel of the vehicle becomes larger after the posture adjustment, after the target wheel abuts the step, the controller can also reduce the damping of the shock absorber of the target wheel abutting the step to increase the activity space of the suspension of the target wheel, so as to avoid causing serious damage to the suspension and wheel during the climbing process of the target wheel, and the phenomenon of the step scratching the chassis.

[0075] When the increased damping is the maximum damping, the ratio of the damping of the shock absorber after reduction to the maximum damping of the shock absorber may be within a ratio range. The ratio range may be [1 / 2, 7 / 10]. For example, the damping of the shock absorber after reduction may be 2 / 3 of the maximum damping.

[0076] Example, reference Figure 6 At time t2, the target wheel of the vehicle contacts the step. At this time, the controller of the vehicle can reduce the damping of the shock absorber of the target wheel and increase the torque of the target wheel at this time t2. Figure 4 As shown, the torque can increase linearly. As the torque increases, at time t3, the vehicle speed increases from 0, that is, the increased torque can drive the target wheel to climb.

[0077] Step 206: When the target wheel climbs the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced.

[0078] When the target wheel is climbing the stairs, Figure 4 As shown, the target wheel can move upward. Accordingly, the climbing height of the target wheel can increase. In this process, the controller of the vehicle can keep the damping of the shock absorber of the target wheel constant, and with the increase of the climbing height of the target wheel, reduce the height of the suspension of the target wheel.

[0079] Along with the increase of this climbing height, reduce the height of the suspension of target wheel, and keep the height of the suspension of other wheels constant, can avoid the height difference of target wheel and other wheels is too large, make the distribution of the load of vehicle on multiple wheels relatively more even, and be distributed on target wheel less.Like this, can make the target wheel be raised to a certain extent on the one hand, make step lower with respect to this target wheel, reduce the climbing resistance of target wheel, namely reduce the difficulty of target wheel climbing step, thereby make target wheel can climb this step under less torque, then improve the efficiency of target wheel climbing step.On the other hand, can increase the gripping power of other wheels, ensure that the stability of vehicle body is higher.

[0080] It is understandable that the height of the suspension of the target wheel can be lowered gradually. The ratio of the height of the suspension after each lowering to the reference height can be equal to the ratio of the climbing height of the wheel to the height of the step. The reference height is the difference between the maximum height of the suspension and the initial height of the suspension. The initial height is the height of the suspension before it is adjusted to the maximum height.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present application, during the climbing process, after the target wheel of the vehicle climbs to the target height of the step, it indicates that the current torque is sufficient to drive the target wheel to climb the step. After that, the controller can keep the torque of the target wheel unchanged until the target wheel climbs the step.

[0082] For example, from Figure 6 It can be seen that starting from time t3 (i.e., the moment when one wheel of the vehicle contacts the step), the controller of the vehicle gradually lowers the height of the suspension of the target wheel until the step is tangent to the target wheel, i.e., the target wheel just climbs up the step. Figure 6 As shown, at time t4 (i.e., the time when the target wheel just climbs up the step), the height of the suspension of the target wheel returns to the initial height.

[0083] And, reference Figure 6 At time t3, the vehicle speed gradually increases, and then the controller can continue to increase the torque of the target wheel until the target wheel climbs to the target height of the step. When the target wheel climbs to the target height of the step, it means that the current torque is sufficient to drive the target wheel to climb the step. After that, the controller can keep the torque of the target wheel unchanged so that the target wheel can climb the step. In this process, the vehicle speed can increase linearly.

[0084] In addition, from Figure 6 It can also be seen that from time t3 to time t4, as the vehicle climbs, the climbing height of the target wheel gradually increases.

[0085] Step 207: After the target wheel climbs up the step, the torque of the target wheel is restored.

[0086] In the embodiment of the present application, after the wheel climbs up the target height of the step, the vehicle can keep the torque of the wheel unchanged until the wheel climbs up the step. After climbing up the step, the vehicle can restore the torque of the wheel. The restored torque is the torque before the increase.

[0087] Optionally, the controller may obtain the displacement of the target wheel. Then, if the controller determines that the displacement is greater than or equal to the radius of the wheel, it may be determined that the target wheel has climbed up the step. When the target wheel contacts the step, the displacement of the target wheel is 0.

[0088] In the embodiment of the present application, after the vehicle controller determines that the target wheel has climbed the step, it can also detect whether at least one wheel of the vehicle has not climbed the step. If the controller determines that all wheels have climbed the step, it can brake and stop the torque output to ensure that the vehicle can stop in time and will not rush out. If the controller determines that at least one wheel has not climbed the step, it can continue to execute steps 203 to 207 until all wheels of the vehicle have climbed the step. Figure 4 As shown, the height of the suspension of each wheel is raised to the maximum height, and the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel is raised to the maximum damping.

[0089] Example, reference Figure 6 , the target wheel just climbs up the step at time t4, and the controller can restore the torque of the target wheel. Figure 4 It can be seen that the torque after recovery is the torque of the target wheel before time t2. And because the torque of the target wheel of the controller is recovered, the speed of the vehicle will be reduced and gradually reduced to the set speed.

[0090] Assume that after the wheel climbs up the step, there is still at least one wheel that has not climbed up the step, then please continue to refer to Figure 6 At time t5, the controller of the vehicle may first adjust the height of the suspension of each wheel to the maximum height, and adjust the damping of the shock absorber of each wheel to the maximum damping, so as to control the next target wheel to climb up the step.

[0091] In the embodiment of the present application, when the vehicle passes through the steps, if the chassis of the vehicle is not to be bumped by the steps, it is necessary to ensure that the step height h1 satisfies: h1≤h2+h3-hs, and satisfies: h1<(1 / 2)×D. Since h1 needs to be less than both (h2+h3-hs) and (1 / 2)×D, the target value is the smaller value between (h2+h3-hs) and (1 / 2)×D. The smaller value can be determined by the staff by comparing (h2+h3-hs) and (1 / 2)×D, and is pre-written into the vehicle controller before the vehicle leaves the factory.

[0092] Among them, Figure 7 As shown, h2 is the minimum ground clearance when the vehicle is fully loaded, h3 is the maximum height of the suspension, and hs is the height threshold that the chassis needs to be higher than the step when the vehicle passes the step safely. The height threshold can be an empirical value, for example, (1 / 2)×h3. D is the diameter of the wheel.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present application, when the axes of the wheels of the vehicle are parallel to the extension direction of the step, if the vehicle climbs the step in a single wheel manner, the wheel center distance L between the two wheels is not less than the wheel diameter D. Figure 8 and Fig. 9, when the angle θ between the length direction of the vehicle and the extension direction of the step takes the minimum value α, the wheel center distance L1 between the diagonal wheels = D. When the angle θ takes the maximum value β, the wheel center distance L2 between the two target wheels = D. The straight line where the two target wheels are located is perpendicular to the length direction of the vehicle. That is, the two target wheels are the two front wheels or the two rear wheels of the vehicle.

[0094] Based on this, combined Fig. 9 It can be determined that the lower limit of the angle range mentioned above can be The upper limit can be That is, the angle θ can satisfy:

[0095] And θ∈(0°,90°).

[0096] Among them, a is the wheel center distance between the front and rear wheels, and b is the wheel center distance between the two target wheels (also known as the wheelbase).

[0097] The above embodiment is an exemplary description of a vehicle climbing stairs by using a single wheel to climb stairs in sequence. It is understandable that the vehicle can also climb stairs by using two wheels to climb stairs together. Compared with the method of using a single wheel to climb in sequence, the damping of the target wheel after the reduction can be larger when using two wheels to climb together.

[0098] It is also understood that the order of the steps of the vehicle control method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be appropriately adjusted, and the steps can be increased or decreased accordingly according to the situation. For example, step 201 and step 202 can be deleted according to the situation; or, step 207 can also be deleted according to the situation. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of a change within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and it should be included in the protection scope of this application, so it will not be repeated.

[0099] In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling a vehicle, which can raise the height of the suspension of each wheel when the vehicle needs to climb steps to improve the passability of the vehicle when climbing the steps, thereby reducing the damage to the chassis of the vehicle to a certain extent. In the process of climbing the steps, the method can reduce the suspension height of the target wheel as the climbing height of the target wheel increases. After the suspension height of the target wheel is reduced, on the one hand, the difficulty of the target wheel climbing the steps can be reduced, so that the target wheel can climb the steps more easily; on the other hand, the grip of other wheels can be increased, so that the body of the vehicle can be ensured to be relatively stable. It can be seen that the method provided by the embodiment of the present application can enable the vehicle to pass through the steps more safely and efficiently.

[0100] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a controller according to an embodiment of the present application. Fig.10 The controller 100 includes a processor 110. The processor 110 is used for:

[0101] If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the vehicle's posture is adjusted, and the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture adjustment becomes higher;

[0102] When the target wheel of the vehicle climbs the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced until the target wheel climbs the step.

[0103] Optionally, the damping of the shock absorbers of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture is adjusted becomes greater.

[0104] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0105] When the target wheel abuts against the step, the damping of the shock absorber of the target wheel is reduced.

[0106] Optionally, the length direction of the vehicle after the posture is adjusted intersects with the extension direction of the step, and the length direction of the vehicle is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the step.

[0107] Optionally, the axes of the wheels of the vehicle after posture adjustment are parallel to the extension direction of the step.

[0108] Optionally, the processor 110 may be configured to:

[0109] If it is determined that the vehicle can pass the steps safely, adjust the vehicle's posture.

[0110] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0111] Get the height of the step;

[0112] If the height of the step is less than the target value, it is determined that the vehicle can safely pass through the step.

[0113] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0114] If the height of the step is less than the target value and the vehicle can move after climbing up the step, it is determined that the vehicle can safely pass the step.

[0115] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0116] If it is determined that the vehicle cannot pass the steps safely, a warning message is issued.

[0117] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0118] If it is determined that the step assist function of the vehicle is activated, it is determined that the vehicle needs to climb steps.

[0119] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0120] If a step is detected in front of the vehicle, the step assist function is activated.

[0121] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0122] When the target wheel abuts against the step, the torque of the target wheel is increased to make the target wheel climb the step.

[0123] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0124] The torque of the target wheel is gradually increased until the target wheel climbs to the target height of the step, the target height is less than the height of the step, and the height direction of the step intersects with the extension direction of the step.

[0125] Optionally, the processor 110 may also be configured to:

[0126] After the target wheel climbs up the step, the torque of the target wheel is restored, and the restored torque is the torque before the increase.

[0127] In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a controller, which can adjust the height of the suspension of each wheel when the vehicle needs to climb the steps to improve the passability of the vehicle when climbing the steps, thereby reducing the damage to the chassis of the vehicle to a certain extent. In the process of climbing the steps, the controller can reduce the suspension height of the target wheel as the climbing height of the target wheel increases. After the suspension height of the target wheel is reduced, on the one hand, the difficulty of the target wheel climbing the steps can be reduced, so that the target wheel can climb the steps more easily; on the other hand, the grip of other wheels can be increased, so as to ensure that the body of the vehicle is relatively stable. It can be seen that the method provided by the embodiment of the present application can enable the vehicle to pass the steps more safely and efficiently.

[0128] like Fig.10 As shown, the controller 100 includes: a memory 120. The processor 110 and the memory 120 are connected, such as through a bus 130. Optionally, the controller 100 may also include a transceiver 104. It should be noted that in actual applications, the transceiver 104 is not limited to one, and the structure of the controller 100 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0129] The processor 110 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor 110 may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0130] The bus 130 may include a path to transmit information between the above components. The bus 130 may be a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus. The bus 130 may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Fig.10 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0131] The memory 120 is used to store a computer program corresponding to the vehicle control method provided in the above embodiment of the present application, and the computer program is controlled and executed by the processor 110. The processor 110 is used to execute the computer program stored in the memory 120 to implement the contents shown in the above method embodiment.

[0132] An embodiment of the present application also provides a vehicle, which includes: a controller provided in the above-mentioned device embodiment.

[0133] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the vehicle control method provided by the above method embodiment is implemented. For example, Figure 1 or Figure 2 The method shown.

[0134] It should be noted that the logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be specifically implemented in any computer-readable medium for use by an instruction execution system, device or apparatus (such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other system that can fetch instructions from an instruction execution system, device or apparatus and execute instructions), or in combination with these instruction execution systems, devices or apparatuses. For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any device that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transmit a program for use by an instruction execution system, device or apparatus, or in combination with these instruction execution systems, devices or apparatuses. More specific examples of computer-readable media (a non-exhaustive list) include the following: an electrical connection portion with one or more wirings (electronic device), a portable computer disk box (magnetic device), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber device, and a portable compact disk read-only memory (CDROM). In addition, the computer-readable medium may even be paper or other suitable medium on which the program is printed, since the program may be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium and then editing, interpreting or processing in other suitable ways if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0135] It should be understood that the various parts of the present application can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. In the above-mentioned embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented by software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented by hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented by any one of the following technologies known in the art or their combination: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function for a data signal, a dedicated integrated circuit having a suitable combination of logic gate circuits, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

[0136] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0137] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0138] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0139] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in the field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, characterized in that: The method comprises: If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the posture of the vehicle is adjusted, and the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle becomes higher after the posture adjustment; In the process of the target wheel of the vehicle climbing the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is reduced until the target wheel climbs onto the step.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The damping of the shock absorber of each wheel of the vehicle after the posture adjustment becomes larger.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Before the target wheel of the vehicle climbs the step, the method further comprises: When the target wheel abuts against the step, the damping of the shock absorber of the target wheel is reduced.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The length direction of the vehicle after posture adjustment intersects with the extension direction of the step, and the length direction of the vehicle is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the step.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that After the posture is adjusted, the axis of each wheel of the vehicle is parallel to the extending direction of the step.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Adjusting the posture of the vehicle, comprising: If it is determined that the vehicle can safely pass through the step, the posture of the vehicle is adjusted.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: Obtaining the height of the step; If the height of the step is less than the target value, it is determined that the vehicle can safely pass through the step.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that If the height of the step is less than the target value, determining that the vehicle can safely pass through the step includes: If the height of the step is less than the target value, and the vehicle can move after climbing up the step, it is determined that the vehicle can safely pass through the step.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: If it is determined that the vehicle cannot pass through the step safely, a warning message is issued.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: If it is determined that the step assist function of the vehicle is enabled, it is determined that the vehicle needs to climb steps.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The method further comprises: If the step is recognized to exist in front of the vehicle, the step assist function is activated.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Before the target wheel of the vehicle climbs the step, the method further comprises: When the target wheel abuts against the step, the torque of the target wheel is increased to make the target wheel climb the step.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that Increasing the torque of the target wheel, comprising: The torque of the target wheel is gradually increased until the target wheel climbs to the target height of the step, the target height is smaller than the height of the step, and the height direction of the step intersects with the extension direction of the step.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that The method further comprises: After the target wheel climbs up the step, the torque of the target wheel is restored, and the restored torque is the torque before the increase.

15. A controller, characterized in that: The controller comprises: a processor; the processor is used for: If the vehicle needs to climb stairs, the posture of the vehicle is adjusted, and the height of the suspension of each wheel of the vehicle becomes higher after the posture adjustment; In the process of the target wheel of the vehicle climbing the step, as the climbing height of the target wheel increases, the height of the suspension of the target wheel is gradually reduced until the target wheel climbs onto the step.

16. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises: a controller as claimed in claim 15.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is implemented.

Images