Vehicle motion cooperative control system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle motion cooperative control system comprising a central control unit used for receiving a sensor signal, calculating a control instruction and outputting the control instruction to an actuator; the plurality of sensors are used for collecting vehicle state signals and are connected to the central control unit; the actuators are used for receiving the control instructions and executing braking, steering, driving and suspension control; and the brake redundancy controller and the steering redundancy controller are used for taking over corresponding functions when the central control unit fails. Through the highly integrated architecture design, the motion control core function is concentrated on the central control unit, the delay and synchronization problems of multi-system cooperative control are solved, the cost and the system complexity are reduced, meanwhile, the function safety is guaranteed through the redundancy design, and an efficient hardware foundation and a software platform are provided for development of the intelligent chassis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive electronic control technology, and in particular to a vehicle motion cooperative control system and method based on an integrated electronic / electrical (E / E) architecture. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional vehicle motion coordination control (including braking, steering, suspension, and drive systems) typically employs a distributed electronic and electrical architecture. For example... Figure 1 As shown, each system has an independent controller and communicates through the vehicle network. This approach suffers from problems such as lengthy wiring harnesses, a large number of controllers, high costs, and difficulties in standardizing interfaces across different suppliers. More importantly, because signals need to be transmitted through a network gateway, there is a significant communication delay, resulting in poor performance or even inability to perform complex functions requiring high synchronization (such as low-friction road stability control and U-turns).

[0003] To further integrate, functional domain centralization has emerged (such as...) Figure 2 ) and regional concentration (such as Figure 3 The architecture of the functional domain centralized architecture integrates some functions (such as braking, steering, and suspension) into domain controllers (such as the chassis domain controller). Although this reduces the number of controllers, the powertrain, chassis, and intelligent driving systems are still in different domains, and the interaction latency problem is not fundamentally solved. Although the regional centralized architecture optimizes the wiring harness layout, the control links are long, and the coordination between regional controllers is still limited by network bandwidth and latency, making it difficult to achieve 100% synchronous control of actuators.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new control architecture and method to completely solve the latency and synchronization problems in multi-system collaboration and improve vehicle dynamic control performance and functional safety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to solve at least one technical problem existing in the prior art mentioned above, and proposes a vehicle motion cooperative control system and method based on an integrated electronic and electrical (E / E) architecture, which aims to reduce system latency, improve control synchronization, realize platform-based development, and ensure functional safety.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle motion cooperative control system, including:

[0007] The central control unit is used to receive sensor signals, calculate control commands, and output them to the actuators.

[0008] Multiple sensors are used to collect vehicle status signals and connect them to the central control unit;

[0009] Multiple actuators are used to receive the control commands and perform braking, steering, driving, and suspension controls;

[0010] Braking redundancy controllers and steering redundancy controllers are used to take over the corresponding functions when the central control unit fails.

[0011] Furthermore, the sensor includes at least one of wheel speed sensor, IMU, steering wheel angle sensor, vehicle height sensor, pedal sensor, radar, and camera.

[0012] Furthermore, the actuator includes at least one of a brake control actuator, a steering control actuator, a drive motor, and a suspension adjustment actuator.

[0013] Furthermore, the central control unit communicates with the brake redundancy controller and the steering redundancy controller via a private network, and with the body domain controller via the vehicle network.

[0014] Furthermore, the central control unit is also used to identify actuator types and adaptively select control strategies.

[0015] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle motion cooperative control method based on any of the foregoing vehicle motion cooperative control systems, comprising:

[0016] The central control unit receives vehicle status signals from multiple sensors.

[0017] Based on the vehicle status signal, determine whether to trigger the vehicle motion cooperative control function;

[0018] If triggered, the required braking torque, steering torque, drive torque, and suspension parameters are calculated.

[0019] The calculated control commands are sent to the corresponding actuators to achieve coordinated control of braking, steering, driving and suspension.

[0020] Furthermore, the vehicle status signals include at least one of wheel speed, steering wheel angle, vehicle height, acceleration, pedal signal, radar and camera signals.

[0021] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0022] The central control unit monitors its own and the operating status of each sub-functional module in real time;

[0023] If any sub-functional module fails, the corresponding redundancy control strategy will be activated.

[0024] Furthermore, the redundancy control strategy includes:

[0025] If the braking control fails, the braking redundancy controller will take over.

[0026] If steering control fails, the redundant steering controller will take over.

[0027] If the drive or ADAS control fails, the cooperative control function will be turned off, while the basic driving functions will be retained.

[0028] Furthermore, the suspension parameters include at least one of damping, stiffness, and height, and the control strategy is adaptively adjusted according to the suspension type.

[0029] This application provides a vehicle motion cooperative control system and method. This technology, through a highly integrated architecture design, concentrates the core motion control functions in the central control unit, solves the delay and synchronization problems of multi-system cooperative control, reduces costs and system complexity, and ensures functional safety through redundant design, providing an efficient hardware foundation and software platform for the development of intelligent chassis. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle motion cooperative control system under a distributed electronic and electrical architecture in the prior art;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle motion cooperative control system under a functional domain centralized electronic and electrical architecture in the prior art;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle motion cooperative control system under a regional centralized electronic and electrical architecture in the prior art;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle motion cooperative control system based on an integrated electronic / electrical (E / E) architecture, provided for an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this application, exemplary embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, including various details of the embodiments of this application to aid understanding. These should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. Similarly, for clarity and conciseness, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description. Unless otherwise specified, the various embodiments of this application and the features within those embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0035] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated enumerated entries. The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “made of” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components is specified, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof is not excluded. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect.

[0036] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this application, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0037] Definition of key technical terms:

[0038] (1) IBC: Integrated Brake Control, an integrated electronic brake system that uses hydraulic pressure as a medium.

[0039] (2) EMB: Electro-Mechanical Braking, a brake-by-wire system that is entirely based on electronic signals and motor drive.

[0040] (3) ADAS: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, intelligent driving assistance technology implemented through sensors, algorithms and electronic control units.

[0041] (4) IMU: Inertial Measurement Unit, an electronic device used to measure and report the three basic linear motions (acceleration) and three basic angular motions (angular velocity) of an object.

[0042] (5) PAD: In-vehicle screen host, including but not limited to the vehicle center console screen, passenger screen, cabin screen, driver's seat headrest screen, rear armrest screen, etc., responsible for the interaction between the user and the vehicle.

[0043] (6) EPS: Electronic Power Steering, an electric power steering system, an electronically controlled steering system that relies on an electric motor to provide auxiliary torque.

[0044] (7) PDCU: Powertrain Domain Control Unit, a type of motor control system responsible for vehicle driving, braking energy feedback, power battery capacity management, network management, etc.

[0045] Vehicle motion coordination control comprises four parts: braking, steering, suspension, and drive. Currently, most vehicles implement vehicle motion coordination control using four independent controllers. The sensors and actuators required for each function are individually connected to their respective controllers, which are then connected to the vehicle network. Each system transmits and receives signals through a vehicle gateway to achieve its respective function. (See reference...) Figure 1 This architecture results in lengthy wiring harnesses, numerous controllers, and high costs. Furthermore, braking, steering, and active suspension use different controllers with varying interfaces between suppliers, hindering platform-based development. Complex functions requiring coordination between braking, steering, active suspension, and drive are limited by signal transmission latency across the vehicle network, preventing optimal performance or even complete failure.

[0046] Based on the functional division of the vehicle, vehicle motion coordination control is integrated into different domain controllers. Braking, steering, and suspension control are integrated into the chassis domain controller, with corresponding sensors and actuators directly connected to it. Drive is integrated into the powertrain domain controller, and ADAS and PAD are integrated into the intelligent driving and cockpit domain controller. (See reference...) Figure 2 Under this architecture, although the problem of a large number of vehicle controllers is solved to some extent by dividing functions, the problem of long interaction time between vehicle motion cooperative control and drive and ADAS is not fundamentally solved.

[0047] Based on the actuators and sensors corresponding to each function, they are connected to the corresponding area controllers. Each area controller is responsible for acquiring signals from each sensor and executing commands from the actuators. The acquired signals are aggregated through the vehicle network and sent to a separate central computing unit, typically a separate area controller. After processing, the central computing unit transmits control commands to each area controller, which then controls the actuators. (See reference...) Figure 3 This architecture solves the problems of too many controllers and redundant wiring harnesses, but the interaction links between controllers in different areas are too long. Due to the limitations of the vehicle network transmission, actuators connected to different controllers cannot achieve 100% synchronous execution, resulting in unsatisfactory performance in chassis-coordinated control.

[0048] In view of this, this application proposes a new controller distribution method to address the limitations of the above-mentioned common electronic and electrical architecture schemes for vehicle motion cooperative control, and on this basis, realizes the cooperative control of vehicle braking, steering, suspension and drive.

[0049] refer to Figure 4 One embodiment of this application provides a vehicle motion cooperative control system under an integrated E / E architecture, which includes a controller, sensors, and actuators.

[0050] The controllers include, but are not limited to, the central control unit, the brake redundancy controller, the steering redundancy controller, and the body domain controller.

[0051] Actuators include, but are not limited to, suspension adjustment actuators (damping actuators, height actuators, stiffness actuators, etc.), brake control actuators (boost actuators, depressurization actuators, brake motors, etc.), drive motors, and steering control actuators.

[0052] Sensors include, but are not limited to, vehicle height sensors, IMUs, wheel speed sensors, accelerator pedal sensors, brake pedal sensors, steering wheel angle sensors, and various vehicle radars and cameras.

[0053] The central control unit integrates vehicle motion-related software algorithms from controllers such as IBC, EPS, PDCU, ADAS, and active suspension, as well as software algorithms related to braking, steering, and suspension coordinated control. It also includes storage to save any relevant application software, commands, and related data. Vehicle height sensors, IMUs, wheel speed sensors, accelerator pedal sensors, brake pedal sensors, and steering wheel angle sensors are hard-wired to the central control unit and the redundant braking and steering controllers. The IMU is integrated within the central control unit. Suspension adjustment actuators, brake control actuators, drive motors, and steering control actuators are also hard-wired to the central control unit and the redundant braking and steering controllers.

[0054] The central control unit connects to the body domain controller via the vehicle network and to the brake and steering redundancy controllers via a private network. The brake and steering redundancy controllers, in turn, connect to the body domain controller via the vehicle network. The private network is used for real-time control command transmission, while the vehicle network is used for status information exchange. This setup ensures low latency and high reliability for critical controls.

[0055] The central control unit is also used to identify actuator types and adaptively select control strategies. For example, it identifies whether the braking system is hydraulic or EMB braking, and then selects the appropriate control algorithm. This setup enables platform-based design, supporting various vehicle configurations.

[0056] In one embodiment of the vehicle motion cooperative control method, the central control unit detects its own status, and if the status is normal, it determines that the vehicle motion cooperative control function can be executed normally.

[0057] Vehicle motion cooperative control function refers to vehicle dynamic control functions that require the joint participation of braking, steering, suspension and drive. For example, when ADAS senses that there is an icy or snowy road ahead, it can pre-distribute braking and drive torque, and at the same time change the suspension damping stiffness to provide the best adhesion on low-friction surfaces; control the distribution of four-wheel drive motors and braking torque to realize functions such as U-turn / compass steering.

[0058] The central control unit (IBC / EMB) acquires wheel speed signals from the left front, right front, left rear, and right rear wheels from the wheel speed sensors, calculates vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, wheel speed, wheel acceleration, and wheel slip ratio, and simultaneously detects the brake control actuator. When the brake control actuator is a solenoid valve, the electronic braking system is determined to be hydraulic; when the brake control actuator is an EMB motor, the electronic braking system is determined to be mechanical, and the relevant information is sent to the coordination control unit.

[0059] The central control unit's active suspension system acquires vehicle height signals from the vehicle's front left, front right, rear left, and rear right positions from the vehicle height sensors, while simultaneously detecting the suspension adjustment actuators. If a solenoid valve is detected as the suspension damping adjustment actuator, and there are no suspension stiffness or height adjustment actuators, the system is determined to be a variable damping suspension. If a solenoid valve is detected as the suspension damping adjustment actuator, and both suspension stiffness and height adjustment actuators are present, the system is determined to be an air suspension. If a motor is detected as the suspension damping adjustment actuator, and both suspension stiffness and height adjustment actuators are present, the system is determined to be a hydraulic suspension. The central control unit then calculates the vehicle height and suspension type information and sends it to the co-control unit.

[0060] The central control unit EPS obtains the steering wheel angle from the steering wheel angle sensor, calculates the vehicle steering angle and vehicle steering torque, and sends them to the cooperative control unit.

[0061] The central control unit (PDCU) acquires accelerator pedal signals and braking depth signals through accelerator pedal sensors and brake pedal sensors, calculates the vehicle's output torque, and sends the output torque to the cooperative control unit.

[0062] The central control unit ADAS uses vehicle radar and camera signals to identify various physical information, features, and road conditions on the road ahead and sends them to the cooperative control unit.

[0063] The central control unit (IMU) acquires the vehicle's center of gravity position, angular velocity, and acceleration information and sends it to the collaborative control unit. The PAD then receives the user's operation commands for collaborative control.

[0064] The central control unit receives vehicle information status sent by relevant systems, determines whether the vehicle motion coordination control function is effective, and calculates the braking torque, steering torque, motor torque, suspension stiffness, damping, and height required to achieve the corresponding function.

[0065] The central control unit IBC / EMB receives the braking torque output from the cooperating control unit and adjusts the braking torque to the target state by controlling the boost solenoid valve, the depressurization solenoid valve, and the motor.

[0066] The central control unit EPS receives the steering torque output by the cooperating control unit and adjusts the steering torque to the target state by controlling the steering motor.

[0067] The central control unit receives the suspension damping, stiffness, and height output by the cooperative control unit, and adjusts the suspension damping, stiffness, and height to the target state through the suspension damping adjustment actuator, suspension stiffness adjustment actuator, and suspension height adjustment actuator.

[0068] The central control unit (PDCU) receives the motor torque output from the cooperating control unit and adjusts the drive torque to the target state by controlling the drive motor.

[0069] In an embodiment of a normal collaborative control process, refer to Figure 4 The system includes a central control unit, a brake redundancy controller, a steering redundancy controller, various sensors (IMU, wheel speed, steering angle, pedal, radar, etc.) and actuators (brake, steering, drive, suspension adjustment).

[0070] During vehicle operation, the central control unit continuously receives signals from various sensors. When the ADAS system detects a low-traction icy or snowy road surface ahead via radar and cameras, it sends this information to the collaborative control algorithm within the central control unit. This algorithm integrates information such as current vehicle speed (from wheel speed sensors), vehicle attitude (from IMU), and driver's operating intentions (from pedal and steering angle sensors) to determine whether the "low-traction road surface pre-stabilization" function needs to be triggered.

[0071] The algorithm then calculates the optimal braking torque (distributed to each wheel), drive torque, steering assist torque, and suspension damping and height parameters required to maintain stability. These control commands are sent directly to the actuators via hardwired or high-speed proprietary networks: the IBC / EMB module controls the solenoid valves or motors to achieve the target braking force; the EPS module controls the steering motor to provide compensating torque; the PDCU module adjusts the drive motor output; and the active suspension module adjusts the damping and height valves.

[0072] The entire process is completed within the central control unit, with extremely short signal transmission paths, enabling the braking, driving, steering, and suspension systems to perform actions almost synchronously, allowing the vehicle to smoothly pass through low-friction surfaces.

[0073] In one embodiment of the vehicle motion cooperative control method, the central control unit detects its own status and determines whether the function control of each sub-unit has failed. If the corresponding function fails, the cooperative control function is adjusted or turned off, and at the same time, the redundant controller is connected to ensure that the vehicle's single function works normally.

[0074] The central control unit EMB / IBC malfunctions, the vehicle motion coordination control function is turned off, and no more control requests are issued. The brake redundancy controller takes over the vehicle braking control function, responds to the driver's braking request, and displays relevant fault information to the driver on the PAD.

[0075] The central control unit EPS is malfunctioning, the vehicle motion coordination control function is turned off, and no more control requests are issued. The steering redundancy controller takes over the vehicle steering control function, responds to the driver's steering requests, and displays relevant fault information to the driver on the PAD.

[0076] If the central control unit (PDCU / ADAS) malfunctions or the IMU malfunctions, the vehicle motion coordination control function will be turned off, and no more control requests will be issued. The central control unit will ensure basic driving control functions such as vehicle steering and braking, respond to the driver's steering and braking requests, and at the same time display relevant fault information to the driver on the PAD.

[0077] The central control unit's active suspension control is malfunctioning. The control strategies related to active suspension control in the vehicle motion coordination control function are no longer responding, while other strategies can work normally. At the same time, the driver is prompted with relevant fault information on the PAD.

[0078] In one embodiment of the fault degradation and redundancy control process, the central control unit performs a real-time self-test. If its internal EPS control software module malfunctions, the central control unit will immediately execute the following actions:

[0079] The entire vehicle motion coordination control function is turned off, and coordination control commands are no longer sent.

[0080] Commands are sent to the redundant steering controller via a private network to enable it to take over the steering control function.

[0081] The vehicle network sends a request to the body domain controller, displaying a message on the PAD screen that reads "Steering function degraded, please drive with caution".

[0082] Subsequently, the driver's steering input requests will be directly responded to by the steering redundancy controller, ensuring the most basic steering function safety. Similarly, if the braking control module fails, the braking redundancy controller will take over to ensure braking safety.

[0083] If the failed module is ADAS or PDCU, the collaborative control function is turned off, but the basic vehicle speed, braking and steering control are still guaranteed by the normal modules of the central control unit, and the vehicle can be safely driven to the repair shop.

[0084] Overall, compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0085] (1) High integration and reduced cost: The software algorithms that are strongly related to motion control in the fields of power, chassis and intelligent driving are integrated into a single central control unit to maximize the reuse of hardware resources, reduce the number of controllers and wiring harness length, and reduce development and material costs.

[0086] (2) Low latency and high synchronization: Key sensors and actuators are directly connected to the central control unit via hardwires, and control commands are transmitted via private networks or hardwires, which greatly shortens the interaction link, reduces communication latency, and improves the synchronization and response speed of multi-actuator control.

[0087] (3) Platformization and compatibility: The central control unit reserves a standardized hardware interface, which can adaptively identify different types of actuators (such as hydraulic brakes and EMB, air suspension and hydraulic suspension) and execute corresponding control strategies, thus realizing the platform's compatibility with various vehicle configurations.

[0088] (4) High functional safety: Through independent braking and steering redundant controllers, seamless takeover of functions can be achieved when the central control unit fails, ensuring the safety of basic braking and steering functions and meeting high-level functional safety (such as ASIL-D) requirements.

[0089] (5) Provides a foundation for the evolution of intelligent chassis: It provides a high-performance underlying architecture platform for advanced vehicle motion coordination functions (such as anti-snow road surface pre-aiming control, U-turn, etc.), which is in line with the industry trend of developing towards "intelligent chassis".

[0090] The flowcharts or block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and / or operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and / or computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0091] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed herein, and while specific terminology has been used, it is used and should be interpreted only in a general illustrative sense and is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with particular embodiments may be used alone, or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with other embodiments, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this application as set forth by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion cooperative control system, characterized in that, include: The central control unit is used to receive sensor signals, calculate control commands, and output them to the actuators. Multiple sensors are used to collect vehicle status signals and connect them to the central control unit; Multiple actuators are used to receive the control commands and perform braking, steering, driving, and suspension controls; Braking redundancy controllers and steering redundancy controllers are used to take over the corresponding functions when the central control unit fails.

2. The vehicle motion cooperative control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensors include at least one of wheel speed sensors, IMU, steering wheel angle sensors, vehicle height sensors, pedal sensors, radar, and cameras.

3. The vehicle motion cooperative control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The actuator includes at least one of a brake control actuator, a steering control actuator, a drive motor, and a suspension adjustment actuator.

4. The vehicle motion cooperative control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central control unit communicates with the brake redundancy controller and the steering redundancy controller via a private network, and with the body domain controller via the vehicle network.

5. The vehicle motion cooperative control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central control unit is also used to identify actuator types and adaptively select control strategies.

6. A vehicle motion cooperative control method based on the vehicle motion cooperative control system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: The central control unit receives vehicle status signals from multiple sensors. Based on the vehicle status signal, determine whether to trigger the vehicle motion cooperative control function; If triggered, the required braking torque, steering torque, drive torque, and suspension parameters are calculated. The calculated control commands are sent to the corresponding actuators to achieve coordinated control of braking, steering, driving and suspension.

7. The vehicle motion cooperative control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The vehicle status signals include at least one of wheel speed, steering wheel angle, vehicle height, acceleration, pedal signal, radar and camera signals.

8. The vehicle motion cooperative control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: The central control unit monitors its own and the operating status of each sub-functional module in real time; If any sub-functional module fails, the corresponding redundancy control strategy will be activated.

9. The vehicle motion cooperative control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The redundancy control strategy includes: If the braking control fails, the braking redundancy controller will take over. If steering control fails, the redundant steering controller will take over. If the drive or ADAS control fails, the cooperative control function will be turned off, while the basic driving functions will be retained.

10. The vehicle motion cooperative control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The suspension parameters include at least one of damping, stiffness, and height, and the control strategy is adaptively adjusted according to the suspension type.

Images