A steering assist control method, apparatus, device, medium, program product, and vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a steering assistance control method, device, equipment, medium, program product and vehicle. The method comprises the following steps: determining whether steering assistance is needed; and when it is determined that steering assistance is needed, the following control is performed: controlling the vehicle to travel; performing brake control on a first control wheel of the vehicle to make the first control wheel lock; and performing drive control on two control wheels different from the first control wheel to make the slip ratios of the two control wheels meet a preset condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive braking technology, and in particular to a steering assist control method, device, equipment, medium, program product, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Some vehicles are now equipped with cornering assist, which aims to allow the vehicle to make smaller turns in a limited space while maintaining vehicle stability, helping the vehicle to better cope with narrow paths and complex terrain.

[0003] Currently, one of the mainstream technologies for reducing vehicle turning radius is the "leopard turn." This technology not only improves vehicle maneuverability in confined spaces but also provides greater convenience for driving in complex environments. Specifically, the core of this technology is that when the vehicle is stationary, the driver needs to turn the steering wheel to a large or maximum angle and press the accelerator pedal deeply to start the vehicle. During this process, the vehicle's driving force control strategy is designed so that the front axle wheels travel in the forward direction, while the rear axle wheels travel in the reverse direction. Furthermore, the system also adjusts the braking force to lock the outer rear wheel, thereby reducing the turning radius.

[0004] However, the implementation of the leopard-style turn technology faces several significant challenges. First, this function is only applicable to four-wheel drive vehicles and requires forward-driving of the front axle wheels while simultaneously applying reverse-driving force to the inner rear axle wheels. This places extremely high demands on the control of the vehicle's driving force, increasing the complexity of its implementation. Second, during operation, if the outer rear wheel locks up, the reverse driving force applied to the rear axle will cause the inner rear wheel to rotate in the opposite direction, significantly damaging the rear axle differential lock. Furthermore, this function requires controlling not only the front axle's driving force but also simultaneously adjusting the rear axle's driving force, resulting in a significant increase in energy consumption and hindering energy efficiency. Finally, during operation, at least two front axle wheels and one inner rear axle wheel experience high slippage rates, leading to a substantial increase in wear on all three wheels and increasing the difficulty and cost of vehicle maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a steering assist control method, device, equipment, medium, program product, and vehicle, which can greatly shorten the turning radius of the vehicle and reduce tire wear, and is suitable for vehicles of any drive type.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a steering assist control method, the method comprising: determining whether steering assist is required; and when it is determined that steering assist is required, performing the following controls: controlling the vehicle to drive; braking a first control wheel of the vehicle to lock the first control wheel; and driving two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

[0007] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, in determining whether steering assistance is needed, steering assistance is determined to be needed if at least one of the following conditions is met: receiving a vehicle steering request with a steering angle greater than a first angle; detecting that the absolute value of the vehicle's yaw rate is greater than a first threshold; detecting that the absolute value of the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle is greater than a second threshold; and receiving a steering assistance request through a human-machine interface.

[0008] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, controlling the vehicle's movement includes: controlling the vehicle to travel at a speed lower than a first speed.

[0009] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, controlling the vehicle to travel at a speed lower than a first speed includes: determining the current speed of the vehicle; and if the current speed is greater than or equal to the first speed, controlling the speed of the vehicle to decrease to a speed lower than the first speed.

[0010] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the vehicle includes: a front-wheel drive vehicle, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

[0011] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, when the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning; when the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is any one of the wheels on the front axle of the vehicle.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, braking control of a first control wheel of the vehicle to lock the first control wheel includes: determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle; determining a specified braking torque to lock the first control wheel based on the road surface adhesion coefficient; and applying the specified braking torque to the first control wheel.

[0013] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: identifying the current road surface type based on data collected by the sensor device; and determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle based on the current road surface type.

[0014] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the sensor device includes: ultrasonic radar, camera, lidar, and millimeter-wave radar.

[0015] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: estimating the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle based on the vehicle's driving data.

[0016] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: receiving current road surface information through a human-machine interface; and determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle based on the current road surface information.

[0017] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, driving control of two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratios of the two control wheels meet preset conditions includes: applying a specified driving torque to the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel; measuring the slip ratios of the two control wheels respectively, and calculating a first slip ratio based on the slip ratios of the two control wheels; determining whether the first slip ratio is within a target slip ratio range; if the first slip ratio is greater than the target slip ratio range, decreasing the specified driving torque; if the first slip ratio is less than the target slip ratio range, increasing the specified driving torque; and continuously repeating the above steps until the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range.

[0018] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, in reducing the specified drive torque, the drive torque obtained by subtracting a first fixed value from the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque.

[0019] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, in reducing the specified drive torque, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being reduced by a preset first gradient.

[0020] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, increasing the specified drive torque involves updating the drive torque obtained by adding a second fixed value to the specified drive torque.

[0021] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, in increasing the specified drive torque, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being increased according to a preset second gradient.

[0022] In one possible implementation of the first aspect described above, the first slip ratio is the average slip ratio of the two control wheels or the smaller of the slip ratios of the two control wheels.

[0023] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, when it is determined that steering assistance is required, the following control is performed, and in the case of a four-wheel drive vehicle, further includes: driving control of the rear axle of the vehicle such that the driving torque of the rear axle is close to zero.

[0024] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, when the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel being the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning includes: identifying the turning direction of the vehicle; and determining the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning based on the turning direction of the vehicle, and setting the inner rear wheel as the first control wheel.

[0025] In one possible implementation of the first aspect above, the vehicle's steering direction is identified in any of the following ways: based on a received vehicle steering request; based on the direction of the vehicle's yaw rate; based on the direction of the vehicle's sideslip angle; and based on steering information received from a human-machine interface.

[0026] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a steering assist control device, including: a judgment module for judging whether steering assist is required; and a control module for performing the following controls when it is judged that steering assist is required: controlling vehicle movement; braking control of a first control wheel of the vehicle to lock the first control wheel; and driving control of two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

[0027] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores at least one instruction or at least one program, and the at least one instruction or the at least one program is loaded by the processor and executes the method described in the first aspect and any of its possible implementations.

[0028] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle that includes the electronic equipment described in the third aspect.

[0029] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer storage medium storing at least one instruction or at least one program, wherein the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded by a processor and executes the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0030] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, including at least one instruction or at least one program segment, wherein the at least one instruction or the at least one program segment is loaded by a processor and executed as described in the first aspect above and any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic diagram of a vehicle turning scenario is shown;

[0032] Figure 2 According to some embodiments of this application, a flowchart of a steering assist control method is shown;

[0033] Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic diagram of a process for controlling vehicle movement when steering assistance is required is shown;

[0034] Figure 4 According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic flowchart of braking control of the first control wheel of a vehicle is shown.

[0035] Figure 5A According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic diagram showing the relationship between road surface adhesion coefficient and wheel pressure is shown;

[0036] Figure 5B According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic diagram showing the relationship between road surface adhesion coefficient and wheel pressure is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 According to some embodiments of this application, a schematic diagram of a process for driving control of two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel is shown.

[0038] Figure 7 According to some embodiments of this application, a structural block diagram of a steering assist control device is shown;

[0039] Figure 8 According to some embodiments of this application, a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0041] 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 will 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 the invention, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly so defined herein.

[0042] This invention provides a steering assist control method, device, electronic device, vehicle, computer storage medium, and computer program product. The method determines whether steering assist is needed; for example, when a vehicle steering request with a steering angle greater than a first angle is received, it is determined that steering assist is needed. It is understood that situations requiring steering assist typically involve the vehicle navigating narrow, winding areas or navigating around obstacles, meaning the vehicle needs to minimize its turning radius during the turn. Specifically, when steering assist is determined to be needed, the method performs the following control: controlling the vehicle's movement; applying braking control to the vehicle's first control wheel to lock it; and applying drive control to the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratios of the two control wheels meet preset conditions. In this way, the driving force of the entire vehicle can be actively controlled to induce slippage in the two control wheels, while simultaneously, the braking force of the entire vehicle is actively controlled to generate the largest possible yaw moment on the axle of the first control wheel in the same direction as the turn. Thus, the vehicle can achieve a turn around its axis with the first control wheel as the center. Furthermore, this application allows for the application of different braking forces to the vehicle's first control wheel for road surfaces with varying coefficients of adhesion, significantly reducing hardware damage to the brakes and minimizing resource waste in the vehicle's braking actuator. The method and apparatus are based on the same concept; since the principles underlying the problem-solving are similar, their implementations can be mutually referenced, and repeated details will not be elaborated further.

[0043] As an example, the steering assist function in this application may be called the offroad cornering assist (OCA) function, but is not limited to this and may also be called by other names.

[0044] The steering assist control method provided in this application is applicable to any four-wheeled vehicle, including sedans, SUVs, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and trucks. Furthermore, these vehicles can be of any drive type, such as two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicles.

[0045] It is understood that this application can apply braking force to the wheels using the braking torque generated by the vehicle's brakes to control wheel lockup. Specifically, when the braking torque generated by the brakes is large enough to exceed the friction between the tire and the road surface (specifically, static friction), the wheels will change from a rolling state to a sliding state, i.e., wheel lockup. In this application, the braking force can be applied to the first control wheel during vehicle steering, such as the inner rear wheel.

[0046] In some embodiments, the driving direction of the vehicle in this application can be determined based on the vehicle's gear position. For example, the vehicle's gear positions include drive (D), reverse (R), and parking (P). When the current gear is drive (D), the vehicle is driven forward; when the current gear is reverse (D), the vehicle is driven backward.

[0047] It is understood that this application can apply driving force to the wheels using the driving torque generated by the vehicle's drive unit, i.e., engine torque, to control the vehicle's movement. The direction of the drive torque is related to the vehicle's gear position. For example, when the current gear is D (Drive), the drive torque travels forward along the driving path; when the current gear is R (Reverse), the drive torque travels backward along the driving path.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of a vehicle turning scenario provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, when the steering wheel angle is large, such as greater than 360 degrees, vehicle A engages drive gear D and turns left. At this time, during the turning process, the drive of vehicle A generates wheel drive torque L1 to drive the left front wheel FL and the right front wheel FR to turn to the left and forward, and the brake of vehicle A generates wheel braking torque L2 to brake the left rear wheel RL (i.e., the first control wheel).

[0049] In the case of normal circumstances, i.e., when vehicle A is not using the vehicle steering assist function, Figure 1 Vehicle A turns along turning trajectory S0 with a turning radius of W0. When vehicle A uses steering assist, it turns along turning trajectory S1 with a turning radius of W1, where radius W1 is smaller than radius W0. Thus, based on steering assist control, this application enables the vehicle to reduce its turning radius while maintaining safety and relative stability.

[0050] In some embodiments, the steering assist control method of this application may be executed by a steering assist control device, which implements the vehicle's steering assist function by controlling hardware such as the vehicle's brakes and drives.

[0051] The aforementioned steering assist control device can be implemented in a vehicle and connected to systems and / or components within the vehicle related to the steering assist function to acquire the necessary information and transmit control information. It should be understood that the various types of information mentioned in this application are transmitted within the vehicle using signals such as electrical signals and bus signals. In other examples, the steering assist control device can be implemented in existing systems or components of the vehicle, such as in the vehicle's powertrain domain, autonomous driving domain, body domain, or chassis domain, and more specifically, in the domain controllers of these domains.

[0052] In some embodiments, the aforementioned steering assist control device may be a controller within a vehicle, which may be part of the vehicle's control system, such as a domain or electronic control system configured to perform tasks related to drive and braking control. In other cases, the aforementioned controller may be a dedicated or stand-alone controller.

[0053] It is understood that the aforementioned steering assist control device is connected to relevant components of the vehicle to obtain vehicle operating status information. The term "connection" in this application includes both direct and indirect connections. Relevant components can be a specific component or a vehicle system, such as wheel speed sensors, steering system or steering wheel, transmission, braking system (e.g., brakes), drivetrain (e.g., drive unit), etc. Operating status information can include vehicle wheel speed, steering information, real-time yaw information, gear information, and real-time vehicle drive mode (e.g., four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive), etc., information required by the system. Furthermore, the aforementioned steering assist control device can control the drive torque generated by the drive unit and the braking torque generated by the brakes, thereby realizing the vehicle's OCA (Optical Calibration) function.

[0054] This specification provides method operation steps as shown in the embodiments or flowcharts, but based on conventional or non-inventive labor, more or fewer operation steps may be included. The order of steps listed in the embodiments is merely one possible execution order among many and does not represent the only execution order. In actual system or server products, the methods shown in the embodiments or drawings can be executed sequentially or in parallel (e.g., in a parallel processor or multi-threaded processing environment).

[0055] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a steering assist control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The executing entity of this method can be a steering assist control device in vehicle A. Specifically, the method includes the following steps:

[0056] S101: Determine whether steering assist is needed.

[0057] In some embodiments, steering assistance is determined to be required if at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0058] (1) Receive a vehicle steering request with a steering angle greater than the first angle;

[0059] (2) The absolute value of the vehicle's yaw rate is detected to be greater than the first threshold;

[0060] (3) The absolute value of the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle is detected to be greater than the second threshold; and

[0061] (4) Receive steering assistance request through human-computer interaction interface.

[0062] In some embodiments, a vehicle steering request with a steering angle greater than a first angle can be received during vehicle start-up or when the vehicle transitions from normal driving. The first angle can be a large steering angle, such as one close to the maximum steering angle. In this case, the difference between the first angle and the vehicle's maximum steering angle is less than or equal to a preset angle difference. The value of this preset angle difference can be set according to actual needs, and this application does not impose specific limitations on it. As an example, if the vehicle's maximum steering angle is 540 degrees and the maximum wheel steering angle is 30 degrees, the first angle can be set to 360 degrees and the corresponding wheel angle to be 20 degrees.

[0063] For ease of description, the following embodiments primarily use the steering wheel angle as the vehicle's steering angle, with the first angle being 360 degrees, as an example. Furthermore, the vehicle's steering angle is directional; for example, a positive steering angle indicates the vehicle is turning left, and a negative value indicates the vehicle is turning right. In this application, "the vehicle's steering angle is greater than the first angle" can mean that the absolute value of the vehicle's steering angle is greater than the first angle.

[0064] In some embodiments, the need for steering assistance can be determined based on the vehicle's current driving state. For example, if the absolute value of the vehicle's yaw rate is detected to be greater than a first threshold or the absolute value of the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle is detected to be greater than a second threshold, it can be determined that the driver needs steering assistance. The first and second thresholds can be set according to actual needs, and this application does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0065] In some embodiments, a steering assist request is received via a human-machine interface (HMI), at which point it is determined that steering assist is needed. The HMI can provide the driver with information regarding the steering assist requirement, allowing the driver to manually determine whether steering assist is needed. This information can be obtained through a steering assist function on / off signal or other signals that indicate the driver's need for steering assist. The HMI may include an instrument cluster display, mobile application, head-up display, and speakers.

[0066] In some embodiments, the condition that any of the conditions in (1) to (4) above is met can be set to determine that steering assistance is required.

[0067] In some embodiments, steering assistance may be required only if multiple conditions are met simultaneously. For example, steering assistance may be required only if conditions (1) and (4) are met simultaneously.

[0068] If it is determined that steering assistance is needed, then step S102 is executed; if it is determined that steering assistance is not needed, then proceed to step S103 and end the process in step S103.

[0069] S102: Control the vehicle's movement by braking the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock it up, and driving the two control wheels that are on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

[0070] Specifically, this step can be understood as involving the following controls:

[0071] (a) Controlling vehicle movement;

[0072] (ii) applying braking control to the first control wheel of the vehicle to cause the first control wheel to lock; and

[0073] (iii) Drive control is applied to two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel so that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets the preset conditions.

[0074] It is understandable that during the steering assist control process, the above control needs to be executed continuously until the steering is completed. The above control can be started simultaneously, or it can be started at small intervals and in any order.

[0075] In some embodiments, the OCA function generates a large yaw torque during vehicle steering control. For safety reasons, the steering assist control device can control vehicle steering based on the OCA function while the vehicle is traveling at low speeds, ensuring vehicle steering stability and safety. For example, during vehicle driving control, the vehicle can be controlled to travel at a speed lower than a first speed. As an example, the first speed can be a speed between 15 kilometers per hour (kph) and 30 kph. It is understood that the above-mentioned first speed can be set according to actual needs, such as 30 kph or 20 kph, but is not limited thereto. For ease of description, the steering assist control method of this application is described below using a first speed of 30 kph as an example.

[0076] It is understandable that, considering that drivers may have difficulty controlling low speeds, the steering assist control device in this application can control the reduction of engine torque based on the OCA function to keep the vehicle speed within a suitable range, such as controlling the vehicle speed below a first speed.

[0077] In some embodiments, since a vehicle needs to maintain a certain speed for normal driving, this application can control the vehicle's speed within a range lower than a first speed and higher than a second speed during the turning process to ensure the vehicle can turn normally. The value of the second speed can be set according to actual needs, such as 18 kph when the first speed is 30 kph.

[0078] Next, we will describe in detail how the steering assist control device controls vehicle speed based on the OCA function during the steering assist control process.

[0079] In some situations, when encountering narrow turns during normal vehicle operation, it is necessary to turn at a large angle with low speed. Specifically, this application allows the vehicle to be controlled to travel at a speed lower than a first speed before or simultaneously with braking control of the first control wheel and driving control of the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel. (See reference...) Figure 3 This section explains the process of controlling vehicle movement when steering assistance is required.

[0080] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown above, Figure 2 The illustrated S102 may include the following steps:

[0081] S102a: Determine the current speed of the vehicle.

[0082] S102b: If the current speed is greater than or equal to the first speed, control the vehicle's speed to decrease to below the first speed.

[0083] If the current speed is greater than or equal to a first speed, the vehicle's speed is reduced to below the first speed. For example, during vehicle operation, the driver reduces the output drive torque to decrease the driving force on the wheels, causing the vehicle's speed to drop below the first speed. Figure 1 In the vehicle steering scenario shown, the steering assist control device can reduce the drive torque L1 shown by the driver to drive the left front wheel FL and right front wheel FR of vehicle A, so that the vehicle speed is reduced from the current 35kph to below a first speed.

[0084] The OCA function also requires braking control of the vehicle's first control wheel to lock it up.

[0085] In some embodiments, the vehicle in this application includes a front-wheel drive vehicle, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The first control wheel differs depending on the vehicle's drive mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning. In some embodiments, the inner rear wheel of the vehicle in this application can be determined based on factors such as the vehicle's driving direction (e.g., forward or reverse) and the vehicle's turning direction (e.g., left or right turn). For example, when the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the inner rear wheel is the left rear wheel during a forward left turn, and the inner rear wheel is the right rear wheel during a forward right turn.

[0086] In other words, when the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, executing the steering assist control function of this application requires determining the first control wheel, and thereby determining two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel. Specifically, it is first necessary to identify the steering direction of the vehicle; then, based on the steering direction of the vehicle, the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning is determined, and this inner rear wheel is set as the first control wheel.

[0087] In some embodiments, the vehicle's steering direction can be identified using any of the following methods:

[0088] (i) Identify the vehicle's steering direction based on the received vehicle steering request;

[0089] (ii) Identify the vehicle's steering direction based on the direction of the vehicle's yaw rate;

[0090] (iii) Identifying the vehicle's steering direction based on the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle; and

[0091] (iv) Identify the vehicle's steering direction based on the steering information received from the human-machine interface.

[0092] For (i), as mentioned above, the vehicle's steering angle is directional; for example, a positive steering angle value indicates the vehicle is turning left, and a negative value indicates the vehicle is turning right. Therefore, in some embodiments, the vehicle's steering direction can be identified based on the positive or negative value of the steering angle in the received vehicle steering request.

[0093] For (ii) and (iii), in some other embodiments, the vehicle's steering direction can also be identified based on the vehicle's driving state. For example, the vehicle's steering direction can be identified based on the direction of the vehicle's yaw rate or the direction of the vehicle's sideslip angle.

[0094] For (iv), in some other embodiments, the vehicle's steering direction can be identified based on the driver's input at the human-machine interface.

[0095] When the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is any one of the front wheels of the vehicle. That is to say, when the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, whether turning left forward, turning right forward, or turning left or right backward, either the left or right front wheel can be selected as the first control wheel, and braking control can be applied to the first control wheel to lock it up.

[0096] Braking control is applied to the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock it up. The braking torque required to lock the first control wheel is related to the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle.

[0097] In some embodiments, during the execution of braking control, the road surface adhesion coefficient between the current road surface and the vehicle can be detected in real time, and the braking torque generated by the vehicle's brakes can be adjusted in real time based on this, that is, the braking torque applied to the first control wheel can be adjusted in real time. (Refer to...) Figure 4 This describes the process of braking control of the vehicle's first control wheel. Specifically, such as... Figure 4 As shown above, Figure 2 The illustrated S102 may include the following steps:

[0098] S102c: Determine the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle.

[0099] In some embodiments, the current road surface type can be identified based on data collected by sensor devices, and then the road adhesion coefficient between the current road surface and the vehicle can be determined based on the current road surface type. That is, the current road surface type can be identified using a single sensor device or by fusing multiple sensor devices, and then the road adhesion coefficient between the current road surface and the vehicle can be determined based on the identified road surface type. The correspondence between road surface type and road adhesion coefficient can be pre-stored in a memory. Sensor devices may include: ultrasonic radar, camera, lidar, millimeter-wave radar, etc.

[0100] In some embodiments, the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle can be estimated based on the vehicle's driving data. Specifically, the road surface adhesion coefficient can be estimated using a certain mathematical model based on parameters such as reference vehicle speed, wheel speed, and drive torque. This is prior art and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0101] In some embodiments, current road surface information can be received through a human-machine interface, and then the road surface adhesion coefficient between the current road surface and the vehicle can be determined based on the current road surface information. For example, the human-machine interface confirms the current road surface information with the driver, and the road surface adhesion coefficient between the current road surface and the vehicle is determined based on the current road surface information confirmed from the driver. The current road surface information includes, but is not limited to, high-adhesion asphalt roads, muddy roads, gravel roads, and cement roads. The correspondence between the current road surface information and the road surface adhesion coefficient can be pre-stored in a memory.

[0102] S102d: Determine the specified braking torque that causes the first control wheel to lock up based on the road surface adhesion coefficient.

[0103] Specifically, the braking torque specified in this application is related to the road surface adhesion coefficient between the vehicle and the current road surface. For example, the specified braking torque increases as the road surface adhesion coefficient increases. The smaller the road surface adhesion coefficient and the smoother the road surface, the smaller the braking torque required to lock the wheels. Therefore, for roads with a low road surface adhesion coefficient, a smaller braking torque can be used to control the locking of the vehicle's first control wheels, while the smaller braking torque causes less damage to the vehicle's brake hardware.

[0104] In some embodiments, this application may pre-define the correlation between the road surface adhesion coefficient of the road surface and the specified braking torque of the vehicle, so as to set different specified braking torques for different road surface adhesion coefficients.

[0105] like Figure 5A The diagram illustrates the relationship between road surface adhesion coefficient and wheel pressure according to an embodiment of this application. Specifically, this application adaptively adjusts a specified braking torque based on the road surface adhesion coefficient to adjust the wheel pressure of the first control wheel. Specifically, the specified braking torque is adaptively and continuously reduced as the road surface adhesion coefficient decreases, thereby reducing the wheel pressure of the first control wheel.

[0106] In other embodiments, this application can classify the road surface adhesion coefficient of the road surface to the vehicle into multiple levels. For example, the above-mentioned levels can be divided into three levels: high, medium, and low, but it is not limited to this and can have more or fewer levels. Furthermore, this application can set a corresponding specified braking torque for each level. For example, the specified braking torque under the same road surface adhesion coefficient level is the same, and the specified braking torque is different for different road surface adhesion coefficient levels. Alternatively, the specified braking torque can be the same under some road surface adhesion coefficient levels.

[0107] like Figure 5BThe diagram illustrates a relationship between road surface adhesion coefficient and wheel pressure according to an embodiment of this application. Specifically, this application adaptively adjusts a specified braking torque based on the road surface adhesion coefficient level to adjust the wheel pressure of the first control wheel. Specifically, as the road surface adhesion coefficient level decreases from high to medium to low, the specified braking torque is adaptively reduced to decrease the wheel pressure of the first control wheel. For example, Figure 5B The same specified braking torque is set for the high and medium road adhesion coefficient levels, while the specified braking torque is reduced for the low road adhesion coefficient level in order to reduce the wheel pressure of the first control wheel.

[0108] The steering assist control method in this application can apply different braking torques to the vehicle's first control wheel for road surfaces with varying coefficients of adhesion, significantly reducing damage to the brake hardware. Thus, this method reduces the vehicle's turning radius while minimizing damage to the brake hardware and avoiding waste of hardware resources to some extent. Furthermore, the noise from the brakes locking the wheels is relatively low. In addition, the brake control response is fast, allowing the first control wheel to lock up quickly, which further helps to minimize the turning radius.

[0109] In some situations, after determining that steering assistance is needed, the current road surface adhesion coefficient between the vehicle and the road surface can be detected once, and a specified braking torque can be used continuously during vehicle steering. For example, this is suitable for scenarios where the degree of road surface friction changes little, such as indoor parking lots and highways.

[0110] In other situations, after determining that steering assistance is needed, a specified braking torque associated with the current road surface adhesion coefficient of the vehicle can be periodically detected (e.g., every 5 seconds), and the specified braking torque can be adjusted in real time as the road surface adhesion coefficient changes during vehicle steering. For example, this is suitable for scenarios where the road surface adhesion coefficient changes significantly, such as off-road driving.

[0111] As mentioned above, the OCA function also requires drive control. Specifically, it involves driving control of two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratios of the two control wheels meet preset conditions. (Refer to...) Figure 6 This describes the process of driving two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel. Specifically, as follows... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 2 The illustrated S202 may include the following steps:

[0112] S102f: Apply a specified drive torque to two control wheels that are on different axles from the first control wheel.

[0113] The two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel will vary depending on the vehicle's drive system. For example, in a front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is the inner rear wheel. In this case, the two control wheels on different axles from the first control wheel are the two front wheels on the front axle. However, in a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is any one of the front wheels on the vehicle's front axle. Therefore, the two control wheels on different axles from the first control wheel are the two rear wheels on the rear axle.

[0114] In some embodiments, a preset specified drive torque can be pre-set. When performing steering assist control, the preset specified drive torque is first applied as a specified torque to two control wheels that are on different axles from the first control wheel.

[0115] S102g: Measure the slip ratio of the two control wheels respectively, and calculate the first slip ratio based on the slip ratio of the two control wheels.

[0116] In some embodiments, the first slip ratio is the average slip ratio of the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel, that is, the slip ratios of the two control wheels are measured respectively, and their average value is calculated based on the slip ratios of the two control wheels, and the average value is used as the first slip ratio.

[0117] In some embodiments, the first slip ratio is the smaller of the slip ratios of the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel, that is, the slip ratios of the two control wheels are measured separately, and the smaller one is selected as the first slip ratio.

[0118] S102h: Determine whether the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range.

[0119] The target slip ratio range is described as the wheel slip range that allows the lateral forces of the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to be at a smaller value. In some embodiments, the target slip ratio range can be preset, and its value can be determined according to actual needs, which is not limited here.

[0120] If the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range, proceed to step S102l. If the first slip ratio is not within the target slip ratio range, it indicates that further adjustment of the drive torque applied to the two control wheels is needed, and proceed to step S102i.

[0121] S102i: Determine whether the first slip ratio is greater than the target slip ratio range.

[0122] Since the first slip ratio is not within the target slip ratio range, it is necessary to determine whether the first slip ratio is greater than or less than the target slip ratio range, and adjust the specified drive torque accordingly. If the first slip ratio is greater than the target slip ratio range, it indicates that the applied drive torque needs to be reduced, and proceed to step S102j. If the first slip ratio is less than the target slip ratio range, it indicates that the applied drive torque needs to be increased, and proceed to step S102k.

[0123] S102j: Reduce the specified drive torque.

[0124] If the first slip ratio is greater than the target slip ratio range, the applied drive torque needs to be reduced.

[0125] In some embodiments, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after subtracting a first fixed value from the specified drive torque. This results in the specified drive torque being smaller than the original specified drive torque by a first fixed value, thereby reducing the specified drive torque. The first fixed value can be preset according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0126] In some embodiments, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being reduced by a preset first gradient, thereby making the updated specified drive torque smaller than the original specified drive torque, thus achieving the reduction of the specified drive torque.

[0127] After step S102j is completed, the process returns to step S102f and repeats. After the specified drive torque is reduced once, the reduced specified drive torque is applied again to the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel. Then, the slip ratio of the two control wheels is measured and the first slip ratio is calculated. It is determined whether the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range. If it is not within the target slip ratio range, the specified drive torque needs to be adjusted again.

[0128] S102k: Increases the specified drive torque.

[0129] If the first slip ratio is less than the target slip ratio range, the applied driving torque needs to be increased.

[0130] In some embodiments, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque by adding a second fixed value to the specified drive torque, thereby making the updated specified drive torque larger than the original specified drive torque by a second fixed value, thus increasing the specified drive torque. The second fixed value can be preset according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0131] In some embodiments, the specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being increased by a preset second gradient, thereby making the updated specified drive torque larger than the original specified drive torque, thus achieving the increase of the specified drive torque.

[0132] After step S102k is completed, the process returns to step S102f and repeats. After the specified drive torque is increased once, the specified drive torque, which has been increased once, is applied again to the two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel. Then, the slip ratio of the two control wheels is measured and the first slip ratio is calculated. It is determined whether the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range. If it is not within the target slip ratio range, the specified drive torque needs to be adjusted again.

[0133] S102l: Maintain the specified drive torque.

[0134] It can be understood that it is necessary to continuously cycle through the following steps: applying a specified drive torque → measuring the slip ratio of the two control wheels → determining whether the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range → adjusting the specified drive torque, until the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range.

[0135] When the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range, there is no need to adjust the specified drive torque, and the specified drive torque applied to the two control wheels can be maintained.

[0136] It is understood that during vehicle steering assistance, this application can periodically measure the slip ratio of the two control wheels and adjust the specified drive torque in real time as the slip ratio of the two control wheels changes. That is, during this process, this application can periodically execute the above-described S102g to S102l.

[0137] Thus, the steering assist control method in the application can brake the first control wheel of the vehicle during driving to lock it up, and drive the two control wheels on different axles from the first control wheel to make their slip ratios meet preset conditions. As a result, the braking torque applied to the locked wheel of the first control wheel can generate a large yaw moment in the same direction as the turning. Controlling the drive torque of the two control wheels on different axles from the first control wheel can reduce the lateral force on the front axle wheels. In this way, the vehicle will turn around the first control wheel, and the turning radius of the vehicle is minimized.

[0138] In some embodiments, when the vehicle is a four-wheel drive vehicle, step S102, in addition to the controls described in (a) to (iii) above, further includes the following control: performing drive control on the rear axle of the vehicle so that the drive torque of the rear axle is close to zero. At this time, the difference between the drive torque of the rear axle and zero is less than or equal to a preset torque difference. The value of the preset torque difference can be set according to actual needs, and this application does not specifically limit it.

[0139] This avoids the situation where, during OCA intervention, a large driving torque is applied to the rear axle while simultaneously applying lock-up control to the first control wheel, thus preventing damage to the rear axle hardware.

[0140] Figure 7 This is a structural block diagram of the steering assist control device 200 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 As shown, the steering assist control device 200 includes: a judgment module 201 and a control module 202.

[0141] The determination module 201 is used to determine whether steering assistance is required. The control module 202 is used to perform the following controls when it is determined that steering assistance is required: controlling the vehicle's movement; braking the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock it; and driving the two control wheels on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

[0142] The specific implementation methods of the above modules are consistent with the specific implementation methods of each step in the embodiment of the steering assist control method, and will not be repeated here.

[0143] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a possible functional framework of a vehicle A provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the functional framework of vehicle A may include various subsystems, such as the sensor system 10, control system 20, one or more peripheral devices 30 (one is shown as an example), power supply 40, and computer system 50. Optionally, vehicle A may also include other functional systems, such as an engine system that provides power to vehicle A, etc., which are not limited herein.

[0144] The sensor system 10 may include several detection devices that can sense the measured information and convert the sensed information into electrical signals or other desired forms of information output according to a certain rule. For example... Figure 8As shown, these detection devices may include a global positioning system (GPS), a vehicle speed sensor 12, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 13, a radar unit 14, a laser rangefinder 15, a camera unit 16, a wheel speed sensor 17, a steering sensor 18, a gear position sensor 19, or other components for automatic detection, etc., which are not limited in this application.

[0145] The Global Positioning System (GPS) 11 is a system that uses GPS positioning satellites to perform real-time positioning and navigation globally. In this application, the GPS 11 system can be used to achieve real-time positioning of vehicle A, providing the geographical location information of vehicle A. The vehicle speed sensor 12 is used to detect the vehicle speed of vehicle A. The inertial measurement unit 13 may include a combination of an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and is a device for measuring the angular rate and acceleration of vehicle A. For example, during the movement of vehicle A, the inertial measurement unit can measure the changes in the vehicle's position and angle based on the inertial acceleration of vehicle A, such as measuring the acceleration and angular rate of vehicle A.

[0146] Radar unit 14, also known as a radar system, senses objects in the current environment where vehicle A is traveling using wireless signals. Optionally, the radar unit can also sense information such as the object's speed and direction of travel. In practical applications, the radar unit can be configured as one or more antennas for receiving or transmitting wireless signals. Laser rangefinder 15 is an instrument that uses modulated laser light to measure the distance to a target object; that is, a laser rangefinder can be used to measure the distance to a target object. In practical applications, the laser rangefinder may include, but is not limited to, a combination of one or more of the following components: a laser source, a laser scanner, and a laser detector.

[0147] The camera unit 16 is used to capture images, such as pictures and videos. In this application, during the movement of vehicle A or after the camera device is activated, the camera device can acquire images of the environment in which vehicle A is located in real time. For example, the camera device can capture images of the road surface where vehicle A is located to detect the degree of friction between the road surface and the vehicle. As another example, during the process of vehicle A entering or exiting a tunnel, the camera device can acquire corresponding images in real time and continuously. In practical applications, the camera device includes, but is not limited to, a dashcam, a camera, a camera, or other components used for taking pictures / photographs, and the number of such camera devices is not limited in this application.

[0148] Wheel speed sensor 17 is used to detect the rotational speed of the wheels of vehicle A, such as detecting the wheel speed of the inner rear wheel of vehicle A. Commonly used wheel speed sensors 17 may include, but are not limited to, magnetoelectric wheel speed sensors and Hall effect wheel speed sensors. Steering sensor 18, also known as a steering angle sensor, can represent a system used to detect the steering angle of vehicle A. In practical applications, the steering sensor 18 can be used to measure the steering wheel angle of vehicle A (e.g., 360 degrees), or to measure an electrical signal representing the steering angle of the steering wheel of vehicle A. Optionally, the steering sensor 18 can also be used to measure the steering angle of the tires of vehicle A (e.g., 20 degrees), or to measure an electrical signal representing the steering angle of the tires of vehicle A, etc., and this application is not limited thereto.

[0149] That is, the steering sensor 18 can be used to measure any one or more combinations of the following: the steering angle of the steering wheel, an electrical signal representing the steering angle of the steering wheel, the steering angle of the wheel (vehicle A tire), and an electrical signal representing the steering angle of the wheel, etc.

[0150] Gear sensor 19 is used to detect the current gear of vehicle A. Since different manufacturers produce vehicle A, the gear positions may vary. Taking an autonomous vehicle A as an example, it supports six gears: P, R, N, D, 2, and L. P (parking) is used for parking; it uses a mechanical device to lock the brakes, preventing the vehicle from moving. R (reverse) is used for reversing. D (drive) is used for driving on the road. 2 (second gear) is also a drive gear, used to adjust the speed of vehicle A. Second gear is typically used for going uphill or downhill. L (low) limits the speed of vehicle A. For example, on a downhill road, vehicle A is in L gear, allowing engine braking, preventing the driver from constantly applying the brakes and causing overheating.

[0151] The control system 20 may include several components, such as the steering unit 21, braking unit 22, lighting system 23, automatic driving system 24, map navigation system 25, network time synchronization system 26, obstacle avoidance system 27, and cornering assistance system 28 shown in the figure. Optionally, the control system 20 may also include components such as a throttle controller and an engine controller for controlling the speed of vehicle A; this application is not limited to these components. The driver in this application may be the aforementioned engine controller. The user's acceleration operation on vehicle A may be the user's operation of pressing the throttle controller (i.e., the accelerator pedal).

[0152] The steering unit 21 may represent a system for adjusting the direction of travel of vehicle A, which may include, but is not limited to, a steering wheel or any other structural device for adjusting or controlling the direction of travel of vehicle A.

[0153] Braking unit 22 can represent a system for slowing down the speed of vehicle A, and can also be called the vehicle A braking system. It may include, but is not limited to, a brake controller, a reducer, or other structural devices used for decelerating vehicle A. Specifically, the brake in this application can be such a brake controller, reducer, or other deceleration device. In practical applications, braking unit 22 can utilize friction to slow down the tires of vehicle A, thereby reducing the speed of vehicle A.

[0154] The lighting system 23 is used to provide lighting or warning functions for vehicle A. For example, during nighttime driving, the lighting system 23 can activate the headlights and taillights of vehicle A to provide sufficient illumination for vehicle A's driving and ensure its safe operation. In practical applications, the lighting system includes, but is not limited to, headlights, taillights, side marker lights, and warning lights.

[0155] The autonomous driving system 24 may include hardware and software systems for processing and analyzing data input to the autonomous driving system 24 to obtain actual control parameters of various components in the control system 20, such as the desired braking pressure of the brake controller in the braking unit and the desired torque of the engine. This facilitates the control system 20 in implementing corresponding controls to ensure the safe driving of vehicle A. Optionally, the autonomous driving system 24 can also determine information such as obstacles faced by vehicle A and the characteristics of the environment in which vehicle A is located (e.g., the lane currently in which vehicle A is driving, road boundaries, and traffic lights that it will pass by) by analyzing the data. The data input to the autonomous driving system 24 may be image data collected by the camera device or data collected by various components in the sensor system 10, such as the steering wheel angle provided by the steering angle sensor and the wheel speed provided by the wheel speed sensor, etc., which are not limited in this application.

[0156] The map navigation system 25 provides map information and navigation services to vehicle A. In practical applications, the map navigation system 25 can plan an optimal driving route based on the location information of vehicle A provided by GPS (specifically, the current location of vehicle A) and the destination address entered by the user, such as the route with the shortest distance or the least traffic. This allows vehicle A to navigate along the optimal driving route to reach its destination. Optionally, in addition to providing navigation functions, the map navigation system can also provide or display relevant map information to the user according to their actual needs, such as displaying the current road segment of vehicle A on the map in real time; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0157] The network time system (NTS) 26 provides time synchronization services to ensure that the current system time of vehicle A is synchronized with the network standard time, which helps to provide vehicle A with more accurate time information. In specific implementation, the network time system 26 can obtain a standard time signal from GPS satellites and use this time signal to synchronously update the current system time of vehicle A, ensuring that the current system time of vehicle A is consistent with the time of the obtained standard time signal.

[0158] The obstacle avoidance system 27 is used to predict obstacles that vehicle A may encounter during its journey, and then controls vehicle A to bypass or cross the obstacles to ensure normal driving. For example, the obstacle avoidance system 27 can analyze sensor data collected by various components in the sensor system 10 to determine possible obstacles on the road where vehicle A is traveling. If the obstacle is large, such as a fixed building (building) on ​​the roadside, the obstacle avoidance system 27 can control vehicle 10 to bypass the obstacle for safe driving. Conversely, if the obstacle is small, such as a small stone on the road, the obstacle avoidance system 27 can control vehicle A to cross the obstacle and continue driving forward.

[0159] The cornering assistance system 28 may include hardware and software systems for processing and analyzing data input to the cornering assistance system 28 to obtain actual control parameters of various components in the control system 20, such as the desired braking force of the brake controller (e.g., brake) in the braking unit and the desired torque of the engine. This facilitates the control system 20 in implementing corresponding control, ensuring that vehicle A turns based on the OCA function.

[0160] In some embodiments, the steering assist control device in this application is implemented based on the control system 20, specifically based on the automatic driving system 24 in the control system 20, or based on the cornering assist system 28 in the control system 20, but not limited thereto. In this case, the control system 20, the automatic driving system 24, or the cornering assist system 28 can execute the steering assist control method described above.

[0161] Peripheral device 30 may include several components, such as the communication system 31, touch screen 32, user interface 33, microphone 34, and speaker 35 shown in the figure. The communication system 31 is used to enable network communication between vehicle A and other devices besides vehicle A. In practical applications, the communication system 31 can employ wireless communication technology or wired communication technology to achieve network communication between vehicle A and other devices. The wired communication technology can refer to communication between vehicle A and other devices via network cable or fiber optic cable, etc. This wireless communication technology includes, but is not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Time Division Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) (such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Frequency Modulation (FM), Near Field Communication (NFC), and Infrared (IR) technology, etc.

[0162] The touchscreen 32 can be used to detect operation commands on the touchscreen 32. For example, the user can perform touch operations on the content data displayed on the touchscreen 32 according to actual needs to achieve the corresponding function, such as playing music, video, or other multimedia files. The user interface 33 can specifically be a touch panel, used to detect operation commands on the touch panel. The user interface 33 can also be a physical button or a mouse. The user interface 33 can also be a display screen, used to output data and display images or data. Optionally, the user interface 33 can also be at least one device belonging to the category of peripheral devices, such as a touchscreen, microphone, and speaker.

[0163] Microphone 34, also known as a microphone or transducer, is used to convert sound signals into electrical signals. When making a phone call or sending a voice message, the user speaks close to the microphone, and the sound signal is input into the microphone. Speaker 35, also known as a loudspeaker, is used to convert audio electrical signals into sound signals. Vehicle A can listen to music or make hands-free calls through speaker 35.

[0164] Power source 40 represents a system that provides electricity or energy to vehicle A, which may include, but is not limited to, rechargeable lithium batteries or lead-acid batteries. In practical applications, one or more battery components in the power source are used to provide electrical energy or power for starting vehicle A. The type and materials of the power source are not limited in this application. Optionally, power source 40 may also be an energy source used to provide energy to vehicle A, such as gasoline, diesel, ethanol, solar cells or solar panels, etc., which are not limited in this application.

[0165] Several functions of vehicle A are controlled and implemented by computer system 50. Computer system 50 may include one or more processors 51 (the illustration shows one processor as an example) and memory 52 (also called a storage device). In practical applications, the memory 52 may be located inside computer system 50 or outside of computer system 50, for example, as a cache in vehicle A; this application does not limit this.

[0166] Processor 51 may include one or more general-purpose processors, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU). Processor 51 can be used to run relevant programs or instructions corresponding to programs stored in memory 52 to implement the corresponding functions of vehicle A.

[0167] Memory 52 may include volatile memory, such as RAM; it may also include non-volatile memory, such as ROM, flash memory, HDD, or SSD; or it may include a combination of the above types of memory. Memory 52 can be used to store a set of program code or instructions corresponding to program code, so that processor 51 can call the program code or instructions stored in memory 52 to implement the corresponding functions of vehicle A. This function includes, but is not limited to, […]. Figure 8 The schematic diagram of the functional framework of vehicle A shown includes some or all of its functions. In this application, the memory 52 can store a set of program code for controlling vehicle A. The processor 51 can call this program code to control the safe driving of vehicle A. The specific details of how to achieve the safe driving of vehicle A are described in detail below in this application.

[0168] Optionally, in addition to storing program code or instructions, memory 52 may also store information such as road maps, driving routes, and sensor data. Computer system 50 can be integrated with other components in the functional framework diagram of vehicle A, such as sensors in the sensor system and GPS, to realize the relevant functions of vehicle A. For example, computer system 50 can control the driving direction or speed of vehicle A based on data input from sensor system 10; this application does not impose limitations on this.

[0169] Among them, this application Figure 8 The sensor system 10, control system 20, and computer system 50 shown are merely examples and do not constitute a limitation. In practical applications, vehicle A can combine several components in vehicle A according to different functions to obtain subsystems with corresponding functions. For example, vehicle A may also include an electronic stability program (ESP) and an electric power steering (EPS) system, etc., not shown in the figure. The ESP system may be composed of some sensors in sensor system 10 and some components in control system 20. Specifically, the ESP system may include wheel speed sensor 17, steering sensor 18, lateral acceleration sensor, and control units involved in control system 20, etc. The EPS system may be composed of some sensors in sensor system 10, some components in control system 20, and power supply 40, etc. Specifically, the EPS system may include steering sensor 18, generator and reducer involved in control system 20, battery power supply, etc.

[0170] It should be noted that the above Figure 8 This is merely a schematic diagram of one possible functional framework for vehicle A. In practical applications, vehicle A may include more or fewer systems or components, and this application does not impose any limitations.

[0171] The various embodiments of the mechanisms disclosed in this application can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these implementation methods. Embodiments of this application can be implemented as computer programs or program code executable on a programmable system, the programmable system including at least one processor, a storage system (including volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0172] Program code can be applied to input instructions to execute the functions described in this application and generate output information. The output information can be applied to one or more output devices in a known manner. For the purposes of this application, the processing system includes any system having a processor such as, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a microprocessor.

[0173] The program code can be implemented using a high-level procedural language or an object-oriented programming language to communicate with the processing system. Assembly language or machine language can also be used when needed. In fact, the mechanisms described in this application are not limited to any particular programming language. In either case, the language can be a compiled language or an interpreted language.

[0174] In some embodiments, this application provides a computer storage medium storing at least one instruction or at least one program that is loaded by a processor and executed as described above in the steering assist control method.

[0175] In some embodiments, this application provides an electronic device including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one instruction or at least one program, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded by the processor and executed by the steering assist control method described above.

[0176] In some embodiments, this application provides a computer program product comprising at least one instruction or at least one program segment, wherein the at least one instruction or the at least one program segment is loaded by a processor and executed by the steering assist control method described above.

[0177] In some cases, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. The disclosed embodiments may also be implemented as instructions carried or stored thereon on one or more temporary or non-temporary machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage media, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. For example, the instructions may be distributed via a network or through other computer-readable media. Therefore, machine-readable media may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) form, including but not limited to floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magneto-optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic cards or optical cards, flash memory, or tangible machine-readable storage for transmitting information (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.) using the Internet in the form of electrical, optical, acoustic, or other propagation signals. Therefore, machine-readable media include any type of machine-readable medium suitable for storing or transmitting electronic instructions or information in a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) form.

[0178] In the accompanying drawings, some structural or methodological features may be shown in a specific arrangement and / or order. However, it should be understood that such a specific arrangement and / or order may not be necessary. Rather, in some embodiments, these features may be arranged in a manner and / or order different from that shown in the illustrative drawings. Furthermore, the inclusion of structural or methodological features in a particular figure does not imply that such features are required in all embodiments, and in some embodiments, these features may be omitted or may be combined with other features.

[0179] It should be noted that all units / modules mentioned in the device embodiments of this application are logical units / modules. Physically, a logical unit / module can be a physical unit / module, a part of a physical unit / module, or a combination of multiple physical units / modules. The physical implementation of these logical units / modules themselves is not the most important factor; the combination of functions implemented by these logical units / modules is the key to solving the technical problems proposed in this application. Furthermore, to highlight the innovative aspects of this application, the above-described device embodiments of this application have not introduced units / modules that are not closely related to solving the technical problems proposed in this application. This does not mean that the above-described device embodiments do not contain other units / modules.

[0180] It should be noted that in the examples and description of this patent, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one" does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0181] Although this application has been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A steering assist control method, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine whether steering assist is needed; and When it is determined that steering assist is needed, the following controls are applied: Controlling vehicle movement; Braking control is applied to the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock it; and Drive control is applied to two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel so that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

2. The steering assist control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In determining whether steering assist is needed, steering assist is determined to be needed if at least one of the following conditions is met: A vehicle steering request with a steering angle greater than the first angle has been received; The absolute value of the vehicle's yaw rate was detected to be greater than a first threshold. The absolute value of the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle was detected to be greater than the second threshold. as well as The steering assistance request was received through the human-computer interaction interface.

3. The steering assist control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Controlling the vehicle's movement includes: Control the vehicle to travel at a speed lower than the first speed.

4. The steering assist control method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Controlling the vehicle to travel at a speed lower than a first speed includes: Determine the current speed of the vehicle; and If the current speed is greater than or equal to the first speed, then control the vehicle's speed to decrease to below the first speed.

5. The steering assist control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The vehicles include: front-wheel drive vehicles, four-wheel drive vehicles, and rear-wheel drive vehicles.

6. The steering assist control method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning. When the vehicle is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is any one of the wheels on the front axle of the vehicle.

7. The steering assist control method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Braking control of the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock the first control wheel includes: Determine the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle; The specified braking torque that causes the first controlled wheel to lock up is determined based on the road adhesion coefficient; and Apply a specified braking torque to the first control wheel.

8. The steering assist control method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: Identify the current road surface type based on data collected by sensor devices; and The road adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle is determined based on the current road surface type.

9. The steering assist control method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The sensor devices include: ultrasonic radar, camera, lidar, and millimeter-wave radar.

10. The steering assist control method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: The road surface adhesion coefficient of the vehicle is estimated based on the vehicle's driving data.

11. The steering assist control method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Determining the road surface adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle includes: Receive current road surface information through a human-computer interaction interface; and The road adhesion coefficient of the current road surface to the vehicle is determined based on the current road surface information.

12. The steering assist control method as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, Drive control is applied to two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel to ensure that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets preset conditions, including: A specified drive torque is applied to two control wheels that are on different axles from the first control wheel; The slip ratios of the two control wheels are measured separately, and a first slip ratio is calculated based on the slip ratios of the two control wheels; Determine whether the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range; If the first slip ratio is greater than the target slip ratio range, then the specified drive torque is reduced; If the first slip ratio is less than the target slip ratio range, then the specified drive torque is increased; and Repeat the above steps until the first slip ratio is within the target slip ratio range.

13. The steering assist control method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, In reducing the specified drive torque, The specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after subtracting the first fixed value from the specified drive torque.

14. The steering assist control method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, In reducing the specified drive torque, The specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being reduced by a preset first gradient.

15. The steering assist control method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, Increasing the specified driving torque, The specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque by adding a second fixed value to the specified drive torque.

16. The steering assist control method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, Increasing the specified driving torque, The specified drive torque is updated to the specified drive torque after being increased according to a preset second gradient.

17. The steering assist control method as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The first slip ratio is the average slip ratio of the two control wheels or the smaller of the slip ratios of the two control wheels.

18. The steering assist control method as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, When it is determined that steering assistance is required, the following control is performed, and if the vehicle is a four-wheel drive vehicle, the control further includes: The rear axle of the vehicle is driven so that the driving torque of the rear axle is close to zero.

19. The steering assist control method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, When the vehicle is a front-wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle, the first control wheel is the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning, including: Identify the vehicle's steering direction; and Based on the vehicle's steering direction, the inner rear wheel when the vehicle is turning is determined, and this inner rear wheel is set as the first control wheel.

20. The steering assist control method as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The vehicle's steering direction is identified using any of the following methods: The vehicle's steering direction is identified based on the received vehicle steering request; The vehicle's steering direction is identified based on the direction of its yaw rate. The vehicle's steering direction is identified based on the direction of the vehicle's center of gravity sideslip angle; as well as The vehicle's steering direction is identified based on the steering information received from the human-machine interface.

21. A steering assist control device, characterized in that, include: The judgment module is used to determine whether steering assist is needed; as well as The control module is used to perform the following controls when it is determined that steering assist is needed: Controlling vehicle movement; Braking control is applied to the first control wheel of the vehicle to lock it; and Drive control is applied to two control wheels located on different axles from the first control wheel so that the slip ratio of the two control wheels meets a preset condition.

22. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing at least one instruction or at least one program, the at least one instruction or the at least one program being loaded by the processor and executed according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

23. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the electronic device as described in claim 22.

24. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores at least one instruction or at least one program segment, which is loaded by a processor and executed according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

25. A computer program product comprising at least one instruction or at least a program segment, characterized in that, The at least one instruction or the at least one program segment is loaded by the processor and executed as described in any one of claims 1 to 20.

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