Vehicle motion management with wheel redundancy control safety network function

Abstract

To provide improved vehicle control units, methods and functions which meet safety requirements imposed on heavy duty vehicles.SOLUTION: An MSD control unit 230 for a heavy duty vehicle is configured to control one or more MSDs 220, 250 coupled with a wheel 210, and is disposed to be communicatively coupled 235 for receiving control commands from a vehicle motion management VMM unit 260 comprising wheel-speed request and / or wheel-slip request to control vehicle motion by the MSDs 220, 250. The MSD control unit 230 is configured to obtain a capability range indicating a behavior range of the wheel 210. The VMM unit 260 can influence the behavior of the wheel for the capability range. The MSD control unit 230 is arranged to monitor the wheel behavior and to detect if the wheel behavior is outside of the capability range, and is arranged to trigger a control intervention function if the monitored wheel behavior is outside of the capability range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicle motion management for large vehicles, i.e., coordinated control of motion support devices such as main brake devices and propulsion devices.

[0002] The present invention can be applied to large vehicles such as trucks, buses, and construction machinery. Although the present invention will mainly be described with respect to freight transport vehicles such as semi-trailer vehicles and trucks, the present invention is not limited to this specific type of vehicle and can also be used for other types of vehicles such as automobiles.

Background Art

[0003] Vehicles are becoming increasingly complex with respect to mechanics, pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, and software. Modern large vehicles such as semi-trailer trucks can be equipped with a wide range of different physical devices such as combustion engines, electric machines, friction brakes, regenerative brakes, shock absorbers, air bellows, and power steering pumps. These physical devices are widely known as Motion Support Devices (MSD). The MSD can, for example, apply a friction brake, i.e., a negative torque, to one wheel, while at the same time using another wheel on the vehicle, possibly another wheel on the same axle, to be controlled individually such that a positive torque is generated by the electric machine.

[0004] Recently proposed vehicle motion management (VMM) functions, for example, those running on a central vehicle unit computer (VUC), operate vehicles using a combination of MSDs to achieve desired motion effects while simultaneously maintaining vehicle stability, cost-effectiveness, and safety. International Publication No. 2019072379(A1) discloses one such example, in which wheel brakes are used to selectively assist turning maneuvers by a large vehicle. VMM control can advantageously be based on wheel speed requests or wheel slip requests transmitted from the VMM to an MSD control unit, which controls various MSDs by a low-latency, high-bandwidth control loop aimed at maintaining wheel behavior as close as possible to the requested wheel slip value or wheel speed value. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019072379(A1) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] At least in part, the inherent complexity of these modern wheel speed-based or wheel slip-based motion management functions can present challenges in verifying the overall system functionality against legacy safety standards. Methods and control architectures are needed to prevent inadvertent wheel lock-up and / or the introduction of undesirable yaw motion by the vehicle due to these modern motion management functions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The object of this disclosure is to provide improved vehicle control units, methods, and functions that meet the safety requirements imposed on heavy vehicles. This object is achieved, at least in part, by a motion support device (MSD) control unit for heavy vehicles. The MSD control unit is configured to control one or more MSDs coupled to at least one wheel on a vehicle, i.e., the control units disclosed herein can be configured to control a single wheel on a vehicle, both wheels on an axle of a vehicle, or all wheels on any part of a vehicle. The MSD control unit is arranged to be communication coupled to a vehicle motion management (VMM) unit to receive control commands from the VMM unit, including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests for controlling vehicle motion by one or more MSDs. 、V MM Unit but Control commands car This can affect the behavior of the wheel. It is configured to obtain a capability range that indicates the range of acceptable wheel behavior of the wheel. Furthermore, the MSD control unit is configured to monitor wheel behavior and detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range, and if the monitored wheel behavior is outside the capability range, the MSD control unit is configured to trigger a control intervention function.

[0008] This means that the VMM can freely control at least one wheel as long as the resulting wheel behavior is within its capability range. However, if the wheel behavior deviates from the capability range, the MSD control unit immediately triggers a control intervention function. Therefore, this safety net, achieved through the capability range and control intervention function, still complies with legacy safety standards. In this way, more advanced functions can be introduced into the vehicle without undergoing the extensive testing and verification that would have been necessary if the legacy safety mechanism had not been left as is. This safety net can be provided by reusing the legacy anti-lock braking function as well as traction control and stability control functions present in today's braking systems, using a few minor modifications to the existing communication signals and special considerations related to the allocation of wheel speed requests in the VMM.

[0009] One or more MSDs may comprise, for example, at least one main brake made (configured) to generate negative torque by the wheels, and at least one propulsion unit made (configured) to generate positive and / or negative torque by the wheels. Thus, the proposed control unit is suitable for controlling and coordinating both the propulsion device and the wheel brake, which is an advantage.

[0010] In some embodiments, the capability range includes upper and / or lower limits for acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel slip and / or wheel rotational speed. This means that if the wheel behavior results from VMM control in such a way that wheel slip exceeds an acceptable value, a safety net function will intervene. This acceptable value may correspond to a wheel slip value for which, for example, a nearly linear relationship is obtained between tire force and wheel slip. The capability range may also include upper and / or lower limits for acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel acceleration, and upper and / or lower limits for acceptable positive and / or negative vehicle yaw rate. Thus, the vehicle control unit considered herein defines the capability range based on one of the following: wheel slip, wheel speed, wheel acceleration, and / or yaw rate. As long as the wheel behavior remains within the boundaries set by the capability range, the VMM can control the wheel behavior. However, if the wheel behavior deviates from the currently set capability range, countermeasures are taken to ensure safe vehicle operation.

[0011] In some embodiments, the MSD control unit is configured to receive wheel and associated wheel speed data from a wheel speed sensor and to detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range based on that wheel speed data. In a sense, wheel speed, wheel acceleration, and wheel slip are all measures of the same wheel behavior and can be used interchangeably.

[0012] In some embodiments, the MSD control unit is configured to obtain a fixed capability range as a parameter loaded from memory or received from an external configuration entity. This fixed capability range can be programmed, for example, according to legacy vehicle safety standards or safety verification tests. However, the MSD control unit can also be configured to obtain an updated capability range continuously. This updated capability range can be dynamically configured according to other parameters, such as vehicle type, vehicle transport mission, or driving conditions, etc. For example, driving conditions and / or transport missions may be used to ensure increased safety margins.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the control intervention function includes the execution of an intervention function by one or more of a plurality of MSDs. Such intervention functions may include, for example, anti-lock functions, traction control functions, and so on.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control intervention function includes triggering a request from the MSD control unit to an external arbitrator function for direct MSD control. This allows for arbitration between conflicting requests. For example, in some scenarios, the consequences of not allowing VMM control may be worse than, for example, allowing VMM to complete the execution of an ongoing emergency measure.

[0015] In some embodiments, the MSD control unit is configured to monitor wheel behavior by filtering samples of wheel behavior over time and to detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range based on the results of the filtering. This suppresses false deviations from the capability range that may be caused by measurement errors and / or transient effects that do not guarantee the triggering of the intervention function.

[0016] Furthermore, the above objectives are also achieved by a vehicle motion management (VMM) unit configured to perform vehicle motion management and control the motion of a large vehicle by one or more motion support devices (MSDs) coupled to at least one wheel on the vehicle.

[0017] The VMM unit is configured to be communication-coupled to the MSD control unit in order to control the vehicle motion by one or more MSDs by sending control commands, including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests, to the MSD control unit, and the VMM unit 、V MM Unit but Control commands car This can affect the behavior of the wheel. It is configured to obtain a capability range that indicates the range of acceptable wheel behavior of the wheel. The VMM unit is configured to generate control commands so that the wheel behavior remains within its capabilities.

[0018] Therefore, as discussed above, the VMM unit can control one or more wheels more freely, as long as the resulting behavior remains within the capability range obtained above. The VMM unit is configured to control the vehicle without generating control commands that would result in wheel behavior deviating from the capability range. Thus, the capability range indirectly affects vehicle control, such as force distribution and trajectory planning. For example, a stricter limit on wheel slip may affect vehicle motion management so that a less aggressive trajectory is selected. On the other hand, a looser capability range may allow for more aggressive vehicle motion management control associated with higher wheel slip rates and / or higher yaw rates.

[0019] According to an aspect, the VMM unit receives a request for direct MSD control by the MSD control unit and includes an arbiter function configured to cede vehicle control to the MSD control unit when the wheel behavior is outside a predetermined wheel behavior safety range. This arbiter function can arbitrate between desired VMM control goals and be configured to allow intervention by the MSD control unit. Thus, in some cases where ceding control to the MSD control unit seems worse, it is possible to allow normal deviations in wheel behavior. This is the case, for example, when an emergency avoidance measure is being executed to avoid an obstacle, in which case a slightly higher wheel slip can be temporarily allowed.

[0020] Also disclosed herein are a computer program, a computer-readable medium, a computer program product, and a vehicle related to the advantages discussed above.

[0021] In general, all terms used in the claims should be construed according to their ordinary meaning in the art, unless explicitly defined herein. All references to "an element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. in the singular" should be construed openly as meaning at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the order disclosed, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Other features of the present invention and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent by studying the appended claims and the following description. Those skilled in the art will recognize that without departing from the scope of the present invention, different features of the present invention can be combined to create embodiments other than those described below.

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention described as examples will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a large vehicle. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the placement of motion support devices. [Figure 3] This graph shows tire force as a function of wheel slip. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the range of capabilities. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary motion support device control system. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary motion support device control system. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the method. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the control unit. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating exemplary computer program products. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating specific aspects of the invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in many different forms, and therefore should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments and aspects shown herein, but rather these embodiments should be construed as being provided as examples so as to make this disclosure thorough and complete and so as to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Similar numbers represent similar elements throughout the description.

[0025] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, and rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

[0026] Figure 1 shows an exemplary vehicle 100 for freight transport, to which the techniques disclosed herein can be advantageously applied. The vehicle 100 comprises a tractor, or towing vehicle 110, supported on front wheels 150 and rear wheels 160, with at least some of the front wheels 150 and rear wheels 160 being driven wheels. The tractor 110 is configured to tow a first trailer unit 120 supported on trailer wheels 170 by a fifth wheel connection in a known manner. The trailer wheels are typically braked wheels, but may also be driven wheels on one or more axles.

[0027] The tractor 110 is equipped with a vehicle unit computer (VUC) 130 for controlling various types of functions, namely propulsion, braking, and steering. Some trailer units 120 also have a VUC 140 for controlling various trailer functions, such as braking the trailer wheels and, at times, propulsion of the trailer wheels. The VUCs 130 and 140 can be centralized or distributed across several processing circuits. Furthermore, parts of the vehicle control functions can be performed remotely, for example, on a remote server 190 connected to the vehicle 100 via a wireless link 180 and a wireless access network 185.

[0028] The VUC130 on the tractor 110 (and possibly the VUC140 on the trailer 120) can be configured to perform a vehicle control method organized according to a hierarchical functional architecture, where some functions can be included in a higher-level Traffic Situation Management (TSM) domain, and some other functions can be included in a lower-level Vehicle Motion Management (VMM) domain. The TSM plans driving operations using a time horizon of, for example, 10 seconds. This time frame corresponds, for example, to the time it takes for vehicle 100 to go through a curve. The vehicle actions planned and performed by the TSM can be coupled with acceleration and curvature profiles. The TSM continuously requests the VMM function for the desired acceleration and curvature profiles, and the VMM function implements force allocation to meet the requests from the TSM in a safe and robust manner.

[0029] The VMM operates using a time horizon of approximately one second to control vehicle motion functions activated by different MSDs of the vehicle, and continuously converts acceleration profiles and curvature profiles into control commands. When the vehicle is in motion, the VMM performs motion prediction, i.e., determines the position, velocity, acceleration, and articulation angle of different units in the vehicle combination through monitoring operations using various sensors often placed on the vehicle in relation to the MSDs. For example, by using a global positioning system, radar sensors, and / or lidar sensors to determine the motion of vehicle units, and by converting this vehicle unit motion to a given wheel local coordinate system, it becomes possible to accurately predict wheel slip by comparing the vehicle unit motion in the wheel reference coordinate system with data obtained from wheel speed sensors placed in relation to the wheels. Using a tire model discussed in more detail in relation to Figure 3, it is possible to convert between the desired tire force and wheel slip.

[0030] The VMM further manages force generation and coordination, meaning the VMM fulfills requests from the TSM and determines the forces required to accelerate the vehicle according to the required acceleration profile requested by the TSM, and / or to generate a specific curvature motion by the vehicle, also requested by the TSM. These forces can include, for example, longitudinal and lateral forces, as well as different types of torque.

[0031] The interface between the VMM and MSD, which can transfer torque to the vehicle's wheels, has traditionally focused on torque-based requests from the VMM to individual MSDs. However, significant advantages can be achieved by using requests based on wheel speed or wheel slip instead, thereby shifting the complex actuator speed control loop to the MSD controller, which typically operates with a much shorter sample time than the VMM. Such an architecture can provide much better disturbance rejection compared to torque-based control interfaces and can also improve the predictability of forces generated at the tire-road contact patch.

[0032] While wheel speed (or slip) based interfaces offer many advantages, there are stringent safety requirements related to preventing excessive wheel slip and loss of vehicle stability that vehicles on public roads must satisfy. A significant amount of testing, verification, and documentation is required before a VMM-based wheel speed or slip interface can be deployed on public roads.

[0033] Therefore, it is desirable to reduce safety requirements for the VMM and MSD speed control loops by adding a “safety net” function that can prevent these functions from locking the wheels and / or introducing undesirable yaw motion. This safety net can be provided using existing anti-lock braking, traction control, and stability control functions present in today's braking systems, with some minor modifications to existing communication signals and special considerations related to the allocation of speed requests in the VMM.

[0034] VMM is, of course, designed to ensure that vehicle motion remains within the vehicle's operational design domain, that is, that wheel slip remains within acceptable boundaries, and optionally, that the vehicle yaw rate does not exceed a set safety level. However, for various reasons, VMM functions can potentially generate control commands that inadvertently lead to undesirable wheel behavior. When this occurs, safety measures must be taken to mitigate the consequences of this unexpected wheel behavior.

[0035] This disclosure relates to a technique in which a capability range is defined, for example, with respect to wheel slip and / or wheel rotational acceleration, including a range of acceptable wheel behavior. As long as the wheel behavior remains within the boundaries set by the capability range, the VMM can control different MSDs. However, if the wheel behavior goes outside the capability range, the MSD control unit triggers one or more control intervention functions.

[0036] In response to excessive positive wheel slip, if wheel slip and / or large positive wheel rotational acceleration exceeding a given threshold are measured, the MSD control unit can impose a torque limit on the propulsion device in an attempt to allow the wheel to recover to the stable portion of the tire curve (the tire curve will be discussed in more detail below in relation to Figure 3).

[0037] When slip occurs on only one side of the driven axle, this typically indicates a separation-mu situation where the available frictional force is greater on one side of the road compared to the other. In this situation, in addition to imposing torque limits, the braking system may also provide braking torque to the rotating wheel in order to transmit drive torque to the non-slipping wheel via an open differential.

[0038] If the MSD control unit detects wheel slip and / or large negative wheel rotational acceleration exceeding a given threshold in response to excessive negative slip (e.g., during engine braking or due to driveline inertia), it may impose a "zero engine braking" torque limit on the propulsion unit. This limit can be communicated by the MSD control unit from the braking system to the propulsion unit as a torque limit signal, or simply by sending an "anti-lock braking active" signal, in which case the propulsion unit is required to release all braking torque.

[0039] If the wheels approach a wheel lock-up situation, for example by downshifting the gear, the MSD control unit may, in some situations, request positive torque from the propulsion unit to return the wheel slip back to a stable area within the tire curve.

[0040] The above method for handling critical wheel behavior using an MSD controller such as an electronic braking system (EBS) has been "proven in use" and represents a reasonable choice when the propulsion device response is extremely slow, i.e., when it has a low control bandwidth. Furthermore, the above method imposes relatively simple safety requirements on the propulsion device (for example, when the anti-lock braking signal is activated, the propulsion device must always release the braking torque), which is advantageous.

[0041] The relevant capability range can be determined, for example, by computer simulation or by practical experimentation. Furthermore, in some cases, the capability range can be inherited from legacy safety systems, such as anti-lock systems and traction control systems. This can be done, for example, by determining the point at which the legacy safety system would have intervened, and then defining the capability range based on this point of operation, possibly using some additional safety margin. The capability range, including wheel slip, will be discussed in more detail below, also in relation to Figure 3.

[0042] Figure 2 shows the wheel end section of a vehicle 100 capable of implementing the proposed technique. Wheel 210 is associated with wheel behavior such as current wheel slip and / or wheel acceleration. Main brake 220 is configured to generate a negative torque to brake wheel 210. The main brake may be a friction brake, drum brake, or any other type of brake, including a regenerative brake found in many electromechanical devices, configured to generate a negative torque, as schematically shown in Figure 2.

[0043] The MSD control unit 230 is communicated with the VMM 260 via interface 235 and is configured to control the main brake 220 via the main brake interface 225. This control is facilitated by wheel behavior data, such as the current wheel speed, received from the wheel speed sensor (WS) 240. The wheel speed data can be received directly from the wheel speed sensor 240 via interface 245, or indirectly via the VMM 260 on interface 235. Vehicle state information from one or more vehicle state sensors 270 can be made available via the vehicle state interface 275. This vehicle state information may include, for example, an accurate prediction of the vehicle speed, which, when converted to the coordinate system of the wheel 210, can be used to accurately determine wheel slip, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0044] Furthermore, VMM260 is also configured to control the propulsion device 250, as shown in the example in Figure 2. This propulsion device may be an electromechanical or combustion engine configured to drive, for example, the wheels 210, i.e., to generate positive torque.

[0045] According to SAE J670 (SAE Vehicle Dynamics Standards Committee, January 24, 2008), the longitudinal wheel slip λ is:

number

[0046] VMM260 and optionally MSD control unit 230 are ν x Information regarding (on the wheel's reference frame) can be maintained, while ω can be determined using the wheel speed sensor 240, etc.

[0047] In particular, where a limit on wheel slip is considered below, it refers to the magnitude or absolute value of the wheel slip being limited. That is, an increased wheel slip limit can mean either a larger positive allowable wheel slip or a smaller negative allowable wheel slip.

[0048] Figure 3 is a graph showing the achievable tire force as a function of wheel slip. The longitudinal achievable tire force Fx shows a nearly linear increase in portion 310 for small wheel slips, followed by a more nonlinear behavior in portion 320 for larger wheel slips. The achievable lateral tire force Fy decreases sharply even for relatively small longitudinal wheel slips. It is desirable to maintain vehicle operation in the linear region 310, where the longitudinal force achievable in response to applied brake commands is easier to predict, and where sufficient lateral tire force can be generated as needed. To ensure operation in this region, a wheel slip limit of, for example, about 0.1 λ is recommended. LIM This can be imposed on a given wheel.

[0049] This type of tire model allows the VMM to generate a desired tire force on any wheel. Instead of requesting a torque corresponding to the desired tire force, the VMM can convert the desired tire force into an equivalent wheel slip and request this slip instead of the desired tire force. The main advantage is that the MSD control device can handle vehicle speed v x and wheel rotation speed ω x The advantage of using this method is that by maintaining the desired wheel slip, the required torque can be delivered over a much wider bandwidth.

[0050] The effective range of capability can be determined, for example, by its relationship to the tire force curve. As long as the wheel slip remains below 0.1, i.e., within the range of 0 to 0.1, force coordination and overall vehicle motion management are relatively easy. However, if the wheel slip exceeds this range, control becomes much more difficult.

[0051] Figure 4 schematically shows an exemplary capability range 400. This particular capability range example has three dimensions 401, 402, and 403. One dimension corresponds to wheel slip, another to wheel acceleration, and the third dimension may correspond to vehicle yaw rate. According to this teaching, as long as the wheel behavior remains within the defined capability range 410, the VMM can control the MSD by control commands sent to the MSD control unit 230 and the propulsion device 250 via interfaces 235, 255. However, if something unexpected occurs that causes the current wheel behavior to go outside the defined capability range 410, the MSD control unit 230 triggers a control intervention function. This control intervention function may include an MSD function that overrides the control commands received from the VMM, or this control intervention function may include an MSD control unit that requests vehicle control by sending a request to some external arbitrator function, which then decides whether to grant the request to override the control.

[0052] Referring to Figure 2, the MSD control unit 230 is configured to control one or more MSDs 220, 250 coupled to the wheels 210. One or more MSDs may include at least one main brake 220 made to generate negative torque by the wheels 210, and a propulsion unit 250 made to generate positive and / or negative torque by the wheels 210, such as an electromechanical and / or combustion engine. The MSD control unit 230 is communication coupled 235 to the VMM unit 260 to receive control commands from the VMM unit 260, including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests for controlling the vehicle motion by one or more MSDs 220, 250.

[0053] Furthermore, it should be noted that the MSD control unit discussed herein can also be configured to control one or more MSDs, such as MSDs for controlling the wheels of a given axle coupled to wheels other than wheel 210, or the wheels on one side of the trailer unit, or all the wheels of the trailer unit.

[0054] The MSD control unit 230 is 、V MM Unit 260 but Control commands car This can affect the behavior of the wheel. It is configured to obtain a capability range that indicates the range of wheel behavior of the wheel 210 that is permissible. This capability range indicates the vehicle and wheel operating regimes that are considered safe. According to various embodiments, the capability range may include any of the following: an upper limit on acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel slip, an upper limit on acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel acceleration, and / or an upper limit on acceptable positive and / or negative vehicle yaw rate. The capability range may be either a fixed capability range obtained as a parameter loaded from memory or received from an external configuration entity, or a dynamic capability range that is continuously updated according to, for example, a driving scenario and vehicle conditions such as vehicle load, expected road friction, and other scenario parameters.

[0055] Furthermore, the permissible slip range, acceleration range, and yaw rate range can naturally also have lower limits. Typically, the upper limit is a positive value, and the lower limit is a negative value. However, scenarios and use cases can also exist where both the upper and lower limits are negative, or where both are positive.

[0056] The MSD control unit 230 is further configured to monitor wheel behavior, for example, using a vehicle sensor 240, and to detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range. This monitoring may include filtering samples of wheel behavior over time, in which case the detection may be based on the results of the filtering.

[0057] When the monitored wheel behavior falls outside the capability range, the MSD control unit 230 triggers a control intervention function. The control intervention function may include, for example, the execution of an intervention function by one or more of the MSDs 220 and 250, as discussed above. The control intervention function may also include triggering a request to an external arbitrator function, which can be included in the VMM or some other VUC module for direct MSD control by the MSD control unit 230.

[0058] The VMM unit 260 is communication coupled 235 to the MSD control unit 230 and sends control commands to the MSD control unit 230, including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests, in order to control the vehicle motion by one or more MSDs 220, 250.

[0059] VMM unit 260 、V MM Unit 260 but Control commands car This can affect the behavior of the wheel. It is configured to obtain a capability range that indicates the acceptable range of wheel behavior of the wheel 210 as discussed above. Furthermore, the VMM unit 260 is also configured to generate control commands so that the wheel behavior remains within its capabilities.

[0060] In some embodiments, the VMM unit 260 includes an arbitrator function configured to receive a request from the MSD control unit 230 for direct MSD control and to relinquish vehicle control to the MSD control unit 230 if the wheel behavior is outside a predetermined wheel behavior safety range. This arbitrator function may also be configured to consider other factors when deciding whether to allow the VMM to control the wheel behavior or to allow the MSD control unit to interrupt and take over by performing, for example, an anti-lock function or a traction control function. The VMM unit may also be configured to generate requests to this arbitrator function to temporarily control some or more wheels beyond their current capability range. This may be the case, for example, when emergency measures should be taken. In such cases, the arbitrator function may allow the VMM to control one or more wheels, causing the wheel behavior to be outside the capability range for a limited period of time.

[0061] Figure 5 schematically shows a truck, or towing vehicle 110, having a VMM260 configured to control multiple MSD control units, 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d, 230e, and 230f. Each MSD control unit is configured to control its respective wheel, 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d, 210e, and 210f.

[0062] Figure 6 schematically shows a truck, or towing vehicle 110, connected to a trailer vehicle 120. The first VMM unit 260a transmits control commands to the MSD control unit on the truck 110, while the second VMM unit 260b, operating in slave mode to the first VMM unit 260a, transmits control commands to the MSD control unit coupled to the wheels on the trailer unit 120. The communication link 610 between the different VMM units 260a and 260b is preferably a wired connection, but a wireless connection can also be considered.

[0063] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method that summarizes at least some of the above considerations. It shows a method for controlling the motion of a large vehicle 100. The method includes step S1 configuring an MSD control unit 230 for controlling one or more MSDs 220, 250 coupled to the wheels 210 on the vehicle 100 illustrated above in relation to Figure 2. The method also includes step S2 configuring a VMM unit 260 for performing vehicle motion management by one or more MSDs 220, 250 via control commands transmitted to the MSD control unit 230, and bi V The MM unit 260 can influence the behavior of the wheels via control commands. The capability range is defined to indicate the range of permissible wheel behavior of wheel 210. The method further includes step S3, which involves monitoring the wheel behavior in step S4, and triggering a control intervention function by the MSD control unit 230 if the monitored wheel behavior is outside the defined capability range discussed above in step S5.

[0064] Figure 8 schematically shows the components of the control unit 800, such as the VUC 130, 140, the MSD control unit 230, or the VMM unit 260, in the form of many functional units, according to embodiments discussed herein. This control unit 800 is configured to perform at least some of the functions discussed above for controlling the heavy vehicle 100. The processing circuit mechanism 810 is provided using one or any combination of a suitable central processing unit CPU, multiplexer, microcontroller, digital signal processor DSP, etc., which can execute software instructions stored in a computer program product in the form of a storage medium 820, for example. The processing circuit mechanism 810 can further be provided as at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0065] More specifically, the processing circuit mechanism 810 is configured to cause the control unit 101 to perform a set of operations, or steps, such as the method discussed in relation to Figure 7. For example, the storage medium 820 can store the set of operations, and the processing circuit mechanism 810 can be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 820 and cause the control unit 800 to perform the set of operations. The set of operations can be provided as a set of executable instructions. Thus, the processing circuit mechanism 810 is configured to perform the method disclosed herein.

[0066] Furthermore, the storage medium 820 may also include a persistent storage device, which may be any single one or combination of, for example, magnetic memory, optical memory, solid-state memory, or even remotely mounted memory.

[0067] The control unit 800 may further include an interface 830 for communicating with at least one external device. Thus, the interface 830 may include one or more transmitters and receivers having analog and digital components and an appropriate number of ports for wireline or wireless communication.

[0068] The processing circuit mechanism 810 controls the overall operation of the control unit 800, for example, by sending data and control signals to the interface 830 and the storage medium 820, by receiving data and reports from the interface 830, and by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 820. In order to avoid ambiguity of the concepts presented herein, other components of the control node and related functions are omitted.

[0069] Figure 9 shows a computer-readable medium 910 containing a computer program that, when the program product is run on a computer, includes program code means 920 for carrying out the method shown in Figure 7. The computer-readable medium and the code means together can form a computer program product 900. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 100 Exemplary Vehicles (Large Vehicles) 101 Control Unit 110 Towing vehicles (trucks), tractors 120 Trailer Unit (Trailer Vehicle) 130 Vehicle Unit Computer (VUC) 140 VUC 150 Front Wheel 160 rear wheel 170 Trailer Wheels 180 Wireless Link 185 Wireless Access Networks 190 Remote Server 210 wheels 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d, 210e, 210f wheels 220 Main brake (MSD) 225 Main brake interface 230 MSD Control Unit 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d, 230e, 230f MSD control unit 235 Interfaces 240 Wheel Speed ​​Sensor (WS) 245 Interfaces 250 Propulsion Devices (MSDs) 255 interfaces 260 VMM (VMM Units) 270 Vehicle condition sensor 275 Vehicle Status Interface 310 part, region 320 parts 400 Exemplary Capabilities 401, 402, 403 dimensions 410 Defined range of capabilities 610 Communication Link S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 Steps 800 Control Unit 810 Processing circuit mechanism 820 Storage medium 830 Interface 900 Computer Program Products 910 Computer-readable media 920 Program Code Means

Claims

1. An MSD control unit (230) is a motion support device control unit for a large vehicle (100), configured to control one or more MSDs (220, 250) which are one or more motion support devices coupled to at least one wheel (210) on the large vehicle (100), The MSD control unit (230) is arranged to be communication-coupled (235) to the VMM unit (260), which is a vehicle motion management unit, in order to receive control commands from the VMM unit (260) including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests for controlling vehicle motion by one or more MSDs (220, 250), The MSD control unit (230) is configured to obtain a capability range indicating the range of wheel behavior of the wheel (210) in which the VMM unit (260) is permitted to influence the behavior of the wheel by the control command. The MSD control unit (230) is configured to monitor the wheel behavior and detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range. The MSD control unit (230) is configured to trigger a control intervention function when the monitored wheel behavior is outside the capability range. The control intervention function includes the MSD control unit (230) invalidating the control command received from the VMM unit (260), or the MSD control unit (230) requesting vehicle control by sending a request to an external arbitrator function to invalidate the control. MSD control unit (230).

2. The MSD control unit (230) according to claim 1, wherein one or more MSDs include at least one main brake (220) configured to generate negative torque by the wheel (210).

3. The MSD control unit (230) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more MSDs comprises at least one propulsion unit (250) configured to generate positive and / or negative torque by the wheels (210).

4. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes upper limits on acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel slip and / or wheel rotation speed.

5. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes an upper limit on the acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel acceleration.

6. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes an upper limit on the acceptable positive and / or negative vehicle yaw rate.

7. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes lower limits for acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel slip and / or wheel rotation speed.

8. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes a lower limit for acceptable positive and / or negative longitudinal wheel acceleration.

9. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the capability range includes a lower limit for acceptable positive and / or negative vehicle yaw rates.

10. An MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which receives wheel speed data associated with the wheel (210) from a wheel speed sensor (240), and is configured to detect whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range based on the wheel speed data.

11. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, configured to obtain a fixed capability range as a parameter loaded from memory or received from an external configuration entity.

12. The aforementioned range of capabilities has been updated. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the MSD control unit (230) is configured to continuously obtain the updated capability range.

13. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control intervention function includes the execution of an intervention function by one or more of the MSDs (220, 250).

14. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the control intervention function includes triggering the request to the external arbitrator function for direct MSD control by the MSD control unit (230).

15. The MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the MSD control unit (230) monitors wheel behavior by filtering samples of wheel behavior over time, and detects whether the wheel behavior is outside the capability range based on the results of the filtering.

16. A VMM unit (260) is a vehicle motion management unit that performs vehicle motion management and controls the motion of a large vehicle (100) by one or more MSDs (220, 250) which are one or more motion support devices coupled to at least one wheel (210) on the large vehicle (100), The VMM unit (260) is configured to be communication coupled (235) to the MSD control unit (230), which is a motion support device control unit, in order to transmit control commands including wheel speed requests and / or wheel slip requests to the MSD control unit (230), in order to control the vehicle motion by one or more MSDs (220, 250). The VMM unit (260) is configured to obtain a capability range indicating the range of wheel behavior of the wheel (210) in which the VMM unit (260) is permitted to influence the behavior of the wheel by the control command. The VMM unit (260) is configured to generate the control commands such that the wheel behavior is within the capability range. VMM unit (260).

17. The VMM unit (260) according to claim 16, which includes an arbitrator function configured to receive a request for direct MSD control from the MSD control unit (230) and to relinquish vehicle control to the MSD control unit (230) if the wheel behavior is outside a predetermined wheel behavior safety range.

18. A large vehicle (100) comprising an MSD control unit (230) according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and a VMM unit (260) according to any one of claims 16 to 17.

19. A method for controlling the motion of a large vehicle (100), Step (S1) of configuring an MSD control unit (230), which is a motion support device control unit for controlling one or more MSDs (220, 250), which are one or more motion support devices coupled to at least one wheel (210) on the large vehicle (100), Step (S2) of configuring a VMM unit (260), which is a vehicle motion management unit for performing vehicle motion management by one or more MSDs (220, 250) via control commands transmitted to the MSD control unit (230), Step (S3) defines a capability range indicating the range of wheel behavior of the wheel (210) in which the VMM unit (260) is permitted to influence the behavior of the wheel by the control command, Step (S4) involves monitoring the wheel behavior, If the monitored wheel behavior is outside the defined capability range, step (S5) triggers a control intervention function by the MSD control unit (230). Includes, The control intervention function is a method that includes the MSD control unit (230) invalidating the control command received from the VMM unit (260), or the MSD control unit (230) requesting vehicle control by sending a request to an external arbitrator function to invalidate the control.

20. A computer program (920) comprising program code means for carrying out the method of claim 19 when executed on the computer or processing circuit mechanism (810) of a control unit (800).

21. A computer-readable medium (910) for storing a computer program (920), A computer-readable medium (910) including program code means for carrying out the method of claim 19 when the computer program is executed on the computer or processing circuit mechanism (810) of the control unit (800).

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