Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Yong Han Lee

Weiwen Deng

Yuen-Kwok Chin

Alexander Kade

Haicen Zhang

Jihan Ryu

David S Rule

William C Lin

Pulak Bandyopadhyay

Brian Daniel Kaminski

William Chin-Woei Lin

Thomas R Brown

Dwight A Blaser

Raghunath P Khetan

Don Randolph Sutherland

Willard A Hall

Ming Tian

Joseph J Gies, Iii

A system for lane centering control for a vehicle having a user-operable steering device is disclosed. The system includes a set of sensors for sensing the vehicle speed, yaw rate, and steering device angle, a target path tracker configured for tracking the target path of the vehicle, a processor responsive to the set of sensors for predicting the path of the vehicle, a controller responsive to the set of sensors, the target path tracker, and the processor, and productive of a lane centering control signal, and an active front steering actuator responsive to the control signal and productive of steering assistance to the steering device. The controller includes a processing circuit responsive to executable instructions for producing the steering assistance to the steering device to reduce a difference between the predicted path and the target path, thereby serving to maintain lane centering of the vehicle.

Method and system for lane centering control

A vehicle steering system includes an automatic steering control unit configured to control the vehicle steering system when in an automatic operational state and a driver intervention unit is configured to determine driver intervention during the automatic operational state. The driver intervention unit comprising a decision software module configured to determine driver intervention.

Systems and methods for driver intervention in an automatic steering system

A method to assist steering of a vehicle equipped with an active steering system when operating in a reverse direction is provided. The method comprises monitoring vehicle operating characteristics and an operator steering input. Boundaries of a target region and a reference point are determined. A target steering angle range is calculated based upon the reference point and the target location. A controlled steering angle of the active steering system is corrected when the operator steering input is outside the target steering angle range. An aspect of the invention included determining the reference point comprising a point of intersection of a first vector and a second vector, the first vector parallel to and passing through a centerline of a rear axle of the vehicle and the second vector perpendicular to and passing through a centerline of an inside front steerable wheel of the vehicle.

Method and system for vehicle parking assistance

A method for controlling an assisted steering maneuver in an electric power steering (EPS) system includes modeling steering dynamics during a torque overlay operation to generate a dynamic steering model (DSM), measuring vehicle operating values, and detecting a driver intervention in the torque overlay operation based on the DSM and the vehicle operating values. The torque overlay operation is overridden when driver intervention is detected, allowing the driver to regain control of the steering maneuver. A vehicle includes a steering wheel, a steering assist mechanism, and an EPS system having an electronic control unit (ECU) adapted to determine a present intent of a driver of the vehicle to interrupt application of the TOC based on a vehicle operating value transmitted by the driver to the steering wheel. The ECU is operable for interrupting the torque overlay operation when the present intent of the driver is determined.

Detection of driver intervention during a torque overlay operation in an electric power steering system

A method for predicting the dynamics of a vehicle using information about the path on which the vehicle is travelling that has particular application for enhancing active safety performance of the vehicle, to improve driver comfort and to improve vehicle dynamics control. The method includes generating a preview of a path to be followed by the vehicle where the preview of the path is generated based on actual values of a plurality of vehicle parameters. The method further includes obtaining a corrected value of at least one of the plurality of vehicle parameters corresponding to the actual values of each of the plurality of vehicle parameters, wherein the corrected value of the at least one of the vehicle parameters is obtained based on a target path to be followed by the vehicle on the road, and wherein the target path is obtained on the basis of a plurality of road parameters.

Vehicle dynamics prediction with lane/path information using a preview-correction-prediction approach

A method for operating a vehicle includes acquiring position information including an azimuth angle between a non-contacting sensor and a wheeled axle of an attached trailer, determining a trailer tongue length correlated to the position information, determining a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the position information, and calculating a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

Trailer articulation angle estimation

A system and method for detecting the absence of contact between the hands of a driver of a vehicle and a steering wheel of the vehicle that have particular application in ensuring the proper functioning of various components of the driver assist steering systems and maintaining driver attentiveness. The method for detecting a no-contact condition between the hands of the driver of the vehicle and the steering wheel includes generating a model of the no-contact condition using a second-order transfer function. The method further includes obtaining a set of model-generated steering dynamics by estimating a plurality of parameters of the second-order transfer function and a set of measured steering dynamics using a plurality of sensors. The set of model-generated steering dynamics and the set of measured steering dynamics are then compared and the no-contact condition is detected based on this comparison.

Method and apparatus for driver hands off detection for vehicles with active front steering system

This invention takes the advantage of existing radar, vision and ultrasonic sensors available for side blind spot detection, rear view, rear virtual bumper, and rear parking assist. Using a sensor fusion technique to combine the useful information from these sensors, the trailer articulation angles as well as trailer track width and tongue length is accurately estimated. When an active steering system is present, vehicle and trailer can be controlled with increased stability by applying the trailer information.

A system and method for detecting a road curve as a vehicle approaches the curve, automatically providing road curvature information and controlling vehicle speed. The system uses a locating device and a map database to know the vehicle's position. Depending on the speed of the vehicle, the system generates a curvature profile for different curvature data points at or around the curve in front of the vehicle. The system then generates a desired speed profile for the curvature points. The desired speed profile and the actual vehicle speed are compared to determine whether the vehicle is traveling too fast for the target speed at each profile point. The acceleration computation can be enhanced by providing a driver cornering mode input that the vehicle operator can select based on how aggressively the driver wants the system to act to slow down the vehicle.

Curve speed control system with adaptive map preview time and driving mode selection

A vehicle lateral control system that integrates both vehicle dynamics and kinematics control. The system includes a driver interpreter that provides desired vehicle dynamics and predicted vehicle path based on driver input. Error signals between the desired vehicle dynamics and measured vehicle dynamics, and between the predicted vehicle path and the measured vehicle target path are sent to dynamics and kinematics control processors for generating a separate dynamics and kinematics command signals, respectively, to minimize the errors. The command signals are integrated by a control integration processor to combine the commands to optimize the performance of stabilizing the vehicle and tracking the path. The integrated command signal can be used to control one or more of front wheel assist steering, rear-wheel assist steering or differential braking.

Vehicle lateral control system

A vehicle steering control system for a vehicle/trailer combination that provides rear-wheel steering assist to improve the vehicle/trailer combination stability and handling performance. The control system provides an open-loop feed-forward control signal based on hand-wheel angle and vehicle speed. The control system includes a vehicle yaw rate command interpreter that provides a vehicle closed-loop feedback control signal based on the yaw rate of the vehicle, a trailer yaw rate command interpreter that provides a trailer closed-loop feedback control signal based on the yaw rate of the trailer, and a vehicle lateral acceleration command interpreter that provides a closed-loop feedback control signal based on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The closed-loop feedback signals are added together and then combined with the open-loop feed-forward control signal to provide the rear-wheel steering assist.

Vehicle-trailer stability and handling performance improvement using rear-wheel steering control

A side rearview mirror control system for a vehicle that automatically changes a rear viewing angle of a side rearview mirror. The control system receives various vehicle inputs to determine if and when a vehicle operator will turn the vehicle, make a lane change, merge into a lane of traffic, etc. The system pivots the mirror to eliminate a potential blind spot during these conditions. In one embodiment, the rear view mirror control system receives input signals from a vehicle hand-wheel angle sensor, a vehicle yaw rate sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a turn signal indicator, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and map information to determine whether the vehicle is turning or will be turning.

Automatic control of automotive rearview mirror

A vehicle curve speed control system () adapted for use with a vehicle () having an operator (), includes a map database () representing a current vehicle path, and a locator device () communicatively coupled to the database () and configured to determine the location of the vehicle () on the path. The system () further includes a controller () configured to identify approaching curve points of a curve () in terms of curvature or radius, and determine a desired speed profile based on operator preference and/or vehicle characteristic input. An acceleration profile is determined, based on the current vehicle speed, and desired speed profile. An acceleration/deceleration command at the present control loop is modified towards achieving an optimal curve speed, and is delivered to either a brake or acceleration module () to automatically accelerate or decelerate the vehicle () accordingly.

Speed control method for vehicle approaching and traveling on a curve

A rear-wheel steering control system for a vehicle/trailer combination that adaptively changes an open-loop feed-forward command signal for different trailers or the same trailer with different configurations based only on vehicle parameters. The system includes a hand-wheel sensor for providing a hand-wheel angle signal of a hand-wheel position of the vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor for providing a vehicle speed signal of the vehicle, and a vehicle yaw rate sensor for providing a measured vehicle yaw rate signal of the vehicle. The system also determines if a vehicle yaw rate has reached a steady state and uses the steady-state yaw rate signal to calculate the rear-wheel steering command. In one embodiment, the system updates feed-forward rear/front values for a plurality of predetermined vehicle speeds when determining the proper rear-wheel steering command.

Adaptive rear-wheel steer open-loop control for vehicle-trailer system

A vehicle-trailer back-up control system that employs an active front steer sub-system. The system includes a smart hitch controller that receives a vehicle speed signal and a hand-wheel angle signal, and calculates a hitch angle command signal. The system further includes a hitch angle sensor that measures the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer that is compared to the hitch angle command signal to generate a hitch angle error signal. A PID control unit receives the hitch angle error signal, and generates a corrected road wheel angle signal based on proportional and derivative gains. The corrected road wheel angle signal is used to generate a motor angle signal that is applied to a steering actuator to be combined with the steering angle signal to generate the front wheel steering signal during a back-up maneuver.

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Yong Han Lee