The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 17, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1998
Yasuhiro Abe, Toyota, JP;
Masaki Banno, Nagoya, JP;
Toshihisa Kato, Anjo, JP;
Shinji Tsugawa, Obu, JP;
Koichi Kondo, Kasugai, JP;
Yasushi Kobayashi, Toyota, JP;
Hiroyuki Matsubayashi, Susono, JP;
Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an unpaved road detection system wherein a slip rate is calculated on the basis of wheel speeds detected by wheel speed sensors and a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detection device. A linear acceleration sensor is provided for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction thereof to produce a signal linearly proportional to the detected acceleration. A variation of the signal produced by the linear acceleration sensor corresponding to the variation of the slip rate is calculated. The variation of the signal is compared with a reference value. If the variation exceeds the reference value, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on an unpaved road. The variation may be provided by calculating a difference between a first signal detected by the linear acceleration sensor when the slip rate exceeded a first reference rate, and a second signal detected by the linear acceleration sensor when the slip rate exceeded a second reference rate.