초록 ▼

A stability monitoring and alarm system for a motor vehicle (e.g., a truck or a tractor trailer) provides an early warning to the driver of unsafe or potentially unsafe conditions. Front wheel desynchronization and rear load distribution are each monitored, and an alarm is generated if either the fr

A stability monitoring and alarm system for a motor vehicle (e.g., a truck or a tractor trailer) provides an early warning to the driver of unsafe or potentially unsafe conditions. Front wheel desynchronization and rear load distribution are each monitored, and an alarm is generated if either the front wheels become desynchronized or the load is unevenly distributed in the rear of the vehicle. Various filtering and averaging techniques avoid false alarms and increase reliability and sensitivity. Thresholding of the front wheel desynchronization comparison is based on a model which takes turning lateral G force for particular speeds into account so that an alarm based on front wheel descynchronization is not generated because of taking turns too rapidly. Rather, such alarm is generated by monitoring shifting rear load distribution －a better and more accurate measure of vehicle stability. The resulting indications provided by an easy to read user interface warn the driver of a variety of conditions (e.g., loss of traction due to hydroplaning or ice, shifting rear load, equipment failure, etc.) to help avoid accidents.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for providing a warning of a potentially unsafe condition existing within a motor vehicle of the type including left and right front wheels each rotating at an angular velocity and supporting said motor vehicle as it moves along a road surface, said apparatus including: first timing means

Apparatus for providing a warning of a potentially unsafe condition existing within a motor vehicle of the type including left and right front wheels each rotating at an angular velocity and supporting said motor vehicle as it moves along a road surface, said apparatus including: first timing means operative coupled to said left front wheel for measuring a first time interval relating to the angular velocity of said left front wheel; second timing means operatively coupled to said right front wheel for measuring a second time interval relating to the angular velocity of said right front wheel; means connected to aid first and second timing means for determining the difference between said first and second time intervals; and means connected to said determining means for generating an alarm if said determined difference exceeds a threshold level.