US 12,145,573 B2
System and method for vehicle turning radius reduction
Bang Cao, Northville, MI (US); Zubair Feroz, Dearborn, MI (US); Shubham Dixit, Dearborn, MI (US); Jose Velazquez Alcantar, Canton, MI (US); and Kevin Sallee, Ferndale, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/145,737.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219676 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B60W 30/045 (2012.01); B60K 1/02 (2006.01); B60L 7/10 (2006.01); B60W 10/08 (2006.01); B60W 10/18 (2012.01); B62D 6/00 (2006.01); B62D 7/15 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 30/045 (2013.01) [B60K 1/02 (2013.01); B60L 7/10 (2013.01); B60W 10/08 (2013.01); B60W 10/18 (2013.01); B62D 6/00 (2013.01); B62D 7/1509 (2013.01); B60W 2510/20 (2013.01); B60W 2520/10 (2013.01); B60W 2520/12 (2013.01); B60W 2520/26 (2013.01); B60W 2520/28 (2013.01); B60W 2540/10 (2013.01); B60W 2540/12 (2013.01); B60W 2552/40 (2020.02); B60W 2710/083 (2013.01); B60W 2710/18 (2013.01); B60W 2720/406 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle control system for reducing turn radius of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a controller operably coupled to components and/or sensors of the vehicle to receive information including vehicle wheel speed and steering wheel angle; and
a torque control module operably coupled to the controller and to front wheels of a front axle of the vehicle and rear wheels of a rear axle of the vehicle, the torque control module being operable, responsive to control by the controller, to apply a negative torque to an inside rear wheel during a turn and apply a positive torque to the front axle during the turn to compensate for the negative torque applied to the inside rear wheel to reduce the turn radius based on the steering wheel angle and the vehicle wheel speed,
wherein the negative torque is defined by a slip value for the inside rear wheel that is based on the vehicle wheel speed and the steering wheel angle,
wherein the slip value for the inside rear wheel is a peak coefficient of friction for the inside rear wheel,
wherein the torque control module detects a trigger event and immediately thereafter determines the slip value for the inside rear wheel prior to applying the negative torque to the inside rear wheel and applying the positive torque to the front axle, and
wherein the controller disconnects the front axle from the rear axle prior to applying the negative torque to the inside rear wheel.