Patent ID: 6701224
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: B60K,B60T,B60W,G01P

Abstract:
A method for determining the ascending or descending status of a moving vehicle, including the steps of:a) determining a vehicle reference speed Vref by means of wheel speed sensors, b) determining a vehicle acceleration aref from Vref by means of differentiation; c) comparing aref with a vehicle longitudinal acceleration aL, wherein aL is determined by sensors, d) checking whether there is deviation from normal driving by monitoring whether the value of the difference aLâˆ’aref is greater than a threshold value SL, with SL being greater than zero, e) determining at least one deviation time t within which the determined deviation from normal driving prevails uninterruptedly, f) monitoring whether the deviation time t exceeds a minimum time value TM, with TM being greater than zero, and g) concluding that the vehicle is driving uphill or downhill when t is greater than TM, wherein said at least one deviation time t includes a deviation time t1 for driving uphill and one deviation time t2 for driving downhill is determined respectively, and that t1 indicates the time period during which the equation arefâˆ’SL>aL is satisfied and t2 indicates the time period during which aref+SLL is satisfied.