Patent ID: 8412447

Claim:
A method for effecting a computer-aided estimation of a mass of a vehicle, the method comprising: differentiating, using a computer, an equilibrium relationship, between a motive force and a sum of an inertial force and drive resistances, in which the mass and a gradient angle of a roadway are included as quantities, with respect to time, assuming a constant gradient angle of the roadway, in the vehicle over a time period of travel on the roadway; and calculating, using a computer, at least one of (a) the mass of the vehicle and (b) a reciprocal value of the mass of the vehicle from the equilibrium relationship differentiated with respect to time in the differentiating operation; and providing the mass to at least one of an electronic stability system and an electronically regulated brake system of the vehicle to be used by the at least one of the electronic stability system and the electronically regulated brake system.