Adaptive electronic stability control

Abstract

An adaptive control adjusts thresholds in a vehicle stability control in response to video camera data, GPS data and weather data indicating that vehicle road conditions are not ideal. Video data determines mue (coefficient of friction) and type of road. Weather data includes temperature, visibility, precipitation and wind velocity. A human machine interface manually overrides the adaptive control in response to a user input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle control system for restricting operation of a vehicle depending on weather and road conditions, comprising:
 a global positioning system receiver for receiving location/position data via a global positioning signal;   a receiver for receiving weather information;   a video camera mounted to a vehicle for providing video data;   a data processor for receiving the weather data and the video data to determine a driving condition;   a driving condition recognition unit for determining whether to output a restrictive driving control signal in response to the driving condition; and   a communication network for providing communication for the global positioning system receiver, the receiver, the video camera, the data processor and the driving condition recognition unit.   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the driving condition recognition unit provides a restricted driving control signal to a speed limiter of an engine control for restricting maximum vehicle speed. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , including a vehicle stability control, wherein the driving condition recognition unit provides a restricted driving control signal to the vehicle stability control for modifying thresholds of the vehicle stability control. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , including a human machine interface to enable or disable the driving condition recognition unit. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the weather data comprises at least two selected from the group consisting of temperature, visibility, precipitation and wind velocity. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of determining a driving condition includes processing the video data to determine a road condition including one of standing or running water, an icy road surface, a smooth road surface and a rough road surface. 
     
     
         15 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the driving condition recognition unit, determining whether to provide a restricted driving condition, includes looking up road conditions or other information specific corresponding to a present vehicle location and a future vehicle path from a data table. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein determining a driving condition includes processing the video data to determine a type of road from the group of a tar road, a dirt road, a sand road, a cement road and a gravel road. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein determining a driving condition includes processing the video data to determine a coefficient of friction for the road and tires. 
     
     
         24 . A vehicle control system for providing vehicle stability control in weather conditions for a vehicle, comprising:
 a video camera mounted to the vehicle for obtaining video data;   an electronic control unit for receiving location/position data via a global positioning signal, weather data, and the video data from the video camera mounted to the vehicle, the electronic control unit configured to:
 determine driving conditions from the receiving location/position data, the weather data and the video data; 
 determine whether to provide a restricted driving condition in response to the driving conditions; and 
 restrict operation of the vehicle in response to the determination of a restricted driving condition by modifying standard thresholds of a vehicle stability control by providing restricted thresholds. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein restricting operation of the vehicle includes operating an engine control to limit maximum vehicle speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 24 , including a human machine interface for a user to enable or disable the restricting of operation of the vehicle. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the weather data includes at least two selected from the group consisting of temperature, visibility, precipitation and wind velocity. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine driving conditions by processing the video data to determine a type of road from the group of a tar road, a dirt road, a sand road, a cement road and a gravel road. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine driving conditions by processing the video data to determine a coefficient of friction for the road and tires. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine driving conditions by processing the video data to determine a road condition including one of standing or running water, an icy road surface, a smooth road surface and a rough road surface. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic control unit receives the weather data from an RF antenna. 
     
     
         32 . A vehicle control system for providing vehicle stability control in weather conditions for a vehicle, comprising:
 a video camera mounted to the vehicle for obtaining video data;   an electronic control unit for receiving location/position data via a global positioning signal, weather data, and the video data from the video camera mounted to the vehicle, the electronic control unit configured to:
 determine driving conditions from the receiving location/position data, the weather data and the video data; 
 determine whether to provide a restricted driving condition in response to the driving conditions; and 
 restrict operation of the vehicle in response to the determination of a restricted driving condition by modifying standard thresholds of a vehicle stability control by providing restricted thresholds. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 31 , including an engine control to limit maximum vehicle speed, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine driving conditions by processing the video data to determine a coefficient of friction for the road and tires, and to restrict operation of the vehicle by operating the engine control to limit maximum vehicle speed. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 31 , including a human machine interface for providing an input to the electronic control unit to enable or disable the restricting of operation of the vehicle.