Method and device for controlling the braking equipment of a motor vehicle

• US 20030227215A1
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Kinder, Ralf, Leiter, Ralf, Endres, Franz-Josef, Maack, Lorenz, Klapper, Gerhard, Shokoufandeh, Reza, Sons, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 6,994,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/122 for locking of reverse movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle. Here, an operating state of a motor vehicle is determined, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state, in which its speed is not zero, into a state, in which the vehicle no longer moves. If such a transition from a traveling state into a state of standstill is determined, braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that braking forces are produced, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill and/or assisting a vehicle driver in doing this. It is also possible to produce braking forces in the state of standstill, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill. The present invention additionally enables to assist a vehicle driver when starting a motor vehicle. In this case, an operating state of the motor vehicle is detected in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state. If such an operating state is present, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that the braking forces produced by the braking equipment in the state of standstill are reduced in such a way as to allow a transition into the traveling state and/or to assist the vehicle driver in this respect.

Claims

1. Method for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:

determining an operating state of a motor vehicle, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a traveling state into a state of standstill, and

controlling braking equipment (BBA, FBA) of the motor vehicle so that, independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) by a vehicle driver, braking forces are built up, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill having reached the same,

characterized in that

a drive train (GTR) and/or an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle is/are automatically de-activated in the state of standstill.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein

the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) is controlled in dependence or independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) by the vehicle driver such that braking forces are built up which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill.

6. Method according to claims 1 and 3.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein

parameters, which characterize the current operating state of the vehicle, and/or control signals, which indicate a transition into and/or from the state of standstill, are used to determine the operating state of the motor vehicle.

8. Method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein

quantities, which indicate a current operating state of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA), are determined to control the braking equipment (BBA, FBA).

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein

the operating state quantities of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) are determined for a service braking means (BBA) and/or a holding braking means (FBA) and/or an auxiliary braking means.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein

a drive train (GTR) and/or an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle is/are automatically controlled, when there is a transition from the traveling state into the state of standstill and/or when there is a transition from the state of standstill into the traveling state, such that forces and/or moments are produced, which, in addition to the braking forces produced by the braking equipment (BBA, FBA), brake the motor vehicle and/or assist a transition into the traveling state.

11. Method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein

a service braking means (BBA) and/or a holding braking means (FBA) and/or an auxiliary braking means is/are controlled when controlling the braking equipment (BBA, FBA).

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein

the holding mechanism (FBA) and/or the auxiliary braking means is/are activated after a predetermined period after reaching the state of standstill.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein

the holding braking means (FBA) and/or the auxiliary braking means are de-activated in the operating state, in which the vehicle is to be brought from the state of standstill into the traveling state.

22. Computer program product, comprising:

program code portions for carrying out the steps according to one of the claims 1 to 13.

23. Computer program product according to claim 22,

stored on a computer readable recording medium or in a computer readable storage device.

3. Method for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:

determining an operating state of a motor vehicle, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state, and

controlling braking equipment (BBA, FBA) of the motor vehicle so that the braking forces, which are produced in the state of standstill by the braking equipment (BBA, FBA), can be reduced independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) by a vehicle driver in such a way as to allow a transition into the traveling state,

characterized in that

a drive train (GTR) and/or an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle is/are automatically de-activated in the state of standstill.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein

the operating state of the motor vehicle is controlled in dependence of acting braking forces when reducing the braking forces.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein

when controlling the operating state of the motor vehicle its engine speed and/or engine torque is controlled.

14. Device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle, comprising:

detection means (S1, S2, nR, pB, pF) for determining an operating state of a motor vehicle, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a traveling state into a state of standstill, and

control units (ECU1, ECU2) for controlling braking equipment (BBA, FBA) of the motor vehicle in order to build up, independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) by a vehicle driver, braking forces, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill having reached this same,

characterized by

a means (S3, S4, ECU3, ECU4) for automatically de-activating a drive train (GTR) and/or an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle in the state of standstill.

15. Device according to claim 14, in which

the control units (ECU1, ECU2) control the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) such that, in dependence or independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA. FBA) by the vehicle driver, braking forces are built up, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle to a standstill.

17. Device according to claims 14 and 16.

18. Device according to any one of claims 14 to 17, in which the de-activation means comprises:

a detection means (S3) for detecting an operating state of a transmission (GTR) of the motor vehicle, and

a control unit (ECU3) for the transmission (GTR).

19. Device according to any one of claims 14 to 18, in which the de-activation means comprises:

a detection means (S4) for detecting an operating state of an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle, and

a control unit (ECU4) for controlling the engine (MTR).

20. Device according to any one of claims 14 to 19, in which

the detection means (S1, S2, nR, pB, pF) are adapted to detect parameters, which characterize the current operating state of the motor vehicle, and/or control signals, which indicate a transition into and/or from the state of standstill.

21. Device according to any one of claims 14 to 20, in which

the control units (ECU1, ECU2) comprise a control unit (ECU1) for a service braking means (BBA) and/or a control unit (ECU2) for a holding braking means (FBA) and/or a control unit for an auxiliary braking means.

16. Device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle, comprising:

detection means (S1, S2, nR, pB, pF) for determining an operating state of a motor vehicle, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state, and

control units (ECU1, ECU2) for controlling braking equipment (BBA, FBA) of the motor vehicle in order to reduce braking forces produced in the state of standstill independently of any actuation of the braking equipment (BBA, FBA) by a vehicle driver, so as to allow a transition into the traveling state,

characterized by

a means (S3, S4, ECU3, ECU4) for automatically de-activating a drive train (GTR) and/or an engine (MTR) of the motor vehicle in the state of standstill.