Method and System for Determining Initiation of a Panic Braking Maneuver

• US 20090105919A1
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Karnjate, Timothy M., Manosh, William K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/03 Brake assistants
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/3275 Systems with a braking assistant function, i.e. automatic full braking initiation in dependence of brake pedal velocity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20534 Accelerator

Abstract

A method for determining whether a panic braking maneuver has been initiated in a vehicle with a brake pedal includes the steps of receiving brake pedal travel data, receiving brake pedal force data, determining a rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal from the brake pedal travel data, determining a rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal from the brake pedal force data, comparing the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with a first predetermined value and a third predetermined value, and comparing the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal with a second predetermined value and a fourth predetermined value.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a panic braking maneuver has been initiated in a vehicle with a brake pedal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving brake pedal travel data;

receiving brake pedal force data;

determining a rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal from the brake pedal travel data;

determining a rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal from the brake pedal force data;

comparing the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with a first predetermined value and a third predetermined value; and

comparing the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal with a second predetermined value and a fourth predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal is compared with at least one of the first and third predetermined values, and the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal is compared with at least one of the second and fourth predetermined values, over multiple iterations, including a present iteration and a plurality of prior iterations.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

providing an indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated, if it is determined that;

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal is less than the first predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal is less than the second predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal was greater than the third predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations; and

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal was greater than the fourth predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of prior iterations includes three consecutive iterations immediately preceding the present iteration.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the brake pedal is applied by a driver; and

providing the indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated only upon the further condition that it is determined that the brake pedal is applied by the driver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether the brake pedal is applied by the driver comprises the step of:

determining whether a brake light switch has been activated during the present iteration or a subsequent iteration.

7. A system for determining whether a panic braking maneuver has been initiated in a vehicle with a brake pedal, the system comprising:

a first sensor configured to generate travel data indicative of movement of the brake pedal;

a second sensor configured to generate force data indicative of force applied to the brake pedal; and

a processor configured to;

determine a rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal based on the travel data;

determine a rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal based on the force data;

compare the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with a first predetermined value and a third predetermined value; and

compare the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal with a second predetermined value and a fourth predetermined value.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a memory configured to store values of the travel data and force data;

wherein the processor is further configured to compare the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with at least one of the first and third predetermined values, and to compare the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal with at least one of the second and fourth predetermined values, over multiple iterations, including a present iteration and a plurality of prior iterations, based at least in part on the stored values.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated, if it is determined that:

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal is less than the first predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal is less than the second predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal was greater than the third predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations; and

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal was greater than the fourth predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a third sensor configured to determine whether the brake pedal is applied by a driver and generate a signal if the brake pedal is applied by the driver.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the signal from the third sensor; and

provide the indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated only upon the further condition that the brake pedal is applied by the driver during any of the present iteration or a plurality of subsequent iterations.

12. A braking system for a vehicle, comprising:

a brake pedal;

a brake pedal travel sensor configured to generate travel data indicative of movement of the brake pedal;

a brake pedal force sensor configured to generate force data indicative of force applied to the brake pedal; and

a brake controller configured to;

determine a rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal, based on the travel data;

determine a rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal, based on the force data;

compare the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with a first predetermined value and a third predetermined value;

compare the rate of change of acceleration of the force applied to the brake pedal with a second predetermined value and a fourth predetermined value; and

issue braking commands based at least in part on the comparisons; and

a plurality of brake units coupled to the brake controller and configured to receive and implement the braking commands therefrom.

13. The braking system of claim 12, wherein the brake controller is further configured to compare the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal with at least one of the first and third predetermined values, and to compare the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal with at least one of the second and fourth predetermined values over multiple iterations, including a present iteration and a plurality of prior iterations.

14. The braking system of claim 13, wherein the brake controller is further configured to provide an indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated if it is determined that:

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal is less than the first predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal is less than the second predetermined value during the present iteration;

the rate of change of acceleration of the brake pedal was greater than the third predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations; and

the rate of change of acceleration of force applied to the brake pedal was greater than the fourth predetermined value during the plurality of prior iterations.

15. The braking system of claim 14, further comprising:

a brake pedal application sensor configured to determine whether the brake pedal is applied by a driver and generate a signal if the brake pedal is applied by the driver.

16. The braking system of claim 15, wherein the brake controller is further configured to:

receive the signal from the brake pedal application sensor; and

provide the indication that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated only upon the further condition that the brake pedal is applied by the driver during any of the present iteration or a plurality of subsequent iterations.

17. The braking system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of prior iterations includes three consecutive iterations immediately preceding the present iteration.

18. The braking system of claim 12, wherein the brake controller is further configured to implement a panic braking algorithm, if the indication is provided that a panic braking maneuver has been initiated.

19. The braking system of claim 12, wherein the braking system is an electro-hydraulic braking system.

20. The braking system of claim 12, wherein the brake pedal force sensor comprises a hydraulic brake pedal emulator.