SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE

• US 20120215411A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Seymour, Shafer, Pivonka, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/04 Vehicle reference speed; Vehicle body speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/402 Back-up
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/403 Brake circuit failure
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry

Abstract

A system for assisting the braking system of a vehicle includes a processor, a global position system receiver in communication with the processor, and an antenna for receiving global positioning system signals. The processor may be configured to determine the braking efficiency of the vehicle, collecting global positioning system information from the global position system receiver, determine a distance to an end of a grade of a road the vehicle is traveling based on the global positioning system information, determine if there is a possibility of failure of the braking system of the vehicle based on the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the distance to the end of the grade of the road the vehicle is traveling on, and execute a mitigating action to prevent braking failure.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a braking system of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determine a braking efficiency of the vehicle;

collecting global positioning system information;

determining a distance to an end of a grade of a road the vehicle is traveling based on the global positioning system information;

determining if there is a possibility of failure of the braking system of the vehicle based on the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the distance to the end of the grade of the on which road the vehicle is traveling; and

executing a mitigating action to prevent braking failure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the brake temperature of the braking system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the wheel speed of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the grade angle of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mitigating action is downshifting a gear of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mitigating action is informing the driver of the vehicle if there is a runaway truck ramp near the location of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mitigating action is activating engine braking of the vehicle.

8. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions executable by a programmed processor for assisting the braking system of a vehicle, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

determining the braking efficiency of the vehicle;

collecting global positioning system information;

determining a distance to an end of a grade of a road the vehicle is traveling based on the global positioning system information;

determining if there is a possibility of failure of the braking system of the vehicle based on the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the distance to the end of the grade of the road on which the vehicle is traveling; and

executing a mitigating action to prevent braking failure.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the brake temperature of the braking system.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the wheel speed of the vehicle.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the step of determining a braking efficiency of the vehicle further comprises the step of determining the grade angle of the vehicle.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the mitigating action is downshifting a gear of the vehicle.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the mitigating action is informing the driver of the vehicle if there is a runaway truck ramp near the location of the vehicle.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the mitigating action is activating engine braking of the vehicle.

15. A system for assisting the braking system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor;

a global position system receiver in communication with the processor;

an antenna for receiving global positioning system signals, the antenna being in communication the global position system receiver;

the processor being configured to determine the braking efficiency of the vehicle, collecting global positioning system information from the global position system receiver, determine a distance to an end of a grade of a road the vehicle is traveling based on the global positioning system information, determine if there is a possibility of failure of the braking system of the vehicle based on the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the distance to the end of the grade of the road the on which vehicle is traveling, and execute a mitigating action to prevent braking failure.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a brake temperature sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the brake temperature sensor determines the temperature of at least one brake of the vehicle; and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the braking efficiency of the vehicle based on the brake temperature of the at least one brake of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a wheel speed sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the wheel speed sensor determines the wheel speed of at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the braking efficiency of the vehicle based on the wheel speed of the at least one brake of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising;

a grade angle sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the grade angle sensor determines the grade angle of the vehicle; and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the braking efficiency of the vehicle based on the grade angle of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the mitigating action is downshifting a gear of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the mitigating action is activating engine braking of the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the mitigating action is informing the driver of the vehicle if there is a runaway truck ramp near the location of the vehicle.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the mitigating action is activating engine braking of the vehicle.

23. A system for assisting the braking system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor;

a global position system receiver in communication with the processor;

a brake temperature sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the brake temperature sensor determines the temperature of at least one brake of the vehicle;

a wheel speed sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the wheel speed sensor determines the wheel speed of at least one wheel of the vehicle;

a grade angle sensor in communication with the processor, whereby the grade angle sensor determines the grade angle of the vehicle;

an antenna for receiving global positioning system signals, the antenna being in communication the global position system receiver;

the processor being configured to measure the braking efficiency of the vehicle, collecting global positioning system information from the global position system receiver, determine a distance to an end of a grade of a road the vehicle is traveling based on the global positioning system information, determine if there is a possibility of failure of the braking system of the vehicle based on the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the distance to the end of the grade of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and execute a mitigating action to prevent braking failure;

wherein the braking efficiency of the vehicle is based on the brake temperature of the at least one brake of the vehicle, the wheel speed of the at least one brake of the vehicle, and the grade angle of the vehicle; and

wherein the mitigating action is at least one of downshifting a gear of the vehicle, activating engine braking of the vehicle, and informing the driver of the vehicle if there is a runaway truck ramp near the location of the vehicle.