SMART FEEL REGENERATIVE BRAKING

• US 20120310501A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: DeWitt, David S., Miyamoto, Naoya, Harty, Ryan Douglas Roy, Uyeki, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/604 Merging friction therewith; Adjusting their repartition
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver

Abstract

Methods and systems employing the same for controlling braking characteristics of a vehicle are provided. Expected braking characteristics of the vehicle are received and driving condition data is continuously received. A determination as to whether the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied in view of the driving condition data is continuously made and the expected braking characteristics are applied when they can be applied safely.

Claims

1. A method for controlling braking characteristics of a vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving expected braking characteristics of the vehicle;

continuously receiving driving condition data;

continuously determining whether the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied in view of the driving condition data; and

,

applying the expected braking characteristics when they can be applied safely.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes regenerative braking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected braking characteristics are one of sporty braking characteristics and environmentally friendly braking characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining distance between objects around the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining speed of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining to upcoming turns and stops.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining to topography.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining to one or more of road type, road conditions, and weather conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination includes:

calculating one or more safe driving distances based on the driving condition data and/or the expected braking characteristics; and

,

determining whether actual driving distances are within allowed variances from the safe driving distances.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of the expected braking characteristics includes enabling regenerative braking.

11. A system or controlling braking characteristics of a vehicle, said system comprising:

a user input device that allows a user of the vehicle to specify expected braking characteristics of the vehicle;

one or more sensors for monitoring driving conditions; and

,

a controller that controls braking characteristics of the vehicle based upon expected braking characteristics received from the user input device and driving condition data received from the sensors, wherein the controller determines whether the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied in view of the driving condition data and controls braking of the vehicle accordingly.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system provides an adjustment command if the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied, where the adjustment command adjusts braking characteristics of the vehicle to the expected braking characteristics.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system provides a deceleration command to a cruise control system if the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle uses regenerative braking.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the user input device allows selection ranging between sporty braking characteristics and environmentally friendly braking characteristics.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensors sense distance of the vehicle from surrounding objects.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensors sense speed of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a navigation system, wherein the controller receives driving condition data from the navigation system, wherein the driving condition data includes data pertaining to one or more of upcoming turns and stops, topography, road type, road conditions, and weather conditions.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the determination includes:

calculating one or more safe driving distances based on the driving condition data and/or the expected braking characteristics; and

,

determining whether actual driving distances are within allowed variances from the safe driving distances.

20. A method for controlling braking characteristics of a vehicle having a regenerative braking, said method comprising:

receiving expected braking characteristics of the vehicle;

continuously receiving driving condition data;

continuously determining whether the expected braking characteristics can be safely applied in view of the driving condition data;

applying the expected braking characteristics to regenerative braking when the expected braking characteristics can be applied safely; and

,

disabling regenerative braking when the expected braking characteristics cannot be applied safely.