VEHICLE BRAKING BASED ON EXTERNAL OBJECT COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140067220A1
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Seiler, Rebecca Lynne
• Granted Patent: US 10,737,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/12 Pre-actuation of braking systems without significant braking effect; Optimizing brake performance by reduction of play between brake pads and brake disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• 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: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A method for braking a host vehicle receives input indicative of transmitted travel data of an external object. A current distance between the host vehicle and the external object is calculated based upon travel data of the host vehicle and the external object. Pressure in a brake system of the host vehicle is precharged based upon the current distance, to reduce delay in a response of the brake system. A controller configured to perform the braking method is provided. A host vehicle is also provided with a brake system and the vehicle controller.

Claims

1. A method for braking a host vehicle comprising:

receiving input indicative of transmitted travel data of an external object;

calculating a current distance between the host vehicle and the external object based upon travel data of the host vehicle and the external object; and

precharging pressure in a brake system of the host vehicle based upon the current distance, to reduce delay in a response of the brake system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of a stationary object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of a pedestrian.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of a traffic signal.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a pressure applied to the brake system of the host vehicle by a driver.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating a relative velocity between the host vehicle and the external object based on travel data of the host vehicle and the external object; and

precharging pressure in the brake system of the host vehicle

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising actuating the brake system to achieve autonomous braking of the host vehicle based upon the current distance to optimize vehicle stopping distance.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of a target vehicle;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving input indicative of a transmitted coordinate position of the target vehicle, and

monitoring a coordinate position of the host vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising calculating the current distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle based upon the received coordinate position of the target vehicle and the coordinate position of the host vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising selecting a brake system delay factor based upon the current distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising detecting a pressure applied to the brake system of the host vehicle by a driver;

and

calculating a brake delay time based on the pressure upon the brake system and the brake system delay factor.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

monitoring a current velocity of the host vehicle;

monitoring a current acceleration of the host vehicle; and

calculating a predicted velocity of the host vehicle based upon the current velocity of the host vehicle, the current acceleration of the host vehicle, and the brake delay time.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving input indicative of a transmitted velocity of the target vehicle;

monitoring a current velocity of the host vehicle;

receiving input indicative of a communicated acceleration of the target vehicle;

monitoring a current acceleration of the host vehicle; and

calculating a predicted distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle based upon the transmitted velocity of the target vehicle, the current velocity of the host vehicle, the brake delay time, the monitored acceleration of the target vehicle, the current acceleration of the host vehicle and the current distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving input indicative of a transmitted velocity of the target vehicle;

receiving input indicative of a transmitted acceleration of the target vehicle; and

calculating a velocity of the target vehicle based upon the transmitted velocity of the target vehicle, the transmitted acceleration of the target vehicle, and the brake delay time.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of a target vehicle;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving input indicative of a transmitted velocity of the target vehicle,

monitoring a current velocity of the host vehicle,

receiving input indicative of a transmitted acceleration of the target vehicle, and

calculating a required deceleration from the transmitted velocity of the target vehicle, the current velocity of the host vehicle, the current distance between the target vehicle and the host vehicle, and the transmitted acceleration of the target vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising calculating a condition level from the required deceleration and a maximum braking deceleration of the host vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising precharging the brake system of the host vehicle when the condition level exceeds a predetermined range until the condition level is within the predetermined range.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is indicative of travel data of at least two target vehicles.

19. A vehicle controller for a host vehicle, the vehicle controller being configured to:

receive input indicative of transmitted travel data of an external object;

calculate a current distance between the host vehicle and the external object based upon travel data of the host vehicle and the external object; and

transmit input indicative to precharge pressure in a brake system of the host vehicle based upon the current distance, to reduce delay in a response of the brake system.

20. A host vehicle comprising:

a brake system; and

a vehicle controller configured to receive input indicative of transmitted travel data of an external object, calculate a current distance between the host vehicle and the external object based upon travel data of the host vehicle and the external object, and transmit input indicative to precharge pressure in the brake system based upon the current distance, to reduce delay in a response of the brake system.