STEERING WHEEL SQUEEZE-ACTIVATED VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM

• US 20140224600A1
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redevex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Redevex Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenbaum, Richard W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/158
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/741 acting on an ultimate actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/085 by electrical means, e.g. travel, force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence

Abstract

A brake-by-wire vehicle braking system is augmented with “squeeze” sensors placed in the steering wheel of the vehicle enabling a vehicle operator to stop the vehicle more quickly in an emergency situation by eliminating the significant times that it takes to move a driver'"'"'s foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal and then depress the brake pedal. An important objective is to achieve a faster vehicle stop by allowing the driver to optionally eliminate foot movement from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and also the depression of the brake pedal. This invention also potentially allows a driver to squeeze a steering wheel to slow a vehicle, perhaps to comply with a lower speed limit, or accomplish the fastest possible “hard-stop” in an emergency situation.

Claims

1. An operator control configured to interface with an electronic braking system (EBS) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel; and

one or more pressure or force sensors supported on the steering wheel to slow or stop the vehicle in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or the steering column.

2. The operator control of claim 1, wherein:

the steering wheel has a front side and an underside; and

one or more pressure or force sensors supported on the underside.

3. The operator control of claim 1, wherein the sensors are piezoresistive sensors.

4. The operator control of claim 1, wherein an initial moderate squeeze on the steering wheel will begin to slow the vehicle.

5. The operator control of claim 1, wherein multiple squeezes on the steering wheel progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle.

6. The operator control of claim 1, wherein a consistent firm squeeze on the steering wheel brings a vehicle to a gradual and complete stop.

7. The operator control of claim 1, wherein a sudden extreme squeeze will rapidly stop the vehicle.

8. The operator control of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle includes a brake pedal; and

squeezing on the steering wheel is used to initially slow or stop the vehicle until a signal from the brake pedal is received by the EBS, at which time the operator'"'"'s use of the brake pedal begins to dominate the braking of the vehicle.

9. An electronic braking system (EBS), comprising:

a plurality of human-machine interface (HMI) braking inputs;

an electronic control unit (ECU);

one or more communications networks interfacing the HMI braking inputs and the ECU to a plurality of electronic calipers, each caliper being associated with a wheel of the vehicle;

each electronic caliper including a processor and an actuator, each processor being operative to receive and interpret signals from the HMI inputs and ECU to slow or stop the vehicle by delivering a braking signal to the actuator; and

wherein the HMI braking inputs include a brake pedal and one or more pressure or force sensors supported on the steering wheel that operate in response to an operator'"'"'s squeezing of the wheel without pulling or pushing either the steering wheel or the steering column.

10. The EBS of claim 9, wherein:

the steering has a front side and an underside; and

including one or more pressure or force sensors supported on the underside.

11. The EBS of claim 9, wherein the sensors are piezoresistive sensors.

12. The EBS of claim 9, wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to reduce the speed of the vehicle by a predetermined amount in response to an initial moderate squeeze on the steering wheel.

13. The EBS of claim 9, wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle in response to multiple squeezes of the steering wheel.

14. The EBS of claim 9, wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to bring the vehicle to a gradual and complete stop in response to a consistent firm squeeze of the steering wheel.

15. The EBS of claim 9, wherein each processor is operative to control a respective actuator to rapidly stop the vehicle in response to a sudden extreme squeeze on the steering wheel.

16. The EBS of claim 9, wherein squeezing on the steering wheel is used to initially slow or stop the vehicle until a signal from the brake pedal is received, at which time the operator'"'"'s use of the brake pedal begins to dominate the braking of the vehicle.

17. The EBS of claim 9, further including a front-viewing video camera interfaced to the one of the communications networks enabling the system to bring the vehicle to a smooth and gradual stop based upon the distance to other vehicles or obstacles in front of the vehicle.

18. A method of braking a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a steering wheel instrumented with a plurality of force or pressure sensors interfaced to an electronic braking system; and

slowing or stopping the vehicle by squeezing on the instrumented steering wheel without pushing or pulling either the steering wheel or steering column.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an initial moderate squeeze of the steering wheel will begin to slow the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein multiple squeezes of the steering wheel progressively reduce the speed of the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein a consistent firm squeeze of the steering wheel brings a vehicle to a gradual and complete stop.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein a sudden extreme squeeze will rapidly stop the vehicle.